Client Overview
Viacom International (now part of Paramount Global) is one of the world's largest media and entertainment companies, home to globally recognised brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Channel 5, Paramount Pictures and BET. Operating within a fast-paced, highly creative environment, Viacom's workplaces are designed to inspire collaboration, innovation and outstanding employee experience.
To support its UK operations and future workplace strategy, Viacom partnered with Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Head of Building Services UK (Planning, Design & Office Facilities)—a senior leadership role responsible for shaping the organisation's workplace environment, managing complex building services and delivering strategic facilities initiatives across the UK portfolio.
The Challenge
This was a strategically important appointment requiring an exceptional leader capable of combining technical expertise with commercial awareness and a deep understanding of modern workplace environments.
The successful candidate would lead the Planning, Design and Office Facilities function, ensuring that Viacom's workplaces supported both business performance and employee wellbeing while maintaining the highest standards of operational excellence.
The role demanded expertise across multiple disciplines, including:
- Strategic Facilities Management.
- Workplace planning and office design.
- Building services engineering.
- Capital project delivery.
- Office refurbishments and fit-outs.
- Space utilisation and workplace optimisation.
- Health & Safety and statutory compliance.
- Budget ownership and financial management.
- Contractor procurement and supplier management.
- Stakeholder engagement across multiple business functions.
- Leadership of multidisciplinary facilities teams.
Beyond technical capability, Viacom required an individual who could thrive within its entrepreneurial, fast-moving and highly creative culture—someone equally comfortable presenting to senior executives as they were leading major workplace transformation projects.
Our Approach
Recognising the unique nature of the assignment, Maxwell Stephens adopted a bespoke executive search strategy focused on identifying senior Facilities and Workplace leaders with experience operating in complex corporate environments.
We worked closely with Viacom's senior leadership team to gain a detailed understanding of the organisation's culture, workplace philosophy and long-term property strategy.
Our search focused on candidates with experience across:
- Corporate Real Estate.
- Strategic Facilities Management.
- Workplace Design and Planning.
- Media and Creative Industries.
- Financial and Commercial Management.
- Building Services Engineering.
- Major Capital Projects.
- Workplace Transformation.
Each candidate underwent a comprehensive assessment covering:
- Strategic leadership capability.
- Technical building services knowledge.
- Workplace design expertise.
- Financial and commercial management.
- Stakeholder engagement.
- Change management.
- Leadership style.
- Cultural alignment with Viacom's innovative and collaborative environment.
Rather than simply filling a vacancy, our objective was to identify a leader capable of influencing the future direction of Viacom's workplace strategy.
The Outcome
Following an extensive executive search, Maxwell Stephens successfully appointed an exceptional Head of Building Services UK (Planning, Design & Office Facilities) whose experience perfectly matched the complexity and ambition of the role.
The successful candidate brought extensive expertise in strategic facilities management, workplace design and operational leadership, quickly becoming a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across the business.
Results Delivered
Strategic Workplace Leadership
The appointment provided Viacom with a senior leader capable of aligning workplace strategy with wider business objectives, ensuring facilities became an enabler of organisational performance and creativity.
Workplace Transformation
The successful candidate led improvements across workplace planning, office design and building services, creating environments that enhanced collaboration, flexibility and employee experience.
Operational Excellence
Building services, maintenance programmes and operational processes were streamlined, delivering greater efficiency while maintaining the exceptionally high standards expected across Viacom's corporate estate.
Financial Performance
Strong commercial leadership improved budget control, procurement and supplier management, helping deliver value while supporting continued investment in workplace improvements.
Enhanced Stakeholder Engagement
The new Head of Building Services developed strong relationships across the organisation, working collaboratively with senior leadership, project teams, contractors and business units to deliver successful workplace initiatives.
Supporting Future Growth
Through strategic planning and long-term asset management, the appointment positioned Viacom's UK workplace portfolio to support future growth, organisational change and evolving ways of working.
The Impact
The successful appointment strengthened Viacom's workplace leadership by combining strategic vision with operational excellence across planning, design and facilities management.
By delivering a modern, efficient and inspiring workplace environment, the new Head of Building Services has helped support employee engagement, operational performance and long-term business objectives.
This assignment demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' expertise in recruiting senior Workplace, Corporate Real Estate and Facilities leaders for global organisations where technical excellence, strategic thinking and cultural fit are equally critical to success.