Background
Principal Place is one of London's most recognisable mixed-use developments, located in the heart of Shoreditch. Developed by Brookfield Properties, the scheme combines a 600,000 sq ft Grade A office building, premium retail and restaurant space, landscaped public realm, luxury residential accommodation and extensive roof terraces. The development is also home to Amazon's UK Headquarters, making it one of the capital's highest-profile commercial destinations.
As preparations continued for the operational management of the asset, Brookfield Properties appointed Maxwell Stephens exclusively to recruit an Operations Manager. The successful candidate would play a central role in building performance and customer experience across one of London's most prominent commercial developments.
The Challenge
Managing an asset of Principal Place's scale and profile required an experienced Operations Manager able to balance technical building management with strong stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate would oversee the day-to-day operational performance of the development, ensuring a high standard of service for occupiers, visitors and retail tenants while maintaining compliance, safety and presentation.
Key responsibilities included:
- leading the operational management of a major mixed-use development
- managing hard and soft Facilities Management services
- coordinating contractors and specialist service providers
- building strong relationships with occupiers, retailers and stakeholders
- maintaining Health & Safety and statutory compliance
- supporting financial and service charge management
- driving operational efficiencies and continuous improvement
- ensuring a consistently good customer experience across the estate
- supporting the mobilisation and ongoing operation of Amazon's headquarters
Given the prominence of the development, Brookfield required someone who could represent the organisation professionally while operating confidently in a fast-paced, high-profile environment. Mixed-use schemes add a further layer: the Operations Manager serves office occupiers, retailers, residents and the public at once, each with different expectations of the same building, and a single headline occupier raises the visibility of every operational decision.
Our Approach
Working closely with Brookfield's senior leadership team, Maxwell Stephens built a detailed understanding of the operational requirements of Principal Place and the calibre of individual needed to support a development of this kind.
Drawing on our network within commercial real estate and Facilities Management, we ran a targeted executive search focused on professionals with experience of managing premium commercial assets and mixed-use developments. We prioritised candidates who demonstrated:
- commercial property and Building Management expertise
- strong operational leadership
- experience managing premium corporate environments
- contractor and supplier management capability
- stakeholder engagement and communication skills
- technical knowledge of building services and compliance
- commercial awareness and customer-focused leadership
- the confidence to represent a high-profile property development
Alongside technical competence, significant emphasis was placed on personality, professionalism and the ability to build trusted relationships with occupiers, clients and service partners.
The Outcome
Following an extensive executive search, Maxwell Stephens appointed an Operations Manager for Principal Place. The successful candidate brought extensive experience of managing high-profile commercial properties, together with strong stakeholder management and operational leadership skills.
Since joining Brookfield Properties, they have:
- supported the operational management of one of London's premier mixed-use developments
- maintained high workplace and public realm standards
- built strong relationships with occupiers, retailers and contractors
- ensured high levels of Health & Safety and statutory compliance
- delivered consistently good customer service across the estate
- supported the efficient operation of Amazon's UK headquarters
- contributed to the long-term success of one of London's most prominent commercial developments
The appointment further strengthened Maxwell Stephens' long-standing relationship with Brookfield Properties.
Client Testimonial
"I have known Peter professionally for over ten years and have used Maxwell Stephens extensively. They have an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality Facilities and Property Management professionals. They take the time to understand each requirement, maintain regular communication throughout the process and consistently recommend candidates worth meeting. Their knowledge of the market, salary benchmarking and industry insight is invaluable. I'm very happy to use Maxwell Stephens as our sole recruitment partner."
Why This Placement Worked
For more than two decades, Maxwell Stephens has worked with property owners, investors and managing agents to recruit Facilities and Property Management professionals for commercial assets across the UK. Operations Manager appointments on schemes like Principal Place are won or lost on the person's presence with occupiers as much as their command of the building, which is why this search weighed personality and professionalism alongside the technical criteria from the outset.
If you are recruiting an Operations Manager or senior Property Management professional for a high-profile commercial or mixed-use development, Maxwell Stephens can help. Get in touch with our team.