Background
PVH Corp. is one of the world's largest fashion companies, owning globally recognised brands including Calvin Klein and TOMMY HILFIGER. Operating across more than 40 countries, PVH combines major retail brands with an international corporate infrastructure supporting thousands of employees across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
As the organisation continued to grow across the region, PVH identified the need for a senior leader capable of transforming its Corporate Services and Facilities function. The business partnered with Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Head of Corporate Services & Facilities (EMEA) for the Calvin Klein division — a strategically important appointment reporting directly to the Vice President of People.
The Challenge
This was an executive appointment with responsibility for creating and leading a modern Corporate Services function across multiple international locations. Rather than inheriting an established department, the successful candidate would design many of the organisation's workplace standards, governance structures and operating procedures from the ground up. The remit combined Corporate Real Estate, Facilities Management, Workplace Strategy and Corporate Travel across numerous European countries.
Key responsibilities included:
- developing and implementing EMEA workplace standards and operational policies
- leading Corporate Real Estate strategy across multiple countries
- managing office acquisitions, relocations and lease negotiations
- overseeing Facilities Management across the regional office portfolio
- developing a consistent workplace experience across all EMEA locations
- delivering operational efficiencies and cost-saving initiatives
- managing capital expenditure and operational budgets
- leading procurement and supplier management
- implementing a regional Corporate Travel programme
- negotiating strategic supplier contracts
- supporting organisational growth through workplace planning and property strategy
- working closely with executive leadership to align workplace operations with business objectives
The successful candidate needed strong commercial awareness, international experience and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across multiple countries and business functions. Building a function rather than running one is a different job: it calls for someone who can set policy, negotiate hard with landlords and suppliers, and still win the trust of executives who have not previously had a corporate services partner to work with.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens worked closely with PVH's senior leadership team to build a detailed understanding of both the operational requirements and the strategic ambitions of the role. Given the international scope, we ran a highly targeted executive search focused on senior Corporate Real Estate and Workplace leaders with experience of operating across multinational organisations.
The search targeted professionals with expertise in:
- international Corporate Real Estate
- strategic Facilities Management
- workplace transformation
- lease negotiation
- multi-country operations
- supplier and contract management
- Corporate Travel management
- financial and commercial leadership
- workplace strategy
- executive stakeholder management
Each shortlisted candidate underwent comprehensive assessment covering strategic leadership, commercial capability, international experience, change management and cultural fit.
The Outcome
Following an extensive executive search, Maxwell Stephens appointed a Head of Corporate Services & Facilities (EMEA) whose experience aligned with PVH's international operations and growth plans. The successful candidate quickly established themselves as a strategic business leader, transforming workplace operations while delivering substantial commercial value across the region.
Corporate Travel Programme
A completely new regional Corporate Travel programme was established, including the negotiation and implementation of a strategic partnership with American Express. New travel policies and supplier arrangements generated annual savings of approximately £95,000 for the London office alone, while improving governance and the traveller experience across the region.
Real Estate Transactions
The appointment played a leading role in several major real estate transactions, including:
- negotiating new office leases in Germany and Switzerland, delivering savings of more than $800,000
- securing a new London headquarters on a strong commercial package, including a 15-month rent-free period and a significant landlord contribution towards office fit-out costs
- renegotiating existing lease and sublease arrangements around the Bond Street offices, improving both workplace quality and long-term commercial value
Workplace, Suppliers and Growth
- Operational savings. New workplace standards, supplier strategies and operational processes delivered operational efficiencies exceeding $200,000 and significantly improved the performance of the Corporate Services function.
- Workplace transformation. New workplace standards, governance procedures and Facilities Management processes were introduced across the EMEA portfolio, creating greater consistency, improved employee experience and stronger operational control.
- Supplier and contract management. Stronger supplier partnerships, improved procurement processes and more effective contract management across multiple countries, supporting consistently high service standards.
- Supporting business growth. By aligning workplace strategy with wider business objectives, the appointment gave PVH a scalable Corporate Services function capable of supporting continued international expansion across EMEA.
Why This Placement Worked
The appointment transformed Corporate Services across PVH's Calvin Klein EMEA business. Through strategic leadership, commercial negotiation and disciplined operations, the successful candidate delivered significant financial savings while modernising workplace operations, improving employee experience and creating a scalable platform for future growth.
Searches for corporate services leaders who must build a function from scratch succeed when the brief is honest about that starting point. PVH was clear that the role would set standards rather than inherit them, which allowed Maxwell Stephens to prioritise candidates with a record of negotiation and change across borders over those who had only ever run a mature function.
If you are recruiting a senior Corporate Real Estate, Workplace or Facilities leader for a multinational organisation, Maxwell Stephens can help. Get in touch with our team.