Background
Stewart Investors, a specialist investment manager within First Sentier Investors (formerly First State Investments), manages global investment portfolios on behalf of institutional and individual clients. Renowned for its long-term investment philosophy and sustainable approach, the business operates internationally with offices across Europe, Asia and Australia.
When the organisation needed to replace an Office Manager who had been with the business for 17 years, Stewart Investors recognised the importance of finding not only the right technical capability but also someone who would fit their unique culture. Maxwell Stephens was appointed to lead the search for a Property Manager based at the firm's Edinburgh headquarters.
The Challenge
Replacing a long-serving employee is never straightforward. Stewart Investors required a highly capable Property Manager who could seamlessly take ownership of a broad operational remit while maintaining the collaborative culture that had become integral to the organisation.
The successful candidate would oversee workplace operations in Edinburgh while supporting satellite offices in London, Singapore and Sydney, ensuring consistency with global corporate standards and local regulatory requirements.
Key responsibilities included:
- Managing day-to-day workplace and property operations.
- Maintaining physical security and access control.
- Negotiating leases and managing landlord relationships.
- Coordinating office refurbishments, moves and workplace projects.
- Managing planned maintenance of mechanical and electrical assets.
- Producing operational reporting and workplace analytics.
- Managing departmental budgets, invoices and financial controls.
- Supporting Health & Safety compliance across multiple international locations.
- Acting as the key liaison for Office Management teams across the global office network.
The role demanded an experienced workplace professional capable of operating independently while collaborating effectively across international teams.
Our Approach
Recognising the significance of replacing a highly valued long-serving employee, Maxwell Stephens invested considerable time working alongside Stewart Investors before commencing the search.
Through a series of detailed consultation meetings, we developed a comprehensive understanding of the organisation's structure, culture and leadership style, allowing us to define precisely what success would look like in the role.
Our executive search focused on professionals with experience in:
- Corporate Property and Facilities Management.
- Financial services and investment management environments.
- Multi-site workplace operations.
- Budget and supplier management.
- Office relocations and refurbishment projects.
- Health & Safety and statutory compliance.
- Stakeholder engagement across international businesses.
In addition to technical capability, particular emphasis was placed on identifying candidates who demonstrated initiative, emotional intelligence, adaptability and the confidence to work within a collaborative, low-hierarchy culture.
Following a comprehensive search and assessment process, we presented a carefully curated shortlist of exceptional candidates.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens successfully identified an outstanding Property Manager who combined strong operational expertise with an excellent cultural fit.
The successful candidate brought extensive experience managing workplace operations, property services and facilities across corporate environments, enabling them to make an immediate contribution to the business.
Since joining Stewart Investors, they have successfully:
- Maintained high operational standards across the Edinburgh headquarters.
- Supported workplace operations across international offices.
- Strengthened supplier and landlord relationships.
- Delivered office improvement and workplace projects.
- Enhanced Health & Safety compliance and operational governance.
- Improved reporting, budget management and workplace efficiency.
- Preserved the collaborative workplace culture valued by the organisation.
The appointment demonstrated Maxwell Stephens' ability to deliver not only technically capable professionals, but individuals who integrate seamlessly into an organisation's culture and long-term vision.
Finding the Right Person and Not Just a Replacement
Replacing a long-serving employee requires more than matching a job description. It demands a deep understanding of culture, leadership style and organisational values.
By combining detailed consultation with a rigorous executive search process, Maxwell Stephens helped Stewart Investors secure a Property Manager who could build on an already successful workplace operation while bringing fresh ideas and long-term value.
Client Testimonial
“We needed to replace our office manager of 17 years recently and found Peter and his team exceptionally helpful through the process. We were novices in conducting this sort of search so Peter spent a good period of time with us before looking for candidates to ensure that he had fully captured our requirements and most importantly, the particular culture of our organisation. The shortlist of candidates that were presented to us were an appropriate range and we actually struggled to narrow down that to those we wished to interview. We then eventually offered the role to one of the candidates and so far all is going very well. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Peter and his team in this specialist area.”