Background
Founded in 1972, British Arab Commercial Bank (BACB) is a UK-regulated international wholesale bank specialising in trade finance and banking solutions across the Middle East and Africa. Headquartered in the City of London, BACB operates an international network of representative offices, including Algeria, Libya, Dubai and Côte d'Ivoire, supporting clients trading in emerging markets around the world.
As the bank continued to strengthen its operational infrastructure and workplace services, BACB appointed Maxwell Stephens exclusively to recruit several key Facilities Management professionals. Over the course of our partnership, we successfully delivered appointments across multiple levels of the Facilities function, including:
- Head of Facilities
- Senior Associate – Hard Facilities Management
- Facilities Coordinator
These appointments formed part of a wider strategy to enhance operational performance, regulatory compliance and workplace excellence across the bank.
The Challenge
Recruiting across several levels of the Facilities Management function required a flexible yet highly targeted executive search strategy.
Although each role carried different responsibilities, every appointment needed to reflect BACB's commitment to operational excellence, governance, customer service and continuous improvement within a highly regulated banking environment.
Head of Facilities
Reporting into the Executive Management Team, the Head of Facilities was responsible for leading the bank's entire Facilities Management function.
Responsibilities included:
- Developing and delivering Facilities strategy.
- Leading and developing the Facilities team.
- Managing the London headquarters and tenant services.
- Driving operational improvement initiatives.
- Managing supplier relationships and outsourced services.
- Budget management and financial planning.
- Ensuring statutory compliance and operational resilience.
- Supporting workplace projects and business transformation.
- Promoting innovation and continuous improvement across the department.
This was a strategic leadership role requiring an experienced Facilities executive capable of aligning workplace operations with wider business objectives.
Senior Associate – Hard Facilities Management
This technically focused position provided operational leadership across the bank's hard Facilities Management services.
Responsibilities included:
- Mechanical and electrical building services.
- Planned and reactive maintenance.
- Health & Safety compliance.
- Building engineering support.
- Security systems.
- Contractor management.
- Technical project support.
The successful candidate required strong technical knowledge alongside the ability to contribute strategically to the wider Facilities function.
Facilities Coordinator
The Facilities Coordinator provided essential operational support to the wider Facilities team and played a key role in ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the London headquarters.
Responsibilities included:
- Coordinating contractors and suppliers.
- Reception and front-of-house support.
- Invoice processing and Facilities administration.
- Supporting Health & Safety and fire compliance.
- Assisting with building operations.
- Office services coordination.
Our Approach
Having been appointed as BACB's exclusive recruitment partner, Maxwell Stephens developed a tailored recruitment strategy for each appointment while maintaining a consistent focus on the bank's culture and values.
We worked closely with senior stakeholders to gain a detailed understanding of both the technical requirements and behavioural competencies expected across the Facilities Management team.
Executive Search
Using our specialist Facilities Management network, we identified professionals with experience across:
- Corporate banking environments.
- Multi-disciplinary Facilities Management.
- Hard and Soft FM leadership.
- Health & Safety.
- Building engineering.
- Contractor and supplier management.
- Workplace operations.
- Regulatory compliance.
- Financial management.
Cultural Assessment
BACB places significant emphasis on recruiting individuals who embody its corporate values and leadership behaviours.
Throughout the recruitment process, every candidate was assessed against the bank's core competencies, including:
- Driving Results through continuous improvement, customer focus and accountability.
- Leadership & Influence through communication, collaboration and relationship building.
- Judgement & Decision Making through planning, organisation and problem solving.
- Knowledge & Expertise through professional development and technical competence.
- Governance & Compliance through an understanding of regulatory obligations and risk management.
Candidates were also evaluated against BACB's organisational values:
- Integrity — acting honestly, transparently and ethically.
- Innovation — embracing change and finding practical solutions.
- Excellence — continually striving to exceed expectations.
- Teamwork — collaborating to achieve shared objectives.
- Client Focus — delivering exceptional service and building trusted relationships.
This rigorous assessment process ensured technical competence was matched by strong cultural alignment.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens successfully delivered all three appointments, providing BACB with a strengthened Facilities Management function capable of supporting both current operations and future growth.
Across the appointments, the successful candidates brought extensive experience in corporate Facilities Management, technical building services, workplace operations and regulatory compliance.
Collectively, the new team has contributed to:
- Strengthening Facilities leadership across the organisation.
- Enhancing Health & Safety and statutory compliance.
- Improving contractor management and service delivery.
- Supporting operational resilience and business continuity.
- Delivering workplace improvements across the London headquarters.
- Building a high-performing Facilities Management function aligned with the bank's strategic objectives.
The success of these appointments reinforced Maxwell Stephens' position as a trusted recruitment partner for specialist Facilities Management roles within the financial services sector.
Delivering Facilities Management Talent to the Financial Services Sector
Financial institutions require Facilities professionals who combine technical expertise with exceptional professionalism, regulatory awareness and commercial judgement.
Through our specialist executive search methodology and deep understanding of corporate Facilities Management, Maxwell Stephens successfully delivered a series of high-quality appointments that continue to support BACB's operational excellence and long-term business objectives.
Candidate Testimonial
"The team at Maxwell Stephens were consummate professionals throughout the recruitment process. Their attention to detail and thoughtful approach ensured they matched both my experience and the client's requirements perfectly. Their communication and support were exceptional from beginning to end, and I would have no hesitation in working with them again or recommending them to others."