Category: Industry News

International Women in Engineering Day: Victoria Thursfield, Account Director

Posted on by stephanieamata

Victoria Thursfield, in her role as the Account Director on OCS’s Government Property Agency (GPA) contract, holds a pivotal position overseeing critical sites for the UK government. Notably, she is responsible for managing key locations. Victoria’s career spans diverse industries and countries, and she has worked with high-profile clientele. We sat down with Victoria to delve into her professional journey thus far, exploring the factors that have shaped her career as a woman in the challenging field of hard services.

Victoria’s entry into the facilities management (FM) business was serendipitous. Her career trajectory began in the catering industry, with a graduate job at Compass and a stint at the food chain Pret-A-Manger. Her rapid ascent within Pret-A-Manger led her to establish the business in Hong Kong, where she spent three years. “We needed to be quite self-sufficient because you didn’t have the support of the UK business. I think that was a good grounding for then working in FM,” she recalls.

Upon her return to the UK, Victoria’s CV found its way to the desk of a managing director of a leading FM business. This marked her foray into the FM world, where she initially managed the retail sector. As she gained experience and made her mark within the company, she took on more accounts, eventually leading her to engineering, marking a new chapter in her career. Despite not being an engineer herself, Victoria pursued an interest she always knew was there. “My father is a civil engineer, so I think there’s always been a bit of interest there,” she shares.

Victoria has spent a total of 19 years within the FM industry, strengthening and developing her expertise, and building a strong network. She joined OCS in October 2023, where she now oversees the technical services contract for GPA. She thrives on the dynamism of the FM industry, stating, “No day is ever the same.” On joining OCS she says, “I’ve now been here six months and I can tell it’s ultimately about the people, OCS say people are at the heart of what they do and that feels true, you know, OCS delivers its values throughout. Despite my short time here, I feel like my voice will be heard, which is quite comforting. To be so new in a significantly significant sized company, I still feel I have influence and will be listened to and that’s a valuable thing.” She also particularly enjoys setting up new teams and developing people, a task she is currently undertaking on the GPA contract.

However, Victoria’s switch to engineering has not been without its challenges. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she often found herself the only woman in the room. Despite this, she credits her supportive and receptive teams for helping her navigate these challenges. She remains hopeful and proactive in recruiting more women into hard services, working with social value practitioners and attending career fairs to promote hard services as a career option for young women.

In her current role within the hard services division, Victoria is excited about the future of OCS. “I think we have some very challenging and ambitious targets and it’s quite an exciting time to join,” she says. She wants women curious about hard services to know that there’s nothing stopping them from diving in. “It’s not all about knowing how a fan coil unit works, or what happens in a plant room, it’s about not being afraid to ask questions,” she advises.

Victoria’s journey is a testament to her resilience and adaptability. From her early days in the catering industry to her current role in FM, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to thrive in new environments and take on challenges head-on. Her story serves as an inspiration for women looking to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields.

OCS Partners with Love British Food to Celebrate British Produce

Posted on by stephanieamata

We are thrilled to announce that OCS is now an official partner of Love British Food, a dynamic grassroots-driven organisation dedicated to championing British produce. Our collaboration with Love British Food reflects our commitment to supporting local farmers, celebrating culinary heritage, and promoting sustainable food choices.

Why Choose British Food?

When you choose British food, you’re not only indulging in delicious flavours but also contributing to a more sustainable and resilient food system. Our partnership with Love British Food empowers us to support local farmers who play a vital role in maintaining the picturesque British countryside. When you choose British produce, you’re directly contributing to their livelihoods.

Climate-Friendly Recipes

We recognise the importance of sustainable practices. Our collaboration with Love British Food allows us to create climate-friendly recipes. By using seasonal produce, we reduce our environmental impact and promote a harmonious balance between food production and local cycles.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to champion and advocate for local produce that supports our farmers and bolsters the local economy. Love British Food is doing vital work not just protecting British suppliers but also pushing for better environmental practices in the food supply chain. I’m honoured to be a part of this.

Leigh Ashley

Contract Manager ‑ Public Sector

Meet Leigh Ashley: Our Love British Food Ambassador

Leigh Ashley, our Public Sector Contract Manager, has enthusiastically stepped forward as a Love British Food Ambassador. In this role, he represents OCS within the public sector, advocating for British food and building essential relationships with suppliers. Leigh’s passion for local produce aligns perfectly with our TRUE values.

Supporting the Local Economy

As a business headquartered in the UK, supporting the local economy is close to our hearts. Our recent participation in Great British Beef Week exemplifies our commitment. During this initiative, we shared a range of Red-Tractor-assured beef recipes, encouraging others to join us in celebrating British food.

On behalf of OCS, we are delighted to partner with Love British Food, our journey with them will see us promoting local economies, reducing carbon footprint through local supply chains and celebrating cultural heritage. We aim to improve awareness and make quality British produce available to all our customers.

Debbie Noakes

Support Director for Catering and Continuous Improvement

Rapid Growth Expected to Double Revenue Figures: Interview with Daniel Dickson

Posted on by emmacook

Our Chief Executive Officer for the UK and Ireland, Daniel Dickson was spotlighted in the latest issue of FM Director magazine, a magazine exclusively for industry leaders in the FM sector.  

In this insightful interview, Dickson traces his career trajectory, beginning with his early days in chartered accountancy and culminating in his current position at the helm of our operations in the UK and Ireland. His journey mirrors a compelling narrative of dedication, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to excellence. 

Our ambition is to double the size of the business over the next five years, and I think we’ve got a fantastic opportunity to make that happen.

Daniel Dickson

CEO, OCS UK and Ireland

The interview delves into the pivotal merger of Atalian Servest and OCS in March 2023, a transformative event that reshaped the landscape of our organisation into the newly forged OCS brand. Subsequently, with the strategic acquisition of businesses such as Accuro and Profile Security, Dickson has demonstrated a sharp focus on leveraging mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as indispensable tools for fortifying our business.

The FM Director Magazine’s feature provides a rare glimpse into the mind of a visionary leader whose insights and experiences shape the trajectory of our company in the dynamic FM sector. Read the full interview from page 34.

Unity: Arthur McKay to Operate Under OCS Banner

Posted on by ameliaroberts

The OCS TRUE values – Trust, Respect, Unity and Empowerment – have been the driving force for us as we have transformed as a business following the merger of OCS and Atalian Servest.

Arthur McKay, a leading building support service organisation, was an Atalian Servest company that provided smart and integrated services to over 1,000 client sites around the UK. As part of the consolidation of our operations and unification of our purpose and vision, Arthur McKay will no longer exist as a separate entity and is instead operating under the OCS banner.

We will continue to provide the same services and solutions – mechanical and electrical, fire protection, building fabric and data networks, to name just a few. Our 1,500 colleagues from Arthur McKay will continue to utilise their specialist knowledge and skills to ensure that customers benefit from a solution tailored to their specific needs, but now have the additional benefit of the backing and support of the OCS business.

The unification of Arthur McKay and our Hard Services division is an exciting change and one in which we hope will take us one step closer to achieving our mission of making people and places the best they can be.

“Bringing Arthur McKay and the rest of the M&E and Hard Services businesses together as a single OCS division provides a far greater depth of capability and capacity. This ensures our customers receive the very best service and enables the drive for innovation.”

Nick Maggs

Managing Director – Hard Services

Group CEO, Rob Legge, outlines the OCS Best Strategy and Approach

Posted on by ameliaroberts

The international facilities management landscape has been dominated by the same global players for a number of years. However, when OCS Group and Atalian Servest’s operations in the UK, Ireland, and Asia merged, it created a new company which had the potential to act as an industry leader and disruptor.

I have been involved in facilities management for close to three decades and it has become a real part of my DNA. Our merger earlier in 2023 was an opportunity to drive forward not only the business, but the entire industry. With our newly expanded, critical scale, we saw the opportunity to take stock of our purpose and values and ensure we were building the most compelling offering for our customers.

Our approach

When formulating a plan for the next phase of OCS’ journey, we established a collective vision of wanting to be the partner of choice in the industry, providing the most valuable service to any customer we worked with across each of our geographies. The culmination of this work was the formulation of OCS’ new strategy, BEST. It has been established to enhance how we serve our customers, empower our workforce, and contribute to the well-being of the communities we touch.

Today, our mission at OCS is clear: to make people and places the best they can be. We’ve embarked on this journey with the aim to create exceptional experiences, enhance productivity, refine our practices, foster communities, and ultimately, deliver outstanding outcomes. These aspects form the core of our strategy and are reinforced by our TRUE values.

Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment—these values are the foundation of everything we do.

They guide our interactions with customers, colleagues, partners, and the communities we serve, ensuring a cohesive approach to our mission.

In an ever-evolving world, we believe that creating exceptional experiences is paramount. We understand that the value we bring is not just in our services but in the experiences we create. From a well-maintained office space that enhances productivity, to a clean and safe healthcare facility that promotes well-being, OCS is dedicated to improving every aspect of the human experience within the spaces we manage.

Our business is powered by best practice, consistency and our unique attention to detail. Ultimately, we will look to set the benchmark for our industry, harnessing the power of technology, innovation, and human expertise to create efficiencies for our customers.

However, this is not a one-step change but rather a continual process. To succeed in our mission, we must consistently look at improving our practices and ensure that our work aligns with the highest ethical and sustainability standards. Our commitment to best practices guarantees that we are not just compliant, but we set the standard for excellence in our industry.

Empowering our workforce

Overall, OCS is made up of 120,000 individuals, most of whom are workers on the frontline. These are the people who sit at the core of our business, and it is only by empowering them that we can truly thrive. We encourage our colleagues to take ownership, make decisions, and shape the future of our business. This not only elevates the service we provide, but also gives our workforce the opportunity to progress their careers in our business.

As a business we have a fundamental commitment to social mobility. We ensure we recruit from the widest possible talent pool; we offer each of our colleagues ongoing training to support their career progression and we foster and invest in a diverse and inclusive culture.

Serving communities

Last but not least, we consider ourselves integral parts of the communities we serve. Our goal is to create a positive impact on the people and places we touch, fostering a sense of belonging and well-being. We aspire to be responsible and sustainable members of every community we serve.

We adopt this mindset right the way through the business and are continuously looking to evolve our approach to each of the ‘E’, the ‘S’ and the ’G’. It runs from our 2040 net-zero commitment, down to the work we do to supporting the individual communities we work in across each of our geographies.

OCS’ BEST strategy and TRUE values are at the heart of our mission to make people and places the best they can be.

We also believe they will be fundamental to our future growth as a business and industry leader – our commitment to this strategy and our values sets the stage for us to set a new standard in the industry. OCS is in a unique position and is primed for growth. We are a dynamic business and it is my ambition to make this company the market leaders in the facilities management industry. Reflecting on the first 6 months of my role as Global CEO, I believe we have the team to deliver on this ambition.

 

Rob Legge, Group CEO

OCS Group launches OCSi Academy to offer colleagues world-class training in data skills

Posted on by ameliaroberts

OCS, a leading global facilities service provider, has invited employees from across its business to become part of its newly created OCSi Academy which is designed to help develop vital data skills and support career progression. It forms part of the Group’s commitment to empowering its people, giving them the tools and support to thrive.

The training will be delivered by Multiverse, a tech company focused on high-quality education and training through applied learning. In an initial trial, 15 OCS colleagues will enrol on a 15-month data apprenticeship, with plans to expand this next year. This investment by OCS into these apprenticeships aims to improve data-driven decision-making and efficiency across the business, supporting clients and employees to deliver better outcomes.

It comes as research within the company found that most employees whose role requires some data analysis spend a considerable amount of time each week wrangling data. 91% of respondents said they wanted to improve their data skills.

Daniel Dickson, Chief Executive Officer, UK & Ireland, said: “As part of our OCS TRUE values, we are committed to ‘empowering our colleagues through excellent working environments’ and providing these opportunities for developing new skills, is key to that. Our colleagues are already using data heavily to inform their decisions and deliver results for customers, and this new training will empower them to do so more efficiently and effectively. Not only are these vital skills that will help them in their job, but they are skills that will support them throughout their careers.”

Euan Blair, CEO of Multiverse, said: “The OCSi Academy has been designed to transform careers for the individuals that receive this world-class training while transforming their ability to make data-driven decisions and use technology to drive efficiency and results. Through meaningful, applied learning, apprentices at OCS will gain the relevant skills that will propel them forward in their career journey, and support them in their role today and in the future.”

Multiverse delivers world-class training in a wide range of qualifications in tech, data and engineering. Apprentices benefit from coaching with an industry expert and are supported by a thriving community with events, socials, mentoring and leadership programmes.

Gill O’Riordan Commences as ISIA President

Posted on by daireleonard

OCS are thrilled to announce that Gill O’Riordan, Director of Strategic Solutions has commenced her Presidency of the Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA). This is an outstanding personal achievement for Gill and everyone here at OCS Ireland is incredibly proud to call her our colleague.

OCS has a long and proud association with the ISIA and we are privileged to have the serving ISIA President and recent outgoing President, Lorraine O’Neill, Director of Security Services, in our team, pictured above with OCS Ireland Managing Director Aine Mulcahy.

The ISIA has been representing the needs of the private security industry for over 40 years and is the only trade association representing the full spectrum of companies in the private security industry.

Atalian UK, Ireland and Asia operations to merge with OCS Group to create new, leading international FM provider

Posted on by ameliaroberts

Following the recent acquisition of OCS Group by Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Atalian confirms the sale of its operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Asia to the private investment firm.

In a move that will create one of the world’s largest international facilities service providers, Atalian Global Services has confirmed the sale of its UK, Ireland and Asia operations, along with its specialist automotive division Aktrion, to Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), the private investment firm that recently acquired OCS Group, with the intention that the businesses be merged over the next twelve months, opening a new chapter for the two firms.

Atalian’s Group CEO Rob Legge will become Group CEO of the newly merged businesses.