CAPABILITIES STATEMENT LIFE SCIENCES
INTRODUCTION
Introduction - MRG is an international recruitment and people development organisation. At MRG, we collaborate with a diverse range of organisations within the property sectors within the Life Science and Pharmaceutical space, including Property Companies, Institutional Fund Managers, Developers, Real Estate & Construction Consultancies, and Occupiers / end-users. Our expertise allows us to address the unique challenges and demands of these markets effectively. We understand the critical role that talent attraction plays in achieving business objectives. We are dedicated to providing diverse shortlists that challenge industry norms, ensuring informed and strategic recruitment decisions. Our adaptive approach to recruitment is tailored to deliver the best possible service to our clients. We design bespoke talent attraction and assessment programmes, sourcing professionals who align with the unique needs of each organisation. Recognising the necessity for adaptability, we continuously evolve our methodology to keep pace with changing working practices, industry landscapes, and cultural shifts. We integrate the strengths of traditional search and selection methods with innovative, fit-for-purpose techniques specific to the property sectors within the Life Science and Pharmaceutical space. Understanding the transformative changes in how society interacts, consumes information, and communicates, we ensure our recruitment behaviours reflect these shifts. Transparency and effectiveness are at the core of our processes, with the quality of shortlists prioritised over quantity to justify costs. Diversity of thought is central to our mission, driving improvement with every campaign we undertake. At MRG, we identify and recruit business-critical talent, building robust teams that propel organisations forward. We invest time in understanding the unique needs of every organisation and role, conducting comprehensive searches that extend beyond obvious competitors. Our commitment goes beyond recruitment transactions; we provide strategic advice and long-term solutions to help our clients thrive.
OUR VALUES UNDERPIN OUR PROCESS
We are inventive in our approach to ensure we achieve diverse shortlists of exceptional talent. Inclusivity is the backbone of our entire methodology, removing bias and ensuring preconceptions are addressed and challenged. We are forensic in our candidate analysis and data utilisation to ensure complete transparency. We are relentless in our ambition to achieve outstanding results for our clients
FUTURE TRENDS IN LIFE SCIENCE
The life sciences sector is transforming rapidly, reshaping real estate development, investment, and management. Emerging trends highlight innovation, sustainability, and adaptability in this ecosystem. Rising demand for specialised real estate is driving the development of purpose-built facilities, particularly in the Golden Triangle (London, Cambridge, Oxford). Regional hubs like Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle are also attracting investment in mixed-use science parks with labs, offices, and collaborative spaces. Developers are prioritising advanced lab infrastructure, modular designs, and hybrid spaces tailored to life sciences needs. Life sciences properties increasingly adopt features from hospitality and co-working sectors, fostering collaboration and productivity. Placemaking strategies integrate wellness amenities, community spaces, and mixed-use developments combining research labs with residential units, retail, and green areas to create vibrant ecosystems. Smart building technologies and IoT enhance operational efficiency, enabling real-time monitoring of energy use, lab conditions, and space utilisation. AI and predictive analytics support property management by anticipating tenant needs and reducing costs.
Sustainability is central, with energy-efficient designs, adaptive reuse of older buildings, and certifications like BREEAM and LEED drawing tenants and investors. Adaptive reuse is particularly popular, converting outdated spaces into state-of-the-art labs with reduced environmental impact. Cities such as Glasgow, Bristol, and Edinburgh offer lower costs and government incentives, creating new innovation hubs and promoting regional growth. Tailored science parks in these areas leverage local talent and industries. Flexible work trends are increasing demand for spaces combining labs, offices, and co-working areas. Developers are incorporating modular designs to accommodate evolving tenant requirements, supporting start-ups, scale- ups, and large corporations under one roof. Shared lab facilities in innovation districts further enable cost-sharing and collaboration. Urban clusters are designed to address challenges like rapid urbanisation and climate change. Vertical lab buildings and high-rise mixed-use developments in dense areas like London maximise space efficiency and access to talent. Resilient infrastructure, including flood-proof basements and redundant energy systems, ensures operational continuity.
WE KNOW YOUR MARKET
CAMBRIDGE
A PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE At the heart of our expertise lies the Golden Triangle of Cambridge, Oxford, and London—regions synonymous with life sciences excellence. Anchored by world-class research institutions and healthcare innovators, these areas continue to attract remarkable investment. In 2023 alone, the Golden Triangle secured $6.5 billion in funding, with Cambridge accounting for a staggering $4.7 billion, driven by landmark deals such as AstraZeneca’s acquisition of Abcam. Our demonstrable track record in the Golden Triangle includes securing top talent for some of the UK’s most recognisable science parks and innovation centres. We understand the unique requirements of the life sciences sector, from designing and retrofitting sustainable, purpose-built spaces to meeting the needs of researchers, clinicians, and businesses pushing the boundaries of healthcare and biotechnology.
OXFORD
LONDON
ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT • University of Oxford - Engineering Asset Manager • King’s College London - Lead Engineering Manager • King’s College London - Lead Engineer (Guy’s Campus) • University of Warwick - Lead Engineer (Guy’s Campus) • Essentia - Director of Engineering • Imperial College London - Head of Maintenance MEDICAL RESEARCH AND HEALTHCARE ESTATES (Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust/Essentia) Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust/Essentia undertook a multiple campaign to appoint to newly created roles in their executive team, including: • Site Director – Guy’s Hospital (including the Cancer Centre) • Site Director – St Thomas’ Hospital • Director of Estates – King’s College Hospital • Site Director – Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) • Programme Director – Evelina Children’s Hospital • Director of Capital Delivery • Director of Asset Management • Great Ormond Street Hospital - Interim Director of Built Environment • Great Ormond Street Hospital - Children’s Cancer Centre Delivery Director • Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust - Director of Asset Management • Evelina Children’s Hospital - Programme Director • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust - Redevelopment Project Director
ESTATES • Head of Property & Facilities – Bidwells • Facilities & Estate Manager – Harwell Campus • Campus Manager – Harwell Campus • Director of Leasing - BioMed Realty • Biomed Realty - Associate Director Property and Asset Manager • Wellcome Genome Campus - Asset & Building Services Manager & Estates Director • Harwell Science and Innovation Campus - Infrastructure Manager • AVIVA - Client Services Director - JLL • Estate Director - Battersea Power Station • Head of Estate Operations - King’s Cross Campus • General Manager - Shard Quarter • UK Parliament - Director of Capital Investment • UK Parliament - Deputy Director, Projects SPECIALISED ESTATES (HIGH PUBLIC FOOTFALL DIVERSE CAMPUS / ESTATES) • UK Parliament - Director of Capital Investment • UK Parliament - Deputy Director, Projects • National Theatre - Director of Estates • Royal Opera House - Director of Estates & Facilities • Twycross Zoo - Director of Estates • Natural History Museum - Project Director • Zoological Society of London - Estates Transformation Director • National Theatre - Director of Estates • Royal Opera House - Director of Estates & Facilities • Royal Botanic Gardens Kew - Director of Estates • Twycross Zoo - Director of Estates • Natural History Museum - Project Director • Natural History Museum - Head of Project Delivery
ESTATES AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
TRACK RECORD Below is a recent snapshot of our latest mandates/projects/campaigns.
• University of Bristol - Director of Estates • University of Sussex - Director of Estates, Facilities, and Commercial Services • Lancaster University - Director of Estates, Facilities & Commercial Services • Anglia Ruskin University - Director of Estates and Facilities • University of London - Director of Property & Facilities • University of Leicester - Director of Estates and Campus Services • University for the Creative Arts - Director of Estates & Facilities • University of Oxford - Director of Estates (current campaign) • University of Cambridge - Head of Estates Projects • University of Cambridge - Operations Director • University of Cambridge - Head of the Building Committee • University of Birmingham - Director of Estates • Trinity College Dublin - Director of Campus Infrastructure • Queen Mary, University of London - Director of Estates Development • UCL - Director of Property & Asset Management • University of Liverpool - Director of Estate Management • University of the Arts London (UAL) - Director of Estates • University of Bath - Head of Engineering Services • University of Bristol - Director of Campus Development • King’s College London - Director of Real Estate Development ESTATES AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT • Head of Property - Cambridgeshire County Council • Royal Botanic Gardens Kew - Director of Estates & Capital Development • John Innes Centre - Programme Director • Zoological Society of London - Estates Transformation Director • Natural History Museum - Head of Project Delivery • Biological & Biosciences Research Council - Programme Director
OUR PROCESS - BUILT ON OUR VALUES
STAGE 1: RELENTLESS
STAGE 3: FORENSIC
Approach:
We are relentless in blueprinting our markets.
Approach:
We are forensic in our candidate assessment and analysis.
Key Actions: • We conduct full detailed briefing meetings with all key stakeholders. • We take the time to understand both the technical abilities required and the behaviours and values needed by the team. • We identify the maximum candidates per role by mapping competitor and aligned businesses. • We look beyond the obvious, seeking candidates with aligned competencies through a detailed market understanding.
Key Actions: • We make decisions based on three areas: behaviours, emotional intelligence, and competencies/experiences. • We use TEIQue Emotional Intelligence reporting for people-oriented appointments. • We implement PPA for in-depth personality assessment. • We use a bespoke Weighted Selection Matrix to drive decisions based on evidence and data, ensuring robust and auditable selections
Experience
Ideal Candidate
STAGE 2: INVENTIVE
Approach:
We are inventive in how we attract our candidates.
Behaviours
Skills
Key Actions: • We advertise roles on LinkedIn, our website, and leading aggregate websites, writing highly engaging job posts. • We reach out to our trusted network of industry contacts, presenting opportunities in a way that attracts inactive candidates. • We create well-designed documents as fantastic marketing tools. • We can launch a featured client page on our website, which has proven highly successful for previous campaigns.
STAGE 4: INCLUSIVE
Approach:
Our entire process is built around creating an inclusive service that seeks to remove bias, from anonymised CVs to competency-based interviewing, the language we use in job advertising, and more.
Key Actions: • We implement unbiased advertising and positive action statements. • We use tools like Gender Decoder to ensure neutral language in job postings. • We target advertising in diversity-focused publications and sites. • We provide an anonymised EDI questionnaire to analyse data for equity, diversity, & inclusion. • We can anonymise CVs to remove markers such as school, university, gender, and protected characteristics upon request.
MEET THE TEAM
BEN DUFFILL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, UK Specialising solely in recruitment management consultancy at middle to senior and executive management level, Ben has successfully planned and executed recruitment campaigns for estate management roles across the education, charity, healthcare, social infrastructure, science, government and cultural sectors. Ben has developed a strong track record of working with organisations from the above sectors over the last 15 years and since joining MRG in 2008 has managed over 600 successful recruitment campaigns in these areas. Whilst having an enviable track record in the delivery of recruitment campaigns, Ben has also developed a track record of supporting wider organisational development activities such as role profile creation, market benchmarking and outplacement advice.
MATTHEW EVANS – GLOBAL DIRECTOR
Matthew Evans leads MRG’s Real Estate, Property, Facilities, and Estate Management business units and oversees MRG’s global operations. With nearly two decades of experience in the UK Property Management market, Matthew has an unparalleled understanding of the industry. For the past ten years, he has specialised in Executive Search, working with real estate clients, both advisors and investors/ developers, to solve their recruitment challenges and execute search campaigns. His expertise covers various sectors, including Office and Healthcare & Life Sciences. Matthew’s deep market knowledge and strategic approach have been instrumental in transforming client organisations and effectively managing their assets and estates. He has been a pivotal part of MRG for a decade, significantly contributing to the company’s success and growth. DANIAH WILLIAMS – END USER OCCUPIER, GENERAL PRACTICE SURVEYING, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Daniah Williams is a seasoned recruitment professional with a deep understanding of the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. She has a proven track record of delivering successful talent acquisition campaigns for leading organisations, including pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, biotech firms, and life sciences consultancies. Before joining MRG, Daniah served as an Associate Director at Colliers International, specialising in corporate recovery, distressed assets, and commercial property agency. In 2018, recognising the importance of strategic team building and driven by her passion for fostering innovation, she transitioned to executive search recruitment. At MRG, she focuses on connecting talented individuals within the life sciences sector, forming dynamic teams that drive meaningful change and elevate advancements in scientific discovery and healthcare innovation.
MICHAEL HEWLETT - DIRECTOR
After graduating from the University of Leicester in 1997 with a BA Hons in History and Politics, Michael joined an international recruitment consultancy in 1998 where he headed up the property management team specialising within public services. He worked with Facilities Recruitment Limited from 2005 and launched the facilities management and engineering team as an Associate Director. Michael joined MRG in January 2008 to launch our public services division specialising within higher education, the NHS and public venues. He has previously sat on the IWFM London committee.
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