i-FM: The online resource for facilities professionals

 Oliver commenced his career with the British Airports Authority/BAA where he spent eight years (1981 to 1989) in construction, project and operational management roles. 

In 1989, he grew Symonds Facilities Management plc (SFM) from a start-up to a major industry player through dynamic entrepreneurial management. He became managing director of Symonds before the group was sold in June 1993 to Compagnie Generale des Eaux (now Vivendi) as part of the formation of Dalkia. He then led the Symonds team on the DSS PRIME project as part of the winning consortium which became Trillium (now Land Securities Trillium).

In 1997, Oliver commenced a transition from the FM towards the property world when as Group Property & Logistics Director for Regus, he managed the opening of 85 new serviced offices worldwide in an 18 month period, and with Mark Dixon, initiated and launched Regus’ medium term flexible space product: NetSpace.

In 1998 he led an equity-backed buy-in management buy-out of the quoted Bucknall Group plc to form the Citex Group. When Citex Management Services was sold to Carillion in August 2002, Oliver took on the role of Group Sales & Marketing Director with Carillion, alongside being a director of the £1.1bn turnover Carillion Business Services and a director of Emrill, Carillion’s Dubai-based FM JV with Emaar.

In November 2005, Oliver left Carillion and joined forces with Matthew Punshon (ex-Land Securities Trillium) and Keith Perry (ex-Lend Lease) and Helical Bar plc to launch The Asset Factor – an asset management venture combining capital investment in property, corporate finance and outsourcing models focused on improving property performance for investors and occupiers.

Oliver is also Chairman and joint owner of Babel Language Consulting, a fast growing international management consultancy offering cultural, language and global business support services; Chairman of SnowsportGB, the national governing body for competitive skiing and snowboarding in the UK; and Chairman of a registered charity, The Autism Trust.

Professionally, Oliver is a chartered surveyor and the holder of an MBA from London Business School during which he specialised in corporate finance.