Exclusive:Inside OCS’s Scottish expansion: CEO Rob Legge on the key moments and insights from the FES FM deal

“The deal brings our engineering team to around 4,000 professionals, growing OCS’ capability to run multi-site hard services and ‘total FM’ contracts” - Rob Legge, OCS CEO

Rob Legge is Group CEO of leading global facilities services business OCS. The company provides cleaning, catering, security, facilities management and hard services with staff in more than 30 countries. Last month, OCS acquired Scottish-founded, Stirling-based facilities management firm FES.

What is the background to OCS's acquisition of FES FM and FES Support Services, and how significant a milestone is it for OCS?

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As a facilities services organisation with an international footprint, OCS provides a comprehensive range of FM services, from soft services such as cleaning and catering, to hard services such as energy and HVAC. The acquisition of FES FM and FES Support Services increases our hard services focus in the UK market, doubling our revenue in this area to around £600 million.

Global Facilities Services firm OCS, led by Rob Legge, has acquired Scottish FM firm FESGlobal Facilities Services firm OCS, led by Rob Legge, has acquired Scottish FM firm FES
Global Facilities Services firm OCS, led by Rob Legge, has acquired Scottish FM firm FES | OCS / FES

As a highly reputable business with a long history, we knew FES FM would fit well culturally with us. The deal brings our engineering team to around 4,000 professionals, growing OCS’ capability to run multi-site hard services and ‘total FM’ contracts. The acquisition addresses a fundamental challenge in the FM sector; the need for scale, density, and capability to deliver services across diverse site types.

Why has Scotland been such an important market and location for OCS's growth objectives?

Scotland is a fantastic market for us. We already have a large portfolio of contracts and a great reputation in the region, and we’re as excited as we are proud to be expanding here. OCS also has a history of successful acquisitions in Scotland, including Arthur Mackay in 2016, a leading building support services organisation. That integration was a positive experience and made Scotland a natural choice for future acquisitions.

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Whilst we offer support services across the whole of the UK, our hard services business will stay located in Stirling. It’s here that we’ll be looking to develop and grow our portfolio, increasing our significance as a Scottish employer.

OCS / FES

What did you learn from the acquisition, and what advice would you give other business leaders considering or preparing to undergo large-scale acquisitions, mergers or change?

With the businesses being well aligned and through honest and open dialogue we agreed a deal successfully and quickly. When all parties are aligned on deal structure, conditions, and objectives from the outset, it makes the process and outcome better for everyone. I believe it was this clear communication and shared motivation that enabled the deal to be swift and efficient.

My main advice would be to set your parameters early on to avoid ambiguity, and drive the transaction based on your mutual goals. This minimises the potential for delays, legal disputes, and misunderstandings. Keeping this momentum going throughout the process, setting firm timelines and ensuring all advisers and stakeholders remain engaged, helps maintain pace and commitment.

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FES is one of the UK's leading hard services providers.FES is one of the UK's leading hard services providers.
FES is one of the UK's leading hard services providers. | FES

Cultural fit also matters. Looking beyond numbers and determining whether the culture is well-aligned increases the chances of a successful integration. OCS valued FES FM and FES Support Services for their cultural compatibility, history, and reputation, and we are confident that this will also make post-acquisition integration a smooth process.

What does the future hold for OCS in Scotland and what are your priorities for integrating the businesses?

The future of OCS in Scotland looks bright, with a strong focus on thoughtful integration and creating opportunities for growth as we look to run our hard services operation out of Stirling. One exciting priority is our ambition to expand apprenticeship opportunities. Across OCS, not only in Scotland, we’re aiming for 1,000 apprenticeships in 2025, including hard services such as engineering, electrical work, plumbing, and HVAC. This is a group-wide goal that extends beyond the merger and reflects our commitment to nurturing young talent. The merger itself, however, will amplify these efforts in Scotland, opening up new pathways for skills development and career growth for young people.

These changes represent positive growth not only for OCS but also for the people and communities we serve in Scotland. It’s all about creating opportunities, social value, and ensuring that everyone has the chance to thrive within a larger, stronger organisation.

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Rob Legge is Group CEO of OCSRob Legge is Group CEO of OCS
Rob Legge is Group CEO of OCS | OCS

Maintaining environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values is always a challenge for a business pursuing growth, let alone integrating another firm into the organisation - how, if at all, are you able to keep OCS's ESG values in the future?

Maintaining ESG values while growing and integrating another business can certainly be challenging, but it’s something we take seriously at OCS. We have a robust and professional ESG framework within the group, backed by significant time, effort, and resources. We’re always looking for ways to make a difference, whether that’s sitting on shareholder committees or actively helping our customers achieve carbon neutrality.

Central to our ESG strategy is our commitment to social value and The OCS Foundation is the beating heart of these efforts. It’s been part of our legacy for years, but we’ve recently reinvigorated it with a new board of trustees and a dedicated leader heading up the charity. This renewed focus is also allowing us to collaborate with our customers on their own social and governance goals.

Buildings are responsible for a significant percentage of the UK's emissions, so facilities management is pivotal in driving decarbonisation. By adopting innovative strategies and sustainable practices, we can significantly reduce the emissions directly influenced by our industry. The FES team will play a significant part in that.

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There’s always more to be done, and we’re up for the challenge. We’re proud of the ESG policy we’ve built at OCS and the direction we’re heading, and it remains a top priority as we grow and integrate new opportunities into the business.

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