International Workplace Group plc disclosed on Tuesday a planned leadership transition that will see founder Mark Dixon move from the chief executive officer position to the role of executive chair after nearly 38 years leading the company.
Christian Schmitz has been appointed chief executive officer, and Douglas Sutherland, who is currently the non-executive chair, will take on the role of deputy chair. Schmitz also joined the board Tuesday.
Dixon established IWG in 1989 and expanded it into a global provider of flexible workspaces operating under brands such as Regus, Spaces, HQ, and Signature. The company's footprint spans more than 120 countries and, as Dixon noted, includes 6,000 locations open and in the pipeline across the world. In his new capacity as executive chair, Dixon is expected to offer strategic direction to the board and serve as an adviser to the chief executive.
Schmitz has been with IWG since last year, initially serving as chief transformation officer before becoming the global head of all regions. His prior roles include partner at McKinsey & Company in San Francisco and director at KKR Capstone, where he advised on business transformation programs. He also spent six years as the chief executive of Selecta, a European food technology and workplace services company, leading that business through a period of change.
Sutherland will be responsible for overseeing the board's effectiveness and operations while the company implements the leadership transition. The announcement positions him as the deputy chair to aid continuity on the board during this period.
Commenting on the change, Dixon reflected on the company's growth since its inception: "Since founding IWG nearly 38 years ago with a single centre in Brussels, it has been a privilege to lead the Company as it has grown to 6,000 locations open and in the pipeline across the world." He added a vote of confidence in his successor: "Christian is an exceptional leader with a strong track record of driving transformation and performance."
Schmitz also commented on the outlook for the sector, noting the pace of opportunity across markets: "I am energised by the scale of what we can achieve, and I look forward to working with IWG’s teams around the world to seize this momentum and drive our most ambitious phase of growth yet."
The corporate moves complete a three-part shift in the company's top governance roles: Dixon stepping into an executive chair role focused on strategy and counsel to the CEO; Schmitz assuming day-to-day leadership as chief executive; and Sutherland transitioning to deputy chair to manage board operations through the changeover.
Context and next steps
The announcement formalises a managed handover of executive responsibility while preserving the founder's involvement at the board level. The company has not provided additional detail in this release about any further changes to the senior management team or an updated operational plan tied to the leadership transition.