International real estate firm Hines has appointed Stephen Finch as Head of Facilities Management – Living, Europe within its Property Management Group. A core focus of this role is on its living portfolio spanning its Build to Rent (BTR) and Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), under the Hines aparto brand. Finch joins Hines from the NHS, where most recently he was Head of Estates for a Trust working as part of its Covid-19 response team, working in line with UK government protocols. Prior to this, Finch worked for the British army, specialising in operations, project management, tactical delivery, training and logistics. At Hines, Finch will join the firm’s expanding Living platform across Europe which includes 13.5 million sq ft of assets and EUR3.8 billion in AUM. He will be responsible for facilities, operations and mobilisation across its portfolio, reporting into Tom Rix, Managing Director, Living – Europe. The Living sector is a key strategic growth area for Hines across Europe, with the firm targeting to acquire or develop BTR assets this year, while continuing ongoing growth of its student housing platform. Most recently, Hines has acquired a 30,000-square-meter portfolio of eight prime sites in France, to develop a series of BTR residential schemes, on behalf of its Hines Pan-European Core Fund (HECF). In total, the sites will provide 500 units of high-quality living space across eight locations in France. Other notable key projects under the Hines Living banner include, Cherrywood in Dublin, Südkreuz in Berlin and two projects in Milan, Giovenale and Ripamonti. As part of Stephen’s appointment, Andy Fletcher will transition to the role of Technical Operations Director at Hines, taking responsibility for the firm’s entire UK portfolio technical needs. His focus will be on supporting the Asset and Project Management teams across its UK sites, to drive tenant satisfaction, and investment returns, through operating its assets more efficiently working closely with on-site engineering teams. Tom Rix, Managing Director, Living – Europe, at Hines, says: “It’s a coup to have someone of Stephen’s experience join our team. We have clear growth plans across our Living assets in Europe, and Stephen will be a vital component of our operational and facilities management setup as we expand. We welcome Stephen to the Hines family and Living team.” Finch, Head of Facilities Management – Living, in Europe, at Hines, adds “It’s great to join Tom and the wider Living team at Hines. The firm has an exceptional reputation in the burgeoning BTR and PBSA sectors, working on some incredible projects across Europe. I look forward to progressing our strategic plans, building on our reputation with the delivery of first-class operational and facilities management services to deliver for our customers.”