Martin Pickard, previously Head of Property and Business Services for Cellnet (and current i-FM columnist) has been appointed as Managing Director of Property and Facilities at Citex Group.

His new position will include operational responsibility for all existing facilities management activities in the UK and to drive its development and future growth.

A professional facilities manager for nearly 30 years, Martin is one of the best known names in the industry. His career has tracked the transition of the publicly owned Post Office into a potential communications world player.

Martin Pickard exhibits his casual style at World Workplace earlier this year ( see Pickard's View on corporate dress codes )

Martin was a founder member of the AFM, one of the forerunners of the British Institute of Facilities Management, and currently chairs BIFM’s International Group. He is also a board member of the newly formed IFMA UK Chapter.

Speaking of his appointment Martin said: "I am very excited to be joining Citex at this time. I also want to use this platform as a leading supplier to address directly the numerous challenges I have previously thrown to the industry as a client. I believe we are on the brink of a whole new era as the outsourcing of business infrastructure management takes shape. Citex are clearly a prime innovator in this new movement and I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute".

Oliver Jones, Chief Executive of Citex commented: "I am delighted to have someone of Martin’s calibre on board at Citex. I have known and worked with him for many years and am confident that his vision and understanding of the business from the client-side, will be hugely advantageous to our business."

Despite winning solid business and developing the capabilities of the original Bucknall Group, Citex has so far failed to secure a major property or FM outsourcing deal. Oliver Jones and his backers will hope that Martin Pickard’s client side experience can help to change this.

Richard Byatt