Background
Fora, now operating under The Office Group brand, is a leading flexible workspace provider with a growing and increasingly complex technology estate. With the business continuing to scale, particularly with investment from Blackstone, there was a strong focus on building robust, secure and integrated platforms that could enhance customer experience while improving internal operational performance.
The brief
Fora required a Director of Technology Platforms capable of modernising and standardising multiple enterprise platforms while improving automation, integration, and service quality. The role demanded oversight of critical systems, vendor relationships, and a multi-million-pound platform budget, alongside leadership of a high-performing team spanning platform specialists and IT support.
This appointment was business-critical. The successful candidate needed deep expertise across enterprise platforms, strong commercial judgement, and the credibility to partner effectively with senior internal stakeholders. The challenge lay in securing a leader who could operate at both a strategic and operational level, translating business priorities into practical, scalable technology delivery within a fast-growing environment.
Solution
La Fosse Executive led a targeted search focused on senior platform and technology operations leaders with experience overseeing complex enterprise environments. The search prioritised candidates with hands-on leadership across platforms such as Salesforce, SAP and ITSM tools, combined with a proven ability to raise service standards and improve platform performance.
We worked closely with Fora’s senior leadership to shape the mandate and assessment criteria, ensuring alignment on commercial acumen, platform governance, and leadership capability. The assessment process placed particular emphasis on candidates’ ability to translate business needs into clear delivery plans, collaborate across functions, and build trusted relationships.
Result
Fora appointed Russell Tooby, an experienced enterprise technology leader with a strong track record of transforming complex platform environments across global and Private-Equity-backed organisations.
With deep expertise across Salesforce, SAP and ITSM platforms, Russell brings the strategic and operational capability required to strengthen Fora’s core systems, improve governance, and enhance cross-functional process efficiency. His appointment provides Fora with clear ownership of its technology platforms, supporting improved service delivery for both internal teams and customers as the organisation continues to scale.
