Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) has hired Andrew Smart to transform the recently acquired Corporate Occupier Solutions into 'a major new service line' for the group.

Smart, who is joining C&W as a partner and head of facilities management for the EMEA region, will be based in London and will be responsible for the operational performance of the facility management business.

The hiring follows C&W's acquisition in May 2011 of full ownership of the joint venture which it formed with EC Harris in 2006. Since then, the FM business has been part of C&W's Corporate Occupier & Investor Services division in EMEA.

Smart has over 20 years' experience in the property and facilities sector. He joins from Mace Macro where he had worked as a director since April 2008.