feature / top 150 consultants / 31
GREAT TIME
TO BUY
BRITISH
T
here are some notable changes this year
in Building’s annual league table of the
UK’s biggest consultants by number of
employees – largely driven by the construction
industry’s current appetite for mergers and
acquisitions. These include the rise of Mott
MacDonald to the top spot, following the £2.1bn
takeover of Atkins by Canadian firm SNC
Lavalin in June, which has meant the former
number one is not ranked this year.
The absence of CBRE and Waterman – following
its £43m takeover by Japanese-based CTI
Engineering this year – has also allowed Gardiner
& Theobald to leap into the top 10.
In part, the recent trend for takeovers can be
linked to the falling value of sterling over the past
year. The pound hit a nine-month low in August,
on the back of political and economic turmoil
created by Brexit and prime minister Theresa
May’s snap general election in June.  367 members of staff to its ranks, while Arup
The past year’s flurry of mergers spearheaded by
foreign firms may not remain confined to
construction consultants, according to Gleeds
chairman Richard Steer. “Everything [UK
construction companies] is 10% to 15% cheaper
than it was a year ago, and with a good workload
coming up,” he says.
Vincent Clancy, chief executive of Turner &
Townsend, agrees: “Sterling’s depreciation has
meant that it’s a good time to buy British
companies. Within the big engineers and
construction-led companies there is a real race to
build scale, and the number of companies out
there left to acquire is reducing quite
significantly. It’s a moment in time for those
companies to see what deals they can do to be
ahead of the pack.”
Taking on more staff
As far as consultants are concerned, however,
these deals have seen them substantially add to
their employee numbers, with the likes of
US-based JLL taking on more than 3,700 staff
through its acquisition of mechanical and
electrical property maintenance firm Integral
UK, while Canadian-owned WSP took on nearly
2,000 staff when it bought infrastructure
consultant Mouchel from contractor Kier
for £75m.
However, not all of the growth among the
Top 150 consultants has come via mergers and
acquisitions, for some organic growth has
played a part, and the past 12 months reveal a
positive story.
“Last year and going into this year, there has
been a reasonable increase in optimism. The
market has improved, not substantially, but
materially over the last two or three years in terms
of opportunities,” says Mike Haigh, Mott
MacDonald’s managing director. “Our order
book has seen a material increase, and
certainly our staff numbers have reflected
that,” he adds.  its £2m takeover of Sweett, saw the biggest
Mott MacDonald was one of the bigger
recruiters in the UK over the past year, adding
and Turner & Townsend each added more than
260 new employees. Mott MacDonald’s Haigh,
while “cautiously optimistic” for the UK’s
construction industry over the next couple of
years, says that diversifying into other sectors and
geographical areas outside the UK is still very
much part of the engineer’s strategy. Newer
consultants such as Alinea and TowerEight are
also starting to look at opportunities abroad to
bolster workloads and support growth as things
begin to stutter in the UK.
Overall, staff numbers have been on the rise in
2017. Globally, the Top 150 upped staffing levels
by 3.4%, while in the UK total chartered staff rose
by 6.5% and total overall staff increased by 12.5%,
which is a significant jump from 2016’s much
smaller increase of 5% in overall total UK staff. At
the time of last year’s survey, several consultants
were voicing concerns that 2017 would be marked
by big firms making significant redundancies,
which clearly has not been the case so far. Iain
Parker, partner in Alinea, puts the staff increases
down to “three good years” for the sector.
On average, the total number of chartered
surveyors in the UK among the Top 150 rose just
1.5%, a much lower rise than the 8% increase in
The starting pistol has been fired
and Brexit is under way, but that
has not deterred the UK’s Top 150
consultants from swelling their
UK staff numbers by 12.5% over
the past year. Louise Dransfield
reports, with the league tables on
pages 34-40
engineers and the % increase in chartered
project managers, while the number of chartered
architects jumped by 7.3%.
Growth has not been universal, however, with
some big-name consultants shedding staff.
Faithful+Gould saw its UK staff level fall by more
than 8%, while Netherlands-based consultant
Arcadis saw a 5.8% drop in its UK staff numbers
and Mace lost nearly 3% of its UK staff. Lord
Foster, whose practice Foster + Partners saw a
16% fall in UK staff levels, told Building earlier
this year: “It’s the last thing ever that you want to
see happen, but the reality is that you are subject
to those economic changes and you see projects
which go on hold.”
In the QS world, Currie & Brown, off the back of
increase in chartered QSs (27%) and project
managers (135%), while Aecom shed a further 7%
of its QSs over the past year and Arcadis saw its
number of QSs drop by nearly 1%.
In the engineering sector, WSP saw the biggest
rise in the number of chartered engineers, upping
its ranks by 4%, and also increased the number
of chartered project managers it employs by 36%.
In terms of architect numbers, Arcadis, which is
currently mulling the sale of its architecture
business CallisonRTKL as part of a strategy
overhaul, lost 55% of its chartered architects over
the past year. Aukett Swanke, meanwhile,
reduced the number of its chartered architect
staff by 46%. But there have also been changes in
the other direction: 3DReid upped its chartered
staff by 3% while Hawkins\Brown increased its
chartered staff by 32%.
Market outlook
The immediate outlook for the industry does not
offer much comfort, with the most recent data
from the Office for National Statistics showing
that construction output decreased by 1.2% in the
three months to the end of July. The latest
Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing
Managers’ Index (PMI) also showed business
volumes falling for the second month.
But the Bank of England, despite holding È
BUILDING MAGAZINE 22.09.2017
 32 / feature / top 150 consultants

È interest rates at a historic low in its latest rates
decision, reported that a “slightly stronger picture”
for the economy had emerged on the back of a
“slightly firmer” housing market, stronger
employment growth and a rise in retail and new
car sales, which boosted the pound against other
major currencies. Nevertheless, last week the
Monetary Policy Committee continued to warn
that there are still “considerable risks” to the
economic outlook as the UK’s split from the
EU unfolds.
These concerns and the general uncertainty
about the political and economic situation here
and abroad are reflected in Building’s sentiment
survey, taken as part of the league tables
compilation, which was carried out in the run-up
to June’s general election and shows a drop in
optimism, with only 31% of the Top 150 confident
about the UK’s prospects, compared with 43%
last year.  would have a maximum two-year stay.
Despite the general lack of optimism, over half
of the Top 150 still expect trading conditions to
stabilise in the coming year, while another 47%
anticipate trading conditions improving.
More than half of the Top 150 consultants plan
to target more work within the infrastructure
sector – where, according to the National
Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, more
BREXIT FEELS LIKE IT’S
ALMOST BECOMING A BIT OF
A CIRCUS DISTRACTION, AND
I THINK OUR FUTURES WILL BE
MUCH MORE INFLUENCED BY
ASIA AND ITS MONEY
IAIN PARKER, ALINEA
either pause, or stop or get completed, and if you
don’t have that same level of megaproject […] if
there’s no next one to do […] then it’s natural for
there to be a headcount reduction,” he says.
“I’m pretty confident that the trend we’ve seen
over the last 12 months or three years won’t carry
on. I think it will slow down.”
Staffing headaches
Despite these concerns and the uncertainty, 57%
of the Top 150 consultants in our survey say they
are planning to continue to recruit over the next
six months. Meanwhile, 62% anticipate further
pay hikes, after 85% reported staff salary
increases over the past year.
According to T&T’s Clancy, it is still a “very”
competitive market for staff and this competition
to recruit the best talent from a limited pool of
skilled staff continues to drive up staff salaries.
Alinea’s Parker agrees that talent is at a
premium, adding that the image of construction,
compared with those of other industries that
promote themselves better – has meant it is still
struggling to entice fresh people into the sector.
He adds that labour costs are likely to continue
on an upward trajectory after Brexit if the free
movement of labour between mainland Europe
and the UK is curtailed, meaning it will be even
harder to resource jobs.
And it looks like the government could be
planning to do just that, after a draft document
was leaked earlier this month setting out
proposals that include limiting foreign workers
considered highly skilled to a three- to five-year
stay in the UK, while all other foreign workers
If these proposals become law, it will exacerbate
the already acute labour shortage in the industry
– and the competition among consultants to
secure the best staff will only intensify.
To access interactive versions of this year’s tables,
sortable by staff numbers, fee income and more,
go to www.building.co.uk

than £500bn will be spent over the next 10 years,

while other sectors, such as commercial, slow.
Tougher times ahead?
Still, the unknowns linked to the Brexit
negotiations are playing on consultants’ minds.
“Looking ahead, it feels like we’re entering a
period where things might get tougher,” T&T’s
Clancy says. “There was a period where I think
people were getting used to it [Brexit] and were
starting to feel that it might not feel so bad,
particularly as market activity had held up. But
the negotiations have started in earnest and the
news coming out of Europe and our government
is making people feel slightly uneasy about what
that deal will look like, and I think as that
increases it might stall activity a little bit.
“If there is a solution from Brexit that isn’t a
seismic shock, then, while I suspect the market
not to grow necessarily at the same level as it has
been, it will still be an orderly market. The real
danger is if we see a real economic downturn:
then, no matter what you do with infrastructure
and public-sector spending, it will affect the
industry.”
Jo Bacon, partner at architecture practice Allies
and Morrison, expresses concern that this
“post-Brexit-vote bubble may not be sustainable”
and says that the firm is not predicting further
growth this year, but instead is focusing on
maintaining its workload.
Alinea’s Parker also sounds a note of caution
over continuing growth in staff levels: “I think big
practices through good times take on people to
resource megaprojects, and then megaprojects
METHODOLOGY AND NOTES
Barbour ABI, provider of construction recruitment, wage patterns, margins, areas of Where the given total chartered staff
intelligence services and Building’s sister work, and work expectations. number for a profession did not match the
company, contacted more than 500 firms for The survey relies upon firms completing and total staff numbers listed for types of that
this year’s Building Top Consultants’ Survey. returning the annual survey form. For a variety profession (such as structural engineer or
They were sent a survey form asking for of reasons firms sometimes decide not to electrical engineer), then the total professional
details on the number of chartered staff, take part. chartered number that was submitted has
non-chartered and technical staff, and Only those firms that complete and return been used.
domestic and worldwide fee incomes. the survey form are included in the survey. Firms with any questions about the
Firms are ranked according to total UK Where firms have made two submissions, survey, or that wish to be included in
chartered staff, and for QSs, architects, we have used data from the most complete the 2018 survey, should contact
engineers and project managers by chartered submissions. Where firms have omitted Barbour ABI.
staff in each respective discipline. Practices answers from their response, we have left the (www.barbour-abi.com
were also asked questions relating to: staff space blank. or by email to info@barbour-abi.com)
Notes
1 Atkins did not provide figures this year. A spokesperson said: “Atkins 4 JLL figures reflect the acquisition of M&E property maintenance firm
has recently been acquired by SNC-Lavalin and the two businesses are Integral UK in August 2016.
currently going through the process of integrating their systems, 5 NPS Group figures reflect NPS North East ceasing trading on
processes and people. This has coincided with the collation of data for 31 October 2016 after TUPE transfer to an alternative provider.
Building’s Top Consultants and it has not been possible for the merged 6 Pell Frischmann figures reflect the acquisition of M&E specialist Desco
organisation to provide the information required for this year’s rankings.” (Design and Consultancy) in August 2016.
Based on last year's staff numbers, Atkins would have remained the 7 Ridge and Partners figures reflect the acquisition of PH Warr in
largest UK consultant by number of chartered staff. Other large December 2016.
businesses that failed to provide figures this year included CBRE, Deloitte 8 Turner & Townsend figures relate to the UK and Ireland.
Real Estate, Hurley Palmer Flatt and Waterman. 9 TÜV SÜD Real Estate figures include TÜV SÜD Dunbar Boardman (Lift
2 Chaplin Farrant Design Group figures reflect the departure from the Consultants), which became part of the UK business in 2016.
group of engineering company CBL. 2016/17 turnover not yet available. 10 Whittam Cox Architects rebranded from WCEC Architects this year.
3 Currie & Brown figures reflect the acquisition of Sweett Group in 11 WSP figures reflect the acquisition of Mouchel in October 2016.
September 2016.

22.09.2017 BUILDING MAGAZINE

 TOP 150 FIRMS

Rank Firm Total UK chartered Total UK staff Worldwide staff Annual UK fees Offices
staff (£m)

2015/2016

2016/2017

Worldwide
financial

financial
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

year

year

UK
1 2 Mott MacDonald 3,349 3,693 6,741 7,108 16,248 16,006 517 560.6 30 176
2 3 Aecom 3,021 3,003 6,970 6,962 78,325 77,554 572 494 45 634
3 4 Arcadis 1,940 1,923 3,676 3,464 2,7000 2,7000 403.5 424.4 27 350
4 5 WSP11 1,319 1,887 5,265 7,261 34,000 36,200 347.6 378.4 60+ 500
5 6 Arup 1,656 1,801 5,041 5,308 13,547 14,134 408.9 471.9 14 92
6 7 Turner & Townsend8 1,532 1,660 2,087 2,350 4,278 4,674 203.9 212.5 17 104
7 10 JLL4 1,219 1,225 2,986 6,687 68,085 74,555 15 300
8 9 Mace 1,260 1,173 3,650 3,546 5,068 5,314 1,483 1,412.8 10 30+
9 11 Faithful+Gould 706 645 1,020 933 2,390 2,248 121.9 134.6 21 55
10 14 Gardiner & Theobald 606 628 773 802 947 942 123.7 131 12 17
11 12 Gleeds 630 626 980 1,098 1,654 1,761 81.9 89.7 20 67
12 15 Ramboll 557 617 1,214 1,171 13,000 13,407 102.1 99.7 22 300+
13 RPS 496 534 2,595 2,675 5,099 5,374 231.1 220.1 42 111
14 21 Hoare Lea 321 438 803 849 812 854 67 67.4 12 14
15 16 Foster + Partners 450 402 1,262 1,058 1,503 1,280 230 220 1 16
16 19 BuroHappold 376 394 996 1,071 1,834 1,840 75.9 87.1 5 21
17 18 BDP 368 377 782 807 933 932 64.5 71.8 6 11
18 44= Currie & Brown3 106 338 175 571 1,406 1,837 33.3 59.2 23 61
19 20 Peter Brett Associates 337 315 581 674 597 692 60.9 60 16 19
20 24 Rider Levett Bucknall UK 205 264 374 454 3,600 3,600 42 45.6 11 120
21 Royal HaskoningDHV 261 235 497 485 6,359 5,804 29.6 25.6 13 79
22 22 NPS Group5 320 224 988 924 988 924 123.2 91.3 24 24
23 32 Sweco 184 222 759 812 14,500 15,250 55.2 58.8 14 >100
24 27= Pell Frischmann6 178 211 452 539 775 899 23 32.9 10 19
25 29 Pick Everard 198 207 472 511 472 511 36.6 37.6 11 11
26 26 Ridge & Partners7 263 196 486 559 487 560 39.1 45.8 10 11
27 Systech International 182 195 233 247 505 520 4 23
28 Allies & Morrison - 189 - 335 - 337 - 43.4 3 4
29 33 Cundall 169 183 547 584 695 794 36 36 6 21
30 27= WYG 293 180 1,225 1,318 1,600 1,600 96.3 107.6 25 50
31 31 Sheppard Robson 176 176 374 345 374 345 26.5 27.5 3 4
32 38 Lendlease 140 159 200 215 200 215 17.1 31.5 5 5
33 35 Hilson Moran 149 156 233 237 253 257 18.2 20.3 4 6
34 34 TPS Consult 158 155 281 252 281 252 21.8 21.8 8 8
35 37 CPC Project Services 141 150 170 180 170 180 15.8 16.4 7 7
36 36 Stride Treglown 143 149 326 323 330 323 22.5 21.5 9 9
37 Butler & Young 137 142 145 152 145 152 7.8 9.3 15 15
38 44= Stace 106 122 174 182 174 182 15.7 15.8 5 5
39 39 Scott Brownrigg 115 121 264 238 296 249 21 25.5 5 9
40 41 AHR 118 120 336 327 411 391 28.5 23.3 8 13
41 47 TP Bennett 100 119 301 312 301 312 24.6 27.2 2 72
42= 56= Hawkins\Brown 88 116 240 270 240 270 19 26 3 3
42= 42= Malcolm Hollis 107 116 265 290 282 309 25 29.1 16 19
44 49= PRP 94 108 230 267 230 267 18.4 23.7 3 3
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

45 46 Riley Consulting 107 106 217 228 224 237 18.9 18.5 13 15
46 51= Broadway Malyan 93 100 296 261 553 502 29.7 32.3 6 16
47 Curtins Consulting 80 96 323 368 323 370 27.4 30 12 1
48 56= WT Partnership 88 92 145 150 1,200 1,250 12 13.4 11 53
49 60 CalfordSeaden 83 85 248 257 248 257 6 6
50= 59 CampbellReith 84 84 144 160 146 162 13.2 13.2 5 7
50= 53= EPR Architects 80 84 156 153 172 180 11.8 13 1 2

22.09.2017 BUILDING MAGAZINE

 feature / top 150 consultants / 35

TOP 150 FIRMS

Rank Firm Total UK chartered Total UK staff Worldwide staff Annual UK fees Offices
staff (£m)

2015/2016

2016/2017

Worldwide
financial

financial
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

year

year

UK
52 63= Pollard Thomas Edwards 75 82 139 146 139 146 11.7 10.8 1 1
53 75 Levitt Bernstein 64 81 116 137 116 137 8.1 10.6 2 2
54 58 HTA Design 87 79 157 170 157 170 9 12.7 3 3
55 70= Pellings 71 76 129 135 129 135 10 10.8 5 5
56= ADP 72 75 112 113 121 123 7.3 8.1 8 9
56= Tuffin Ferraby Taylor 75 75 121 122 121 122 12.3 13.7 7 7
58= 68 AKT II 74 74 238 248 238 248 18 18.4 1 1
58= 63= Baily Garner 75 74 156 155 155 156 9.5 10.1 2 2
58= 63= Schofield Lothian 68 74 115 120 115 120 9.6 11.1 1 1
61= 72 3DReid 49 68 120 123 120 123 8 9.2 5 5
61= 73= Kendall Kingscott 68 68 128 134 128 134 8.3 8.3 4 4
63 CS2 Chartered Surveyors 63 67 62 72 62 72 5 5
64 77 Potter Raper Partnership 61 66 153 151 153 151 12.3 12.1 4 4
65= 78= Fletcher Priest Architects 64 64 104 112 105 113 9.6 10 1 3
65= jmarchitects 62 64 112 107 112 107 7.1 6.5 4 4
67 61 Stiles Harold Williams 62 63 173 176 173 176 12.3 12.1 7 7
68 89= AA Projects 49 62 93 110 93 110 7.9 7.7 6 6
69 86= Jestico + Whiles 52 61 105 109 117 121 6.7 6.5 1 2
70 Core Five 44 59 77 95 77 95 7.2 10 1 1
71 Elliott Wood Partnership 62 58 127 131 127 131 9.9 10.1 3 3
72 84 Clancy Consulting 54 57 173 184 173 184 9.7 11.2 9 9
73 86= Thomasons 52 56 128 128 128 128 10.8 11 9 9
74 85 Robinson Low Francis 53 54 110 109 111 110 9.8 9.9 5 6
75= Bryden Wood 43 52 129 154 132 160 2 3
75= 92 Leslie Clark 46 52 80 80 80 80 4 7
77= 51= Aukett Swanke 93 50 167 103 465 404 14.5 12.2 2 13
77= 94= Bailey Partnership 47 50 91 99 91 99 5.9 7.4 4 4
77= 93 John Rowan & Partners 52 50 80 108 114 84 6.9 7 3 4
80= 92 Alinea 45 49 75 82 75 82 8.2 10.5 1 1
80= 89= Clarkebond (UK) 49 49 80 80 80 80 4.8 5.3 3 3
80= 73= HLM 67 49 206 161 238 172 13.6 10.8 8 11
80= 96 Lewis & Hickey 34 49 93 92 108 112 5.7 4.6 5 7
80= 82 Price & Myers 51 49 187 184 187 184 14.5 14.5 3 3
80= 106 Stockwool 35 49 71 74 71 74 5.2 5.5 1 1
86= 101= Bidwells Building Consultancy 39 46 67 72 67 72 7.6 7.9 13 13
86= 98= Ingleton Wood 40 46 165 170 165 170 10.8 12.8 5 5
88 Child Graddon Lewis 31 45 51 52 51 52 2 3.1 3
89 101= Jackson Coles 39 44 52 59 52 59 6.6 7.6 2 2
90= 78= John Robertson Architects 56 43 119 95 129 103 6.6 10.1 1 2
90= 94= Rex Procter & Partners 39 43 110 112 110 112 8.4 10.6 4 4
92= 63= AWW inspired environments 42 41 95 93 95 93 7.1 6.9 3 3
92= 91 Doig & Smith 47 41 81 74 81 74 5.1 5.1 4 4
92= 97 TowerEight 41 41 66 65 66 65 10.5 11.5 1 1
95= 62 JNP Group 34 40 99 104 99 104 6 6.5 5 5
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

95= 107 Robert Bird & Partners 36 40 148 163 568 518 15 15.1 1 10
97= Baqus 38 39 84 83 84 83 6.1 6.2 9 9
97= McAndrew Martin 31 39 49 64 49 64 1.6 1.9 3 3
99 98= Holder Mathias Architects 33 38 55 61 55 61 3.9 4.8 2 2
100= ECE Architecture 32 37 57 67 57 67 4.5 4.9 3 3
100= 101= LSI Architects 26 37 61 69 61 69 3.4 4.2 2 2
100= 108= Summers Inman 35 37 90 96 90 96 8.1 8.4 6 6

BUILDING MAGAZINE 22.09.2017

 TOP 150 FIRMS

Rank Firm Total UK chartered Total UK staff Worldwide staff Annual UK fees Offices
staff (£m)

2015/2016

2016/2017

Worldwide
financial

financial
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

year

year

UK
100= 76 TSP Projects 38 37 390 427 390 427 29.3 29.6 4 4
104= 105 Assael Architecture 36 36 67 81 67 82 1 2
104= 108= Hunters 33 36 62 66 62 66 6.6 6.9 1 1
106= 126= P+HS Architects 34 35 56 556 56 56 3.4 3.5 3 3
106= Stephen George + Partners 30 35 56 85 56 85 5.9 7.8 5 6
108= Concertus 29 33 91 103 91 103 5.8 7 1 1
108= Whittam Cox Architects (formerly 32 33 145 138 145 138 8 7.5 3 3
WCEC Architects)10
110= RH Partnership Architects 40 32 68 62 68 62 3.8 3.2 3 3
110= 114= Ward Williams Associates 30 32 70 80 76 80 4.9 5.7 5 5
112= 108= Keegans 33 31 64 64 64 64 4.8 5.3 2 2
112= 78= Pozzoni Architecture 28 31 59 67 59 67 5.1 3.7 2 2
114 126= Interserve Consulting 20 30 47 46 47 46 5.5 6.4 1 1
115= DSSR 24 29 126 119 126 119 9 8.8 4 4
115= 119 Martin Arnold 24 29 75 75 75 75 4.2 4.6 2 2
117= Bruce Shaw 31 28 82 84 82 84 9.3 8.2 2 2
117= 114= GRID Architects 28 28 78 65 78 65 4.2 4.5 1 1
119= 131= Fulkers 19 26 47 59 47 59 3.2 4.2 6 6
119= 123= Meinhardt (UK) 21 26 72 81 3,533 3,547 6.5 7.9 1 45
121= Airey Miller 11 25 70 83 70 83 4 4
121= Mason Clark Associates 24 25 54 55 54 55 2.9 5 3 3
121= Penoyre & Prasad 27 25 48 42 48 42 4.2 4 1 1
121= 69 RISE Management Consulting 34 25 45 84 47 88 8.5 6.9 3 4
121= 117= TÜV SÜD Real Estate9 19 25 200 215 229 242 13.2 17.9 15 20
126= 126= Househam Henderson 19 23 50 61 121 135 3.6 3.7 2 7
126= 139= Pulse Associates 18 23 18 22 18 22 1.2 1.6 2 2
126= Threesixty Architecture 20 23 54 45 54 45 1.8 2.3 3 3
129= 123= IDP Group 21 22 84 86 84 86 3.5 4.6 3 3
129= Silcock Leedham Group 20 22 33 36 38 41 2.3 2.7 2 4
129= 121= Synergy 22 22 89 83 89 83 5.7 6.2 3 3
132= AKS Ward 25 21 77 61 77 61 5.3 4.7 6 6
132= 121= Barker Associates 18 21 40 48 40 48 2 3 2 2
132= 131= Gray Baynes + Shew 20 21 20 20 20 20 21 2.4 2 2
135= 144= Equals Consulting 16 20 35 41 35 41 3.5 4.8 1 1
135= 139= KAM Project Consultants 19 20 22 24 22 24 2.3 3 1 1
135= Lyons O'Neill 17 20 21 21 21 21 1.4 1.4 1 1
138= 53= ChapmanBDSP 19 19 180 180 134 199 1,462 1,692 3 5
138= 117= Clague 21 19 67 59 67 59 3.3 3.6 3 3
138= Procom Construction Consultants 19 19 24 24 24 24 2.1 2.5 1 1
141= 135= Daniel Connal Partnership 17 18 32 33 32 33 3 3
141= 142= Elementa Consulting 14 18 60 66 337 377 4.8 6.2 2 14
141= Frank Whittle Partnership 17 18 40 39 40 39 6.3 6.5 3 3
141= Iesis Group 17 18 39 40 39 40 4.7 4.4 2 2
145 126= Walker Sime 19 17 42 45 42 45 4.4 4.9 4 4
146= Create Design+Architecture 15 16 26 32 26 32 1.3 1.7 1 1
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

146= 78= DarntonB3 22 16 152 121 152 121 4.8 5.6 8 8

146= Harley Haddow (Edinburgh) 17 16 100 93 100 93 3 3
149= 139= Chaplin Farrant Design Group2 15 15 46 42 46 42 2.6 0 3 3
149= Norman Rourke Pryme 17 15 38 41 58 61 3.1 3.8 4 5
149= Rio Architects 12 15 28 38 28 38 2 2

22.09.2017 BUILDING MAGAZINE

 feature / top 150 consultants / 37

TOP 50 QSs

Rank Firm UK surveying staff Total UK Total UK staff Offices

chartered staff

chartered /

Worldwide
chartered

technical
Quantity

Building

Other
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017
Total

Non-

UK
1 1 Turner & Townsend8 705 611 1,532 1,660 2,087 2,350 17 104
2 2 Aecom 601 531 38 32 148 3,021 3,003 6,970 6,962 45 634
3 3 Gleeds 534 448 44 42 240 630 626 980 1,098 20 67
4 5 Gardiner & Theobald 445 387 58 606 628 773 802 12 17
5 4 Faithful+Gould 474 373 100 1 8 706 645 1,020 933 21 55
6 5 Arcadis 600 307 293 0 56 1,940 1,923 3,676 3,464 27 350
7 7 Mott MacDonald Group 207 207 0 0 105 3,349 3,693 6,741 7,108 30 176
8 Systech International 192 192 182 195 233 247 4 23
9 15= Currie & Brown3 250 168 40 42 85 106 338 175 571 23 61
10 8 Mace 171 168 3 0 1,260 1,173 3,650 3,546 10 30+
11 10 Rider Levett Bucknall UK 185 118 67 0 75 205 264 374 454 11 120
12 12 Riley Consulting 83 68 5 10 44 107 106 217 228 13 15
13 13 WT Partnership 67 63 4 0 32 88 92 145 150 11 53
14 Core Five 59 59 0 0 29 44 59 77 95 1 1
15 11 Ridge & Partners7 110 54 56 0 102 263 196 486 559 10 11
16 17 Alinea 49 49 18 45 49 75 82 1 1
17 19= Stace 74 41 22 11 31 106 122 174 182 5 5
18 18 Robinson Low Francis 39 38 1 0 26 53 54 110 109 5 6
19 19= Schofield Lothian 37 37 9 68 74 115 120 1 1
20 24 JLL4 1,152 35 120 0 26 1,219 1,225 2,986 6,687 15 300
21 19= Doig & Smith 35 33 2 0 33 47 41 81 74 4 4
22 23 Rex Procter & Partners 34 31 3 0 28 39 43 110 112 4 4
23 26= Leslie Clark 38 29 1 8 30 46 52 80 80 4 7
24= 31 Jackson Coles 34 28 3 3 4 39 44 52 59 2 2
24= 26= Potter Raper Partnership 47 28 10 9 72 61 66 153 151 4 4
26 25 NPS Group5 114 26 27 61 85 320 224 988 924 24 24
27 Bruce Shaw 25 25 35 31 28 82 84 2 2
28= BAQUS 26 23 3 0 41 38 39 84 83 9 9
28= 32 Summers Inman 34 23 8 3 53 35 37 90 96 6 6
30 19= Pick Everard 47 22 25 0 48 198 207 472 511 11 11
31= 33= TowerEight 21 21 0 0 5 41 41 66 65 1 1
31= 33= Ward Williams Associates 27 21 5 1 37 30 32 70 80 5 5
33= 34 John Rowan & Partners 36 19 10 7 15 52 50 80 108 3 4
33= 29= WYG 46 19 18 9 0 293 180 1,225 1,318 25 50
35= 42= AA Projects 37 17 15 5 16 49 62 93 110 6 6
35= 36 Calfordseaden 58 17 41 0 39 83 85 248 257 6 6
35= Procom Construction Consultants 17 17 0 0 3 19 19 24 24 1 1
38= 38 Lendlease 23 16 7 0 10 140 159 200 215 5 5
38= 42= Pulse Associates 18 16 2 18 23 18 22 2 2
40 37 Arup 15 15 1 0 23 1,656 1,801 5,041 5,308 14 92
41 39= Synergy 20 14 6 16 22 22 89 83 3 3
42= Christopher Smith Associates 13 13 30 14 13 48 48 3 3
42= 44 KAM Project Consultants 13 13 6 19 20 22 24 1 1
44= Equals Consulting 12 12 8 16 20 35 41 1 1
44= 47= Leach Consultancy 12 12 0 0 12 12 13 13 4 5
44= 39= Walker Sime 12 12 0 0 20 19 17 42 45 4 4
47 39= Poole Dick 11 11 0 0 15 13 11 32 30 2 2
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

48= Emmaus Consulting 10 10 10 12 2 2

48= 45= Hargreaves Jones 10 10 14 9 11 29 27 2 2
50 47= Castons 10 9 1 0 17 13 13 34 35 3 3

BUILDING MAGAZINE 22.09.2017

 TOP 50 PROJECT MANAGERS

Rank Firm UK project management staff Total UK chartered Total UK staff Offices

Architecture

Engineering

Worldwide
Surveying
2017

2016

2016

2017
Other

2016

2017
Total

UK
1 1 Mott MacDonald 1,178 12 19 502 645 3,349 3,693 6,741 7,108 30 176
2 2 Turner & Townsend8 955 1,532 1,660 2,087 2,350 17 104
3 3 Mace 877 0 0 0 0 1,260 1,173 3,650 3,546 10 30+
4 WSP11 718 10 11 402 295 1,319 1,887 5,265 7,261 60+ 500
5 4 Arcadis 529 0 483 46 0 1,940 1,923 3,676 3,464 27 350
6 5 Aecom 454 20 182 152 100 3,021 3,003 6,970 6,962 45 634
7 8 Gardiner & Theobald 172 606 628 773 802 12 17
8 7 Faithful+Gould 163 116 1 46 706 645 1,020 933 21 55
9= 10 Lendlease 136 11 54 20 51 140 159 497 485 5 5
9= Royal HaskoningDHV 136 2 2 87 45 261 235 200 215 13 79
11 9 CPC Project Services 128 0 17 30 81 141 150 170 180 7 7
12 11 Arup Group Ltd 123 4 20 74 25 1,656 1,801 5,041 5,308 14 92
13 RPS Group Plc 119 5 8 29 11 496 534 2,595 2,675 42 111
14 Currie & Brown3 87 0 87 0 0 106 338 175 571 23 61
15 12 Rider Levett Bucknall UK 74 0 74 0 0 205 264 374 454 11 120
16 14 Gleeds 67 5 47 3 12 630 626 980 1098 20 67
17 16 JLL4 65 N/A 65 N/A N/A 1,219 1,225 2,986 6,687 15 300
18 Butler & Young 61 0 43** 18*** 0 137 142 145 152 15 15
19 20 Stace 48 1 46 1 106 122 174 182 5 5
20 19 Pick Everard 47 1 43 0 3 198 207 472 511 11 11
21 CS2 Chartered Surveyors 33 33 63 67 62 72 5 5
22 22= Schofield Lothian 32 32 68 74 115 120 1 1
23 32 Ramboll 29 29 557 617 1,214 1,171 22 300+
24 35= AA Projects Ltd 25 0 15 3 7 49 62 93 110 6 6
25= 21 Ridge & Partners7 24 0 0 0 24 263 196 486 559 10 11
25= 38= TPS Consult 24 158 155 281 252 8 8
27 30= WT Partnership 22 0 0 0 6 88 92 145 150 11 53
28 34 Bidwells Building Consultancy 21 1 18 2 39 46 67 72 13 13
29 30= TowerEight 20 20 41 41 66 65 1 1
30 33 Riley Consulting 18 0 0 0 0 107 106 217 228 13 15
31= 35= BDP 17 368 377 153 151 6 11
31= 35= Potter Raper Partnership 17 2 15 0 0 61 66 782 807 4 4
33 26 NPS Group5 16 3 13 320 224 988 924 24 24
34 38 Robinson Low Francis 15 0 15 0 0 53 54 110 109 5 6
35= 45= Baily Garner LLP 14 0 0 0 4 75 74 156 155 2 2
35= John Rowan and Partners 14 0 6 0 8 52 50 80 108 3 4
35= 41= Leslie Clark 14 0 0 0 0 46 52 80 80 4 7
38 BAQUS Group 13 0 0 0 0 38 39 84 83 9 9
39 17 RISE Management Consulting 12 34 25 45 84 3 4
40 41= Pellings 11 1 10 71 76 129 135 5 5
41 41= Jackson Coles 10 10 39 44 52 59 2 2
42 Rex Procter and Partners 9 1 8 0 0 39 43 110 112 4 4
43= Equals Consulting 8 8 16 20 1225 1318 1 1
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

43= 39= Foster + Partners 8 2 0 3 3 450 402 1262 1058 1 16

43= Fulkers 8 0 8 0 0 19 26 35 41 6 6
43= Interserve Consulting 8 2 2 2 2 20 30 47 46 1 1
43= 25 WYG 8 0 0 0 0 293 180 47 59 25 50
48= Iesis Group 7 4 3 17 18 22 24 2 2
48= KAM Project Consultants 7 5 2 19 20 39 40 1 1
50 45= Doig and Smith 6 0 6 0 0 47 41 81 74 4 4

**FOR BUILDING CONTROL; *** FOR FIRE ENGINEERING

22.09.2017 BUILDING MAGAZINE

 feature / top 150 consultants / 39

TOP 50 ENGINEERS
Rank Firm UK chartered engineering staff Total UK chartered Total UK staff Offices

Non-chartered
/ technical
engineers
Mechanical

Worldwide
Structural
engineers

engineers

engineers

engineers
Electrical

Other
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017
Total

Civil

UK
1 2 Mott MacDonald 2,278 1,142 248 269 420 199 1,867 3,349 3,693 6,741 7,108 30 176
2 3 Aecom 1,855 1,195 233 199 181 47 1,008 3,021 3,003 6,970 6,962 45 634
3 5 Arup Group 1,616 794 284 250 161 127 2,260 1,656 1,801 5,041 5,308 14 92
4 4 WSP11 1,106 394 116 69 72 995 1,319 1,887 5,265 7,261 60+ 500
5 6 Arcadis 775 80 1,940 1,923 3,676 3,464 27 350
6 8 Ramboll UK 588 118 127 67 38 238 313 557 617 1,214 1,171 22 300+
7 11 Hoare Lea 438 0 0 242 167 29 346 321 438 803 849 12 14
8 9 BuroHappold Engineering 394 58 95 50 27 164 419 376 394 996 1,071 5 21
9 RPS Group 351 151 92 25 23 60 44 496 534 2,595 2,675 42 111
10 Peter Brett Associates 312 72 23 8 3 271 337 315 581 674 16 19
11 15 Sweco 221 100 8 25 25 61 460 184 222 759 812 14 >100
12 12 Pell Frischmann6 209 85 42 23 19 40 199 178 211 452 539 10 19
13 16 Cundall 183 21 49 56 35 22 323 169 183 547 584 6 21
14 17 Hilson Moran 156 0 0 69 51 36 47 149 156 233 237 4 6
15 18 WYG 112 66 28 5 13 0 0 293 180 1,225 1,318 25 50
16 13 Mace 104 44 9 51 0 1,260 1,173 3,650 3,546 10 30+
17 19 TPS Consult 100 64 28 8 158 155 281 252 8 8
18 Curtins Consulting 96 38 52 0 0 6 172 80 96 323 368 12 1
19 Royal HaskoningDHV 95 73 0 7 4 11 129 261 235 497 485 13 79
20 21 CampbellReith 84 30 36 0 0 18 58 84 84 144 160 5 7
21 26 BDP 76 2 17 37 20 53 368 377 782 807 6 11
22 25 AKT II 74 16 56 0 0 0 147 74 74 238 248 1 1
23 23 Pick Everard 69 21 12 20 16 0 120 198 207 472 511 11 11
24 Elliott Wood Partnership 58 7 51 0 0 0 38 62 58 127 131 3 3
25 30 Clancy Consulting 57 21 25 6 5 87 54 57 173 184 9 9
26= 31 Clarkebond (UK) 49 17 21 0 0 11 22 49 49 128 128 3 3
26= 33 Thomasons 49 19 30 0 0 0 46 52 56 80 80 9 9
28 Price & Myers 48 5 43 0 0 0 111 51 49 187 184 3 3
29 28 Ridge & Partners7 41 9 9 10 13 0 105 263 196 486 559 10 11
30 37 Robert Bird & Partners 40 1 39 0 0 0 104 36 40 148 163 1 10
31 22 NPS Group5 36 3 4 3 11 15 34 320 224 988 924 24 24
32 24 JNPGroup 35 26 11 6 52 34 40 99 104 5 5
33 43= Stride Treglown 32 1 143 149 326 323 9 9
34 36 TSP Projects 30 16 4 0 1 9 231 38 37 390 427 4 4
35 DSSR 29 0 0 19 7 3 61 24 29 126 119 4 4
36 43= Meinhardt (UK) 26 1 14 3 2 2 33 21 26 72 81 1 45
37= 42 Gleeds 25 17 1 2 2 3 23 630 626 980 1,098 20 67
37= 40 TÜV SÜD Real Estate9 25 12 9 4 142 19 25 200 215 15 20
39 Silcock Leedham Group 22 9 6 7 11 20 22 33 36 2 4
40 Butler & Young 21 0 3 0 0 18 0 137 142 145 152 15 15
41= 46 Foster + Partners 20 0 5 6 4 5 55 450 402 1,262 1,058 1 16
41= Lyons O’Neill Civil & Structural 20 3 17 0 17 20 21 21 1 1
Engineers
43= Mason Clark Associates 19 8 11 0 0 0 15 24 25 54 55 3 3
44 Elementa Consulting 18 0 0 11 5 2 40 60 66 14 18
45= AKS Ward 17 5 13 0 0 0 33 25 21 248 257 6 6
45= 46 CalfordSeaden 17 1 3 5 8 0 32 83 85 77 61 6 6
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

45= 20 ChapmanBDSP 17 0 0 5 6 112 19 19 180 180 3 5

48= Bryden Wood 16 6 1 5 4 0 53 43 52 129 154 2 3
48= Harley Haddow (Edinburgh) 16 0 6 4 6 70 17 16 100 93 3 3
50 Baily Garner 14 0 0 6 4 4 7 75 74 156 155 2 2

BUILDING MAGAZINE 22.09.2017

 TOP 50 ARCHITECTS

Rank Firm UK architectural staff Total UK chartered staff Total UK staff Offices

-chartered

Worldwide
/ technical
Chartered
architects
2017

2016

2016

2017

2016

2017
Non

UK
1 1 Foster + Partners 374 185 450 402 1,262 1,058 1 16
2 2 BDP 283 118 368 377 782 807 6 11
3 3 Allies and Morrison 189 110 0 189 335 3 4
4 4 Sheppard Robson 174 60 176 176 374 345 3 4
5 8 TP Bennett 119 53 100 119 301 312 2 45 affiliates
in 72
locations
6= 10= Hawkins\Brown 116 87 88 116 264 238 3 3
6= 9 Scott Brownrigg 116 55 115 121 240 270 5 9
8 13= Stride Treglown 109 115 143 149 326 323 9 9
9 16= PRP 104 65 94 108 230 267 3 3
10 12 Broadway Malyan 100 89 93 100 296 261 6 16
11 10= Aecom 93 165 3,021 3,003 6,970 6,962 45 634
12 19 AHR 92 118 120 336 327 8 13
13 13= EPR Architects 84 43 80 84 156 153 1 2
14 15 Pollard Thomas Edwards 82 46 75 82 139 146 1 1
15 16= Levitt Bernstein 81 35 64 81 116 137 2 2
16 22 HTA Design LLP 79 50 87 79 157 170 3 3
17 20 ADP 75 19 72 75 112 113 8 9
18 3DReid 68 36 49 68 120 123 5 5
19= 24 Fletcher Priest Architects LLP 64 36 64 64 104 112 1 3
19= JMArchitects 64 35 62 64 112 107 4 4
21 28 Jestico + Whiles 61 21 52 61 105 109 1 2
22 23 NPS Group5 58 55 320 224 988 924 24 24
23 Aukett Swanke 50 26 93 50 167 103 2 13
24= HLM AD 49 77 67 49 206 161 8 11
24= 36 Stockwool 49 35 49 71 74 1 1
26 16= Arup Group 47 69 1,656 1,801 5,041 5,308 14 92
27 Child Graddon Lewis 45 31 45 51 52 3
28 27 Pick Everard 44 54 198 207 472 511 11 11
29 26 John Robertson Architects 43 58 56 43 119 95 1 2
30 29= AWW inspired environments 41 19 42 41 95 93 3 3
31 32= WSP11 39 14 1,319 1,887 5265 7,261 60+ 500
32 Holder Mathias Architects 38 13 33 38 55 61 2 2
33= 29= Lewis & Hickey 37 42 34 49 93 92 5 7
33= LSI Architects 37 7 26 37 61 69 2 2
35= 38 Assael Architecture 36 21 36 36 67 81 1 2
35= 37 Bryden Wood 36 27 43 52 129 154 2 3
37 49 Stephen George + Partners 35 40 30 35 56 85 5 6
38 P+HS Architects 34 14 34 35 56 556 3 3
39= ECE Architecture 33 22 32 37 145 138 3 3
39= 41 Whittam Cox Architects (formerly 33 75 32 33 57 67 3 3
WCEC Architects)10
41 42= R H Partnership Architects 32 17 40 32 68 62 3 3
42= Kendall Kingscott 31 22 68 68 128 134 4 4
* SEE METHODOLOGY AND NOTES

42= 46= Pozzoni Architecture 31 10 28 31 59 67 2 2

44 42= Mott MacDonald 30 14 3,349 3,693 6741 7108 30 176
45 GRID Architects 28 28 28 28 78 65 1 1
46 39= Penoyre & Prasad 25 10 27 25 48 42 1 1
47= Househam Henderson 23 30 19 23 54 45 2 7
47= Threesixty Architecture 23 30 20 23 50 61 3 3
49 Bailey Partnership 22 11 47 50 91 99 4 4
50 Hunters 21 16 33 36 3650 3546 1 1

22.09.2017 BUILDING MAGAZINE