Aurecon
Aurecon Group Pty Ltd is a multinational engineering, design, and advisory firm headquartered in Docklands, Victoria, Australia, with operations spanning the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.[1][2] Formed in 2009 via the merger of three established consultancies—Africon (founded 1951), Connell Wagner (1934), and Ninham Shand (1932)—Aurecon employs over 8,000 staff and delivers services in advisory, design, project management, and asset operations across sectors like infrastructure, energy, water, and transport.[3][4][2] The firm has earned recognition for projects emphasizing innovation and sustainability, including award-winning contributions to solar farm developments at Australian military bases and geotechnical engineering for Hong Kong's Central Kowloon Route tunnel.[5][6] Aurecon's work extends to international infrastructure, such as road projects in Lesotho that received South African engineering accolades.[7] However, the company has faced scrutiny, notably in 2019 when it severed ties with Adani Enterprises amid activist campaigns against the latter's coal projects, prompting criticism from Australian resources minister Matt Canavan for yielding to pressure.[8][9] That year also saw a demerger of its African operations to restructure ownership, alongside later workforce reductions in 2023 due to market demand fluctuations.[10][11]Overview
Corporate Profile
Aurecon Group Pty Ltd is a multinational engineering, design, and advisory firm headquartered in Docklands, Victoria, Australia.[12] The company specializes in infrastructure projects, providing services in planning, environmental consulting, project management, and technical advisory across sectors such as transport, energy, and water.[13] Aurecon operates as an owner-managed entity with a focus on the Asia Pacific region, maintaining offices in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.[1] Its stated purpose is to bring ideas to life, imagining and co-creating solutions for a better future for people and the planet.[14] The firm traces its origins to 1934, when MacDonald Wagner was established in Sydney, Australia.[15] In 1989, MacDonald Wagner merged with the Connell Group to form Connell Wagner, which in 2009 combined with African firms Ninham Shand and Global Group to create the Aurecon brand.[15] In October 2019, Aurecon demerged its African operations to refocus on Asia Pacific markets.[15] As of February 2025, Aurecon employs approximately 7,500 professionals across 31 locations.[16] Aurecon reported annual revenue of A$1.06 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2020, reflecting growth in consulting services amid regional infrastructure demand.[17] The company emphasizes ethical conduct, integrity, and innovation, governed by a board of directors and led by an executive team aligned with its strategic objectives.[14]Mission and Strategic Focus
Aurecon's stated purpose is to bring ideas to life to create a better future for people and the planet, emphasizing engineering's essential role in addressing global challenges through design, advisory, and innovation services across the Asia Pacific region.[14] This mission integrates a stewardship perspective, where the firm positions itself as a collaborator in tackling complex problems via multidisciplinary teams that prioritize unconventional thinking and resourcefulness.[18] The company's strategic focus revolves around four pillars: planet, people, communities, and ethics, which guide operational decisions and client engagements to foster long-term resilience and positive impact.[19] Central to this is a refreshed sustainability strategy, informed by materiality assessments, that embeds decarbonization, diversity, and ethical conduct into core operations; for instance, Aurecon achieved net zero emissions across its operations by June 30, 2024—ahead of its 2025 target—through renewable energy adoption, carbon offsets, and a 1.5% reduction in emissions per full-time equivalent employee from fiscal year 2023 to 2024.[20] This aligns with commitments to the United Nations Global Compact's ten principles, particularly in environmental responsibility and promoting sustainable technologies.[19] Aurecon's DNA—comprising attributes like being co-creative, inquisitive, and fearless, alongside principles such as "make the complex simple" and "create a legacy"—underpins its strategy by cultivating an inclusive culture that drives innovation and high performance.[18] The firm prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, evidenced by a global female workforce representation of 37.4% as of fiscal year 2024, to enhance problem-solving capabilities and client value delivery.[20] Overall, these elements direct Aurecon toward agile adaptation to market shifts, ethical integrity, and measurable contributions to infrastructure resilience and climate action.[14]History
Origins and Early Development
Aurecon's origins trace to the establishment of MacDonald Wagner in Sydney, Australia, in 1934 as a consulting engineering firm specializing in civil and structural engineering.[21] Founded by engineers including Eric Wagner, the firm initially focused on infrastructure projects amid Australia's interwar economic challenges, providing services in water supply, roads, and buildings.[15] By the 1940s, it expanded its workforce, hiring graduate engineer Ray Priddle in 1936, who joined as a partner in 1944 and contributed to designs such as the copper smelting facilities at Mount Isa Mines in 1948.[22][23] The firm, later incorporated as MacDonald Wagner & Priddle Pty Ltd in 1971, grew steadily through post-World War II reconstruction, undertaking projects in mining, power, and transportation across Australia.[21] This period marked early development into a multi-disciplinary consultancy with offices in major cities, emphasizing practical engineering solutions for resource extraction and urban development. By the late 1980s, MacDonald Wagner employed approximately 300 staff and generated annual turnover of around A$25 million, positioning it as one of Australia's prominent engineering firms.[21] In June 1989, MacDonald Wagner merged with the Connell Group—another established Australian consultancy led by John Connell—to form Connell Wagner, creating a larger entity with enhanced capabilities in project management and international reach.[24] This merger consolidated expertise from both firms' histories, enabling Connell Wagner to pursue more complex infrastructure assignments while maintaining a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, setting the stage for further global integration.[15]Formation and Expansion
Aurecon was formed on March 15, 2009, through the merger of three engineering consultancies: the Australian-based Connell Wagner, and the Africa-based Africon and Ninham Shand.[25][26] This consolidation created a multi-disciplinary global engineering group headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with Paul Hardy, former CEO of Connell Wagner, leading the new entity.[26] The merger was motivated by the need to diversify geographically and leverage anticipated government infrastructure spending amid economic challenges, combining Connell Wagner's established operations—tracing back to MacDonald Wagner founded in Sydney in 1934 and merged with the Connell Group in 1989—with the specialized expertise of Africon and Ninham Shand in African markets.[15][26] Upon formation, Aurecon launched with approximately 87 offices across 28 countries, establishing a broad international footprint that spanned Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.[26] This structure enabled the firm to offer integrated engineering, design, and advisory services on a global scale, drawing on the complementary strengths of its predecessors to pursue large-scale infrastructure projects.[25] Expansion continued post-formation through strategic focus shifts and acquisitions, though tempered by a 2019 demerger of its African operations effective January 1, 2020, which refocused resources on Australia, New Zealand, and Asia amid regional market challenges.[10][15] In Asia, growth accelerated with appointments like Dr. Olivier Petit as Managing Director for Growth and Strategy in August 2022, and the acquisition of CHT International effective June 1, 2024, enhancing capabilities in Malaysia and broader Southeast Asia.[27][28] Additional acquisitions, such as MAG in November 2022 for carbon market advisory and Triple 'A' Impact in 2022 for sustainability consulting, supported diversification into emerging sectors like environmental services.[29][30] By 2025, these efforts had positioned Aurecon with over 6,500 employees globally, emphasizing infrastructure and advisory in high-growth regions.[15]Recent Developments
In June 2024, Aurecon acquired CHT International Engineering, a move effective from 1 June that strengthened its engineering presence in Malaysia and broader Asian markets, particularly in rail and infrastructure sectors.[28][31] Earlier expansions included the 2022 acquisition of Singapore Environmental Consultancy and Solutions Pte Ltd (SECS) to bolster environmental expertise in Asia.[32] Aurecon secured a six-year contract in August 2025 with the Australian Department of Defence for the Estate Works Program, focusing on infrastructure delivery across defence estates.[33] In October 2025, the firm provided advisory support to TagEnergy for its acquisition of ACE Power, incorporating 6 MW of wind, solar, and battery energy storage systems into Australia's renewables portfolio.[34] Additionally, Aurecon was appointed to assist South Australia Water with a $3.3 billion capital program.[35] The company reported a 63% increase in environmental services revenue for 2024, securing the 56th position on Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms list.[36] Aurecon was recognized as the Australian Financial Review's Most Innovative Company in Professional Services for 2023, marking its eighth such accolade, and received a Good Design Award in 2024 for its Aurecon Air initiative in defence and national security.[37][38] On sustainability, Aurecon advanced its fleet electrification efforts, sharing insights from transitioning operations to electric vehicles in May 2025, and published its 2025 Carbon Footprint Report covering emissions from July 2024 to June 2025.[39][19] Leadership changes included appointing Todd Battley as chief executive for Australia and Asia Pacific.[40]Operations and Services
Engineering and Design Expertise
Aurecon's engineering and design capabilities integrate multidisciplinary expertise to deliver solutions across infrastructure, buildings, and energy sectors, emphasizing technical precision, lifecycle management, and innovation. The firm employs consulting engineers who combine design, engineering, and advisory services to address client needs from conceptual planning through to asset optimization.[41] This approach prioritizes digital-first methodologies and resilience against environmental challenges, such as climate impacts, while maintaining focus on verifiable engineering standards.[41] In building design, Aurecon specializes in complex structural engineering, incorporating digital technologies for predictive performance modeling and constructability assessments. Capabilities include sustainable features like energy generation integration, water recycling, and material disassembly for end-of-life reuse, with a preference for adapting existing structures over new builds to minimize environmental footprint.[42] These services support human-centered outcomes, such as flexible spaces adaptable to evolving user requirements, delivered through collaborative teams across Asia-Pacific regions.[42] Aurecon's civil engineering expertise features over 50 years in bridge and structures design, covering large-span, rail, road, and pedestrian variants using diverse materials. Full-service offerings encompass conceptual design, temporary works, inspections, rehabilitation, and asset management systems, bolstered by 3D digital modeling for cost estimation and virtual construction sequencing.[43] A dedicated team exceeding 180 professionals operates from 11 global locations, incorporating sustainable elements like recycled materials and smart monitoring for performance optimization.[43] Geotechnical and energy engineering form core competencies, providing ground engineering solutions from feasibility studies to construction oversight, alongside energy system designs focused on efficiency and integration.[41] Digital engineering augments these disciplines through AI-driven analytics, data integration, and bespoke software tools, enabling automated workflows and enhanced decision-making in traditional design processes.[44] This fusion supports scalable project delivery, as evidenced in applications for infrastructure resilience and operational efficiency.[44]Advisory and Project Management
Aurecon delivers advisory services that integrate engineering expertise with strategic, technical, commercial, and risk management to guide infrastructure investment decisions across the asset lifecycle. These services target public and private organizations, including asset-intensive clients, and encompass business case development, due diligence assessments, master planning, asset reinvestment strategies, policy and government advisory, and operating model design.[45] By combining advisory with design and engineering capabilities, Aurecon connects high-level strategy to infrastructure requirements, aiming to optimize procurement, governance, and delivery outcomes for enhanced investment value.[45] In project management, Aurecon specializes in program, engineering, procurement, and construction management, serving sectors such as water, health, education, mining and industrial, energy, and defence.[46] The firm partners with the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) to deploy certified professionals capable of managing complex projects, emphasizing resilience and economic recovery through structured oversight that minimizes errors and supports infrastructure delivery.[47] Portfolio advisory complements these efforts by providing oversight for multiple initiatives, aligning them with broader organizational objectives to improve efficiency, mitigate risks, and realize value.[46] Aurecon's approach in these areas prioritizes multidisciplinary integration, drawing on global operations to offer tailored solutions that extend from planning and design to transformation and business optimization.[48] This includes procurement advisory and value realization support, informed by technical asset options and regulatory economics.[45]Global Operations
Aurecon operates predominantly in the Asia-Pacific region, with its headquarters located in Melbourne, Australia. The firm maintains 31 offices across 11 countries, concentrating on engineering, design, and advisory services for infrastructure, urban development, and sustainability projects.[49] This regional focus aligns with the company's origins and strategic emphasis on markets in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, where it delivers services including asset management and project delivery.[14] In Australia, Aurecon has the largest footprint with 15 offices in major cities such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, supporting extensive domestic infrastructure initiatives. New Zealand features 5 offices in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Wellington, facilitating collaborations on local projects like water infrastructure and urban planning. Asian operations span China (Beijing and Shanghai), Hong Kong, Indonesia (Jakarta), Macau, Malaysia (Johor and Kuala Lumpur areas), the Philippines (Manila), Singapore, Thailand (Bangkok), and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), enabling engagement in regional developments such as research facilities and sustainable energy solutions.[49] As of 30 June 2024, Aurecon's global workforce totaled 7,172 employees, with the majority based in Australia. The regional distribution is outlined below:| Region | Employees | Approximate Share |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 4,098 | 57% |
| New Zealand | 1,027 | 14% |
| Asia | 2,047 | 29% |
Notable Projects and Achievements
Major Infrastructure Projects
Aurecon played a leading role in the design of Sydney Metro, Australia's largest public infrastructure project aimed at delivering fast, safe, and reliable urban rail services. The firm was appointed by a consortium including CPB Contractors to design the underground Gadigal Station in Sydney's CBD, integrating it with above-ground commercial and residential developments to create a vibrant precinct hub. This involvement encompassed multidisciplinary engineering for station architecture, structural systems, and precinct integration.[51] In the Pacific Highway upgrade, one of Australia's most extensive regional road projects, Aurecon provided site management, contract administration, and specialist design review from 2011 to 2016 for a 16.3 km four-lane dual carriageway freeway section between Ballina Bypass and Ewingsdale Interchange in New South Wales. Key elements included twin 434-meter tunnels under St Helena Ridge, 3.5 million cubic meters of earthworks, and 17 main bridges plus two transverse structures, enhancing safety and reducing travel times; the project earned the Engineers Australia National Excellence Award in 2016.[52] Following the 7.8-magnitude Kaikōura Earthquake on November 14, 2016, Aurecon led the design delivery for the recovery program, restoring critical road, rail, and harbor infrastructure along New Zealand's South Island coast. This encompassed rebuilding damaged assets, including a 140-meter bridge, amid challenging terrain and seismic risks, involving 2 million work hours and NZ$1.1 billion in costs; the effort won the Institution of Civil Engineers People's Choice Award in 2018 for its collaborative alliance approach.[53][54] For the West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong, completed in 2016, Aurecon handled erection engineering, temporary works design, building services, rail systems, and ground engineering for the 400,000 m² high-speed rail terminus serving mainland China connections. The project addressed typhoon-resistant structures, deep excavations near Victoria Harbour, and complex geometries like a 180-meter-long curved steel roof supported by inclined mega-columns, enabling concurrent construction of basement and roof elements.[55] Aurecon supports the HumeLink Transmission Project in New South Wales, a 360 km network of new high-voltage lines to integrate renewable energy sources into the grid, marking one of Australia's largest energy infrastructure initiatives. The firm's contributions include field environment and heritage surveys using digital tools for data accuracy and safety, alongside community engagement via virtual mapping and stakeholder consultations with Transgrid.[56]Awards and Recognitions
Aurecon has received numerous industry awards recognizing its engineering, innovation, and sustainability efforts across regions including Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. In 2025, the firm secured six Consult Australia Awards for Excellence, including the President's Award for overall leadership and the Champions of Change Award for CEO William Cox's contributions to diversity and inclusion.[57][58] These accolades highlight Aurecon's client service, project delivery, and cultural initiatives in the consulting sector.[57] The company also earned recognition in specialized fields. At the 2025 Defence & National Security Workforce Awards, Aurecon won two honors for its workforce development supporting Australia's defense capabilities.[59] In geotechnical engineering, Aurecon, in partnership with Bouygues Travaux Publics, received the HKIE Geotechnical Project Excellence Award 2025 for the Central Kowloon Route – Central Tunnel project, praising innovative tunneling techniques.[60] Sustainability and innovation awards underscore Aurecon's forward-looking practices. It was named among the Australian Financial Review's (AFR) most innovative companies for the eighth consecutive year in 2024, topping the professional services category in prior assessments.[37] Aurecon also claimed AFR Sustainability Leader status for the third year running in 2024, reflecting its environmental integration in projects.[61] In design, Aurecon Air, an air quality monitoring tool, won a Good Design Award in 2024 for communication design excellence.[38] Regional safety and project management honors further demonstrate operational strengths. Aurecon Hong Kong achieved the top award at the 23rd Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Awards in 2024, marking the third consecutive year for superior safety practices.[62] In New Zealand, the 2024 ACE Awards yielded gold, silver, merit, and a sustainability prize for technical eminence and individual contributions.[63] For project management, Aurecon garnered 11 chapter awards at the AIPM 2024 Awards, spanning program excellence and risk management.[5] Earlier, in 2023, the Boola Katitjin building was named Project of the Year by Engineers Australia for sustainable construction.[64]| Year | Award | Category/Reason | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Consult Australia Awards for Excellence | President's Award; Champions of Change | Australia |
| 2025 | Defence & National Security Workforce Awards | Two workforce development honors | Australia |
| 2025 | HKIE Geotechnical Project Excellence Award | Central Kowloon Route project | Hong Kong |
| 2024 | AFR Most Innovative Companies | Eighth year; professional services leadership | Australia |
| 2024 | AFR Sustainability Leader | Third consecutive year | Australia |
| 2024 | Good Design Award | Aurecon Air tool | Australia |
| 2024 | HKOSH Awards | Top safety award (third year) | Hong Kong |
| 2024 | ACE New Zealand Awards | Gold, silver, merit, sustainability | New Zealand |
| 2024 | AIPM Chapter Awards | 11 awards for project management | Australia |
| 2023 | Engineers Australia Excellence Awards | Boola Katitjin Project of the Year | Australia |
Leadership and Governance
Executive Team
Aurecon's Group Executive Leadership Team oversees the company's global strategy, operations, and growth across its engineering, design, and advisory services. The team comprises functional leaders and regional executives reporting to the CEO, focusing on delivering client projects in infrastructure, energy, and urban development sectors. As of October 2025, the team emphasizes Asia-Pacific expansion and sustainable innovation amid competitive market dynamics.[65] Louise Adams serves as Chief Executive Officer, having assumed the role on July 1, 2025, succeeding William Cox. Adams, a civil engineer who joined Aurecon in 2000 after graduating from the University of South Australia, brings extensive experience from operations in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the Middle East; she previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer for four years, during which she contributed to Asia-focused growth initiatives. She is the first woman to lead Aurecon as CEO and has advocated for diversity in STEM fields.[66][67] Other key members include Andrew Muller as Chief Financial Officer, responsible for financial strategy and performance; Scott Powell as Chief Operating Officer, managing day-to-day global operations; and Liam Hayes as Chief People Officer, overseeing human resources and talent development. Regional leadership features Todd Battley as Chief Executive for Australia, appointed in March 2025 to drive local project delivery and team alignment, and Tracey Ryan as Chief Executive for New Zealand. Additional executives handle commercial growth and client relations, such as Andrew Maher in a chief growth officer capacity.[65][68][69]| Executive | Role | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Louise Adams | CEO | Global strategy, Asia-Pacific growth |
| Andrew Muller | CFO | Financial oversight |
| Scott Powell | COO | Operational efficiency |
| Liam Hayes | CPO | People and culture |
| Todd Battley | CE Australia | Australian market leadership |
| Tracey Ryan | CE New Zealand | New Zealand operations |