GHD announces record performance

One of the world’s top employee-owned professional services companies, GHD, has reported earnings growth of 7 percent and a turnover of AUD 1.7 billion.

The company now ranks as the #19 largest privately owned company in Australia, according to data compiled by research company IBISWorld.

Rob Knott, Chairman, says GHD’s growth has been largely organic, driven by client demands for project management, engineering, architecture, environment, construction and advisory services.

“We have seen sustained revenue increases in our market sectors of water, transport, property and buildings and energy and resources. Our outlook is also positive as we respond to increasing investment in infrastructure, reflecting growing global needs for water, urbanisation and energy.”

The record performance is also a significant first full-year result for Ashley Wright, who was named CEO in March 2016.

Over the past 12 months, the company’s global executive team has been further strengthened with the appointment of Ian Fraser as General Manager – Asia Pacific, and Jan Sipsma as General Manager – People. Ian previously led the company’s New Zealand business, while Jan was a global organisational effectiveness consultant and an advisor to GHD since 2012.

In an industry marked by ongoing consolidation, GHD is increasingly finding its enduring employee ownership model is helping it attract and retain talented people.

“There is a fundamental difference in the purpose and culture of a global business that is wholly owned by its employees, and we believe it translates into long-term performance,” Rob says. “Being able to build a stake in the business and pass it on to the next generation of employee-owners is deeply satisfying. This is the living legacy of intergenerational employee ownership that has been a key factor in our success over nearly 90 years.”

Additionally, this year, GHD has been named:

• #33 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 150 Global Design Firms 2017 list
• #30 in the NCE100, a list of top contractors and consultants published by UK’s New Civil Engineer magazine
• Best Provider to Mining, Oil & Gas, Beaton Client Choice Awards 2017
• equal #1 in Australasia (by number of deals) in Inframation Group’s league table of technical advisors