Adjusting to Market Challenges

In tackling complex market challenges, AJi Group’s solution has been to adopt a transformation mindset: “As the region transforms, so must we,” Awwad says, adding that the firm sees project challenges as an “opportunity to raise the standard” by “empowering local talent, embedding sustainability or driving cross-border collaboration.”

Local collaboration and developing regional relationships have been facets of Archetype Group’s success, according to the No. 165-ranked firm, with a portfolio spanning 50 countries.

Last year, it announced all of their buildings will be green certified by 2032, which CEO and Co-founder Pierre-Jean Malgouyres says is driven by rising client demand for more sustainable and resilient structures that also reduce environmental impact.

“Most of our clients are multinational companies that now prioritize energy-efficient systems and low-carbon materials to meet carbon-neutral goals, aligning with a zero-carbon footprint target,” he says.

The World Economic Forum estimates a $15-trillion investment gap for global infrastructure by 2040, with an annual $3.3 trillion needed to support anticipated global economic growth. Aurecon, ranked No. 55, has preemptively appointed a chief engineering, eminence and innovation officer to spearhead complex infrastructure-related challenges “to support our people to relentlessly pursue engineering collaboration, and technical and delivery excellence,” says CEO Louise Adams.

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“We are operating in a dynamic yet complex world, which presents a multitude of challenges for engineers as well as opportunities,” she notes.

Behind the Numbers

Overall, international design revenue for the Top 225 rose 7.7% between 2023 and 2024, to $89.3 million from $82.94 million. Median international revenue is up 6.9%, totaling $63.89 million. Of the 211 firms that filed surveys this year and last, 71.1% reported higher revenue this year and 93.6% of those reporting profitability status noted profit on international work in 2024.

Backlogs have remained strong for a majority of firms, but the percentage of those showing an increase has fallen over the past few years. Of 185 firms that reported their backlog status on this year’s survey, 65.4% said it is higher than last year. That number was 69.3% and 74.1% on the 2024 and 2023 survey filings, respectively.

The Middle East saw the largest growth between 2023 and 2024, with international design revenue rising nearly 30% in the region, and nearly double since 2021. Major growth was also reported in the U.S. (10.7%), Africa (9%) and Europe (7.6%). Revenue is down significantly in the Caribbean (17.4%) and Latin America (15%).

Pace Associate Director Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Shaiji says retail, hospitality, office and infrastructure markets represent core strategic sectors for the No. 152 ranked firm.

“These sectors are driven by the shifting of social and economic dynamics in the regions where we operate and the surge in demand,” he says, attributing growth in these areas to regional reputation and an understanding of macroeconomic trends to align the firm’s design approach to the priorities of local and national agendas.

“This alignment is achieved through building and retaining internal talent pools specialized in planning and delivering these sectors and driving … engagement with existing and potential clients,” says Shaiji. “Many countries, particularly across the Persian Gulf region, Africa and with emerging economies, are actively pursuing economic diversification strategies to reduce reliance on traditional sectors such as oil and gas and extraction and export of natural resources.”

For the Top 225 overall, revenue in the telecommunications market rose 61.7% between 2023 and 2024, with the average international total increasing to $24.28 million from $16.01 million during the same time period. Markets for listed firms all saw double-digit percentage revenue increases—including sewer/waste (20.2%), power (18.9%), industrial process (17.7%), general building (16.2%) and water supply (15.8%). However, Top 225 revenue in the oil and gas sector contracted 21.1% between 2023 and 2024.

Driving Transformation

“There is a growing movement toward nuclear power as a key component of the global energy transition and energy sovereignty. ”
Stéphane Aubarbier, Deputy CEO, Assystem

With 2050 seen as a key deadline for net-zero emissions for the global energy transition, Top 225 firms involved in the energy sector say they are seeing firsthand how reimagined production is driving market innovation.

“There is a clear and growing movement toward nuclear power as a key component of the global energy transition and energy sovereignty,” says Stéphane Aubarbier, deputy CEO of Assystem, ranked No. 54. He cites the 2023 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, with over 20 countries pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050, as one of several catalysts driving the trend.

“As part of this, there is a trend for existing civil nuclear markets to restart their programs,” says Aubarbier. “We see this in the U.K. following its commitment to build two large scale [pressurized reactors] and small modular reactors, following its selection of Rolls-Royce technology in the government’s recent competition.”

Additionally, the Netherlands has committed to building two more nuclear power plants that will provide around up to 13% of the country’s electricity production, and Japan is also seeking to restart its nuclear power program.

“These decisions are in response to the current geo-political climate, and we are observing that the main civil nuclear technology exporters—France, America, Korea, China and Russia—are securing orders with countries where there are strong diplomatic allegiances,” says Aubarbier.

At the other end of the spectrum are under-developed regions where political instability can be a major challenge to getting much-needed projects off the ground.

“To address these challenges, we closely follow political shifts, monitor closely economic parameters and indices and use special security consultants,” says Cem Aker, international projects coordinator at DOLSAR Engineering Inc.

In January, the firm says it signed a provision to provide construction supervision services for the repair of Ukraine’s M09 Ternopil-Lviv-Rava-Ruska highway. Aker calls the project, one of the largest commissioned during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, a logistical challenge.

The prolonged Russia-Ukraine war “has affected our business, since in the pre-war period DOLSAR had multiple ongoing projects in Ukraine,” says Aker, adding that shifts in U.S. government policy related to U.S. Agency for International Development and Millennium Challenge Corp. funding have also affected project finance in the country.

Bridges | By Jonathan Keller

South Africa Cable-stayed Bridge Will Be Continent’s Longest

Surbana Jurong (No. 24) unit SMEC is providing design services on the Msikaba Bridge in South Africa, with its 530-m composite concrete and steel deck to be supported at both ends by 17 pairs of both mainstay and backstay cables anchored into 127-m-tall reinforced concrete pylons. When complete, the bridge will be both the longest and highest single-span cable-stayed bridge in Africa, the firm says.
Rendering courtesy of Surbana Jurong

Political Shifts

With his firm’s core operations based in the Middle East, Dewan Architects + Engineers CEO Ammar Al Assam says regional projects are especially sensitive to political shifts and changing diplomatic relations that affect financing and investment.

“Geopolitical instability and changing policies in markets such as the U.S. and in Europe have, at times, led to delays in capital deployment and project launches due to heightened uncertainty,” he says.

To mitigate risk and sustain growth, Al Assam says the firm has strategically diversified its portfolio by expanding into more stable markets across Asia. “These are regions that are showing strong momentum and align well with our capabilities and long-term vision,” he says. The firm is ranked No. 92.

Geopolitical instability around the world has had a “growing impact on the priorities of national governments and how public funds are allocated,” adds Murat Koru, chairman of No. 177-ranked Proyapı Engineering and Consultancy Inc. “In recent years, the increase in military conflicts and the perception of rising global insecurity have led many governments to reassess their budgets,” he contends. “As a result, spending on transportation infrastructure in some regions has been reduced or postponed in favor of initiatives seen as more urgent for national security or defense preparedness.”

At a local level, Top 225 firms say community investment in the form of using local suppliers and talent pools has allowed them to build stronger regional connections to transfer knowledge and build technical capacity where needed.

“Our approach focuses on creating community-centric designs that celebrate local heritage, foster social interaction and cultivate a strong sense of belonging,” says Matt Squires, CEO of SSH. “By prioritizing use of local materials, suppliers and labor, we help stimulate regional economies and support sustainable community development.”

By prioritizing community investment, design firms can measure successful design and project delivery beyond technical precision, according to EHAF Consulting Engineers, ranked at No. 35.

“We place strong emphasis on aligning our work with the social and cultural context of each project,” says Suha Abou El Fetouh, the firm’s vice president and managing director. He adds that the effort includes “proactive coordination with local authorities, end users and regional stakeholders to ensure our developments reflect everyday needs, values and expectations of their intended users.”

El Fetouh says EHAF Consulting Engineers’ approach often includes early planning coordination, functional programming sessions and design strategies that “promote inclusivity, accessibility and sensitivity to local customs.”

On the Masang-2 hydroelectric power project located in West Sumatra, Indonesia, Haskoning similarly took steps to prioritize accessibility and local customs related to the task of routing transmission lines.

When a route was adjusted, “we re-engaged five affected Nagaris, or customary villages, to transparently communicate changes, validate social baseline data and gather updated input through structured meetings and a community feedback mechanism,” says Mila van Druten, who is climate risk consultant at the No. 41-ranked design firm.

She says the process allowed the firm to advocate for its client, the state-owned power provider, to ensure 24-hour electricity access for the community.

“At the time, electricity in the project area was often only available at certain hours or would go out unpredictably,” van Druten explains. “We brought forward this concern as a community priority. We influenced [the provider’s] decision to plan for expanded distribution, ensuring round-the-clock access.”

Education | By Jonathan Keller

JV Contract Aids Refugee School Shortage

Photo courtesy of Dorsch Impact

Since Syria’s civil war began in 2011, more than 14 million Syrians have had to flee their homes. Over 500,000 refugees are registered in Jordan with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees as of June 30, but estimates that include unregistered refugees suggest up to 1.4 million. About half of registered refugees are age 17 or younger.

The joint venture of Dorsch (No. 32) and Dar Al Omran Rasem Badran (No. 151) won a contract to plan and design up to 23 new schools in Jordan (see above) to accommodate more than 13,000 Jordanian and Syrian children. The contract amount was not disclosed, but Jordanian media report the German Development Bank has provided about $80 million in funding. The European Union is also a major donor.

Siting schools proved a logistical and design challenge, with many locations having “uneven terrain, sharp inclines and soil conditions that would significantly impact construction cost and feasibility,” says Salam Najjar, Senior Programme Manager at Dorsch Impact.

”Safety is embedded into every detail, from soft-finish materials and rounded corners to wide circulation zones and clear wayfinding systems that reduce stress and risk,” Najjar adds. Lighting, acoustics and ventilation are calibrated to create calm, healthy environments.

Each school includes a dedicated kindergarten section, a first in Jordan’s public school system, Najjar says. Unlike a conventional layout, the section is “physically and functionally distinct.” Schools are set to be net-zero, powered by roof mounted photovoltaic systems and with roof insulation and facade-mounted shades for comfortable indoor temperatures and reduced energy loads. Facilities will also capture and recycle rainwater.

Fostering Innovation

Top 225 firms named building information modeling, digital twins, reality capture and carbon management tools among the technologies they are integrating into their operations to extend the capabilities of their companies and add value for clients.

Italferr, ranked No. 142 on the list, says its “advanced progress monitoring” system increases the protection of jobsite workers, enhances work transparency and decreases risks.

“The continuous digital monitoring performed by Italferr teams—including access control to construction sites—not only improves the quality of works but also helps prevent potential criminal or mafia infiltration, in close synergy with competent authorities,” says CEO Dario Lo Bosco.

AI Is Top 225 Power Tool

Overwhelmingly, artificial intelligence was named as the technology that firms predicted would have the largest impact on design services.

While some companies are still figuring out how best to apply the technology to their operations, others are quickly moving forward to integrate its use in a range of areas, including recruitment, efficiency tracking, procurement and project planning.

GHD, which is ranked No. 22, says the firm recently collaborated with students at the University of Melbourne in Australia, to explore AI transformation—with a key focus on the technology’s potential effects on trust, values and human impact.

“How to integrate AI with our work in engineering, architecture and environmental consulting is a constant question.”
Paul Murphy, Chief Information Officer, GHD

“Figuring out how to integrate AI with our work in engineering, architecture and environmental consulting is a constant question at the forefront of our business strategy,” GHD chief information officer Paul Murphy points out. “Working with these talented students has been incredibly rewarding—their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas have definitely expanded our thinking.”

Archetype adds that it is also investing in AI and BIM to improve efficiency.

The tools “are now used in our daily operations to improve design efficiency through digital modeling, and to speed up delivery of projects,” says CEO and co-founder Malgouyres. He adds that the firm is also passionate about exploring low-carbon concrete and the use of graphene as an additive to improve its durability.

“That will totally disrupt the construction industry, and we are proud to be leading this movement,” says the executive.

At Engicon, CEO Tarek Zuriekat contends that conversations focused on climate change and resilience are increasingly becoming deciding factors in design and in determining how innovation is used in a project to decrease risk and adapt to long-term environmental factors that may be challenging.

Climate change is altering “what clients ask for across our international projects,” says Zuriekat. “They’re after climate-adaptive designs that tackle environmental challenges while boosting resilience and efficiency.

He explains that the firm, which is ranked at No. 180, has seen a significant push for water reuse in countries with dwindling resources. This includes decentralized treatment systems and energy-efficient infrastructure that is able to handle scarcity and shifting energy demands.

“We’re bringing in tools like smart water metering and consumption analytics, plus treated wastewater reuse schemes to cut reliance on freshwater,” says Zuriekat.

Overall, he believes that climate change risks ahead are pushing design to be more resilient and sustainable but also to ensure it prioritizes human health and connection. “Our knack for innovative, context-sensitive solutions keeps us leading in global markets,” Zuriekat contends.