Morriss gets top EMEA consultancy job in AECOM URS merger leadership review

AECOM’s Steve Morriss to lead combined Europe Middle East and Africa Design and Consulting Services business once merger with URS finalised in October.

Jackie Whitelaw
05 September 2014

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AECOM_S4A.pdf

AECOM president and CEO Mike Burke has unveiled the new structure that will allow the business to manage the 95,000 staff resulting from the imminent merger with URS.

The deal is due to be finalised in the middle of next month at a shareholders meeting on 16 October and according to Burke “we expect to be operating as one unified company by January 2015”.

The changes were announced to all staff this week with Burke explaining: “ I hope you can now fully appreciate the level of my enthusiasm for the future of our combined company."

He added: "Our new operating structure reflects the strengths of both AECOM and URS.  The leaders that we have identified are a combination of the extraordinary talent contained within both firms.  Together, alongside of each one of you, we will begin a new era of transformational growth.”

The new combined group will operation across five groups: 

Design and Consulting Services 

Of key interest to those in the UK and Europe is confirmation that

Steve Morriss, current AECOM EMEA chief executive will lead the combined European Design and Consulting Services business.

Tom Bishop, currently URS executive chairman for Europe, Middle East and India will take on management of the Americas Design and Consulting Services division.

Sean Chiao, who is AECOM president of Asia Pacific and China will keep that role in the combined group.

Jane Chmielinski, currently AECOM CEO and president of Americas is retiring next year and will be working with Tom Bishop on integration until then.

All will report to AECOM's Fred Werner who takes on the role of group president of design and consulting; he is currently  chief growth officer and president of EMEA.

Construction Services

Building Construction –AECOM’s Dan McQuade is named group president

Energy, Infrastructure and Industrial Construction – URS’s George Nash is group president.

AECOM Capital Group (makes direct investments in real estate and public private projects) – John Livingstone will continue as chief executive.

AECOM Capital Group 

John Livingston will continue to serve as Chief Executive 

Management Services Group

This will combine AECOM’s Management Services Group with the URS Federal Services division and the AECOM Global Support Services Group – URS Randy Wotring will lead as group president.

End Markets Group

This group will be responsible for delivering market and client-led business development and major account management with a focus on global cooperation across AECOM. AECOM’s Mike Donnelly will serve as group president.

Burke said “This group will serve as a powerful, strategic partner with our operations’ leadership team as we pursue the largest and most iconic projects in the world, and will consist of four end markets: Infrastructure & Power, Buildings & Industrial, Oil & Gas and National Governments.” 

Full details of the background to the merger, reasons for the URS sale and negotiations with AECOM and others are all in the Securities Exchange Commission Form S-4/A document