Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 40)

ONE ON ONE AECOM’s Global Perspective And ‘Balanced Approach to Growth’ Our biggest challenge has been to ensure that the facilities and infrastructure built for the games benefit London and the U.K. long after the event is concluded. This is something that was not done very well with some previous Olympiads. In Athens, for example, little attention was paid to future uses of Olympic venues. In London, the main Olympic park is in the Lower Lea Valley, one of the U.K.’s most economically challenged areas. Following the games, the entire area will benefit from a dramatically improved physical and socioeconomic environment. This focus on the impact on the broader community has been paramount throughout the planning process and has the potential to effect a profound change on this part of London. A. John M. Dionisio is president and CEO of AECOM. identified a necessary investment of approximately $650 billion in U.S. water and wastewater systems over the next 20 years. There are also many new, large opportunities around the world in this market that are already fully funded. Q. Q. A. Q. Is the engineer shortage as severe as some say? What, in your view, is the solution? While the state of global financial markets is top-ofmind for many in our industry, AECOM’s business has not experienced significant change. Though the United States is a large and important market for us, we are diversified and derive approximately half of our revenue from outside of the United States, where emerging markets continue to invest in new infrastructure. Furthermore, our work is funded by a variety of sources, including federal, state and local governments; private multinational clients; long-term bonds; user fees; and public-private partnerships. This diversification allows us to weather market ups and downs. A. How has the upheaval in the financial markets affected your business? Q. Q. 40 As master planner for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, what are AECOM’s main challenges? ENGINEERING INC. As with much of the U.S. infrastructure, our water and wastewater systems have not received the necessary attention or funding in recent decades, which has led to an aging and undermaintained system. Findings by organizations such as the EPA, the Water Environment Federation and others have A. Considering your firm’s expertise on water issues, what is your view of the current state of the U.S. water/wastewater infrastructure? Although the “battle for talent” in our industry is an issue that we are aware of—and focused on—AECOM has not seen any negative effects from it thus far. That being said, there is clearly a shortage of engineers in our industry, and the pipeline of new engineers entering the field has declined in recent years. However, we have been able to consistently pursue and win some of the most iconic and professionally fulfilling projects in the world. This translates to enhanced professional and career development opportunities for AECOM employees. In addition, we are very active in encouraging young people to enter the profession through programs such as the ACE Mentoring Program, of which we are a national sponsor; our popular water/ wastewater Collegiate Design Competition; and numerous research collaborations with colleges and universities across the United States. Throughout AECOM’s history, we have been very successful at growing our business organically, and we have also expanded our market positions and global footprint via acquisition. This balanced approach to growth has helped AECOM evolve from a primarily U.S.-focused business to a true global firm with expanded presence in Australia, Asia, Europe, Canada and the Middle East. Acquisitions have also played a key role in helping grow our leadership position in the environmental, water and energy and power end markets. n A. What has stimulated AECOM’s acquisition policy over the years? About AECOM Services: Technical and management services for broad range of markets including transportation, facilities, environmental and energy Founded: 1990 Headquarters: Los Angeles, Calif. Employees: 41,000 Operations: More than 100 countries Mergers/Acquisitions Include: Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern; RETEC; Boyle Engineering; Earth Tech NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2008

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Engineering Inc. - September/October 2008 Contents From ACEC to You News & Notes Market Watch Legislative Action Engineering Goes Back to School Winning the Talent War Mastering A Hard-Luck Economy Education Makes the Grade in Green Construction 2008 Young Professionals of the Year 2008 Fall Conference Highlights Technology Members in the News One On One

Engineering Inc. - November/December 2008

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