好色先生TV

Turner & Townsend has significantly increased its presence in Asia with the acquisition of 100-strong Hong Kong-based cost consultant H.A. Brechin.

The takeover increases T&T鈥檚 presence in Asia by a quarter to 400 staff, with a combined turnover of 拢25m.

T&T chief executive Vincent Clancy told 好色先生TV the acquisition will help the firm access clients in Hong Kong, Shenzen in southern China and Macau, areas where the firm had previously had little or no presence.

Clancy said the acquisition will also strengthen T&T鈥檚 expertise in the infrastructure and public sectors.

H.A. Brechin is working on some of Hong Kong鈥檚 largest infrastructure projects 鈥� including the expansion of Hong Kong airport and the city鈥檚 MTR metro system 鈥� and with several of the city鈥檚 public sector clients including the Architectural Services Department, Hospital Authority and Highways Department.

Clancy said the acquisition will also help T&T service 鈥済lobal clients鈥� in Asia and Hong Kong-based clients with operations in the rest of Asia and internationally.

The firm鈥檚 Asia division is growing 鈥�25-30% per annum鈥�, Clancy said.

H.A. Brechin was founded in Edinburgh in 1931 and opened its Hong Kong office in 1977. It now trades solely in Asia.

Clancy said the firm鈥檚 strategy was to 鈥渃ontinue to look for bolt-on [acquisition] deals鈥�.

Last month it announced it had bought 20-strong US-based consultant Larkspur Associates, which specialises in estimating services in the oil and gas, chemicals, power and minerals industries.

Clancy said the string of firms that have announced plans to list on the London stock exchange so far this year 鈥� including housebuilder Crest Nicholson and estate agent Countrywide 鈥� has not impacted on the consultant鈥檚 own plans to list 鈥渁t the right time鈥�.

Clancy said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e not yet seen the volume of IPOs [initial public offerings] yet 鈥� but we continue to track it.

鈥淭here are hardly any IPOs except in specialist situations. Our advisors are telling us the market is a way off from being open to companies like ours.鈥�

Graeme Brechin, Managing Director, H.A. Brechin commented: 鈥淲e are delighted to join forces with Turner & Townsend.

鈥淭urner & Townsend has a proven and enviable track record managing large scale programmes in the property and infrastructure sectors, and an unparalleled understanding of how global clients operate.

鈥淭ogether we will be able to offer clients a truly diverse range of services and expertise under one roof.鈥�

Clancy added: 鈥淎sia is a significant growth market, and the merger with H.A. Brechin will substantially strengthen and broaden our local service offering.

鈥淭he combination of H.A. Brechin鈥檚 local knowledge and reputation, and Turner & Townsend鈥檚 expertise in working on major global programmes, will further bolster our presence across mainland China.鈥�