AECOM
| File:AECOM logo.svg | |
| File:AECOMOffice.jpg Office of AECOM located in Markham, Ontario, Canada | |
| Formerly | AECOM Technology Corporation (1990–2015) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| Industry | |
| Predecessor | Ashland Technology |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Troy Rudd (CEO) |
| Services | |
| Revenue | Increase Template:US$ (2024) |
| Increase Template:US$ (2024) | |
| Increase Template:US$ (2024) | |
| Total assets | Increase Template:US$ (2024) |
| Total equity | Decrease Template:US$ (2024) |
Number of employees | 51,000 (2024) |
| Website | aecom |
AECOM (, ; previously known as AECOM Technology Corporation; branded as AΞCOM) is an American multinational firm specializing in infrastructure consulting, with its headquarters situated in Dallas, Texas.
Operating under the name AECOM Technology Corporation from 1990 until 2015, the company is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol ACM and is also traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as E6Z.
Following the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, AECOM was among 91 companies in the Fortune 500 that reported an effective federal tax rate at or below zero in 2018.
By 2023, the firm employed roughly 51,000 individuals and held the 291st position on the Fortune 500 ranking.
Services
AECOM provides a comprehensive suite of services encompassing Archaeology, Architecture & Design, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Asset Management, Construction, Cost Management, Decommissioning & Closure, Economics, Engineering, Environmental Services, International Development, IT & Cyber Security, Operations & Maintenance, Planning & Consulting, Program/Construction Management, Risk Management & Resilience, along with Technical Services.
History
The origins of AECOM can be traced to Ashland Oil & Refining Company and further back to the Swiss Drilling Company established in 1910 by J. Fred Miles. Under Paul Blazer’s guidance, Ashland Oil transformed into a prominent road-building enterprise while expanding into chemical and petrochemical industries. In 1984, Ashland acquired DMJM—a combined engineering and architectural firm led by Richard G. Newman. By 1990, after a management buyout proposal and Ashland’s strategic shift toward petroleum refining operations, AECOM (an acronym for Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Management) was established as an independent entity.
Growth for AECOM came through multiple acquisitions including Maunsell (engineering), EDAW (urbanism and sustainability), Economic Research Associates (ERA), ENSR (environmental management), The RETEC Group Inc., architectural practice Ellerbe Becket, and quantity surveyors Davis Langdon. In 2000 it purchased Metcalf and Eddy specializing in water engineering and later acquired Canadian UMA Engineering Ltd. in 2004.
The company went public in May 2007 via an initial public offering that raised $468.3 million. Following this were further acquisitions such as The Services Group (consulting for USAID), Earth Tech Inc. for $510 million in 2008, Tishman Construction Corp. for $245 million in 2010, URS Corporation valued at $4 billion in 2014, ACE International Consultants SL also in 2014, Hunt Construction Group in 2014, and Shimmick Construction Company in 2017. These strategic purchases enhanced AECOM’s footprint across engineering, construction management, and consulting sectors worldwide.
In October 2019, AECOM announced divesting its Management Services division to private equity firms American Securities LLC and Lindsay Goldberg for $2.405 billion; this deal was finalized by January 2020 with the new company named Amentum. The year 2020 saw further divestitures including its Power construction unit sold to CriticalPoint Capital and its Civil construction business—incorporating Shimmick Construction—transferred to Oroco Capital as part of a strategic pivot toward higher-margin professional services.
August 2021 marked AECOM’s decision to relocate its global headquarters from Los Angeles to Dallas to better align with its evolving corporate framework and international operations.
Among its notable global infrastructure contributions are projects such as the Sutong Yangtze River Bridge—the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge—One World Trade Center—the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere—and various major sports facilities, ports infrastructure, and disaster recovery initiatives.
Management
Richard G. Newman served as AECOM's inaugural president and CEO, joining the firm through Ashland's acquisition of Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall (DMJM). He guided the organization's evolution from being a division of Ashland to becoming an independent corporation, assuming the presidency when the company was rebranded as AECOM Technology Corporation in 1990. Newman held the role of president until 1993, then took on the combined positions of chairman, president, and CEO until 2000, subsequently continuing as chairman and CEO through 2005.
In October 2005, John M. Dionisio replaced Newman as president and CEO, later adding the chairman title in 2011. Dionisio had previously been chief operating officer as well as president and CEO of the subsidiary DMJM+Harris. Michael S. Burke succeeded Dionisio as president in 2011 and became CEO in 2014; Burke joined AECOM in 2005 and served as CFO starting in 2006.
Stephen M. Kadenacy was appointed CFO in 2011 before being promoted to president and chief operating officer; he departed in 2017 and was succeeded by Randy Wotring as COO.
By March 2019, key leadership included Michael Burke as chairman and CEO, Daniel Tishman holding the roles of Vice Chairman and Chairman of Tishman Construction Corporation, and Fredrick W. Werner serving as President of Major Pursuits.
In November 2019, AECOM revealed plans for Burke’s retirement and expanded its board to include members from activist investor Starboard Value, which is the company’s fifth-largest shareholder. Amid rumors concerning potential acquisition discussions with WSP Global, AECOM appointed W. Troy Rudd—formerly CFO—as CEO effective October 2020; Lara Poloni was concurrently named president. This CEO transition led to the resignation of a Starboard board representative in protest.
In 2024, AECOM earned recognition on Fortune’s list highlighting the world’s most admired companies.
Corporate affairs
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, AECOM serves clients across more than 150 countries worldwide. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, the company reported revenues totaling US$17.4 billion.
In 2024, AECOM disclosed revenue amounting to $14.37 billion alongside an operating income of $324 million, indicative of ongoing transformations in its business approach and market positioning.
See also
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Construction and civil engineering companies of the United States
- International engineering consulting firms
- Engineering consulting firms of the United States
- Companies based in Dallas
- American companies established in 1990
- Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1990
- Design companies established in 1990
- 1990 establishments in California
- Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
- 2007 initial public offerings
- Companies in the S&P 400
- Tax avoidance in the United States
- Corporate spin-offs
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment