Global WSP in major rebrand

Global professional services consultancy WSP has changed its name from WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.

WSP says new brand celebrates the culture built on the coming together of over 85 companies in the last five years, with the company growing to more than 36,000 people globally and upwards of 7,000 people in the UK.

WSP employs more than 900 staff in Manchester, including 250 at Mouchel Consulting, which was acquired in October 2016, and will become WSP in July when it is fully integrated with the wider business.

Since January all WSP and Mouchel employees have been working under a new structure in the UK, headed by UK chief executive Mark Naysmith, which comprises four strategic business units.

Its transport and infrastructure unit’s managing director is Steve Smith, Ian Liddell is MD of the planning and advisory business, Kamran Moazami is MD of property and buildings and Frazer Mackay is the energy and infrastructure managing director.

Mark Hurley, director in the Manchester office, said: “This is a historic moment in the history of our company. WSP has witnessed vast changes in recent years as we’ve grown by acquisition and strategic recruitment into a leading global consultancy. This is the right time to re- articulate our shared vision, and show how we differentiate ourselves in the marketplace.

“We’ve identified a strong core brand that unites us across cultures, clients and expertise, putting the emphasis on finding solutions to complex issues, taking accountability for projects in our local communities, and designing projects with the future firmly in mind. Our new UK structure reflects this unified vision and puts us on a firm platform for future growth.”

WSP and Mouchel currently provides technical expertise in the built and natural environment across the public and private sectors.

The combined business has already won new projects by working together, including the Highways England Regional Investment Programme (RIP) Stages 3 and 4 (Transport and Infrastructure) and the Scotland Excel Framework (Transport and Infrastructure/Planning and Advisory / Property and Buildings).

The Manchester business has provided engineering and consultancy services for a number of major schemes across the North West including Omega Warrington and the Transport for Greater Manchester consultancy framework.

The team also helped developer Renaker achieve planning permission for Manchester’s new tallest building – the planned 64-storey Owen Street skyscraper.