Incumbent step down from UK board

Aecom has brought in a new managing director of its environment and ground engineering business.

Belgian Gert Vermeiren will take over from Craig Edwards as boss of the division with Edwards stepping down from the UK board as a result.

Vermeiren has been with Aecom for eight years and came across to the business after the firm completed the purchase of rival URS in 2014.

aecom index

Aecom posted improved numbers in its last set of accounts

Filings made at Companies House show Edwards, who has been with the business 18 years, stepped down as a director last Friday. He was only appointed to the board last spring.

Aecom said more details of Edwards’ new role will be announced soon.

In its latest accounts, the firm said profit rebounded last year more than tripling to over £20m.

It said 2020’s results had been impacted by the cost of covid-19 which saw it cut jobs, introduce voluntary pay cuts and leave office space it didn’t need any more. “These activities were not replicated in 2021,” it added.

As a result, the firm said pre-tax profit in the year to 1 October rose to £20.6m from £6m last time.

The bulk of its business is from work in the UK with £363m coming from its home market with the remainder from Europe and the Middle East. Overall turnover was down 6% to £450m.