Ayesa Engineering enters Australia with the acquisition of ADP Consulting

The transaction strengthens Ayesa’s geographic reach, service offering and end-market diversification, and represents the continuation of its growth strategy to expand its Engineering division into English-speaking markets.

ADP Consulting, a leading sustainability-driven engineering consultancy headquartered in Melbourne, employs over 300 professionals across six offices in Australia and the UK.

Ayesa Engineering has acquired ADP Consulting, a leading sustainability-focused engineering consultancy based in Melbourne, marking its entry into Australia as part of its strategy to expand its division into English-speaking markets.

Founded in 2011 by Laurent Deleu and Jason Afford, ADP Consulting has grown to employ over 300 professionals across six offices in Australia and the UK. Renowned for its sustainability-driven solutions, the company plays a pivotal role in shaping some of Australia’s most complex mixed-use precincts and delivering innovative solutions in data centres, asset revitalisation, and stadiums.

With a diverse portfolio spanning commercial, residential, aviation, education, health and others, ADP Consulting has participated in projects like Melbourne’s first Living Building Challenge-certified shopping centre, Sydney’s tallest timber commercial tower and Australia’s first large commercial office to achieve 6-Star Green Star accreditation.

Founded nearly 60 years ago, Ayesa provides multidisciplinary services across 80 technical disciplines. The company operates in key sectors, including energy, buildings, water, and transportation, with water and transportation being its most prominent, holding global rankings of 16th and 24th, respectively (ENR Global Sourcebook 2024).

The acquisition is key to expanding Ayesa’s capabilities in sustainable design within the built environment and represents the continuation of Ayesa’s growth strategy for its Engineering division in English-speaking markets, where the company already has a strong presence in various cities across the UK (six offices) and Ireland (three offices). The acquisition adds six offices in the UK and Australia, including London, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Gold Coast.

By joining forces, ADP Consulting’s specialised expertise will complement Ayesa’s global reach and capabilities. Together, their combined strengths in sustainability, renewable energy, transportation, and innovative building practices will drive smarter, more sustainable development worldwide.

José Luis Manzanares, CEO of Ayesa, highlighted that “Australia is a dynamic country to which we can contribute our multidisciplinary expertise in large-scale projects worldwide. We’ve found the perfect partner in ADP to help us on this journey”.

Rosalío Alonso, Chief Operations Officer of Ayesa, emphasised Ayesa’s growth and commitment to sustainability services: “The partnership with ADP Consulting is a key part of our international expansion and specialisation strategy, particularly for sustainability services and data centres. With our ambitious growth plans and solid presence in markets such as the UK, Ireland, and the Middle East, expanding into Australia is a strategic move”.

ADP Consulting Co-founders Laurent Deleu and Jason Afford commented: “We are thrilled about this partnership with Ayesa as it will significantly strengthen our global presence, broaden our influence with international clients, and accelerate our growth in the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors”.

Growth strategy

The acquisition of ADP Consulting marks the latest in a series of strategic moves by Ayesa’s Engineering division, following the 2022 purchase of the Irish-UK based engineering firm ByrneLooby and the recent acquisition of CORE (Spain) in January.

In total, this represents the eleventh corporate transaction of the group -following A&M Capital Europe’s majority investment in 2022- to strengthen its technological capabilities, geographic reach, and sector diversification. This approach has driven historic growth, with Ayesa’s revenue reaching nearly €800 million in 2024 and backlog exceeding €1.5 billion.