GHD Group
GHD Group is an Australian-founded, employee-owned global technical professional services firm serving infrastructure, environment, energy, resources, buildings and transportation clients.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
GHD Group Pty Ltd, historically known as Gutteridge Haskins & Davey, is an employee-owned technical professional services firm headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. Its work combines engineering, architecture, environmental science, planning, economics, project management, digital technology and related advisory disciplines. The firm serves public- and private-sector clients across water, environment, energy and resources, property and buildings, and transportation. It operates through more than 160 offices on five continents and has delivered projects in more than 135 countries. The business began in Melbourne in 1928, when consulting engineer Gordon Gutteridge established a private practice focused on water supply and sewerage. In 1939, Gerald Haskins and Geoffrey Davey joined the practice, creating the partnership that became Gutteridge Haskins & Davey. During the 1950s and 1960s, the partnership expanded beyond its original municipal-water base into transportation, manufacturing facilities, buildings, civil works, energy, mining and dams. Its work on potable-water and sewage infrastructure in Tasmania was among the notable projects of that period. GHD began international expansion in the 1970s through a Malaysian joint venture. Its acquisition of Planner West in 1981 added approximately 740 employees and broadened its planning and professional-services capabilities. During the 1990s, the firm added architecture, environmental consulting and business consulting while increasing its presence in Southeast Asia. In the 2000s, growth continued through mergers and acquisitions across the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, China, Chile and Malaysia. A defining turning point came in 2014, when GHD merged with Canadian engineering and environmental consultancy Conestoga-Rovers & Associates. The transaction combined GHD's approximately 5,500 employees with Conestoga-Rovers' approximately 3,000 employees, producing a global firm of about 8,500 people. The merger was described at the time as one of the largest private stock transactions in the engineering and environmental consulting sector. GHD also acquired the business and brand of Australian architecture practice Woodhead in 2014; that practice subsequently operated as GHD Woodhead. GHD's service portfolio now spans conventional engineering and design as well as environmental assessment, climate and resilience work, digital delivery, geosciences, economics and program management. Its water portfolio includes desalination, sewerage, treatment, recycled-water and major water-transfer infrastructure. Environmental assignments include remediation, biodiversity, landfill closure, habitat restoration and regulatory compliance. Transportation work ranges from highways, bridges and rail infrastructure to traffic analysis, economic assessment, noise mitigation and project management. Energy and resources work includes mining, pipelines and industrial facilities, while property and buildings work includes hospitals, police facilities, stations and commercial architecture. Its digital practice provides data analytics, location intelligence, cybersecurity, connected-site systems, and virtual and augmented reality services. In 2018, GHD opened a North American headquarters facility in Waterloo, Ontario. The company has continued to present itself as a globally integrated, multidisciplinary and employee-owned consultancy. For fiscal 2024, the company reported revenue of A$2.888 billion and 8% organic growth over the prior fiscal year. Its revenue mix was reported as 30% environment, 21% transportation, 19% water, 18% property and buildings, and 12% energy and resources. These figures are company-reported financial information for FY2024 and should not be treated as public-company filings.
History
GHD traces its origins to 1928, when Gordon Gutteridge established a private consulting-engineering practice in Melbourne with an emphasis on water supply and sewerage. The practice became a formal partnership in 1939 after Gerald Haskins and Geoffrey Davey joined Gutteridge. The name Gutteridge Haskins & Davey, later abbreviated to GHD, reflected those three principals. During the 1950s and 1960s, the firm grew to more than 400 employees and broadened its work into transportation, manufacturing plants, buildings, civil construction, energy, mining and dams. Its infrastructure work included extensions to potable-water and sewage systems across Tasmania. This period established the multidisciplinary model that later became central to the firm's international business. International development began in the 1970s with a joint venture in Malaysia. In 1981, GHD purchased Planner West, adding about 740 staff and expanding its planning capabilities. The firm continued to develop in the 1990s, adding architecture, environmental services and business consulting while extending its Southeast Asian presence. The 2000s brought a more extensive acquisition and merger program. GHD expanded across North America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Chile, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. By 2013, its North American workforce had exceeded 1,000 employees. In 2014, GHD merged with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, a Canadian engineering and environmental consultancy with a strong North American and United Kingdom presence. The combination brought together approximately 8,500 employees and created one of the world's larger employee-owned engineering consultancies. The same year, GHD acquired Australian architecture practice Woodhead and subsequently operated that business as GHD Woodhead. In 2018, GHD opened a new North American headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario. The company reported that North America represented more than half of its global revenue at that time. Its later service model incorporated traditional engineering and design with environmental assessment, sustainability, geosciences, economics, digital technology and program management. GHD's project portfolio includes water-treatment and sewerage systems, desalination plants, tunnels and aqueducts, highways, bridges, rail infrastructure, hospitals, commercial buildings, mining and industrial facilities, environmental remediation and habitat-restoration programs. Digital specialists support analytics, location intelligence, cybersecurity, connected construction sites and virtual or augmented reality applications. By FY2024, GHD stated that it employed more than 12,000 people in over 160 offices across five continents and had delivered projects in more than 135 countries. The company reported A$2.888 billion in FY2024 revenue, with environmental work representing the largest sector share, followed by transportation, water, property and buildings, and energy and resources. GHD remains privately held and employee-owned rather than publicly listed.
- 2024
FY2024 global scale and sector profile reported
[1]GHD reports more than 12,000 employees, over 160 offices, projects in more than 135 countries and A$2.888 billion in FY2024 revenue.
- 2018
Waterloo North American headquarters opened
[1]GHD opens a North American headquarters facility in Waterloo, Ontario.
- 2014
Merger with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
[1]The merger combines two employee-owned engineering and environmental consultancies into a global firm of approximately 8,500 employees.
- 2014
Woodhead architecture business acquired
[1]GHD acquires the Australian architecture practice's brand and business, later operating it as GHD Woodhead.
- 1981
Planner West acquired
[1]The acquisition adds approximately 740 employees and strengthens the firm's planning capabilities.
- 1970
International expansion begins in Malaysia
[1]GHD expands outside Australia through a Malaysian joint venture.
- 1939
Gutteridge Haskins & Davey partnership formed
[1]Gerald Haskins and Geoffrey Davey join Gordon Gutteridge, establishing the partnership from which the GHD name derives.
- 1928
Gordon Gutteridge establishes Melbourne consulting practice
[1]The founding practice begins as a private engineering consultancy focused on water supply and sewerage.
Products and positioning
A global, multidisciplinary and employee-owned technical professional services firm combining engineering, environmental science, architecture, planning, digital capability and project delivery for complex infrastructure and natural-resource challenges.
Water and wastewater consulting
Water
GHD provides planning, engineering, design and delivery services for water supply, sewerage, treatment, desalination, recycled water and major water-transfer infrastructure. Referenced work includes desalination facilities in California, sewerage programs in Manila and New Zealand, a tunnel aqueduct serving Manila Water, ultraviolet treatment facilities in New York, and a membrane-bioreactor reclaimed-water system in Arizona.
Environmental consulting
Environment
Environmental services cover assessment, remediation, biodiversity, habitat restoration, landfill closure, contaminated-site management and regulatory compliance. Examples include remediation of Bayou d'Inde in Louisiana, conversion of a landfill in the Mariana Islands into a park, biodiversity work in Australia and environmental infrastructure associated with a closed Puerto Rico dump.
Transportation engineering and advisory
Transportation
Transportation services include business cases, economic assessment, traffic analysis, highway and bridge design, rail infrastructure, project management and noise mitigation. Referenced assignments include the South Road Superway in South Australia, transport links in New Zealand, the San Antonio Port Expansion in Chile, a Highway 68 roundabout in California and acoustic barriers along State Highway 1 in New Zealand.
Energy, mining and industrial consulting
Energy and resources
The energy and resources practice supports mining, minerals processing, pipelines, industrial facilities and related infrastructure. Referenced projects include Australia's Hawsons Magnetite Iron Ore Mine and QCLNG Export Pipeline, Chile's Codelco Colon Processing Plant and the Taysan Copper Mine in the Philippines.
Architecture and buildings consulting
Property and buildings
GHD's buildings practice combines architecture, engineering, planning and project services for public and commercial assets. Referenced projects include Al Wakra Hospital in Qatar, Kerikeri Police Station in New Zealand, Richlands Rail Station in Australia and the award-winning Barwon Water headquarters in Geelong.
Digital infrastructure and technology services
Digital
GHD's digital practice employs technology specialists in data analytics, location intelligence, cybersecurity, connected sites and virtual or augmented reality. Referenced work includes a connected-site platform for a rail-infrastructure program and a smart-city framework, roadmap and governance process for Glenelg Shire in Victoria.
Brand decisions
2014
Combine with Conestoga-Rovers & AssociatesM&ABackground
GHD sought to expand its international scale and multidisciplinary capabilities. Conestoga-Rovers & Associates brought a large North American and United Kingdom engineering and environmental-services operation.
Action taken
The two employee-owned firms merged, combining approximately 5,500 GHD employees with approximately 3,000 employees from Conestoga-Rovers & Associates.
Aftermath
The combined company became a major global employee-owned engineering consultancy with operations across five continents.
2014
Acquire Woodhead architecture businessM&ABackground
GHD was broadening beyond engineering and environmental consulting into architecture and integrated buildings services.
Action taken
GHD acquired the brand and business of Australian architecture firm Woodhead.
Aftermath
The architecture operation later became known as GHD Woodhead.
Recent events
- 2024
GHD reports FY2024 revenue and sector mix[1]
Other
GHD reported A$2.888 billion in revenue for FY2024, 8% organic growth over FY2023, and a revenue mix led by environmental services, transportation and water.
- 2018
GHD opens North American headquarters in Waterloo[1]
Other
The firm opened a new North American headquarters facility in Waterloo, Ontario, reflecting the growing importance of its North American operations.
- 2014
GHD merges with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates[1]
M&A
GHD combined with Canadian engineering and environmental consultancy Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, creating a substantially larger employee-owned global professional-services firm.
- 2014
GHD acquires Woodhead architecture business[1]
M&A
GHD acquired the brand and business of Australian architecture firm Woodhead, which later operated under the GHD Woodhead name.
Sources2 sources
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