UK headquartered architectural practice Weston Williamson + Partners has today joined Egis – one of the world’s leading consulting, engineering and operating companies. By investing in Weston Williamson + Partners’ talent and established brand, Egis will strengthen its architectural line globally.
Today’s announcement sees the purchase by Egis of a majority stake in Weston Williamson + Partners, with the practice’s name, brand and company leadership carried over under the Egis umbrella. The partnership opens up new international opportunities, and expands Egis’ design and architectural capabilities, particularly in the transport and urban development sectors.
Weston Williamson + Partners is an award-winning practice with studios in Manchester, London, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, with particular expertise in large-scale infrastructure, masterplanning and city-shaping projects. The firm has designed and delivered major infrastructure projects around the world, with recent projects in the UK including two soon-to-be revealed Elizabeth Line stations at Paddington and Woolwich. Elsewhere, Weston Williamson + Partners’ projects include the extension of Melbourne’s Metro system, and Innisfil Orbit – a visionary ‘smart city’ for up to 150,000 people in the Greater Toronto Area. In 2019 the practice won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its outstanding international growth.
Both Egis and Weston Williamson + Partners are people-focused businesses with a clear focus on social, environmental and economic sustainability, creating potential for a strong cultural alignment and a powerful combined skillset to address the climate emergency. While both firms plan to maintain relationships with their respective strategic partner consultants in existing locations, the investment offers opportunities to combine skills and strengthen global partnerships.
The new Weston Williamson + Partners board will be led by founding partners Chris Williamson and Rob Naybour as Chair and CEO respectively, alongside Weston Williamson + Partners managing partner Philip Breese and four senior Egis-employed board members.
David Pringle, Director of Architecture Line at Egis, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Weston Williamson + Partners to Egis. The firms talent and award winning credentials in the design of world class infrastructure projects present enormous synergies with Egis and its existing architectural line. Hong Kong based international architecture firm 10 Design, was the first practice to join Egis’ architectural line in 2017 and continues to lead the design of large mixed use projects worldwide. Together, we are able to offer a compelling design offer to clients across all aspects of transport and the built environment, all around the globe”
Claire Davies, UK Managing Director at Egis, said:
“In the UK Egis delivers projects which help connect people, protect our environment and meet emission reduction targets. Weston Williamson + Partners are a great addition to our fast growing UK team and will enable us to further support clients in meeting their transport, infrastructure and place-shaping ambitions whilst driving sustainable change.”
Chris Williamson, Chairman at Weston Williamson + Partners, said:
“It is hugely exciting to secure the next phase of Weston Williamson + Partners’ development. Since our foundation in 1985 we have grown to be one of the UK’s leading architecture practices, with recognised expertise in city-shaping projects. I’m proud of our history, excited by the opportunities that the deal announced today with Egis will bring, and looking forward to achieving the next phase of our vision for the practice over the coming years.”
Rob Naybour, CEO at Weston Williamson + Partners, said:
“We are thrilled to be joining Egis, and excited by the opportunities to bring our skills and expand our influence on important city-shaping infrastructure projects around the world. For us it’s a great fit: like us, Egis is a people-centred business with a strong record of delivery and collaboration, and a clear focus on crafting elegant and sustainable places. We are proud of our track record opening studios in Australia and North America, and our integration with Egis extends our offer to new clients, wherever they may be in the world.”