The acquisition is designed to enable EC Harris to broaden its local delivery of built asset consultancy services to its client base across China and other Asian markets.
MBPM is a project management consultancy operating out of wholly-owned offices in Shanghai and Beijing with over 30 employees. Following the deal, MBPM will operate under the EC Harris brand, creating a network of over 100 people in three offices across China - Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
“Our acquisition of MBPM is designed to strengthen our built asset consultancy platform in China, bringing even greater local expertise to our Chinese business,” said EC Harris regional leader for Asia Alan Brookes, “We share a common commitment to high-quality services combining the best of local experience with international expertise and best practices, which we have found a powerful and persuasive proposition for China’s built environment. Merging our shared China resources is the next logical step in EC Harris’s regional expansion strategy, and a win for both companies and our clients.”
“We are pleased to be joining EC Harris as it enables us to continue to offer the best possible support for our clients’ China projects across an even broader footprint and with even better capabilities,” said MBPM managing director Mark Budden. “Our goal has always been to offer the best services without conflict of interest by combining local and global knowledge. Our China specialisation is balanced with an international perspective and an aim to improve the quality of services available to China’s construction, real estate, public works and industrial sectors. With the added benefit of the EC Harris brand and network, we feel we have come closer to achieving that aim.”
The acquisition of MBPM is intended to provide clients with greater access to benchmark information and knowledge through its experience working in over 50 cities in China and expertise in the retail, education, corporate real estate, industrial and hotel sectors. MBPM managing director Mark Budden will become joint EC Harris regional leader for China with Simon Baxter. EC Harris will be targeting a number of sectors that have been identified for further growth within China including property, investors, retail, health and aviation.
“China is continuing to develop its base of built assets through both new projects and transformation of existing facilities,” said Brookes. “Concurrently, multinational corporations and other international clients are looking to build out their China presences in order to meet the needs of this booming market. Both groups require a new level of third-party consulting support in order to achieve the best implementation, results and revenues from their built assets. It is a challenge that the combined EC Harris/MBPM platform is uniquely equipped to meet.”
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