WSP has completed the acquisition of Ricardo, a global strategic and engineering consultancy firm headquartered in the UK.

Originally announced in June, the deal brings Ricardo – which employs 2,700 staff and operates in more than 20 countries across Europe, Australia, North America, Asia and the Middle East – into the WSP fold.

WSP already operates in more than 50 countries and employs approximately 73,000 staff.

The deal  will accelerate growth in advisory, energy transition, water solutions and rail, and strengthens WSP’s presence in key markets such as the UK, Australia and the Netherlands.

“We are pleased to bring Ricardo into WSP and welcome new colleagues across the globe,” said Alexandre L’Heureux, president and CEO of WSP.  

“The team’s deep, differentiated expertise in areas that are increasingly critical to our clients - air quality, water management, energy resilience, policy strategy and rail -enhances our offering and accelerates our momentum toward our strategic ambitions in high-growth sectors and markets.

“We will now focus on integrating our teams and building on our combined strengths. Our complementary capabilities and shared passion for technical excellence position us to drive greater innovation and deliver added value as we support our clients through complex transitions.” 

Graham Ritchie, CEO of Ricardo, said completion of the deal marked a “significant milestone” for the company.

“WSP’s belief in our strategy and support for our continued journey reflects the strength of what we have built over the past few years since we launched our strategy focused on sustainable growth in key markets,” he added.

“Ricardo and WSP share values and a purpose-led culture, so this acquisition accelerates our ability to deliver a broader, more impactful offering to our clients. It also opens up exciting new opportunities for our talented teams—opportunities that would not have been possible without this partnership. We are committed to supporting WSP’s dynamic strategic vision and look forward to shaping the future together.” 

The transaction was announced on 11 June 2025. Following shareholder approval and the successful sanctioning of the scheme at a UK court hearing on 7 October, the acquisition became effective on 9 October.