East Kilbride-headquartered Soben to add hundreds of staff as part of global expansion

Scottish construction consultancy Soben plans to add hundreds of staff as part of a global expansion drive.

The firm, which was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in East Kilbride, is targeting 1,000 people globally by 2030 to support growth in current locations and expansion into additional territories.

The group began its global expansion last year with the launch of its North America office. Headquartered in Chicago, the US operation is led by North America chief executive Joe Cusick heading a team of consultants serving clients across the US, Mexico and Chile.

Bosses have now unveiled a push into the Asia Pacific region with the launh of a Singapore office, supported by two new senior appointments.

Andrew Murie will take the role of chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region.

Andrew Murie will take the role of regional chief executive, with Callum Agnew joining as director – mission critical. Soben’s new Asia Pacific team will be focusing on clients in various sectors including data centres, infrastructure, life sciences and renewable energy.

Agnew, formerly a director with Turner & Townsend, has some 13 years’ experience in construction consultancy managing high-level projects across locations in Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore. His industry experience includes high-tech health, property, transport, and oil and gas. Agnew also specialises in data centres and “mission critical” projects.

To date, Soben has completed commissions on high profile projects such as Vauxhall’s One Nine Elms and Aykon Tower, Euston Station and High Speed 2, as well as with confidential clients on data centre projects in the UK, US, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Mexico and Chile.

Murie said: “I am extremely proud and excited to lead the Soben [Asia-Pacific] business into 2022 and beyond in this next chapter of our journey. I am also privileged to be supported by some of the best talent in the region, who are an integral part of the Soben family.

“Our unique brand of service and delivery will refresh the market with something dynamically different. We will provide our clients, both existing and new, with a best in class offering, individually tailored to their specific requirements, and delivered by passionate professionals the Soben way.”

Soben founder and group chief executive Scott Smyth said: “The launch of our [Asia-Pacific] office in Singapore is the next phase of our global expansion plans for Soben, following on from our move into North America in April of last year.

“I am delighted to have both Andrew Murie and Callum Agnew join the business at this time and am confident that they will ensure our success in this next stage of growth.”

He added: “Soben is a global business with a local presence that brings together industry experience and on-the-ground knowledge to ensure flexibility and attention to detail in every project we work on.

“Expanding into [Asia-Pacific] will allow us to further support current clients and build new relationships in a region that is experiencing high levels of growth, particularly in mission critical projects.”

The firm’s specialised construction services include cost management, estimating, commercial management, project controls, and bills of quantities. Its clients are blue chip national and international organisations.

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