RPS Group
2009: a year of remarkable effort by RPS staff
Alan Hearne
Chief Executive
International headlines during 2009 were dominated by what our colleagues in Australia call the GFC: the global financial crisis. In fact, the Australian economy has fared better last year than any other in the developed world, enabling RPS to maintain our growth in this part of the world. We also continued to prosper in the Netherlands where the Government has managed its public finances in a highly effective way.
Not surprisingly, the GFC took a heavier toll elsewhere leading us to reduce activity and staff numbers. Despite this, we retain a strong and highly motivated team of over 4,500 people who continue to work on a wide range of important projects for many major companies and public sector bodies.
Our success in producing high quality work was demonstrated by the professional awards that we won during the year. Being identified as one of Britain’s best employers indicates that we have not lost sight of the importance of maintaining a high quality working environment.
Although managing through the GFC has been a challenge, we continue to implement our plans for strategic development. Most significantly, we brought the 600 planners, designers, environmentalists and surveyors of Conics, based in Queensland and New South Wales, into the Group. We now have almost 1,000 staff in our offices in Australia and Asia, with aspirations to double that number in the next few years.
2010 will not see a return to pre-GFC times. Challenges remain for us and our clients. However, we have a highly efficient business positioned to provide cost effective advice, in key sectors of the world economy related to energy supply, security and use, climate change and sustainability. We look forward with confidence.