AECOM has unveiled an aggressive strategy to raise its profit margin to 20 per cent by 2028, placing advanced artificial intelligence at the core of its long-term transformation. The company believes that next-generation AI tools, combined with an expanding advisory business, will significantly reduce operational costs and unlock higher-value service lines.
The global engineering and infrastructure group, active in major markets including South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the wider Middle East, reported flat full-year 2025 revenue of $18.7 billion. Despite stagnant top-line growth, adjusted net profit climbed 14 per cent to $702 million. The company also reported a record project backlog, which rose 4 per cent to $24.8 billion, reflecting solid demand across its regions.
Both the Americas and the international design segment recorded backlog increases even though revenue remained unchanged year-on-year. Leadership described this as evidence of strong underlying momentum.
Chairman and CEO Troy Rudd said AECOM’s performance exceeded expectations, describing the company’s latest results as a foundation for significant future gains. He highlighted that AECOM delivered a “record full-year margin,” noting the second half of the fiscal year reached 17.1 per cent. Rudd emphasized that the company aims to achieve “a 20 per cent+ margin run-rate by the end of fiscal 2028” as it scales its proprietary AECOM AI systems and accelerates growth in its higher-margin advisory division.
President Lara Poloni echoed this outlook, pointing to rising demand for large and complex infrastructure projects. She said such projects increasingly require advisory expertise, providing a strong pipeline for AECOM’s specialists. According to Poloni, global megatrends—including sustainability, resilience planning, and surging energy requirements—are rapidly reshaping investment strategies and expanding opportunities for the firm.
She added that AECOM’s combination of advisory capabilities, longstanding client relationships, and investment in AI tools gives the company a competitive edge. This blend of strengths, she argued, positions AECOM to deliver stronger returns and guide clients through rapidly evolving infrastructure needs.
The company’s recent acquisition of Consigli, a Norwegian AI start-up, underscores this strategy. The $390 million deal follows years of collaborative work between AECOM and Consigli, and is expected to play a key role in strengthening the company’s AI-driven offerings. Consigli founder and CEO Janne Aas-Jakobsen will now serve as AECOM’s Head of AI Engineering, a move designed to integrate advanced machine-learning capabilities directly into the company’s operations.
AECOM believes this acquisition will accelerate its transition toward a more technologically advanced, efficient, and advisory-led business model. Leadership expects that the combination of proprietary AI systems, strategic acquisitions, and expanding service lines will support its goal of lifting margins over the next three years.
