Construction World March 2018

Kenyan merger Turner & Townsend recently announced that its Kenya business is to merge with Nairobi-based project management firmMentor Management Limited (MML). Turner & Townsend has acquired a majority stake in MML from leading growth markets investor – Actis. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

team of over 40 experts, delivering a range of services including: advisory, programme management, project management and cost management. Turner & Townsend was established in the UK in 1946, and has 104 offices in 44 countries with over 5 000 people. Turner & Townsend has operated within Africa for over 30 years and has nine offices. Turner & Townsend’s most recent appointment in Kenya has been providing cost management services for the major mixed- use project – RiverRun Estates Ruiru. MML has been operating from Nairobi since 1987. Well respected in the commercial and residential sectors, MML has delivered a number of prestigious projects in Kenya including: Garden City Nairobi – one of East Africa’s largest shopping malls; an 11 000 m 2 cargo handling facility for Swissport and a new chancery for the Australian High Commission. 

The new entity, MML Turner & Townsend, will operate across the real estate, infrastructure and natural resource industries. The merger comes as global investment is fueling Kenya’s diverse economy. Construction activity, most notably in infrastructure, is being driven by institutional and private investment from overseas. Major projects have been helping to grow inbound investments in surrounding construction developments, including: the Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project (NCTIP); the Lamu Port and Lamu Southern Sudan-Ethiopian Transport Corridor (LAPSSET); Lokichar to Lamu pipeline corridor; the new Mombasa-Nairobi Expressway and the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Project. LAPSSET in particular will expand port access to Kenya, boost rail construction and include a pipeline for recently discovered oil in the country. Vincent Clancy, Turner & Townsend Chairman and CEO, commented: “The merger of our Kenya operation with MML, sees MML Turner & Townsend become the largest independent project and programme management company in East Africa. This is the next step in our Africa expan- sion plan as we continue to grow across the continent.” MML Managing Director John Rogers said: “Joining Turner & Townsend is a significant step for our employees and

clients. Turner & Townsend’s global expertise combined with MML’s local knowledge and reputation, will deliver a unique proposition to clients.” Michael Turner, Head of Actis’s Nairobi office commented: “East Africa is a key market for Actis’ real estate team, with strong macro and real estate fundamentals. The interest received from strategic investors reflects these fundamentals and MML’s market leading position, we look forward to a continued business relationship with MML Turner & Townsend as we continue to build our reputation as the most experienced sub-Saharan African private equity real estate investor.” Turner & Townsend’s existing team will join MML’s Nairobi operation, as a combined

From left: Rewel Kariuki – Director; John Rogers – Managing Director PM; Mark Haselau – Managing Director RoA; Sam Njau – CFO; Daimon Keith – Managing Director CM and Robert Gichohi – Director Projects.

Architecture + Innovation are Maryke Cronje (architect and President of the SAIA), Dr Sechaba Maape (sustainability architecture academic and architect), Philippa Tumubweinee (academic and

co-founder of IZUBA INafrica Architects), Niraksha Singh (AfriSam Raw Materials and Sustainability Manager), Emmanuel Nkambule (academic with particular interest in the social environment) and

Richard Stretton (founder of architecture and furniture design studio Koop Design). Stretton received the 2010 and 2014 Afrisam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture and a 2014 Merit Award. 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2018