Global professional services company Turner & Townsend has completed its strategic acquisition of Profica, a Johannesburg-headquartered consultancy specialising in real estate project management and construction solutions across Africa.

Following the acquisition, former Profica CEO and founder Tim White has been appointed regional MD for Africa at Turner & Townsend, effective from April.

Having co-founded Profica in 2005 and built the business’ strong presence across sub-Saharan Africa, Turner & Townsend notes that White has extensive experience in the management and delivery of large, high-profile and complex projects in the property, construction and civil engineering industries, across the region.

The company says the completed acquisition creates Africa's leading real estate project management consultancy, combining two highly complementary businesses with a team of nearly 400 dedicated professionals with deep market insight.

It also expands Turner & Townsend’s presence in Africa from 13 cities in 11 countries to 19 cities in 16 countries, reinforcing its commitment to long-term investment and growth in the region.

Turner & Townsend says White will play a key role in integrating the businesses and driving future growth across the continent.

Moreover, the partnership means Turner & Townsend can now provide a full asset lifecycle offering in Africa, with expanded capabilities in development management, principal contracting and construction management.

Key growth areas include data centres, hotels, principal contracting delivery and development consulting services.

The company explains that Profica has deep regional expertise and a strong client portfolio, having managed the delivery of successful real estate projects across Africa for 21 years across key sectors.

Notable recent projects include the Stanbic IBTC head office, in Nigeria; the Netcare Alberton Regional Trauma Hospital, in South Africa; the Mövenpick Hotel Kigali, in Rwanda; and Maersk’s three new flagship warehouses, in Senegal and South Africa.

“This partnership brings together two of Africa's largest project management companies and I'm excited to lead our combined team as we unlock greater opportunities for our clients.

“Our unique combination of scale, reach and capability, with unparalleled market knowledge across the continent, places us in a prime position to deliver solutions based on real experience, data and local insight, to help solve the industry's biggest challenges in Africa,” says White.

Turner & Townsend has operated in Africa for over 40 years and has more than 3 000 projects either completed or ongoing across the region.

The company says the combined business is now the largest and most experienced built environment professional services company in Africa with established offices and teams based in all major regions, including English-, French- and Portuguese-speaking countries.