WSP’s history | Discover our evolution into a top professional services and advisory firm

WSP’s history, like our presence today, bridges continents. From our beginnings in Quebec, Canada — still home to our global headquarters in Montreal — we have evolved into a top international professional services company, powered by some of the world’s brightest minds. We have kept growing by joining forces with top expert firms, shaping a rich shared legacy and an expanding range of expertise.

Key stages of our evolution

Over the years, we have welcomed dozens of expert firms large and small that helped shape who we are today. Each one brought new ideas, deep expertise, and local insights that expanded our capabilities and impact.

Collectively, our history spans over 150 years—but we are just getting started.

Quartier des spectacles — Montréal, Canada

1993

Our roots

After several mergers and acquisitions, Genivar was founded in Quebec. The firm grew rapidly in Canada and soon began an international expansion that continues today.

2012

A pivotal expansion

In 2012, Genivar acquired William Sale Partnership Ltd. (WSP), a UK-based international building consultancy with a decades-long legacy. This created a global professional services firm with 15,000 employees in 300 offices worldwide.

The Shard — London, United Kingdom

New York Subway — United States

2014

WSP gets its name, and makes another historic acquisition

In January 2014, Genivar reorganized as WSP Global Inc., uniting thousands of experts around the world under one name. In the same year, the acquisition of the US-based global consulting firm Parsons Brinckerhoff was a bold step that established one of the largest pureplay professional services firms in the world.

2021

WSP becomes a leading global environmental consulting firm

The acquisition of Golder Associates, a global consulting firm with in demand expertise in earth sciences and environmental consulting, gave us a transformational advantage in this growing market.

Exploring and protecting the seabed — Porto Pino, Italy

Denny Substation — Seattle, United States

2024

Ready for the world’s energy transition

Adding POWER Engineers to WSP’s fold cemented our company’s position as a top consulting firm in the Power & Energy sector.

WSP’s global presence today

Strongly rooted in over 50 countries in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, we are leveraging our global scale and local expertise to deliver remarkable projects for our clients around the world. Thousands of WSP’s professionals—known as Visioneers—are driven by a passion for impact and a common purpose: to shape communities to advance humanity.

Who we are Our offices

WSP's journey in the Middle East

For more than 50 years, we’ve been supporting the Middle East region’s transformation, partnering with private and public sectors and helping our clients to deliver projects that matter.

With over 3,400 professionals based in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, our teams combine global expertise with a deep understanding of local contexts. From strategic advisory to project management, designing resilient cities and future-ready infrastructure to advancing sustainable development across sectors such as transportation, energy, environment, and the built environment, our work reflects our ambition and genuine care for the communities we serve across the region.

FAQ

How did WSP get its name, and what does it mean?

In 2014, two years after Genivar’s acquisition of the UK-based William Sale Partnership that created a world-class global professional services firm, the company reorganized as WSP Global Inc., and adopted WSP as the corporate brand name. While William Sale Partnership was previously commonly known as WSP, our company’s name is no longer considered an acronym.

Who is the CEO of WSP?

The President and Chief Executive Officer of WSP is Alexandre L’Heureux. He joined WSP in July 2010 as Chief Financial Officer and held this position until he was promoted to President and CEO in October 2016. Discover WSP’s Global Leadership Team.

Where are WSP's offices in the Middle East?

WSP maintains a strong regional presence in the Middle East, operating from eight primary offices strategically located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Doha in Qatar; as well as offices in Kuwait and Oman.

Discover our o ffices.

In which sectors does WSP operate in the Middle East?

WSP in the Middle East operates across a diverse range of sectors, reflecting its multidisciplinary approach and commitment to shaping resilient, future-ready communities. Our core areas of expertise include transportation and infrastructure, property and buildings, earth and environment, power and energy, and resources and industry. In addition to these, we also provide strategic advisory services that support clients through every stage of the project lifecycle.