L to R: Manuel Aguirre, Latin America managing director; Lee McIntire, CEO; & Anthony Wayne, U.S. Ambassador in Mexico
In December, CH2M HILL’s Mexico office celebrated its 20-year anniversary. CEO Lee McIntire joined International Division President Jacque Rast and Manuel Aguirre, Latin America Managing Director, to celebrate.
The celebration included an employee breakfast and a late cocktail hour with key clients. The client cocktail hour was held at the W Hotel. Nearly 150 guests attended, including the U.S. Ambassador in Mexico, Anthony Wayne, who gave a speech about the importance of CH2M HILL’s presence in the country, highlighting the firm’s strong commitment to society.
Lee addressing employees at the celebration breakfast
CH2M HILL’s offices are in the center-south of Mexico City — the capital and home to about 20 million people — in a 30-floor building, five of which are occupied by the firm. The Mexico office has a workforce of nearly 400 employees, with an average age of 40 years and with average experience of 15 to 20 years. CH2M HILL Mexico is considered one of the leading engineering firms in the country.
Business groups include Industrial & Advanced Technology, Energy & Chemicals (E&C), Water, Power, and Environmental. Significant to the office’s growth opportunity is the availability of new talent. Mexico graduates about 90,000 engineering students per year — nearly three times more per capita than in the U.S.
In Mexico, CH2M HILL competes with both foreign and domestic contractors in a cyclical market that includes lower-cost domestic competitors. Each project bid presents a different set of competitors due to the variables of financing, technology, and client preferences. The firm’s competitive advantage is its diversified portfolio, which helps mitigate the ups and downs of sectors in which we operate.