Editors’ Note

Anooj Oodit is Managing Director for the Americas at Turner & Townsend and a member of the firm’s global Executive Board. He has been with Turner & Townsend for 27+ years, beginning his career as a graduate in the London office where he held roles in both the U.K. real estate and infrastructure teams. In 2015, he relocated to Australia to lead the firm’s Australia and New Zealand business, and from 2020, expanded his remit to include Asia, overseeing operations across 29 offices in 13 countries with nearly 2,500 people. In 2023, Oodit was appointed to lead the Americas region at a pivotal moment in the company’s growth, where transformational expansion, deeper client engagement, and increasingly complex commissions are shaping the future of the business.

Company Brief

Turner & Townsend (turnerandtownsend.com) is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries, working with clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources. Turner & Townsend is majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with its partners holding a significant non-controlling interest.

You’ve had a long and global career with Turner & Townsend. Will you highlight this journey?

Upon joining Turner & Townsend 27 years ago, I could not have foreseen its transformation from a 500-person business to 22,000 and counting, spanning 60 plus markets, today. During my tenure, I’ve had the privilege of leading three of our global regions. I began in London as a graduate, progressing through a variety of roles that allowed me to experience our industry from multiple perspectives including delivering for, and learning from, clients of all shapes and sizes across different sectors. This constant education, working alongside a variety of colleagues, has shaped my growth and kept me both challenged and engaged throughout my career.

I always sought new challenges. In 2015, I made a bold move from London to Sydney to lead our Australia and New Zealand business – countries I had never visited before. That experience tested everything I had learned in the U.K. and pushed me to adapt to a completely different market, from strategy through to execution. In 2020, I took on additional responsibility for Asia, giving me a vast and diverse geographic canvas. Leading through COVID-19 added another layer of complexity, requiring a rethink to leadership and communication.

Most recently, I relocated to New York in 2023 to lead the Americas region, spanning Alaska to Argentina. In 18 months, it has become our largest region, fueled by organic and inorganic growth. The entrepreneurial, merit-based, and positive mindset here is truly energizing – and perfectly aligned with Turner & Townsend’s values.

What defines Turner & Townsend’s culture and values?

I feel privileged to have lived and breathed our culture and values at Turner & Townsend, from graduate to my current global leadership role. We believe that construction holds the key to solving many of the world’s greatest challenges – but it’s an industry that must transform to realize its full potential. As a leader in this space, we have a unique opportunity to drive transformation and set new standards. We are defined by the belief that we can make a difference and make anything possible working hand-in-hand with our clients. Equally, we believe our people should have the opportunity to achieve and progress which I deeply care about given the learning opportunities I have had. This philosophy is embedded in our values – defined by our people and reflected in how we work.

Will you provide an overview of Turner & Townsend’s capabilities and solutions?

We help our clients deliver major programs and portfolios that shape cities, industries and communities. Our role is clear: we cut through complexity so our clients achieve better outcomes. We work with our clients from strategy through to delivery and commercial management. That means everything from initiating projects and programs to implementing cost and performance controls to procurement, supply chain and sustainability advice. Our digital tools – powered by real data – give our clients the insight to make confident decisions.

We’re global, but we’re local too. With teams in more than 60 markets and $3 trillion of projects under management, we bring scale and experience without losing the human touch. We are delivery partners to 9 out of 10 of the largest U.S. banks. We’ve delivered 150+ projects worth over $1 billion each globally, 160+ data centers worldwide, supported 36 of the world’s largest airports, 50 Liquid Natural Gas programs with a combined $500 billion spend and delivered 70 percent of London’s tallest buildings.

What do you believe has driven Turner & Townsend’s industry leadership?

There has been a mix of factors – but fundamentally, our industry leadership is built on three pillars: purpose, partnerships, and people. We’ve partnered with amazing clients to set new standards, had visionary leadership over many years, and invested in outstanding talent with bold ambition. Significant investments including strong support from CBRE, the global leader in commercial real estate services and investment, has enabled us to consistently double the size of our business in five-year cycles – and that’s no accident. It’s the result of a relentless focus on quality, innovation, and client outcomes.

We’re ambitious but never complacent, which means we continually invest and strive to improve. We understand the impact we can have on our industry by raising standards and setting new benchmarks for excellence. At the same time, our growth mindset helps us attract exceptional talent, developing the next generation of leaders for our industry.

What are the priorities for Turner & Townsend’s Americas business?

The Americas is our largest region, and we’re focused on scaling with purpose. Our priorities are clear: to continue to deliver excellence for our existing clients; to differentiate and diversify our products and technology; and, importantly, invest in our people. These principles guide everything we do.

We have a presence across Canada, in every U.S. state, and throughout Latin America and are focused on growing exponentially. Our strategy is built around three core segments: real estate, infrastructure and energy, and natural resources. The integration of CBRE’s project management business has given us increased scale and new capabilities. Ultimately, our differentiation comes from what matters most – our people, our products, and the AI and technology that empower them.

Why is corporate responsibility and community engagement so important to Turner & Townsend?

We understand that major projects shape lives and communities for generations, so we embed sustainability and social value into every decision we make. With our global reach, we have the scale to create meaningful change, delivering projects that not only perform today, but also create lasting benefits. A good example of our work is our global Making the Difference Fund to support social mobility, disaster relief and recovery. Our support will result in the training of 744 women and the electrification of over 37,000 homes benefiting 300,000+ people. Furthermore, in 2024, globally our people delivered 21,341 hours of volunteering and supported 14,767 beneficiaries through 352 community partners.

What leadership principles guide your management style?

Leadership is a privilege. It’s very different from management, and for me, it’s about empowering others – not yourself. My job is to create an environment where people can thrive, take ownership, and feel confident making decisions My management style has been shaped by my global experience. Leading teams across the U.K., Europe, APAC and the Americas taught me how to adapt to different cultures and apply different management styles. These experiences taught me that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach – you must listen, learn, and adapt. Humility plays a big part too. As a leader, you must accept that learning never stops. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, and that mindset has guided me throughout my career.

One universal truth I’ve seen everywhere is that people want to be successful. My role is to help unlock that success – by removing barriers and enabling people to perform at their best. Beyond that, I think it’s critical to have a clear line of sight from strategy to execution to results. Leadership is about making sure every decision, and every action, connects back to your vision and delivers real impact.

What advice do you offer to young professionals starting their careers?

We bring in large cohorts of apprentices and graduate trainees every year, and my advice to them is simple: be excellent at what you do, believe in yourself, and set a timeline for your progress. I’ve been fortunate to have leaders and mentors who supported my journey, which is why I stress the importance of finding mentors and learning from them. They can accelerate your growth and help you navigate challenges. Finally, seize every opportunity that comes your way – and when it does, be a doer. Learn how to make things happen. Remember, your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay open to change, keep learning, and always believe in yourself.

What excites you most about the future of Turner & Townsend?

What excites me most about our future is our ability to make a real, lasting impact on the world around us, whether it’s playing our part to deliver vaccine manufacturing facilities in Canada, supporting cutting-edge aviation infrastructure in the Middle East, eliminating power outages across South Africa, or supporting the clean energy transition with world-wide renewable projects. Every project and program we undertake makes a true difference to people’s lives and livelihoods.

Now more than ever, the purpose of the industry is becoming clearer and more recognized. AI and technology will play a central role in enabling change, elevating how we work, how we deliver projects and programs, and how our industry evolves. We’re building and developing capability and capacity with purpose – focusing on the continuous development of our people, major programs, and commercial management. We’re harnessing data and using AI to transform our products, optimize operations, scale our supply chain, and deliver smarter, data-driven solutions. Our goal is to create the most valuable insights in the sector.

Finally, I’m excited to see a new generation come through with different perspectives and higher expectations aided by better technology. Our progress at Turner & Townsend has been remarkable, and we’re poised to deliver even more for our clients and our people. With the strength of our team and the clarity of our vision, I believe we’re well-positioned to transform the industry as we shape the built environment through impactful projects and programs.