Marketing and BD consultant for engineering firms
Promoting technical engineering strategically
What.
I'm a built environment marketing and business development (BD) consultant for architecture, engineering and construction firms. Over 25 years, I've worked with six of the UK's top ten engineering consultancies by chartered engineers (Building, Top 50 Engineers 2026), including WSP, Arup, Ramboll and Buro Happold.
That includes consulting engineers in building services and M&E, structural, and civil and infrastructure.
Engineering firms solve some of the most complex problems in the built environment. From designing for climate resilience to delivering infrastructure in increasingly constrained urban environments, the role of the engineer has never been more critical or more specialised.
But technical excellence alone doesn't win work. The firms securing the best projects and commanding stronger fees are the ones who can articulate their expertise clearly to clients who don't share their technical language. That gap between what you know and what clients understand is where marketing does its most important work.
I've spent the majority of my career marketing engineering firms, from global consultancies to small specialist practices. I understand how engineering businesses operate, how they're structured and what good marketing looks like in this sector. Practical, useful and connected to how engineers win work.
Engineering disciplines I work with
Building services
and M&E engineering
I've worked with building services engineers at Cundall, P3R, Arup and Buro Happold. These practices often win on technical reputation and word of mouth, so the job is explaining performance, sustainability and net zero expertise to clients who buy on outcomes.
Structural engineering
I've worked in marketing with structural teams at Arup, WSP, Ramboll, Elliott Wood and Conisbee. Structural practices are often brought in late and judged on programme and cost, so the work is getting them involved earlier by showing how they think as well as what they deliver in the most imaginative and compelling ways possible.
Civil and infrastructure engineering
I've worked with civil and infrastructure teams at Arup, WSP and Ramboll. Long sales cycles, public sector buyers and bid panels mean visibility between frameworks matters. I help firms stay in front of the right people and make the case for their approach.
Marketing strategy
Most engineering firms are better at delivering work than talking about it. If your marketing isn't reflecting the quality and complexity of what you actually do, or if you're struggling to differentiate from competitors who look similar on paper, this is where we start. I develop marketing strategies and plans built around your growth objectives, your target clients and the markets you want to move into. Specific to how engineering businesses operate and win work.
Marketing services for engineers.
Content creation
Translating technical expertise into content that resonates with clients who don't share your technical background is one of the most valuable things engineering firms can do. I identify the themes and topics that will build your profile and then create the content to match: thought leadership articles, opinion pieces, award entries, blogs and LinkedIn content that showcases your expertise without losing the audience.
Speaking & training
Practical sessions for engineering teams covering LinkedIn, digital marketing, business development and marketing planning. Delivered as masterclasses, corporate training or focused one-to-one sessions tailored to what your team actually needs to get better at.
Marketing support for every practice size
Global and large engineering consultancies
Strategic advice at a senior level, content that positions your specialists as genuine thought leaders, and marketing approaches that work across complex, matrixed organisations. I understand how large engineering businesses are structured and how to get things done within them.
Mid-sized specialist practices
Often the point where the informal approach to marketing has reached its limit and something more structured is needed. I work with your team to build a clear strategy, sharpen your positioning and create the content and campaigns that raise your profile with the clients you want to attract.
Small engineering firms
Straightforward strategy, honest advice and practical support scaled to where you are. Whether you need a focused marketing plan, a session to work through your positioning, or help turning your project work into content that wins more of the same, I work at a pace that suits a smaller practice.
Engineering marketing case studies
Cundall new website
I worked with Cundall on their website development, which was shortlisted for both the Property Marketing Awards and Archiboo in 2022 for best website. The website effectively communicated their engineering expertise and sustainability focus.
View the full case study.
Buro Happold ESG
report editing
Last year I was commissioned to edit the 8000 word ESG impact report for global engineering and consultancy firm Buro Happold.
The job involved editing the copy provided by discipline leads from across the business so that it read cohesively and would make sense to a non-technical audience.
View the global ESG Report 2024.
Telling research stories, Arup
During the 1st COVID lockdown in 2020, the lead marketer for Arup’s foresight and innovation team asked me to manage the development of a series of films that would show the impact of Arup’s investments into supporting research. A series of four engaging films were made for Arup.
What people are saying.
“It was a joy working with you Ayo and you did such a brilliant job driving forward this amazing series for us 🌟”
Annabel Elliott-Browning Associate, Arup
“Ayo provided fantastic support in the creation of content for our new website. Development of the style guide and the training given to our marketing team has given us the tools to produce our own copy, enabling us to keep our website fresh and updated."
Helen Solimena, Cundall.
Podcast episodes featuring engineering firms
My podcast The Built Environment Marketing Show often sees me interviewing leading engineering firm leaders to talk about winning work, thought leadership and visibility. Engineering firm guests have included Arup, WSP, Buro Happold, and Hoare Lea.
Frequently asked engineering marketing questions
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I help consulting engineers decide where to compete, explain what makes them different and turn technical expertise into work clients can buy. That covers marketing strategy, thought leadership and content, bid and proposal positioning, and training for directors and technical teams on business development and LinkedIn.
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Both, and civil and infrastructure too. I've worked with building services teams at Cundall, Arup and Buro Happold, structural teams at Arup, WSP, Ramboll, and Conisbee, and civil and infrastructure teams at Arup, WSP and Ramboll.
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Consulting engineers sell expertise and judgement, usually to clients, architects and contractors who don't share their technical language. Work comes through relationships, frameworks, bids and repeat clients, so the marketing and BD is built around those routes and not around product launches or lead generation.
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Global consultancies, mid-sized specialist practices and small engineering firms. Larger firms tend to need senior-level strategy that works across a matrixed organisation. Mid-sized practices usually need clear positioning and a structured plan. Smaller firms need practical support scaled to what they can sustain.
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Most firms begin with a 15-minute intro call, then a one-off strategy session, a training session for directors, or a quarterly advisory retainer. I scope it after the call.
Book a 15 min intro call to see how Ayo can help your practice.