Woodhead

Ranked number five in the world in the defence sector by fees, the Australian practice Woodhead will complete two military projects in its home country this year.

It is also working on the Port of Airlie resort and marina development and an international school, both near Brisbane, the Worldpark office development in Melbourne and a couple of medical projects in Adelaide.

Last year the firm, which earned more than $40 million in fees, finished international airport projects in Delhi and Sydney, the Park Regis Hotel in Singapore and CeVue apartments near Perth.

It is predicting its biggest growth in Brazil, Australia and India. The sub-continent deserves some of the credit for powering the firm’s recovery after a dreadful 2008-9 when it lost 25% of its staff.