The final account

The acquisition wave

Some ripple effects appear to be emerging from the consolidation in the dispute resolution world. Our spies tell us that at least one senior staffer at Pickavance has itchy feet following the acquisition of the firm by Hill International last November. The delay analyst is understood to be talking to a rival dispute resolution specialist firm. Sources at that firm told us they expect approaches from more deserters from both Pickavance and Hill’s more recent acquisition Knowles.

Changing stadiums

Unless you’ve been living in the Big Brother house, you’re probably aware that the 2012 Olympics is all about “legacy”. In normal language this means, among other things, that many of the venues will need to be turned into something more useful after the big event. This applies to the Olympic stadium, prompting many of us to wonder what ingenious feat of design will allow a 90,000-seat iconic masterpiece to transform into a more workaday 30,000-seater. We were surprised, though, when we heard a source close to Olympic coordinators explain that “a lot can be done with lights and fabric”. Sounds to us not so much Zaha Hadid as Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

Unsuitable costs

We enjoyed a pleasant lunch with a QS boss last week, who appeared to have very little to complain about – lots of work, a bevy of new recruits, about to go on holiday etc etc. His one whinge with life was wholly non-work related, namely the cost of his two children’s school uniforms for the coming academic year. We were fully prepared to roll out the common complaint against the profession, that of them being a little over-obsessed with the price of things, until he revealed the amount in question – a princely 850 quid. Surely an argument for him, and the profession, to whack up fees?

Campbell can’t catch up...

Congrats must go to super-fit Franklin + Andrews boss Andrew Williams, who has not only completed the recent London Triathlon, but managed to beat former spin doctor and fitness obsessive Alistair Campbell to boot. Williams and colleague Susan Nash, F+A sales and business manager, also raised £3,500 for charity the Bobby Moore Fund. Nash finished the event, which consists of a run, swim and a cycle, in a respectable three hours and six minutes and is planning to beat the three hour barrier next year.

Spot the difference..

‘Currie & Brown does not comment on speculative gossip. The business is committed to growing its service lines of project management, cost management, building surveying and management consultancy both in the UK and internationally.’

– Currie & Brown statement in response to possibility that McBains Cooper were interested in buying the firm, 8 August.

‘Currie & Brown does not comment on speculative gossip. The business is committed to growing its service lines of project management, cost management, building surveying and management consultancy both in the UK and internationally.’

– Currie & Brown statement in response to bid from Sinclair Knight Merz, 12 July.

Spooky eh?