Since 2012, we have been helping firms in Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Property grow their businesses internationally.

Our principal services include:

• International Business Planning

• International Business Development

• Trade & Export Advice

• Non-Executive Director (NED) / Board Advisor

Please scroll down to learn more, or contact us using the enquiries form via the Take Action button, above right.

OUR MISSION

To bring clarity to our clients’ international ambitions in order to deliver confident, realistic strategies, and ultimately to help them achieve their global business objectives.

International Business Planning

It all starts with a plan. We have developed a reputation for conducting deep research and translating it into actionable insights and sustainable strategies for our clients.

As the first step in our “4Ps” methodology (Plan + Position + Pitch + Prosper), our approach to international business planning for AEC firms has been developed over several decades of practice. While no one can predict the future, we bring a rigorous, proven track record of developing intelligent, successful plans that achieve their objectives.

More than 50 global or regional crises have hit world economies in the last decade alone, from natural disasters and pandemics, through to cyberattacks, armed conflicts and economic crises. For such turbulent and uncertain business environments, we advocate a “lean strategy” approach. This enables our clients to “sense and react” quickly to changes in the marketplace, making their plans resilient in an ever-changing world.

Visit our Insights page to read some our strategic planning – umm – insights!

International Business Development

This is the core of our services, in which Abyss’ Managing Director, Richard Nelson, works as an extension of our clients’ talented teams.

We help our clients strategically match their unique skills and value proposition to targeted end users in specified markets and sectors globally. We engage on our clients’ behalf to understand the end user’s requirements and business drivers, develop relationships with the end user’s stakeholders, source major opportunities and build sustainable new business pipelines.

We are very focused, partly due to our limited bandwidth, but also to deliver the highest quality results while avoiding conflicts of interest. At any time, we only advise an exclusive group of non-competing large-scale AEC firms – for example one architect, one structural engineer, one project manager, etc. – and we only support their international business growth.

Our role is to leverage our clients’ time by ensuring that important ongoing international relationship management and business development activities are handled professionally, diplomatically and competently to drive reputation-building, work-winning and long-term business growth.

Our track record speaks for itself: Richard has experience in over 80 countries and is instrumental in helping our clients secure contracts worth several billion in construction value each year.

Trade & Export Advice

International market entry, market expansion, M&A and related activities have become increasingly complex in the built environment over the past several decades.

Our clients have a big enough job serving their own client requirements and keeping their own professional skills and licensing up to date, leaving little time to become experts in trade and export.

We often help clients with advice on specific T&E subjects, such as:

• overseas market research

• market entry planning

• overseas business planning

• overseas market expansion

• international mergers & acquisitions

• international client due diligence

• international project sourcing and pitching strategies

• and other specialist trade and export topics

Non-Executive Director (NED) / Board Advisor

Our Founder & Managing Director, Richard Nelson, is available to serve select firms in a Non-Executive Director (NED) or Board Advisor capacity, leveraging his international strategic planning and business management skills, contact network and experience in the global real estate, construction and infrastructure industries.

Richard is an international business strategist and business development expert focused on global trade and export in the architecture, engineering, construction and property sectors.

He has previously served on the management and operations boards of both large and SME design and consultancy practices, from under £1m to over £120m annual turnover, both privately held and publicly listed companies, as well as several professional associations boards in the USA and UK, including:

• 2024-Present – Ambassador, Institute of Directors Property and Built Environment Group

• 2022-Present – Co-Founder, Don’t Waste Buildings

• 2021-2023 – Advisory Board Member, UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) and United States Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (USREiiF)

• 2020-2024 – Chair, Institute of Directors Property and Built Environment Group

• 2019-2021 – Board Member, Institute of Directors City of London Branch

• 2011-2012 – Board Member, Design & Infrastructure Division, Capita Symonds (now WSP)

• 2008-2011 – Management Board Member, Watkins Gray International LLP

• 2000-2004 – Founding Member, Cosential Inc. (tech startup, now Unanet)

• 2001-2002 – Vice President/President-Elect, Society for Marketing Professional Services – New York City Chapter

• 1998-2002 – Board Member, Society for Marketing Professional Services – New York City Chapter

Richard’s areas of board experience include:

• corporate governance

• ESG strategies

• international business growth strategies

• succession planning

• new market entry

• sales and business development

• operations management

• partnering and joint ventures

• M&A planning

• marketing & communications

• digital workflow and transformation

As a member of the Institute of Directors since 2016, and Chair of its Property and Built Environment Group from 2020-2024, Richard is committed to the Institute’s Code of Conduct, applying the highest standards of ethics and behaviour in leadership roles, and dedication to upholding the principles of good governance.

(Cover image via boonchoke/Shutterstock)