Newport surveyor Jonathan Edwards has joined the expanding Wales office of global consultancy Aecom.

He joins the Cardiff-based team along with Jonathan Thomas who has been appointed director and Alex Leighton. All three are returning to the business.

The move comes as the international professional consultancy service is playing an ever greater role in helping to develop the Welsh infrastructure, and is looking to recruit more staff in coming months.

Jonathan Edwards, 31, is originally from Newport and studied at Bristol and has been appointed project manager. Alex Leighton, 30, who is from Cardiff and studied at Reading University, joins the firm as senior project manager

The Wales office, which employs 90, has worked on landmark projects such as Cardiff City Football Stadium, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama the RAF fighter maintenance facility at St Athan, the Swalec Cricket ground and the National Botanic Garden.

Jonathan Thomas said that further expansion for the Wales office was planned.

“The Welsh economy has great potential for growth and investment. Aecom has the experience and skills to make a major contribution and we believe there is a very exciting time ahead.”

In particular, he feels the housing sector will be important.

“There is undoubtedly huge scope for housing development in Wales and demand for this is likely to grow.”

Aecom, headquartered in the US and having recently merged with URS, is one of the world’s leading professional consultancy firms in construction, property and energy, with turnover of £15 billion and around 100,000 staff in 150 countries.

“These appointments emphasise the commitment the company is making, and continues to make to Wales and we are looking forward to contributing to the Welsh economy in coming years ,” said Mr Thomas.