FIDIC has announced the formation of FIDIC North America following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) by all the key member associations of FIDIC in the region.
The coming together of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Canada (ACEC-Canada) and the National Chamber of Consulting Companies Mexico (CNEC) under the banner of FIDIC North America is an historic step for FIDIC and one that will strengthen cooperation between all the engineering industries throughout the region. “The MOU brings together the representative organisations of consulting engineering companies across the United States, Mexico and Canada in a way that will enable them to represent the region’s business and professional interests with a greater focus than previously, all under the FIDIC banner representing over 600,000 professionally qualified engineers and consultants across the region,” said FIDIC CEO Dr Nelson Ogunshakin.
The formation of FIDIC North America is the latest step in the implementation of FIDIC’s global regional strategy and has been welcomed by all its members in the region. This strategy has seen FIDIC strengthen and formalise regional relationships among neighbouring countries and has now seen the formation of FIDIC North America as well as the renaming of existing regional bodies as FIDIC Africa, FIDIC Europe and FIDIC Asia-Pacific. Due consideration will be given to the formation of FIDIC Middle East and FIDIC Latin America in the future.
Commenting on the formation of FIDIC North America, ACEC CEO Linda Bauer Darr said: “With this agreement in place, I look forward to moving ahead with my two partners from Canada and Mexico to bring even greater opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of ideas for our members, in alignment with FIDIC’s vision for regional cooperation.”
John Gamble, president and CEO of ACEC-Canada, said: “While our three organisations share many members and have enjoyed a collaborative relationship for many years, this MoU allows use to more effectively leverage our resources and advocate for our industry within our integrated markets.” CNEC outgoing president Marco Gutierrez said: “FIDIC North America region will continue to strengthen the most active commercial region in the world and will bring new opportunities and collaboration to engineering companies for further market integration."
The MoU’s objectives include identifying mutual interests, promoting networking opportunities and exchange of information on market conditions, facilitating cooperation and collaboration between member firms, sharing of business best practices and providing platforms for exchanging published information between the three associations for use by member firms. ACEC, CNEC and ACEC-Canada will also encourage participation in each other’s webinars, seminars, workshops, training, conferences, conventions and related open activities and joint events will also be considered.
The chair of the new FIDIC North America will be held in rotation by the three member associations’ chairs as follows - ACEC (2021/22), ACEC-Canada (2022/23) and CNEC (2023/24).
