LeighFisher

LeighFisher
Name	LeighFisher
Type	Private
Industry	Infrastructure
Founded	1996
Founder	Roger Leigh; Robert Fisher
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Key people	N/A
Services	Rail transport, Aviation, Ports and harbors, Urban transport planning
Employees	~400 (est.)

LeighFisher is an international consultancy specializing in advising on transport infrastructure, airports, ports and harbors, and large capital programs. The firm provides advisory, transaction, commercial, program management and asset optimization services to public authorities, private investors, and multinational operators. Its work intersects with major projects, multinational financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and global engineering and construction firms.

History

LeighFisher was established in the context of 1990s privatization and infrastructure expansion, drawing on experience from practitioners active in United Kingdom and United States transport advisory circles. Early engagements linked the firm with projects involving entities such as British Airways, Los Angeles World Airports, Port of Long Beach and consultancies like Arup and AECOM. Through the 2000s the firm expanded services to support transactions involving International Finance Corporation, European Investment Bank, and sovereign actors including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Qatar Investment Authority. During the 2010s LeighFisher participated in advising buyers and sellers in transactions alongside global banks such as Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase, and professional services firms like KPMG and PwC. Strategic growth included collaboration with construction groups such as Bechtel, Vinci, Skanska, and Fluor. The firm’s evolution continued with project involvements tied to major events and programs linked to Expo 2020 Dubai, London 2012 Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and national infrastructure programs in Australia, Canada, and Singapore.

Services and Expertise

LeighFisher offers advisory services spanning commercial, financial, technical and operational dimensions. Core offerings align with airport transaction advisory and aviation business planning for clients that include IATA members, national carriers such as Emirates, Qantas, and Air Canada, and airport authorities like Heathrow Airport Holdings and Sydney Airport. The firm provides due diligence and valuation support used by investors including Brookfield Asset Management, Macquarie Group, and Blackstone. Program and project management services interact with engineering firms such as Jacobs Engineering Group, WSP Global, and Tetra Tech, while asset stewardship and operational optimization overlap with operators like Fraport, Vinci Airports, and GMR Group. Transaction advisory has involved syndicates including Morgan Stanley, CitiGroup, and Credit Suisse. Risk, commercial structuring, concession documentation and PPP advisory place LeighFisher alongside institutions like World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The firm also provides forecasting and revenue modeling that references airlines such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Air France.

Major Projects and Clients

Significant projects and client relationships span airports, ports, rail programs and urban transport. Notable airport engagements have involved advisory work connected to Heathrow Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Changi Airport, and Dubai International Airport. Port and maritime work includes assignments related to Port of Rotterdam, Port of Singapore Authority, Port of Los Angeles, and Port of Felixstowe. Rail and transit projects have intersected with agencies such as Transport for London, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Transport for NSW, and Metrolinx. Clients have also included municipal and national bodies like City of Los Angeles, Government of Canada, New South Wales Government, and Hong Kong Airport Authority. Investment and transaction clients include Qatar Investment Authority, CPPIB (Canada Pension Plan Investment Board), IFC, and infrastructure funds managed by Macquarie Group and Global Infrastructure Partners.

Corporate Structure and Leadership

LeighFisher operates as a privately held consultancy with senior leadership drawn from experienced professionals in aviation, maritime and capital projects. Leadership has historically included executives and directors with backgrounds at firms such as Booz Allen Hamilton, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young. The firm’s governance models emphasize multidisciplinary advisory teams that coordinate legal and financial inputs alongside engineering and operational specialists from organizations like SNC-Lavalin and Stantec. Strategic advisory boards and senior consultants often comprise former executives from Heathrow Airport Holdings, airline CFOs and transport agency commissioners.

Global Presence and Offices

LeighFisher maintains a footprint across major international markets, with offices historically situated in Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Dubai, and Sydney. Regional engagements extend to projects in North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, working with clients in countries including United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Canada, India, and China. The firm collaborates with local legal and technical partners, including international law firms such as Clifford Chance, Linklaters, and Allen & Overy on cross-border transactions.

Awards and Recognition

LeighFisher has received industry recognition for transaction advisory and program management, with mentions and awards communicated through sector events and publications hosted by organizations like ACI World, World Bank Group forums, InfraStructurae, and infrastructure conferences such as Transport Ticketing Global and Airport Exchange. Its analysts and partners have been speakers at conferences organized by IATA, ACI Europe, MIPIM, and World Bank events.

Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability

LeighFisher’s advisory practice incorporates sustainability considerations in line with frameworks promoted by United Nations Environment Programme, Green Climate Fund, and Global Reporting Initiative principles when advising clients on resilient infrastructure and low-carbon transitions. Project-level recommendations often reference standards and guidance from International Civil Aviation Organization, European Investment Bank environmental due diligence, and regional sustainability initiatives such as Singapore Green Plan and California Climate Initiative.

Category:Consulting firms