Beca Veterans & Reservists

A place where veterans and reservists can belong

For over 100 years we’ve been delivering transformative projects across New Zealand, Australia and beyond that make everyday better for local communities and the planet.

Beca is one of Asia Pacific’s largest employee-owned advisory, design and engineering consultancies. We have grown from a veteran-founded engineering partnership into one of the most progressive, client-centric professional services companies in our region. We have 4,000+ employees in 24 offices and have delivered projects in more than 70 countries.

Beca is a values-driven organisation. Our purpose “Make Everyday Better” gives direction and meaning to what we do, whilst our values of Partnership, Tenacity, Enjoyment and Care resonate with our employees and shareholders. They’re also reflected in our interactions with clients.

Veterans and reservists have found a home at Beca across all our geographies and markets, and today we employ more than 70 in our company. From founding our business more than 100 years ago, to leading us through periods of hardship and growth, to serving in multiple leadership and delivery roles - we recognise the values, skills and commitment they bring.  

Seeking to make your mark in a civilian career? There are opportunities to work across all the markets we serve – including energy, water, industrial manufacturing, transport & infrastructure and beyond. For those wanting to give directly back to Defence, our Defence and National Security business serves clients in Australia and New Zealand, including defence forces, ministries of defence, defence industry prime contractors and the wider intelligence, border protection and justice sectors

A proud history of service

Beca’s connection to Defence is as old as Beca itself. Over a century ago in 1920, our company was founded by 31-year-old William Arthur Gray, a decorated Kiwi serviceman and proud Military Cross holder who returned to Auckland from WWI to start an engineering practice, despite only having the use one of arm!

He was joined in 1927 by graphic artist Thomas Gulliver, and in 1953 by George Samuel Beca, a decorated WWII servicemen who lent not only his name but also his philosophies; encouraging an employee ownership culture and commercial drive that endures to this day. 

Since 1920, Beca has had eight leaders – three of them with a military background: Arthur Gray (1920-1953) who served in the New Zealand Army in WWI, George Beca (1954-1986) who served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in WWII, and Greg Lowe (2012-2023) who served in the Royal New Zealand Navy during more peaceful times. 

Some of our earliest projects involved delivering engineering services for coastal defences in the Auckland region, including gun encampments on Waiheke and Moturoa Islands. Most notably, Arthur Gray was appointed to assist with the structural design of Auckland War Memorial Museum, one of the city’s most iconic buildings that opened in 1929.

Through the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Beca’s relationship with defence was built on infrastructure development and engineering support for New Zealand Defence Force bases and airfields. As the 21st century approached and the range of engineering services we delivered grew, our focus broadened from defence infrastructure (I.e. designing hangars and runways) to military systems engineering; an example being the P-3 Orion Mission System Upgrade Project. 

This focus on systems engineering has opened the door to wider opportunities, establishing our Defence business in Australia and extending from aerospace systems into maritime, land, air and information systems, and Defence advisory services. 

While we’re still a trusted partner to Defence clients in the design and support of estate and infrastructure, we now offer services across the breadth of defence capability. This includes systems design, maintenance, upgrades, test and evaluation, simulation and training. Many of the services and projects we have delivered for Defence clients have also led to opportunities for clients working in other sectors, including energy, water, industrial manufacturing and transport & infrastructure. 

Today, the values of our veteran founders live on through our current employees and veterans, who are proudly taking the Beca story forward into our second century.

Solving some of Australia and New Zealand's biggest challenges

From resilient water systems that safeguard communities, to energy projects driving the transition to renewables, to critical defence infrastructure and integrated land transport systems – our teams are tackling complex challenges that will shape our region for decades. Every project is an opportunity to create positive, lasting impact for people and the planet.