Called Mackenzie Keck GmbH, the division will be headed by director of European operations Sven Flohr, a 20-year industry veteran who comes over from Seufert-Niklaus. Roy Rayment has also been hired as project executive, rejoining Mackenzie Keck, having worked for the firm previously. And Daniel Beisel has been hired as chief legal counsel.

"Our new European presence represents a major development in our international expansion plans," Keck says. "But we also see additional opportunities for future expansion based on growing global markets for our services."

Those expansion opportunities are represented by a second European office, which Mackenzie Keck expects to open in London later this year. The firm is also considering offices in Toronto, Dubai and New Delhi, all of which could open in 2009, according to Keck.