Arcadis's "Reset" sells its architecture arm and China business and pencils in 1,000 fewer overhead roles for 2027, with AI named as the capacity release

Arcadis, the Dutch engineering and design consultancy, set out a 2027-2029 strategy on 29 September 2026 that includes a reduction of about 1,000 full-time-equivalent positions as part of what it calls overhead rightsizing targeted in 2027, alongside continued hiring in growth areas. The same document says the firm is embedding AI and digital directly into how it delivers, and that AI, automation and standardisation will release capacity for higher-value work. Arcadis also plans to divest most of its architecture business and its China operations. Chief executive Heather Polinsky framed the plan as sharpening focus on the markets where demand is strongest, with performance discipline for weaker businesses. The cuts have not happened yet and Arcadis does not attribute the 1,000 roles to AI in so many words; the strategy places the overhead reduction and the AI capacity claim side by side and leaves the reader to join them. Reuters reported the plan the same day. Because the cuts are planned for 2027 and the attribution is implicit, this is filed as an upcoming cut and not counted in the verified job-loss totals.