Founded in 1938 by Sir William Atkins as W. S. Atkins & Partners, Atkins grew rapidly after World War II, specializing in town planning, engineering sciences, architecture, and project management. The company, headquartered in London, UK, went public on the London Stock Exchange in 1996, eventually rebranding as Atkins in 2002. In 2017, SNC-Lavalin acquired Atkins for £2.1 billion, after which it operated as a subsidiary before being renamed AtkinsRéalis in 2023.