A Malaysian infrastructure giant’s leap up the Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025 ranking is proving that great construction companies are built on more than concrete and steel—they are powered by people. Gamuda Berhad, known for major rail and tunnelling projects across Asia, has surged in the prestigious list by embedding employee welfare and culture at the heart of its regional expansion strategy.
The company’s rise in the Forbes ranking underscores a simple but powerful tenet: infrastructure comes to life as much by people as by cement and machines. Gamuda’s commitment to creating a supportive, growth-oriented workplace has not only attracted top talent but also fuelled its expansion into new markets across Southeast Asia, Australia, and beyond.
Gamuda’s journey from a Malaysian contractor to a regional player has been decades in the making. The company delivered Kuala Lumpur’s MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line and is now involved in Taiwan’s Taoyuan MRT and Australia’s WestConnex motorway. But as it grew geographically, Gamuda recognised that sustaining that growth required a workforce that felt valued and empowered. The push for a better employer brand became a strategic priority.
Key to Gamuda’s approach is investment in employee development. The company runs comprehensive training programmes, mentorship initiatives, and clear career progression paths. It also fosters a culture of safety, inclusivity, and innovation. Employee satisfaction surveys and retention rates have improved markedly, helping Gamuda earn its place among the world’s best employers according to Forbes’ independent survey of workers.
The Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025 ranking is based on anonymous surveys of employees across 50 countries, measuring willingness to recommend their employer to friends and family, as well as satisfaction with corporate reputation, professional development, and compensation. Gamuda’s improvement in the ranking reflects genuine progress in these areas.
Broader implications for the infrastructure industry are significant. Traditionally a sector focused on cost and deadline delivery, the Gamuda example shows that investing in human capital can become a competitive advantage. As talent shortages plague construction globally, companies that prioritise culture and employee experience are better positioned to win bids and execute complex projects.
Looking ahead, Gamuda aims to deepen its regional footprint while maintaining its people-first ethos. The company is pursuing new opportunities in water infrastructure, renewable energy, and digital construction. Its continued success will depend on scaling that culture across borders—a challenge many global firms face but one Gamuda appears determined to meet.
In an industry where the cost of turnover and low engagement can derail projects, Gamuda’s rise in the Forbes ranking serves as a blueprint: build with people, and the infrastructure will follow.
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Beyond Concrete And Steel: The Hearts And Minds Driving Regional Expansion
Gamuda's rise in the Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025 ranking proves a simple tenet: great infrastructure comes to live as much by people as by cement and machines.
Gamuda Contributor, Brand Contributor
Forbes
3 min read
6/10
Malaysia
Key Takeaways
- Gamuda Berhad rose significantly in the Forbes World’s Best Employers 2025 ranking, reflecting enhanced employee satisfaction and corporate culture.
- The company employs over 35,000 people across Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, and other markets.
- Gamuda invested heavily in employee training programmes, including leadership development and technical upskilling, boosting retention rates.
- Employee recommendation scores improved dramatically, with safety and inclusion cited as key drivers in anonymous surveys.
- Forbes’ ranking is based on independent surveys of over 150,000 employees across 50 countries, measuring willingness to recommend and overall satisfaction.
"Great infrastructure comes to life as much by people as by cement and machines."
Frequently Asked Questions
Gamuda is a Malaysian infrastructure and construction company specializing in large-scale projects such as mass rapid transit systems, highways, and water infrastructure. It operates across Asia and Australia.
Gamuda improved its ranking due to strong employee satisfaction scores, particularly in areas like professional development, safety culture, and overall recommendability. The company's focus on people-first practices resonated with employees.
Gamuda invests in comprehensive training programmes, mentorship, and clear career progression paths. It also promotes a culture of safety, inclusion, and innovation to retain top talent.
Gamuda is expanding into Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Australia. Major projects include Taiwan's Taoyuan MRT and Australia's WestConnex motorway, alongside ongoing work in Malaysia.
The key is integrating employee welfare into the corporate strategy, treating culture as a competitive advantage. This has improved retention, attracted talent, and supported regional growth.
Forbes uses anonymous surveys of employees across 50 countries, asking about willingness to recommend their employer, satisfaction with reputation, development, and compensation. The rankings reflect genuine employee sentiment.
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www.forbes.com
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