The massive growth in income from the region came as the AJ100 big-hitter broke its annual turnover record for the third year in a row, according to results filed with Companies HouseThe company (Zaha Hadid Ltd) posted a global fee income of 77.3 million for the 12 months to 30 April 2024, up by 7.8 million from the 69.4 million made in 2022. The practice is now generating more than twice the turnover it did in 2013.In its second full year as an employee-owned company, the practice also reported that its profit before taxation had risen by 658,000 to 907,350.AdvertisementHowever, the average number of staff employed by ZHA dipped again. Its workforce totalled 502, having fallen from 507 in 2022-23 and 520 in 2021-22. Turnover per technical employee is up from 153,205 to 177,207.The companys wage bill has returned to 38.6 million per annum the same as in 2022 after dropping to 37.9 million in 2023.Directors pay, split between five individuals, was 4.5 million, with the highest-paid director assumed to be principal Patrik Schumacher taking home 910,958, an increase from the 871,416 reported in 2023.ZHAs income in the Middle East has rocketed more than seven-fold over the last two years. In 2022, its workload in the region only netted the practice 3.5 million.New commissions in the region, such as the Grove scheme at Qatars Qetaifan Island North and the massive waterfront development in Muscat, Oman, have resulted in a boom in fees.AdvertisementElsewhere, fee income in Asia dropped from 42.2 million to 35.6 million and the practices workload in South America ceased entirely.However, there was a near doubling of work in North America, up from 1.2 million to 2.3 million. In May it was announced the practice was behind a new yacht club, nightclub and casino in the Bahamas as part of the Habacoa marina development. Source:Zaha Hadid Architects \ FlyingarchitectureZaha Hadid Architects plans for Habacoa Casino in the BahamasLast month, the High Court ruled that ZHA must continue paying to use the name of the late Zaha Hadid an obligation that has cost the practice 21.4 million since her death in 2016.The practices directors had sought a legal declaration that it should be able to give 12 months notice to terminate a contract with the Zaha Hadid Foundation, the charity set up in her name which promotes the late Iraqi-British architects work.Under an agreement between the practice and the foundation, the practice must hand over 6 per cent of its income annually to use the trademark Zaha Hadid.In the latest battle between the foundation and the practice, lawyers for the companys directors had argued that the licensing agreement was unusual and unreasonable and a restraint on trade. At the same time, the practice told the court that Hadids name had diminishing significance, despite having significant value historically.But High Court judge Adam Johnson dismissed the practices case and said the agreement did not contain a provision enabling the company to end the licensing deal with the foundation.Referring to the practices 2023 turnover of 69.4 million, Johnson argued in his decision: It strikes me as rather counterintuitive to describe [the licensing agreement] as operating in restraint of trade. It looks more like an encouragement to trade.