In the 1970s, after years of rebuilding the war-ridden nations, several Asian countries (particularly Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea) began to experience an astounding economic growth rate. The pace of growth and abilities to innovate new business models brought much international attention to these countries, and they were hence known as the Four Asian Dragons.

Like any other regions in the world, infrastructure development is the fundamental building block for the sound and prosperous economic developments for the Four Asian Dragons. However, most of these nations lacked their own engineers, technology, and equipment to build sophisticated infrastructure, and had to rely mostly on imported engineering technology to build their infrastructures. At the same time, there was much difficulty in transferring the foreign engineering knowledge to the region due to different business culture and language barriers.

Recognizing the lack of engineering capabilities to meet local requirements, and with the vision of creating Asia's own professional engineering services to the people in the region, Dr. Za-Lee Moh and Dr. Za-Chieh Moh established two MAA Group companies in 1975, namely Moh and Associates, Inc., in Taipei, Taiwan and Moh and Associates, Pte. Ltd., in Singapore. Their goals were to train and establish local capabilities through technology transfer and experience accumulation.

Moh and Associates, Inc.'s recognition quickly grew in the Asian region in the few years since the establishment of the first office. The recognition is attributed to her professional engineering services to various projects such as Taiwan's then and only international airport, Sungshan International Airport in Taipei; the founders' active participation, contribution, and establishment of regional engineering conferences, seminars, and associations; and as well as the training and nurturing local engineers to providing professional, quality, and up to date engineering services to the people.

Gaining the region's recognition of the company's capability to bond the engineering capabilities of the west with local requirements, the two Dr. Moh's found opportunities to further expand offices into Hong Kong and Malaysia in 1977 and 1981 respectively - and thus MAA Group begins along with the growth of the Four Asian Dragons.

In the 1980s the region underwent further economic boom, whereby demanding larger and more sophisticated infrastructures. Recognizing this demand for wider engineering skills, MAA expanded her services, from the initial phase of geotechnical engineering services into areas of structural engineering, transportation planning and general civil engineering, and later land development engineering, construction management, environmental protection engineering, and electrical and mechanical engineering. Along with the expansion of scope of services, MAA Group uses the advanced computer technology development to help computerized systems of drafting, data storage, and engineering analysis, all to maximize engineering efficiency and accuracy.

Throughout the decade, MAA Group continued her training of engineers and technology contributions to the Asian region through active participation of both local and international seminars and conferences, promoting technological advancement and professional engineering activities in the region. In the field of information dissemination, MAA Publishing Company, formed in 1977, publishes technical conference proceedings to provide and share the experiences gained.

Under rapid economic development in the 1980s and technological breakthroughs, socio-economic relationships evolved to a new level. Infrastructure developments changed significantly from engineering specific projects to more engineering management oriented developments. New methods of collaborations including Design-Build, Build Operate Transfer, etc, were developed to minimize cost and increase efficiencies to build complex projects of multiple non-engineering and client specific factors including environmental concerns, and social impacts.

Understanding these dynamism, MAA Group evolved her philosophies and services to provide the needs for these advanced state of engineering services. The ASSET motto is established and new trends and changes of client-consultant business relationships are adopted.

To continue educational and research promotions, the Group in 1994 established a non-profit foundation - The Civil Engineering Technology Research and Development Foundation.

At the same time of experiencing the changes in the industry, MAA Group continued its expansion into new emerging markets. Moving along with the economic growth of Thailand, MAA established an office in Bangkok in 1990 with the vision that MAA Thailand will act as the base of the developments in the Mekong Region.

During the same decade, China began to first open her market to the world after decades of seclusion. After years of studies and interactions, MAA established companies in Beijing and Shanghai in 1993 and 1995 respectively. MAA is one of very few foreign companies who obtained Class A established offices with Class A certificates for construction design and consultation from the Ministry of Construction. MAA Shanghai is a joint venture firm sponsored by MAA Engineering Consultants International Ltd. and Shanghai Pharmaceutical Industry Design Institute (SPIDI), now under SINOPEC. MAA Beijing is a joint venture firm sponsored by MAA Engineering Consultants International Ltd. and China Academy of Building Research (CABR).

With the rapid technology boom and internet invention, the massive volume and velocity of information flow has made the world a "smaller place." The rapidity of information technology development has had a tremendous impact on pushing a globalization economy where nations around the world are deeply interdependent to one another. Such impact also changed the way clients demand services from engineering consulting firms. Most clients require international standard services with local knowledge. After decades of expansion, MAA is readily available to provide clients an integrated solution to their needs through MAA’s international network and resources as well as a deeply rooted local knowledge in the major developing regions in the East/Southeast Asia region.