Sydney: Australian oil & gas construction, maintenance and fabrication firm AusGroup, has said that executive chairman & ceo Stuart Kenny will step aside from his role and transition to non-executive chairman.
AusGroup has chosen Gerard Hutchinson to lead the company as managing director, while also taking the role of ceo of the engineering services business. Larry Johnson will continue as ceo of the port & marine services business, which AusGroup acquired from Singapore’s Ezion Holdings last year. Johnson was formerly coo at Ezion Holdings, who hold a sizeable stake in the company.
The changes at AusGroup are the third management shuffle within 24 hours at companies connected to Singaporean Lee Kian Soon, Ezion’s non-executive chairman and non-executive director. Lee, who founded Ezra Holdings, replaced his son Lionel in the role of chairman and non-executive director at offshore fabricator Triyards Holdings, while EMAS offshore also saw changes including his son resigning from the board.
AusGroup’s Kenny, commenting on Hutchinson’s appointment, said: “Having worked very closely with Gerard over the last 18 months, I have every confidence that he can provide the executive leadership necessary for AusGroup at this stage of its evolution.”
Hutchinson has been with AusGroup since December 2012.
