Rocked
by recent police raids on its corporate headquarters and the scandalous departure
of three top executives, Canadian engineering giant SNC Lavalin yesterday named
Robert G. Card, former CH2M Hill executive and former U. S. Energy undersecretary,
as its new CEO. Card is just coming off leadership of the construction of
London’s Olympic Games facilities and infrastructure, on time and on budget.
March
26 SNC Lavalin CEO Pierre Duhaime announced his decision to leave the CEO post,
and retired from the company in June, in the aftermath of his approval of $56
million in payments of apparent bribes to overseas agents for the procurement
of engineering business. Duhaime’s exit followed right after the departure of
two senior executives involved in the company’s Libyan operations and possible
involvement in a scheme to smuggle one of Muammar Gadhafi’s sons into Mexico.
Following Duhaime’s announcement, Canadian Mounties raided SNC Lavalin’s
Montreal offices seeking documents related to Libyan bribery schemes.
SNC
Lavalin is the ninth largest design firm worldwide, and also has substantial at
risk construction contracting operations around the globe.
