Newly-appointed Aurecon chief executive Giam Swiegers has named a new chief financial officer, and has added a new divisional managing director to the company’s executive committee.
Swiegers, who took over at Aurecon after more than a decade in charge of big four accountancy firm Deloitte, named Andrew Muller as Aurecon’s new global CFO on Tuesday.
Muller joins Aurecon from his previous role as CFO at Lendlease Construction & Infrastructure Australia.
Swiegers – appointed as a change agent to direct Aurecon through a challenging period – said Muller would be crucial to the firm in the short to medium term.
“The engineering and infrastructure industry faces huge change and challenges over the next few years,” Swiegers said on Tuesday.
“A high performing finance function is essential to drive our business forward.
“Andrew Muller’s extensive industry experience, combined with his strategic thinking and operational expertise, will help us achieve significant financial outcomes and drive business growth.”
Muller, who worked with Lendlease for 18 years, said he was excited to join a CEO who “embraces change and values the contribution that Finance can make to the future of a business”.
“Giam’s focus on driving changes to ensure Aurecon is future ready together with its refreshed strategy will ensure Aurecon has the ability to produce enhanced profit and growth for ourselves and our clients,” Muller said.
“In a commoditised market, subject to disruptive technology, [Aurecon] has recognised the need to respond to the constantly shifting business landscape, to be organisationally agile while differentiating itself from its competitors.”
Swiegers on Tuesday also announced the appointment of Michael Shirley as Aurecon’s managing director of clients.
Shirley joins Aurecon from his previous role as vice president of infrastructure and environment in Australia and New Zealand for engineering firm Jacobs.
“Michael Shirley is one of our industry’s most respected business leaders,” Swiegers said.
“I am delighted to welcome him to Aurecon where he will drive our global account management and lead a programme which will harness innovative thinking to drive excellence in how we engage with our clients.”
Shirley said he would bring a passion for clients, talent and innovation to Aurecon.
“I believe that there is an opportunity to rewrite the rulebook in how professional services firms engage with their clients,” he said. “Rather than just responding to a design brief this may mean a deeper collaboration with clients to better identify their challenges and together create a more innovative solution.
“With population growth and rapid urbanisation driving an infrastructure deficit in our cities, there is an opportunity for collaborative design thinking that can deliver a wider range of community benefits.”