Silcar old guard makes way as Thiess exerts control: report

The entry of Leighton subsidiary Thiess as the chief controller of NBN contractor Silcar is evidently having an impact on the old guard of the construction firm, with a slew of senior executives reportedly packing their bags and leaving.

According to The Australian, Silcar’s NBN project director Dan Birmingham, communications general manager Saiful Chowdhury and the general manager of asset and infrastructure management, Jeffrey Bretz, have all left the company.

Thiess took full control of the NBN contractor in July, after buying former joint venture partner German engineering giant Siemens' half stake in the group. 

The move came amid growing speculation that there was a management reshuffle underway at Silcar as it struggled to cope with the tens of millions of dollars in writedowns on the NBN.

The report in The Australian also highlights the possibility of further restructures, citing an internal Silcar correspondence.

Mr Birmingham has been, for the time being, replaced by Thiess general manager of environmental & engineering services Doug Moss, the report said.

Earlier this month, Silcar and NBN Co managed to hammer out a 12 month contract extension to ensure that the rollout of the NBN isn’t hindered.

The contract was struck just hours before caretaker conventions, under which NBN co can’t sign any new contracts, came into effect. While financial terms of the new agreement were not disclosed by NBN Co, there is speculation that the re-signing came at a hefty price for NBN Co with Silcar extracting a 20 per cent pay increase on its contract to cover rising costs.