CIMIC Group’s Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Mr Juan Santamaria, as Executive Chairman.
Current Executive Chairman, Mr Marcelino Fernández Verdes, has decided to retire from the Board.
Mr Fernández Verdes said: “It has been a great pleasure to be a part of CIMIC Group during the past eight years, including as a Non-executive Director, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman.
“CIMIC has a stable Board of experienced Directors with diverse skills and, with the ongoing limitations to international travel, now is the right time for me to retire as Executive Chairman.
“I leave CIMIC in good hands, with a well performing Chief Executive Officer and an experienced Board.”
Mr Santamaria said: “I am honoured to be appointed as Executive Chairman and thankful to the Board for their confidence and to Marcelino for his commitment to CIMIC.
“During his tenure Marcelino strategically reshaped our businesses into the market leading operations that we have today in construction, mining and minerals processing, services and PPPs.”
Mr Santamaria will succeed Mr Fernández Verdes effective immediately.
CIMIC Alternate Directors Mr Adolfo Valderas and Mr Ángel Muriel have also retired from their positions. The Board thanked Mr Valderas and Mr Muriel for their service to the company.
Biography
Juan Santamaria, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MEng (Civil)
Appointed Executive Chairman on 6 November 2020 and Chief Executive Officer on 5 February 2020. Juan was formerly Managing Director of CPB Contractors, CIMIC Group’s construction business, with responsibility for CPB Contractors, Leighton Asia and Broad in all geographies, including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, India and Asia.
Prior to that, Juan held roles as the Managing Director of UGL (CIMIC Group’s services business) and Executive General Manager Public Private Partnerships and Construction West at CPB Contractors.
He was Chief Executive Officer of Iridium (an ACS Group company) between 2014 and 2015; and was Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of ACS Infrastructure North America and Canada between 2006 and 2013.
Juan holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and has held a variety of positions in the construction industry during the past 20 years.
He has extensive international experience in the delivery of large and complex construction, services and PPP projects and has been responsible for projects and businesses in Australia, Europe, North America, Latin America and South Africa.