Parsons Brinckerhoff

KEITH HAWKSWORTH

New York City-based engineering giant Parsons Brinckerhoff announced Nov. 20 that Chairman and CEO Thomas J. O'Neill is giving up the chief executive role, and being replaced in that capacity by Keith J. Hawksworth, a veteran executive and major company stockholder. Hawksworth, A U.K. native who is now COO of the firm's international operations group, will take over as the 10,500-person corporation's CEO on Jan. 1.

O'Neill says the role split is necessary as the firm grows globally. "My focus will be to lead the board in ensuring that we successfully develop our strategy for growth," he says. PB reported revenue of at least $1.7 billion in global design and construction management activity in 2006.

Hawksworth, who has been with the firm for more than 30 years, previously ran projects operations in its mid-Atlantic region and was the chief assistant to PB's former president James Lammie. He has served as Principal-in-Charge of many of PB's largest international projects, including the $20-billion Taipei Mass Transit System, the $15-billion Taiwan High Speed Rail Project, and the $5-billion Singapore Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Project.

PB did not include any official confirmation in its statement, but company and industry sources say that the changes also include the resignation of Michael Willke, head of its Americas group. They say that his action may stem from being passed over for the CEO spot and that he may return to his native Australia.

Current CFO Richard Schrader is also taking on the added role of vice chairman, but the company says replacements to head the international and the Amerias groups have not been named.

One former PB executive says the changes may stem from board concern over recent employee complaints over the firm's 2006 reorganization. "It really hasn't gone well. It is too complex," he says. One source says Hawksworth is a "no-nonsense" individual who "will simplify things."

Hawksworth says he "will use the next six weeks to transition into my new role while sharing my ideas and vision with my management team worldwide."

Sources say, however, that his tenure may be only a few years and that his choices to head the two open corporate slots will be telling.