The managing director of Costain’s transport division, Sue Kershaw, is leaving the company after almost four years.
The post, which involves responsibility for the firm’s highways, rail and aviation work, will be taken over by group commercial director David Taylor on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Kershaw’s departure comes at a difficult time for Costain’s transportation arm, as the firm seeks to diversify from its focus on road schemes and HS2.
In June, the firm withdrew from the £1.3bn A66 Northern Trans-Pennine upgrade less than a year after its appointment by National Highways.
A £100m roads scheme for Lancashire County Council also fell through, with the council saying it had suspended work to re-evaluate plans in light of rising costs.
In May, the firm’s job to upgrade barriers on the M62 was cancelled after a National Highways appraisal.
Costain’s half-year results in August showed an improved net cash position, although revenue, pre-tax profit and operating margin all weakened.
At the time, chief executive Alex Vaughan said that Costain’s road and rail programmes had experienced “short-term rephasing”.
Kershaw was appointed in 2020 as part of a leadership shake-up designed to avoid the costly disputes and loss-making work that had dogged the firm in the past.
Before joining Costain, she served as managing director of the Infrastructure Advisory Group at KPMG and before that she was UK infrastructure head of programme management for KPMG Major Projects Advisory.
A civil engineer who started her career with Taylor Woodrow, she went on to become director of rail, Europe at CH2M and deputy director of transport for the Olympic Delivery Authority.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “After nearly four years as managing director of the transportation division, Sue Kershaw has decided to leave Costain.
“Sue has played an important role in supporting Costain’s biggest customers, professionally overseeing projects across the division as well as our role in the HS2 joint venture.”
Kershaw had championed key areas such as delivery partnering, design management, progressive assurance, and integrated transport.
A permanent replacement will be announced “as soon as possible”.
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