Company Announcement - Aurecon understands that effectively connecting with and servicing our clients in a shifting business environment requires ongoing inspiration, innovation and leadership. For this reason, a responsive, agile management team with a deep understanding of future trends is essential to both Aurecon and our clients’ growth. It is with this in mind that the company has identified a new Managing Director to oversee all of its operations in Africa.

“Driving efficiency while seeking to reduce cost is an ongoing challenge. Aurecon’s teams in South Africa as well as in East and West Africa are increasingly working closely together in order to realise maximum service and cost synergies for our valued clients. Grouping all of our Africa teams under the leadership of a single Managing Director will ensure we are able to continue to capitalise on these significant advantages going forward,” explains Giam Swiegers, Aurecon’s CEO. From 1 January 2016 onward, Ferdi Nell will lead all of Aurecon’s Africa operations, having transitioned out of his previous role as Delivery Centre Manager: Cape Town. Albert Geldenhuys, currently Aurecon’s Managing Director for South Africa, will retire at the end of June 2016 after 36 years of service to Aurecon and its predecessors, but will continue to support Nell in his new role until then. Geldenhuys will also continue to serve on the boards of Aurecon Group Pty Ltd and Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd until his retirement.

Nell, who has over three decades of experience in the engineering industry and has held several pivotal management roles, brings to the table a unique blend of technical and managerial experience, combined with a strong ability to successfully manage both people and project resources to meet and exceed projected outcomes.

Nell is also a professionally registered electrical engineer whose experience record encompasses power system planning, network master planning, electrification design and refurbishment planning as well as programme and project management. “Africa is a continent of immense potential characterised by a desire to innovate and prosper. We, as Aurecon, are committed to unlocking this potential by providing our clients and business partners with engineering, management, advisory and specialist technical solutions differentiated by client service excellence and a desire to continually innovate,” says Nell. “This key change to our structure will position Aurecon to continue to innovate within the Africa region in order to ensure the service we offer our clients is highly competitive and that we are capable of producing the results we all aspire to,” concludes Swiegers.