SNC-Lavalin appoints CFO, nominates new board members

Jeff Bell. Photo courtesy Centrica.

SNC-Lavalin has appointed Jeff Bell chief financial officer (CFO) and nominated three new members—Gary C. Baughman, Chris Clark and Mike Pedersen—for its board of directors.

Bell, formerly group CFO for energy services firm Centrica, officially joined SNC-Lavalin today (Feb. 11) as executive vice-president (EVP). He will work with current CFO Sylvain Girard, so as to ensure a smooth transition before becoming CFO himself on Apr. 14.

“Jeff brings valuable leadership experience,” says Ian L. Edwards, president and CEO. “As a Canadian, he understands the company’s deep roots as a global engineering firm and the importance of the Canadian market to its success.”

Bell’s appointment is one part of an ongoing renewal process to support SNC-Lavalin’s strategic objectives, which will also see Baughman, Clark and Pedersen stand for election by shareholders at the firm’s annual general meeting (AGM) on May 7.

Baughman has extensive international experience in engineering, construction, operations, maintenance and environmental services. He has held leadership roles with Fluor, Aecom, M+W Group and APTIM.

Clark, formerly CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada (PwC), sits on the boards of Choice Properties REIT, Air Canada and Loblaw. He previously sat on the boards for Brookfield Office Properties, Hydro One and IGM Financial.

Finally, Pedersen has experience in leadership roles for large financial services institutions, including CIBC, Barclays and TD Bank Group. He currently chairs the board for the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and is a director for CGI Group.

“These nominations reflect the board’s commitment to supporting the company’s focus on engineering services, with the relevant skills and competencies to provide oversight and counsel to senior management,” says Kevin Lynch, chair of SNC-Lavalin’s board. “They bring a wealth of expertise in global operations, engineering, financial services and board governance.”