黑洞社区

Lend Lease鈥檚 European chief executive Dan Labbad insisted the firm was committed to the UK market that he had been promoted to the role of global chief operating officer in Australia.

Labbad, who was appointed Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) chief executive in April 2010, has overseen the demise of the firm鈥檚 125-year old 鈥淏ovis鈥� construction brand, and a far-reaching management reshuffle that has seen many of the former senior construction staff leave.

Labbad will stay in the UK until the end of the year to oversee the business while a replacement is appointed. He said the firm would stick to its existing strategy of pursuing growth in both its development and 拢800m-turnover construction business.

His decision to stay until the end of the year is likely to be seen as a way to reassure the market of the direction of the EMEA business following a succession of senior level changes.

Labbad said there was no truth in speculation the construction business, which secured 拢1bn of new orders in 2011, was being retained solely to service the firm鈥檚 own developments, such as the Elephant & Castle regeneration scheme. He said that no more than 30% of the construction division鈥檚 turnover would come from Lend Lease projects in the next few years.

Speaking exclusively to 黑洞社区, Labbad said: 鈥淚 will continue to support the EMEA business. The ongoing success of the business will reflect directly upon me; I will be taking a special interest in it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here will be no change in strategy for the EMEA business. We have the leadership in place and we have a business that wants to grow.

鈥淎nyone that questions Lend Lease鈥檚 commitment to the UK is talking utter gibberish.鈥�

Labbad鈥檚 replacement will be the fourth figure with responsibility for the UK construction business since the departure of Australian Murray Coleman in October 2008.

Labbad accepted the Australian role after the departure of existing chief operating officer Scott Charlton. 鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 something I was planning to do. It鈥檚 a great honour, but it wasn鈥檛 an easy decision,鈥� he said.