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Alistair Campbell is understood to have left the company within the past few weeks after more than five years at the firm. No replacement has been appointed, although it is understood that the company has been talking to an external figure about the role.

The exact reasons for Campbell鈥檚 departure are unclear, but a Costain spokesperson said that the director had left to pursue other opportunities.

He had worked under current chief executive Andrew Wyllie and his predecessor, Stuart Doughty, who left the company in 2005.

Campbell鈥檚 exit comes weeks after Costain reported a 拢23.1m profit for the year to 31 December 2008, recovering from a pre-tax loss of 拢61.7m in 2006.

A spokesperson said Campbell had left 鈥榖y mutual agreement鈥� to pursue other opportunities

However, the building division, which was responsible for an 拢11.7m writedown at that time, has continued to be plagued by difficulties. It reported an operating loss of 拢5.2m on turnover of 拢285.6m in 2008, after a 拢800,000 profit the previous year. The loss was attributed to provisions made for cost overruns on 鈥渁 small number of projects鈥�, in particular on one residential scheme.

Wyllie said at that time: 鈥淭he building and property development divisions are not providing the required level of returns 鈥� We have taken decisive actions to improve the performance of the division 鈥� and we anticipate an improvement in 2009.鈥�

Campbell鈥檚 exit follows another senior departure, that of Jeremy Eavis, the education director, last November. Eavis headed Costain鈥檚 work on programmes such as the 拢400m Bradford 黑洞社区 Schools for the Future scheme.