Leighton appoints new chairman

LEIGHTON Holdings has appointed Bob Humphris as the construction giant's new chairman.

Mr Humphris says the board "totally" supports Leighton chief executive Hamish Tyrwhitt and his management team and was committed to the company's strategic objectives.

Leighton said on Monday Paula Dwyer was appointed deputy chairman.

The board appointments come after Leighton announced on Friday Stephen Johns has stepped down as chairman and left the company.

Directors Wayne Osborn and Ian Macfarlane, a former Reserve Bank of Australia governor, had also tendered their resignations following a breakdown in relations with German construction company Hochtief, which owns a 40 per cent stake in Leighton.

"Their view is that Hochtief no longer supports an independent board at Leighton," the company said in a statement on Friday.

Hochtief, which is majority owned by Spanish Group ACS, has two representatives on what was the company's 10-person board.

In a letter to Leighton, Hochtief Australia said it was disappointed by the resignations.

"We do not consider Hochtief has done anything to undermine the independence of the Leighton board or threatened any such action," Hochtief said in the letter dated March 23.

"For several decades, Leighton and Hochtief have chosen to follow a set of informal and non-binding governance principles which include a board and a management structure in which the majority of directors are non Hochtief-associated directors.

"Hochtief has at no time given the Leighton independent directors any cause to believe that it intends to depart from these principles."

Mr Humphris said Hochtief letter confirmed the current governance arrangements relating to Leighton's independence.

"The board are committed to Leighton's strategic objectives and totally support the CEO, Mr Hamish Tyrwhitt, and his management team," Mr Humphris said.

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