Robin McGill, AWE's former Chief Executive
The Chief Executive and the Director of Finance and Information Technology at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) have both resigned from their posts at the Establishment.
The two men left their posts at the end of last year, but the news has only now been released to local newspapers (7 January 2011).
Chief Executive Robin McGill joined AWE in the spring of 2009, with his spell at the helm of AWE lasting barely 18 months. Unusually, he was appointed to AWE from a post outside the consortium of companies that operate AWE, having been a senior executive with the BP oil company and Chief Executive of the Institute of Engineering and Technology before joining AWE, where he led a high profile organisational change programme to modernise work practices at AWE and diversify AWE plc's work away from reliance on the nuclear weapons programme.
Andrew Kershaw joined AWE at the end of 2008 from CityWest Homes Ltd where he was Director of Finance, and brough extensive experience of working on Public Private Partnership and Private Finance Initiative projects to AWE.
In a press statement AWE company chairman Ian Downie said: “Robin was brought in to take AWE plc on the next step towards becoming a modern, progressive manufacturing company.”
“His challenge was to shape the company’s future strategy to deliver a vital UK programme in an affordable and sustainable fashion. This he has achieved.
“Robin has played a key role in leading AWE through a period of considerable change to position it to successfully meet the considerable challenges that lie ahead. His focus on transforming the business has enabled us to make significant cost and efficiency savings at a time when our MOD customer is facing enormous economic constraints, whilst continuing to effectively deliver the programme.
“However, it is with regret I have to announce that Robin believes this would be the appropriate time for him to hand over control. He will continue to work with me this year to support this transition. Robin has been an excellent advocate of AWE and we wish him all the very best for the future.”
“Andy has been key in transforming the financial control and performance of the organisation. We wish Andy all the best in his future career.”
Infrastructure Director Dr Andrew Jupp, an insider with more than 25 years experience at AWE, has been appointed as acting managing director of AWE with immediate effect.
The news has been reported in the Reading Post and Basingstoke Gazette, but to date no official announcement about the resignations has been placed on the AWE company website.