Jim Cuthill has been appointed to the role of Acting CEO of ASC Shipbuilding as outgoing CEO Mark Lamarre leaves after significant achievements during his three years in the role.
ASC Chairman Bruce Carter said Lamarre's decision to return to the US was based on family reasons.
“Under Mark’s leadership, ASC Shipbuilding has become a cohesive and successful team of shipbuilders, producing great results on the Air Warfare Destroyer program with our Alliance partners and successfully winning future shipbuilding work,” Carter said.
“Mark leaves his role with the best wishes of the Board, executive management and the entire workforce of more than 1,000 at ASC Shipbuilding.”
Lamarre said he believed ASC Shipbuilding was well-placed to further secure its position as the nation’s proven builder of major and complex naval warships.
“ASC Shipbuilding continues to demonstrate remarkable ship-on-ship efficiency improvements and remains well on track to achieving international benchmark productivity performance.”
South Australia's Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) welcomed the appointment and remarked upon the productivity reforms Lamarre had achieved.
"He has successfully led the company to a point where it is now on target to meet the international shipyard efficiency benchmark,” DTC CEO Margot Forster said.
“The ASC is a national asset and as a result of Mr Lamarre’s reforms, it is now being recognised as such, securing future work on the Offshore Patrol Vessel Program.
“Mr Cuthill brings with him a wealth of shipbuilding experience having worked in industry for 22 years in both naval and commercial shipbuilding. He has been a part of the ASC Shipbuilding team since 2009 and has worked alongside Mr Lammare as part of the Shipbuilding leadership team for some time.
“Now is an exciting time in naval shipbuilding and the DTC has every confidence that Mr Cuthill, with the support of his leadership team and highly skilled and experienced workforce, will successfully lead the company into the next phase of Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding journey," Forster said.