Duhaime takes SNC on new path with AECL bid

[CHIMO]

After taking over from legendary CEO Jacques Lamarre, Pierre Duhaime has quickened SNC-Lavalin (SNC-T50.320.120.24%)charge into emerging markets with acquisitions in Brazil and Russia.

But after 16 months at the head of Canada’s leading engineering firm, Mr. Duhaime is pursuing his highest-profile and potentially riskiest deal right here at home, with a bid for federally owned, financially troubled Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.

SNC submitted an offer for control of AECL under the competitive process that required bids to be in last week, Mr. Duhaime confirmed. While he wouldn’t discuss the particulars, he said he expects to hear from Ottawa in the coming weeks about whether SNC’s bid is attractive enough to win approval from the Harper government, which is determined to shift AECL’s financial burden from taxpayers to the private sector.

Where some see only risk, the 56-year-old CEO sees enormous opportunity for his global engineering firm. Emerging countries need to invest in massive energy and infrastructure projects to support their fast-growing economies, while the global concern about climate change is driving demand for cleaner, less carbon-intensive energy, including nuclear.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/duhaime-takes-snc-on-new-path-with-aecl-bid/article1715517/