Carla J. Christofferson, AECOM executive vice president and chief legal officer since 2015, stepped down from the roles as of Nov. 27 and leaves the firm on Dec. 16 in a “mutually agreed” move, says the design giant’s Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last month.

An AECOM spokesman declines comment on the cause for her separation or if it is linked to a previous firm disclosure of Chairman and CEO Michael Burke’s resignation by May in a settlement with activist investors.

But the filing notes Christofferson will receive an unspecified cash severance.

No permanent or interim successor was announced. Christofferson had been a partner at Los Angeles law firm O'Melveny & Myers.

Also, Denise M. Berger,  engineering chief of operations at the Port Authority of NY & NJ, will join AECOM as chief operating officer of its New York City-based northeast region in February, following her January agency retrement, ENR has confirmed. A 32-year agendy veteran, she most recently has led its $1.3-billion enginineering operation that includes about 570 professional staff.

Berger also serves on the executive board of directors of the ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) Mentor Program of Greater N.Y., WTS International and Professional Women in Construction.

In 2016, she founded the Port Authority Women’s Council, whose mission is to empower women to advance in leadership roles.

 

Dallas-based Jacobs Engineering Group has elevated Bob Pragada and Kevin Berryman, chief operating officer and chief financial officer respectively, to added roles as corporate co-presidents, and announced new corporate rebranding

Pragada now manages global operations and continues to oversee Jacobs’ buildings, infrastructure and advanced facilities group. Berryman now leads Jacobs’ digital and information technology business while continuing corporate financial management. I

In the firm’s latest quarter results call, Chairman Steven Demetriou noted the rebranding of Jacobs’ aerospace, technology and nuclear group to Critical Mission Solutions, which he said “puts our clients’ mission at the center of everything we do,” and of its buildings, infrastructure and advanced facilities unit to People & Places Solutions, which “reinforces our drive to improve the lives of people everywhere.”

Jacobs also said that to reflect shifting lines of business, its corporate name changes as of Dec. 10 to Jacobs Solutions and its New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol to "j."

The firm sold its energy, chemicals & resources (ECR) business earlier this year to Australia-based Worley, recently completed the $903-million purchase of national security technology specialist KeyW and plans to acquire the nuclear business of engineer Wood Group for $300 million by next year.

It announced last month an estimated $216-million federal contract to support the U.S. Defense Dept. Cyber Training Academy with modernization, design, development and delivery-related services related to its specialized cyber training facility in Linthicum Heights, Md., near Baltimore. The contract includes a 12-month base and four 12-month option periods.

Jacobs also said it will add up to 2,400 staff by 2021 to its 9,000-person U.K. workforce. It recently opened a new European base in London, with roles on several UK megaprojects, including Crossrail and HS2 rail jobs and the Palace of Westminster renovation.

“This investment is an indication of our ongoing confidence in the U.K. economy and its long-term infrastructure plans,” said Pragada.

Jacobs also reported a 13% rise in revenue to $3.4 billion in its fiscal 2019 fourth quarter and adjusted earnings per share of $1.48.