There was a great outpouring of encomiums on the former Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Eng. Dr. Lars Richter Wednesday at his official farewell party organized by the company as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mutiu Sunmonu, CON, led other Board members, the management and staff of the conglomerate in wishing Richter well in his future endeavours.
According to Sunmonu who disclosed that he worked closely with Richter for six years, the initial worries he had when the former Chief Executive assumed duty over four years ago quickly vaporized as he diligently applied himself to the challenges of leading a construction giant like Julius Berger.
He said, I have been working with Lars for six years. I was excited to see a young man taking over when he was appointed; but I also had a lot of worries. But thank God, the worries never manifested as his tenure progresses. I am so pleased that he has done well. Congratulations to him for all the achievements.
He said that it remains an indelible record of history that in the company, Richter became a champion of sustainability in the company and a champion for women because it was in your tenor we have a lot of women moving and doing so well in the company.
Speaking at the event, the outgoing Managing Director emphatically declared that, today is now time to say goodbye after a long journey with Julius Berger; a journey that started in Abuja 15 years ago as a young engineer.
Recalling his journey through several beats in the Group, Richter said after his appointment as Chief Executive of the company in 2018, he worked assiduously with every stakeholder for the stronger success Julius Berger has become. Looking to the achievements made during his tenure, Richter said, a fundamental milestone and the basis for his administration’s future development of the Group was the implementation of the three-pillar strategy consisting of the Core Business, The Subsidiaries and Diversification.
In the last six years we could grow in the Core Business through successful execution of projects of national priority like the River Niger Bridge, Lagos-Shagamu Expressway and Sections 2 and 3 of the Abuja-Kano Road, he said adding, we delivered several projects across all our hubs like 12 flyovers, more than 70 roads, a hospital and the Government House in Rivers State, a Worship Centre in Uyo, the FAMFA building in Lagos and the new office of the NSA, a hospital and the central road in Abuja amongst many others.
On Julius Berger’s subsidiaries, the former Managing Director said though there is still the need for each of them to strengthen their respective businesses and become more independent of the mother company, Abumet, JBI in Wiesbaden and PrimeTech among others, are doing great
In his address at the night’s event, Richter’s successor, Eng. Dr. Peer Lubasch said, it was a day to pay tributes to a man who led the organisation with extraordinary vision and commitment, Engr. Dr. Lars Richter; adding, he led the company with exceptional dedication and vision for the last six years. His work has left a lasting mark on the company.
To wish Richter a befitting farewell, Lubasch took his audience on a chronological overview of Richter’s remarkable development and career via an exciting PowerPoint presentation covering the former Managing Director’s career path from his days as a youngster who had passion for the construction industry, through his years at Bilfinger Berger AG Wiesbaden and Richter’s onsite days on projects across Nigeria.
On Richter’s diversification initiatives, Lubasch scored him highly saying that the company’s Cashew Processing Plant in Epe remains a testament of ambition and commitment to exploring new opportunities.
Continuing, Lubasch said, in October 2018, you became the new Managing Director of Julius Berger at the age of just 42. And I think one can see from these pictures how proud you were, and how ambitious you also were to deliver a good job. But then no doubt, of course, things got very serious as you were faced with a completely different set of tasks and a lot of responsibility for thousands of employees. Luckily you had an outstanding team with strong personalities around you. And together you steered the company through all challenges.
Saying that leadership is not all serious business for Richter, the new Chief Executive drew the attention of all to an old photo of the Board of Directors with everyone of them, especially the white ones dressed in traditional Nigerian attires, declaring that it shows his predecessor’s ability to foster friendship and bring a human touch to the workplace.
Outside the office, you are a passionate golfer. As you now step into the next phase of your journey, we hope you will enjoy much more time perfecting your swing, Lubasch said, adding, and to ensure that, we have a small gift – a golf voucher to get you back on the green!
Moving forward, the Managing Director said with his personal deep understanding of the company’s history and vision, I am committed to ensuring seamless continuity in management as we work to achieve our targets.
He continued: in the mid-term, our priority is to successfully execute key projects in Julius Berger’s portfolio, many of which are critical for Nigerian Federal and State Governments due to their economic and social impact. And in the long-term, we shall follow our well-established strategy and continue to focus on diversification to help stabilize our business amidst the economic fluctuations in Nigeria’s construction sector.
Alongside the Director of Finance, Christian Hausemann, Director of Corporate Development, Jochen Stolle, and the Director of Administration, Alhaji Dr. Abdulaziz Kaita, Lubasch said, I am confident we have a robust leadership team ready to guide the company forward. I am eager to collaborate with them, as well as with the entire management and staff, to accomplish our goals under the guidance of the Chairman and Board of Directors.
The event drew attendance from Julius Berger sites all over Nigeria and Republic of Benin.
