UXC picks up NBN Co's construction head

Just over a week after parting ways with the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), former head of construction Patrick Flannigan has been picked up by IT consultancy firm UXC.

UXC managing director Cris Nicolli announced the hire to the Australian Stock Exchange this morning, stating that Flannigan would be joining UXC as a full-time advisor. Nicolli said that Flannigan's experience in the telecommunications industry would be of great value to the business.

"I am excited about having Mr Flannigan join UXC, and feel that the opportunity of working with an innovative and agile organisation such as UXC has presented Mr Flannigan with a compelling reason to join the team," Nicolli said.

Flannigan resigned from his critical role with NBN Co last week, shortly after the company announced that it was abandoning the tender process for the $12 billion network construction of the Federal Government's NBN project. It is widely believed that Flannigan left due to a disagreement between himself and NBN Co's head of corporate services Kevin Brown over handling of the tender process.

Prior to joining NBN Co, Flannigan was the founding managing director and CEO of telecommunications infrastructure company Service Stream, and had previously been general manager of Skilled Group.

Nicolli said that Flannigan would support the UXC strategy, including the company's plan to divest and close non-core businesses, announced in January. He said this divestment is on track.

"We continue to be on schedule with our plan and the dual track process to decouple the IT and Field Solutions businesses with the release of the Information Memorandums for the Field Solutions Businesses," he said.