Restructuring of the city’s preferred but troubled rail car maker began Friday when the company’s chief executive officer resigned.
Finmeccanica announced the departure of Salvatore Bianconi, CEO of AnsaldoBreda.
AnsaldoBreda and Ansaldo STS, two subsidiaries of global conglomerate Finmeccanica, make up Ansaldo Honolulu, the company the city has selected to design, build, operate and maintain the cars for the planned $5.3 billion 20-mile rail transit system.
Next month, Maurizio Manfellotto will succeed Bianconi. Manfellotto was president of standard solutions, products and platforms of Ansaldo STS, which would be in charge of maintenance, signaling and automation of Honolulu’s system. AnsaldoBreda would design and build the cars.
The company also announced that Sergio De Luca, Ansaldo STS’ CEO, will serve on AnsaldoBreda’s board of directors.
Ansaldo Honolulu said Finmeccanica’s restructuring signals the intent to strengthen AnsaldoBreda for its customers.
"With Mr. De Luca’s appointment to the AnsaldoBreda board of directors, Finmeccanica has acknowledged the synergy that must be encouraged between AnsaldoBreda and Ansaldo STS with their joint projects worldwide," Ansaldo Honolulu said in a statement.
The resignation was done "to allow the shareholder and the board of directors to adopt any appropriate organizational measures."
"Finmeccanica thanks Mr. Bianconi for his constant and considerable effort over the years, as part of the Finmeccanica Group, and wish him all the best in his future professional career," the company said in a statement.
Finmeccanica is partially owned by the Italian government. Last week its CEO, Giuseppe Orsi, said AnsaldoBreda is part of the organization’s structural problems. He committed to shareholders that AnsaldoBreda will either be restructured or sold off.
Orsi has said that Finmeccanica’s transportation business is not one of its "strategic pillars."
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials have said they are monitoring the situation closely but will discuss the issue later once appeals involving the contract bid is completed.
Sumitomo Corp. of America, a losing bidder, is protesting the city’s intent to award the contract to Ansaldo Honolulu.
Also on Friday the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs issued its written decision denying the protest of Bombardier Transportation, the other losing bidder. Senior Hearings Officer David Karlen verbally denied Bombardier’s protest last month.
Bombardier now has 10 days from Friday to decide whether to file an appeal in Circuit Court.
