British Nuclear Fuels is seeking fresh PR talent following the resignation of its board level public affairs director, Colin Duncan.
The state-owned nuclear firm, the subject of speculation as to a future part-privatisation deal, is considering its options this week following the ten-year company veteran's resignation.
Both BNFL and Duncan refused to comment on his future plans, but the company confirmed he would stay in place until a successor is appointed.
External candidates are being canvassed for the top post, while the internal candidate is thought to be head of government affairs Grace McGlynn, the longest-serving of Duncan's four direct reports.
Duncan, who took the firm's most senior PR post more than five years ago, has seen his remit expand in that time to cover government and media relations, publicity and marketing, and community affairs. He reports to chairman Hugh Collum and manages a staff of 30.
BNFL has a troubled recent past. Its CEO John Taylor was squeezed out earlier this year after safety concerns over falsified quality control data on mixed oxide fuel shipments to power stations in Japan.
Taylor was replaced last March by Norman Askew and the company was forced into a humiliating mea culpa - and pounds 40m cash payout - in order to restore business links with the two Japanese firms involved.
The Duncan role is responsible for communications across the company's four main business units. These are fuel manufacture and reactor services - which includes the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria, Magnox generation, spent fuel management and nuclear decommissioning.
The Government appears to have shelved plans for a part-privatisation which would inject much-needed cash into the firm and enable it to invest in services outside its core power and reprocessing business.
