Rich Lister Andrew Roberts is taking full ownership of the construction firm he launched four years ago, buying out the half-stake held by his Italian partner to create one of the few locally owned players with enough heft to vie for major projects.

The move brings consolidation of the two offshore construction operations Mr Roberts, a scion of the former Multiplex empire, had set up on his own – in the Middle East and Europe – with the Australian arm into a single global business.