MONTREAL — SNC-Lavalin has selected former top federal bureaucrat Kevin Lynch as its new chairman.

The Montreal-based engineering and construction firm (SNC.TO) says Lynch will take over on Jan. 1, replacing Lawrence Stevenson who is retiring.

Lynch was elected a company director and appointed vice-chairman last May.

He has been vice-chairman of BMO Financial Group since 2010. Prior to that he was clerk of the Privy Council, secretary to cabinet and head of the federal public service.

Stevenson joined SNC-Lavalin's board of directors in 1999 and was appointed chairman in March 2015.