Tokyo — Westinghouse Electric fired its chairman two days before the US nuclear engineering unit of Toshiba filed for bankruptcy, as the Japanese firm tries to draw a line under the travails of a business that has cost it billions. Toshiba’s spokesman said Westinghouse chairman Danny Roderick was replaced by Mamoru Hatazawa, chief of Toshiba’s nuclear division, on March 27, two days before the chapter 11 filing. Hatazawa’s role would be temporary, he added. Roderick, who has been described by industry and company insiders as more salesman than engineer, was the driving force behind Toshiba’s nuclear ambitions. Toshiba said the executive change, only the second at senior level reported since the Westinghouse crisis began to unfold in December, was intended to reassure clients ahead of the bankruptcy filing. Toshiba declined to say whether Roderick remained with Westinghouse. Calls to Roderick from Reuters seeking comment went straight to voicemail. Roderick joined Westinghouse as its...

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