Sir Fred, better known in tabloid speak as "Fred the Shed" joins a company hoping to expand into Australasia.

The architect, whose projects include the Scottish Parliament building and the Falkirk Wheel, has been accused by politicians of displaying "bad judgment".

Dubbed the "world's worst banker" after RBS was saved by the government and posted a loss in 2008 of £24.1bn – the largest annual loss in UK corporate history – Sir Fred became a figure of hate and his home was vandalised after it was revealed he had walked away with a pension pot worth £16m or £703,000 a year. He later agreed to reduce it to £343,500 a year.

Sir Fred is a friend of Sir Fraser Morrison, the chief executive of RMJM's North American operations. They are former colleagues who worked together at the Clydesdale Bank.