His appointment coincides with board plans to grow Hydrock into a UK-based multi-disciplinary engineering design consultancy.

Bailey brings extensive senior-level experience from a 39-year career with BAM, including seven years as managing director of UK construction.

Four months ago expanding regional builder Stepnell announced Bailey had also taken a newly-created director post £156m to help drive the £156m revenue family-owned firm’s strategy as it targets turnover of £200m by 2020.

Hydrock’s chief executive, Dr Brian McConnell, said: “We are delighted to have attracted Richard to our business. With his track record in executive management, his knowledge of the built environment sector, and his passionate belief in the importance of culture in the workplace, he is a perfect fit to be our first-ever non-executive chairman.”

“In BGF we’ve taken great care to select an investment partner that is culturally the right fit for our business. They support long-term sustainable growth, and in our ongoing discussions it was clear that they place the same value that we do on the importance of creating a great place to work.”