Holt, aged 64, built the then little known Gloucestershire contractor up from a £12m business with 83 staff, leading Mears’ flotation on the stock market in 1996, to today’s £900m group operating in the care and housing maintenance sectors with over 12,000 staff.

He is also chairman of maintenance contractor Sureserve, formerly known as Lakehouse.

Murphy has spent much of his career working in finance.

He joined the civil service after university, spending 8 years at HM Treasury. His subsequent executive career was in the City, firstly at investment bank Kleinwort Benson, and, more recently, at corporate finance advisory firm Gleacher Shacklock,

Murphy has previously been on the board of Kingspan Group and is chair at the Ordnance Survey, Great Britain’s national mapping business.

David Miles, Chief Executive, Mears, said: “I am pleased to welcome Kieran Murphy to the board. He brings a broad range of valuable experience into the boardroom as we continue to drive the business forward. I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.

“At the same time, we must all recognise the great contribution that Bob Holt has brought to Mears over the past 23 years. His commitment and guidance still underpins much of the business here today. Bob leaves with our thanks and we wish him every success in the future.”