Wolstenholme starts his new role next week and will be “responsible for the delivery of technical excellence for clients, enhancing the company’s digital capability and its health and safety priorities.”

Wolstenholme stepped down from the helm at Crossrail in March 2018 after seven years.

At the time of his departure the project was described as still “on time and on budget” to open by the end of 2018.

It is still not complete and £4bn over budget.

Wolstenholme will report directy to Group CEO Ray O’Rourke and has been working with Laing O’Rourke for some time in an advisory capacity.

Ray O’Rourke said: “I’m delighted Andrew has agreed to join us. He has known our business as a customer and an advisor.

“His knowledge of our sector will ensure our engineering and innovation are seamlessly integrated with operational discipline and client connectivity.

“He understands the power of our experience in technical excellence and disruptive thinking, and he believes in our ambitious plans to enable sustainable high performance across our directly employed workforce and to deliver certainty for clients.”

Wolstenholme replaces outgoing Group Digital and Technical Director Dr Damien Buie.