Jon Dunwell will operate out of Morris & Spottiswood’s new Warrington office and is charged with growing the M&E operation.

He joins the firm after spending 15 years leading M&E contractor Rotary Group Ltd where he was managing director of its Northern UK operation.

Dunwell said: “Our aim is to harness the considerable potential of our in-house M&E division.

“Morris & Spottiswood is in a very strong position to secure M&E work as it is already undertaking so many fit-out contracts. The message from our clients is that they want us to do more and M&E is a key area where they want help.

“We believe by strengthening our in house M&E service we can offer clients better value, we can plan jobs better and we can react faster to their needs.

“I must stress however that we will also be retaining our out sourced M&E contractors and using them extensively on appropriate projects.”

Dunwell said key sectors the firm will be targeting include banking, commercial offices, health care, retail and industrial premises.

He said: “We already have a well established in-house M&E division in Scotland and we intend to replicate that business model here.

“With the client base we have, and with the track record we have, we know this could be a very important growth area for us in the years ahead.

“This is a very exciting time to be at Morris & Spottiswood which has shown its intent and ambition with the recent opening of its fabulous new state of the art premises in Warrington which will be the nerve centre for the England and Wales operation.”