The news comes as Chris Phillips, the company’s outgoing chairman of three years, announces his departure.

Mursell will take an active role working with Arshad Bhatti, Apex’s founder helping to grow the business and seek new financing opportunities to fund a busy 2021.

Over a career of almost 20 years, Mursell held leadership roles at several of the industry’s major contractors.

These included chief financial officer at Lendlease, deputy group finance director at Balfour Beatty and most recently as CFO and CEO of Kier, where he spent almost a decade on the board.

During his tenure at Kier, Mursell increased the revenue and people threefold following a series of complex acquisitions.

He resigned in January 2019 after coming under pressure from shareholders amid mounting debt levels.

Mursell said: “I’m pleased to be joining Apex at such an exciting time for the company.

“The potential for using rooftops to build more homes, particularly in urban spaces where land is expensive and scarce, presents a significant opportunity and there are many possibilities offered by modern methods of construction.”

Arshad Bhatti, Founder of Apex Airspace, said: “Haydn brings a wealth of experience with him to Apex, and we are thrilled to have him on board.

“He is an exceptional leader with a demonstrable track record of success in the industry, and attracting someone of his calibre is a fantastic endorsement of our determination, I have no doubt Haydn will play a crucial role as we advance our pioneering development strategy and continue to positively disrupt the housebuilding industry.”

Apex believes its innovative approach to development will shape the future of real estate.

Last year the team secured over £28m from the Business Growth Fund, Homes England and the Mayor of London.

It has pioneered the use of airspace for the creation of new homes, identifying and promoting a new residential market in London worth an estimated £54bn.