Mills spent six years at Keltbray where he worked with current Barhale Chief Executive Martin Brown and now joins the board at Barhale in his new role of Engineering Director.

He will be joined on the board by Andy Dodman who has been promoted to the role of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) Director.

Dodman joined Barhale in 2001 as a senior site agent before moving into a safety adviser role just a year later. He became Group Safety Manager in 2008 and subsequently led the integration of the safety function into a wider HSEQ portfolio.

Barhale Chief Executive Martin Brown said: “Owen will bring valuable expertise and experience as we further bolster our civil engineering business through the restructuring of our engineering services, expand our rail offering and enhance our capabilities to our core water sector clients.

“He brings a 15 year track record of top-flight engineering know-how to Barhale. Equally importantly, his knowledge of best-in-class engineering process is second-to-none and he will lead on how we implement a more proactively assured approach to our engineering services across all of our operations.

“Having previously worked with Owen, I have had first hand experience of his professional expertise and his ability to work with customers to both influence and implement value engineered solutions and design to cost principles. He will prove a great addition to the Barhale team and will play an important role in the business’s strategic development.”

Andy Dodman will oversee safety and wellbeing at the business

“Andy has been instrumental not just in developing the HSEQ function within the business but also in helping to enshrine awareness and best practice in every member of our team.

“Tunnelling and civil engineering is often carried out in challenging environments and it requires care, discipline and mindfulness at all times. Andy has made those qualities second nature and as a result our HSEQ performance speaks for itself. It is entirely right that he should be the person to represent and lead the HSEQ function for both the business and the board of Directors.”