Former Chief Executive and Chief Inspector of the Office of Nuclear Regulation Mark Foy  is joining the  Laing O’Rourke board as a Non-Executive Director.

Foy will take-up his new role next month alongside lawyer Helen Ruelle who has been appointed as Group Company Secretary.

The contractor said the move will help drive a “new paradigm for the construction industry.”

Current Company Secretary Jim Edmondson will remain as a member of the Board and “provide ongoing support to the O’Rourke family office, Oisín Capital.”

In other moves Heather MacCallum, who first joined the Board in November 2022 and currently chairs the Audit and Risk Committee, will become the Senior Independent Director, and a member of the Remuneration Committee.

Dr Hayaatun Sillem, who joined the Board in March 2022, will now chair the Board’s Sustainability Committee and also join the Nomination Committee.

Non-Executive Director Charlotte Valeur and Senior Independent Director Mark Cutifani have now left the Board.

Chairman Ray O’Rourke said: “We believe that the modernisation of the construction industry, that we are backing our people to deliver, can be at the heart of a 21st Century Industrial Revolution.

“Though the working paradigm is new, our commitment to a model built around the extraordinary talent of our people is constant. The arrival of Mark Foy and Helen Ruelle, together with the expertise and experience of Hayaatun Sillem and Heather MacCallum will only deepen this rich tradition at Laing O’Rourke.

“The hard work, ingenuity and dedication of everyone at Laing O’Rourke has created a platform for innovation unprecedented in our industry. I want to thank Mark Cutifani and Charlotte Valeur for their guidance and advice over the years, as we pioneered the modern methods of construction that are now powering the next stage of Laing O’Rourke’s growth.”

Group Chief Executive Officer Cathal O’Rourke said: “Mark Foy and Helen Ruelle are joining the Board at an exciting time for Laing O’Rourke. I’m eager to work with them as we shape a new paradigm for the construction industry.”