Murphy, who has been with the company for 29 years, steps up from his role as electrical estimator and has also taken a shareholding in the Livingston firm, which focuses solely on industrial and commercial work.

Managing director Mark Heaney said: “This is a significant milestone, not only for Barry but our entire company. We always want to promote from within where possible and Barry has been with us a long time and is fully committed to the business.

“His 29 years’ service with us shows his loyalty, dedication, leadership and vision for the future, and we are proud to recognise his contribution and willingness to invest in the company with this well-deserved promotion.

“We’re fortunate to have someone of his experience. He has a good work ethic, is honest and reliable. He’s someone I know extremely well as we have been pals since primary school in Whitburn so we have a life-long friendship.

“We are building for the future and this is a good move for Barry and for the business. As a director, he will play an even more integral role in shaping our strategic direction.”

JHE offers a wide range of services from electrical and mechanical packages through to facilities management, high voltage requirements, EV charging installation, building maintenance, and HVAC.

Murphy, who lives in Falkirk, will have a core team of 10 and his promotion comes after similar moves earlier this year for John Cowan (FM operations director) and Derek Menzies (contracts director), as the company looks to continue building on an expanding client base across Scotland and the north of England.

He added: “There’s a real family feel to the company and I think that’s why so many of us have spent so long here as we don’t feel like just a statistic on the books.

“Being able to play a more strategic role within the business is very appealing and I’m looking forward to helping build on our success so far by unearthing new revenue streams and untapped markets.”