Interserve have appointed Alan Lovell as its new chairman with immediate effect, succeeding Glyn Barker, who has stepped down after leading the company since March 2016.

The experienced industry turnaround specialist joins the company as it looks to recover from “a period of significant challenge and change for the group.”

One of the UK’s largest government contractors, the company announced it was going into administration on 15 March, and control has since passed to a new company.

Interserve was controversially handed £660m worth of public sector contracts in the run-up to going into administration, with critics claiming the deals mirrored the previous collapse of Carillion.

Lovell has been credited with rescuing Costain in the mid-1990s, when he was chief executive, and was briefly parachuted into Carillion in an unsuccessful rescue attempt just weeks before its collapse.

His wide-ranging construction and energy sector career includes spells at Tamar Energy, Infinis, Jarvis, and four years as national chair of the Consumer Council for Water. His other current roles include chairman of Safestyle UK and the senior independent director of SIG plc.

Debbie White, Interserve chief executive officer, said: “On behalf of the board I would like to thank Glyn for his service as chairman of Interserve. His leadership of the board and valuable counsel has been vital during a period of significant challenge and change for the group. We are delighted to welcome Alan to Interserve. He brings a wealth of experience and has a strong track record of business improvement and transformation.”

Lovell said: “I am pleased to be joining Interserve at this exciting time. I look forward to working with the board, and with Debbie White and her executive team, to continue delivering Interserve’s transformation and to capitalise on the significant opportunities ahead for the group as a best-in-class partner to the public and private sector. It is a privilege to succeed Glyn, who during his time at Interserve has made a tremendous contribution to the group. I wish him the very best for the future."