SCOTTISH businessman Neil Bruce has been promoted to the chief executive role at Canadian engineering and construction giant SNC-Lavalin.

Mr Bruce, named chief operating officer at the Montreal business earlier this year having been with it since 2013, will succeed Robert Card.

Mr Bruce has spent more than three decades in the oil and gas industry and was in a senior role at Amec before joining SNC.

He was the driving force behind its £1.2 billion takeover of Kentz Corporation with that deal helping to build SNC’s oil and gas business to around 20,000 people.

Mr Bruce, originally from Aberdeen, said: “I have already met many employees, clients and partners around the world and look forward to meeting many more over the coming weeks and months to share further details on the next phase of our strategic plan.”

Mr Bruce is also an honorary professor at the Aberdeen Business School in Robert Gordon University.

Lawrence Stevenson, chairman of SNC, said: “Neil’s appointment comes as we embark on the next stage of the company’s evolution.

“Over the past two and a half years, he led the company’s mining and metallurgy and oil and gas businesses, including the acquisition of Kentz and its successful integration that transformed SNC-Lavalin’s oil and gas business.

“The board is thrilled to have a leader of his calibre with deep project management and execution experience to lead and grow the company.”