The Department for the Economy has appointed a new non-executive board member.

Mark Lowry will join the Departmental Board and attend the Department’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Mr Lowry, from County Fermanagh, has a background in civil engineering, having graduated from Queen's University Belfast (QUB) in 1982.

He spent 32 years with the CRH group, 'the world’s largest building materials group', where he held senior roles, including managing director of Farrans Construction and chief executive of Northstone, both based in Belfast.

He was also country managing director for CRH Poland and group sustainability director for CRH Group.

In 2019, he returned to Northern Ireland to become chief executive of The McAvoy Group.

He semi-retired in 2022 and now holds various non-executive roles, including at McAvoy Holdings Ltd and the Housing Executive (NIHE).

A fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Mr Lowry has also served as president of the Construction Employers Federation and chair of the ICE (NI).

His appointment as a non-executive board member will last for three years, starting on November 25.

Non-executive board members play a key role in ensuring effective governance and scrutinising the organisation’s activities for efficiency and effectiveness.