Andrew Coppel sealed a deal for Vanco 20 days after receiving the call to move in and see what he could save of a company in dire financial straits.

However, the softly spoken Belfast-born law graduate and chartered accountant is adamant that it was not down to just him. “The executive team at Vanco over the last few weeks has done a brilliant job,” he says. “We worked closely with our banks and advisers.”

Mr Coppel, 57, is credited with rescuing Queens Moat Houses from bankruptcy. During his decade as chief executive, he reduced the group’s debt mountain from £1.4 billion to £625 million, and restored its fortunes. Although the company doctor managed to avert bankruptcy, the downturn in the hotel industry after the September 11 attacks, foot-and-mouth disease, Sars and the global economic slowdown combined to bring about its eventual sale to Goldman Sachs for slightly less than its debt.

After Queens Moat he went on to become chief executive of Racecourse Holdings Trust, the owner of Aintree, Epsom and Cheltenham racecourses, in July 2004.

After an earlier career in corporate finance and banking with Morgan Grenfell, Mr Coppel became finance director of Ratners Group and then chairman and chief executive of Sale Tilney.

In 2000, after the Good Friday Agreement, he became the founding chairman of Tourism Ireland, a cross-border body formed to promote the island of Ireland as a tourist destination in overseas markets, a position he held until last December.

A day after closing the Vanco-Reliance deal, Mr Coppel is already seeking his next task. “I enjoy turnaround situations,” he said, “and I would love to take on another challenge. You become part of the furniture in a really short time.”