The former Scotland rugby international joined Jones Lang Wootton in 1978 to create a specialised investment team in Edinburgh and was promoted to lead the Edinburgh office in 1986.

Under his leadership the Edinburgh business built on its investment, valuation, lease advisory, management and leasing foundations to become one of Scotland’s biggest property advisers.

In 1994 Andy was appointed as lead director for Jones Lang Wootton in Scotland and led the business for 13 years before being appointed as Scottish chairman for the JLL business in 2007.

Alasdair Humphery, head of Scotland at JLL, said: “Andy was key to ensuring that our offering in Scotland was truly multi-disciplinary and defined many of the operations and practices that make us successful today.

“I count myself very fortunate to have been brought into his team in the early days and to have the chance to learn from Andy. We all owe Andy a great debt of gratitude for the drive and growth in the early days but also later in the cycle, when he became a very well connected and influential chairman.

“Both JLL and the wider Scottish real estate market has benefitted from his commitment, expertise and drive and we wish him a very happy retirement.”

Mr Irvine added: “I have been most fortunate to enjoy 42 very happy years in this great organisation and will take with me many happy memories of working alongside outstanding colleagues and advising some of the best companies in the world.”