Lettings chain Leaders is to ramp up its acquisitions programme.

The firm has made a new key appointment, that of a chief operating officer, in order to let chief executive Paul Weller concentrate on growing the business.

The firm has already done 18 deals in the last 12 months.

Clare Tobin, previously managing director of travel company Tui, takes up the new role in September.

Weller said: “We are seeing an increasing flow of good acquisition opportunities, including a number of substantial scale.

“I am delighted Clare is joining us at this time, to assist me and the senior management team in seizing the full growth potential of our business.”

The company has ramped up its deal pace following its debt refinance last summer in which it established a substantial acquisition credit facility.