Spicerhaart has made two key appointments, both heading up new parts of the business.

Experienced estate agency trainer and coach John Murray has been appointed as the first-ever head of Spicerhaart’s new Property Marketing Academy.

Paul Belson has been appointed as consultant to develop a Build to Rent offering for the group.

Murray, 54, was previously head of training and development for Arun Estates and will now be responsible for training Spicerhaart’s property marketing consultants across its branches of haart, Chewton Rose, Felicity J Lord, Haybrook, butters john bee, Brian Holt, Darlows and Howards.

Murray has had a stellar career and was the primary lister for Mann Estate Agents in 2015 with a winning performance of ‘Most Listings By Any Branch’ within the Countrywide east region subsidiary of about 120 branches.

He started his estate agency career in 2004, establishing Link Up Properties estate and lettings agency franchises in Kent.

He has since been the sales manager and the marketing manager at Mann Estate Agents in Ashford, Kent, and a branch manager and lister at both Bairstow Eves in Dover and at Arun brand Ward and Partners in Canterbury.

Previously, he rose through the ranks in the British Army, starting out with the Royal Signals as a radio technician and later intelligence corps soldier, then becoming a commissioned officer as a military intelligence specialist and trainer.

He has also held training posts in counter terrorism and counter insurgency in Afghanistan and Africa.

Group CEO Paul Smith said: “We’re delighted to welcome John to our team because he is one of the best trainers in the industry.

“The creation of our new Property Marketing Academy with John at the helm complements and strengthens our teams and underlines our commitment to ensuring our staff receive the best coaching possible.”

Paul Belson, who will be leading the new Build to Rent project, was a member of the Government’s Private Rental Sector Taskforce.

At Spicerhaart he will be working alongside the group’s head of landlord services, Kate Hurles.

He said: “Build to Rent is a significant development that is growing in importance within the private rented sector.

“Institutional Investors are committed to the long-term pension matching liabilities and risk diversification offered by this new and rapidly expanding asset class.”

Separately, Howards’ director Mark Hurdle has become a director of Spicerhaart. Howards, in Norfolk, is Spicerhaart’s latest acquisition.

Below, John Murray, centre, with estate agency MD Russell Jervis on the left, and Paul Smith