PlaceFirst hires ex-Deloitte project manager

Max King has been appointed as director of projects by PlaceFirst, the Manchester based build-to-rent developer.

PlaceFirst builds and operates private rental homes and aims to deliver more than 1,000 units across the north of England within the next two years. King will be responsible for the control and delivery of these projects, which currently include the £15m regeneration of Woodnook, Accrington, and the £5m transformation of former guesthouses in the West End of Morecambe.

King said: "PlaceFirst is focused on a programme of significant development in the coming years and is a company with enormous potential overseen by a very strong management team. I'm delighted to be joining them at such an exciting time in its development programme and look forward to working alongside a team of such high calibre."

At Deloitte, King worked on the delivery of the £25m Citylabs building for Bruntwood and Manchester Science Partnerships.

David Smith-Milne, managing director of PlaceFirst, added: "Max is a great addition to the team here at PlaceFirst and will bring considerable professionalism and experience to our expanding development pipeline. He has delivered a number of high profile projects and his commitment to managing risk and delivering quality will prove vital in helping establish PlaceFirst as a leading provider of high quality private rental homes."

PlaceFirst's model involves delivering energy-efficient homes that are accessible to low-income households that are increasingly turning to the private rented sector for their housing needs.