Zoopla has scaled up its external communications team with the appointment of Tom Parker as head of communications and Melissa Scarlett as PR manager for B2B and corporate activity.

The appointments follow Zoopla’s acquisition by private equity firm Silver Lake and the creation of a new executive team.

Parker has joined from Amazon, where he was senior corporate communications manager. At Zoopla he will be responsible for leading external media strategy for trade, corporate and consumer audiences, providing an integrated programme of activity that aligns with the company’s sales and marketing activities.

Scarlett was associate director at Edelman, where she specialised in corporate communications for blue-chip clients in the real estate sector.

Parker and Scarlett will build on Zoopla’s consumer PR programme which is delivered by Consumer PR Manager, Tim Vooght.

Chief marketing officer Gary Bramall said, “Over the last year we’ve been hard at work building a business that comprises a range of impressive individuals with experience in disruptive sectors to reflect our ambitions of becoming the UK’s #1 property destination. With their respective backgrounds in technology and real estate, both Tom and Melissa are a central component to how we continue to communicate the benefits of our business and our successes as we achieve them.”

Parker commented, “Zoopla is a fantastic brand with unrivalled data, insight and expertise and plays a vital role for buyers, sellers, renters and landlords alike. I’m delighted to join the company and am hugely excited about working with such a forward-thinking leadership team as we harness our abilities to transform the UK property market.”

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