ESTATE agency Countrywide has appointed former Bupa boss Alison Platt as its new group chief executive.

The company, Britain's largest estate agency by revenue, said its current chief executive Grenville Turner would become non-executive chairman from that date.

It was announced in February that Turner would step down in 2014 to take the chairman's role.

Ms Platt joins from medical insurance provider Bupa where she spent more than 20 years holding senior roles such as managing director of its international development markets business.

Countrywide said the appointment was still subject to Financial Conduct Authority approval.