COMMUNICATIONS firm Daisy Group is set to carry on snapping up rivals as it bids to become one of the UK’s 250 biggest public companies by 2013.

The telecoms business has spent the past year on a £250million acquisition spree after a successful flotation on to the Alternative Investment Market.

And now boss Matthew Riley, the entrepreneur who founded the company from his garage in 2001, has signalled that the takeover strategy is set to continue.

He has also stressed that Daisy HQ will remain at the Lomeshaye industrial estate, despite the company’s bases stretching the length and breadth of Britain.

Mr Riley said: “After the flotation, we immediately had more cash so we went on a spending spree. Acquisitions will remain a big part of our strategy in the next few years.

“There are about 600 communication firms that serve the small and medium-sized business market, as we do, and so far we have bought about 10. So there is still a long way to go.”

Last July’s flotation on to the Alternative Investment Market, the junior version of the FTSE, made 36-year-old Mr Riley an estimated £80million.

It came after he won a year’s mentoring from billionaire Topshop owner Sir Philip Green in a Sunday Times competition.

However, like Sir Philip, who he still speaks to regularly, Mr Riley insists he has no plans to enjoy a cushy retirement.

He said the ‘long-term goal’ was to increase Daisy’s turnover from £300million to £500million, and get on to the FTSE 250 list of the UK’s biggest listed firms.

Mr Riley said: “I want people to think of us in the same way they think of BT now. The FTSE means you are one of the biggest companies in Britain and it raises your profile massively.

“Along with that comes a share lift becomes pensions and others are buying into the company.”