Prudential UK has appointed Simon Webb as commercial manager in its corporate solutions team.

THE search is under way for the Pensions Personality of the Year - and once again we are asking you, our readers, to decide the final shortlist.

GLOBAL - Private pension schemes lost an estimated US$5.4trn in 2008, prompting fears over the sustainability of retirement plans, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

EU orders BT to pay £16.6m penalty over 'unfair advantage' held by pension fund; Savers sacrificed to rescue economy

CANADA - The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System has announced that its strategic investment arm has bought the asset management arm of Guard Resources (GRL).

GLOBAL - Fund managers have sharply conflicting views on how the current downturn will play out, Hewitt Associates says.

CANADA - Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) has said it will double the funding of its pension plan due to poor asset performance.

Three more schemes entered the Pension Protection Fund during last month, resulting in a further 745 people around the UK receiving compensation either now or in the future, the PPF reveals.

NETHERLANDS - APG, the Dutch pension fund investor with around €200bn (US$256.8bn) of assets under management, abstained from voting on the decision to sell parts of banking group Fortis to BNP Paribas, causing the motion to be defeated.

Real estate performance analysis provider IPD has launched an online flexible benefits scheme for its 200 employees.