Mandates

The Baxters Food Group and the trustees of the Baxters Food Group Pension Scheme have appointed Punter Southall as their full service provider.

The number of schemes awarding managers bond mandates increased by more than 50% in 2009, Towers Watson says.

UK - Babcock International Group has chosen Friends Provident to administer a single defined contribution pension scheme for employees without access to its existing defined benefit schemes.

The London Borough of Newham Superannuation Fund has appointed Barnett Waddingham to provide it with actuarial and investment strategy consulting services.

UK - The Pension Protection Fund has gone out to tender for a global custodian. The incumbent custodian is State Street.

Flintshire County Council has appointed State Street Global Advisors to run a £20m absolute return hedge fund of funds mandate on behalf of the Clwyd Pension Fund.

UK - Overall investment manager search activity increased in the UK during the first nine months of the year in a sign activity is returning to pre-credit crunch levels, Mercer said.