Europe

EUROPE - William M Mercer has expanded its global presence through an exclusive strategic alliance agreement with ConsulTeam, a Bulgarian human resources consultancy.

UK - The Investment Management Association (IMA) hopes fund managers will be ready to comply with its code on transaction costs by the end of next year.

UK - Sweeping fast-track changes are speeding cases through the Pensions Ombudsman office at rates which breach its own procedural guidelines.

EUROPE- All European companies will have to report to International Accounting Standards from 2005.

EUROPE - SEI Investments has appointed Alejandro Kerschen as managing director of European partnerships, responsible for SEI's third party distribution business in Europe.

UK - A landmark case on pension clawback is due to be decided shortly after Easter. The case concerns a female school assistant worker - named as Shillcock - who was not allowed to join the pension scheme at the school she worked because of the complex...

UK - Gissings has appointed Griff Williams as head of research in its investment team.

UK - With pensions rapidly rising up both the government's and the public's agendas, it was no surprise that some 240 delegates attended the Pensions Management Institute Spring conference last week.

UK - Pension scheme closures are increasing at an unprecedented rate, new Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) figures reveal.

EUROPE - Pan-European exchange, virt-x, is to launch a new market segment for Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) on May 6.