Europe

UK - F&C Management and ISIS Asset Management today said that the top-level investment management structure for the enlarged business will have nine direct desk reports reporting to the CIO, Tony Broccardo (pictured).

UK - Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has launched three bond funds focused on total returns for institutional investors and IFAs.

UK - Phoenix Venture Holdings - the owner of car firm MG Rover - has appointed its first non-executive director following criticism of its corporate governance structure.

UK - AXA has appointed fund manager Hermes to run a set of passive funds, which will be added to AXA's broader range of 43 actively managed underlying funds within its group pensions offering.

UK - Two local authorities have brought in technology to enable more of their staff to work from home.

UK - The Inland Revenue has removed an anomaly which had led to the "double counting" of car and fuel benefits in tax calculations.

UK - Workplace problems are the main reason people use employee assistance programmes, a survey by PPC Worldwide shows.

EUROPE - The introduction of the IAS19 accounting standard will change the way companies consider their pension obligations and plan design, according to Eric Steedman, a partner at Watson Wyatt.

UK - Property investment in the West End reached a record high of £1.39bn over the second quarter of 2004, Jones Lang LaSalle claims.

UK - British Airways chairman Lord Marshall has hit out at new corporate governance guidelines which were forcing him to stand down because he reached the age of 70.