United Kingdom

UK - UBS Global Asset Management has appointed Terri-Ann Humphreys as head of UK communications.  

UK - Simplification Review chief Alan Pickering has called on the government to scrap unfunded council schemes and bring them into line with current industry standards.

UK - Lax service contracts enable third party administrators to avoid millions of pounds of claims by pension schemes, a leading lawyer claims.

UK - Six Continents' pension schemes have fired JP Morgan Fleming and may make more changes after an extensive this autumn.

EUROPE/UK - A high level source at a top international law firm has lashed out at the European Union for protecting a "hidden agenda" against the UK fund management industry.

UK - New Star Asset Management has closed its second institutional/high net worth offering, the Capital Guaranteed European Hedge Fund, at $130m.

UK - Pensioners from the £1bn Thorn Pension Fund have won the first round in the battle to get back part of the surplus they believe is owed to them.

UK - PSFM, the financial adviser unit of consulting actuaries Punter Southall & Co, has called on the Government to improve the quality of advice around annuity purchases.

UK - Occupational pension schemes are in need of around £100bn if they are to achieve the same level of financial security as the life assurance market, according to ratings agency, Standard & Poor's (S&P).

UK - Mercer Investment Consulting has launched a new web-based global custody database.