United Kingdom

UK - The £25m Wyman-Gordon Retirement Benefits Plan has dropped William M Mercer and appointed Vantage Global Advisors (VGA) as its consultants.

UK - Credit Suisse Asset Management (CSAM) - the institutional and mutual fund management arm of Credit Suisse Group - has acquired SLC Asset Management (SLCAM) for an undisclosed amount, in a move that is likely to result in some job losses.

UK - Aon Consulting has made a top-level appointment with Anthony Parish joining as customer service director in the firm's pensions administration practice.

UK - Rothschild Asset Management (RAM) has appointed Abdallah Nauphal as its new head of fixed income & currency.

UK - Proceedings have begun in the court case between Unilever and Merrill Lynch over claims that Mercury Asset Management, the fund manager taken over by Merrill Lynch, acted negligently in managing the Anglo-Dutch giant's pension fund.

UK - The £750m Cambridgeshire County Council Pension Fund is on the lookout for a global custodian and an investment manager for a private equity fund of funds portfolio.

UK - Royal London Asset Management (RLAM) has established a new private equity joint venture, named Royal London Private Equity (RLPE).

UK - AXA Investment Managers has enhanced its equity research team with the addition of two new analysts covering the financials sector.

UK - The £400m London Borough Croydon Pension Fund has dumped Edinburgh Fund Managers from a £47m UK small-to-mid caps active equity mandate, citing volatile market conditions as the reason behind the move.

UK - Hopes for an 11th hour out-of-court settlement in Unilever Pension Scheme's £130m negligence claim against Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM) have risen.