United Kingdom

UK - Corporate governance experts have backed property developer Quintain Estates and Development over ‘innovative proposals' to be put to shareholders.

UK - The asset value of Majedie Asset Management, the specialist UK equity investment boutique, has climbed to £750m since its inception just 18 months ago.

UK - Trade union officials are threatening legal action if the Hilton group does not increase contributions to its UK final salary scheme.

UK - The European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association Institute is holding a financial officer and fund administration course on September 7-10.

UK - The Trades Union Congress (TUC) plans to step up its campaign for extending compulsion in pensions provisions later this month when it debates a report from its pensions task group at its Brighton Congress.

UK - Privately-owned investment management firm Baillie Gifford & Co has had a £7m fund management mandate renewed by the Scottish Parliamentary Contributory pension fund.

UK - Group 4 Securicor has been forced to scrap plans to merge two final salary schemes due to protected rights regulations.

UK - The Life Board of the Actuarial Profession has appointed Nigel Masters as chairman for the coming year.

UK - Hyman Robertson has selected Comino to provide next generation third-party pension scheme administration software.

UK - British pension funds produced an average investment return of 1.1% in the second quarter of 2004, the result boosted by positive equity performance across the board, research has shown.