United Kingdom

UK - Pensions administration systems provider Aquila has acquired competitor Lynx Heywood.

UK - Proposed changes in bankruptcy rules will increase the risk of pension funds being left underfunded with insolvent employers, lawyers claim.

UK - Staff on maternity leave will have to be paid pensions contributions for at least 26 weeks when new legislation comes into effect next year.

UK - The Department of Work and Pensions has released a new ‘Pensioners Guide'.

UK - The Ministry of Defence is considering pension provision for unmarried partners in a new scheme to be established early next year.

UK - Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow has strengthened its investment manager research team with the appointments of Ian Peart and Dean Wetton.

UK - Cheney Healthcare is looking to raise £25m for a fund investing in private sector healthcare firms.

UK - A Discussion paper on the role of ethical values in the financial services industry has been put out by the Financial Services Authority.

UK/US - Leading shareholder activist Bob Monks has received an award for his corporate governance achievements.

UK - Goldman Sachs Asset Management has hired a new global equity portfolio manager and two co-heads to its European hedge fund business