United Kingdom

UK - Cantos, the online video communications service for mainly institutional investors, has hired Andrew Tyler as finance director in response to rapid expansion over the past 18 months.

UK/IRELAND - Swiss group Zurich Financial Services has appointed Lawrence Churchill as chief executive of its UK, Irish and international life units.

UK - The Conservative Party has made Oliver Heald MP - a barrister with a speciality in employment law - its new work and pensions spokesman.

UK - Soaring executive pensions are set to become a major area of shareholder activism, Pensions Investment Research Consultants claims.

UK - Private equity specialist Coller Capital has closed its International Partners IV fund at US$2.5bn (£1.6bn) - well above its initial US$1bn target for the fund.

UK - Credit Suisse Asset Management has strengthened its risk team with the appointment of Pierre-Henri de Monts de Savasse as an analyst, based in London.

UK - Shore Capital, the specialist investment bank has appointed Simon Fine - former managing director and co-head of pan European equity cash trading at Lehman Brothers - as managing director of equity capital markets.

UK - UBS Global Asset Management has hired Bernard Hunter as its new global head of credit research, effective January 2003.

UK - SCOTTISH Equitable pensions development director Stewart Ritchie received an OBE on Tuesday for services to pensions.

UK - Sea-Land Service Pension Plan members are embroiled in a new row with shipping giant Maersk over the costs of winning up the £6.4m scheme.