The corporate deals market has bounced back in the South West and is on course for its strongest year since 2010, according to an analysis of recent mergers and acquisitions published by accountancy firm Grant Thornton. Some 142 deals – ranging from acquisitions to management buyouts and flotations –...
SunLife’s social media and outreach manager Sam Gillies has been named Young Marketeer of the Year while the Bristol-based insurer also beat off stiff competition from Aviva and others to win the Content Marketing prize in the Financial Services Forum Awards. SunLife created an entertaining content marketing campaign which...
The CBI welcomed the spending review’s commitment to longer-term investment in the economy but said there was a sting in the tail in the size and scope of the £3m apprenticeship levy. Director-general Carolyn Fairbairn said: “Businesses will be pleased to see the Chancellor staying the course on deficit...
Bristol business experts have given a broadly upbeat reaction to this week’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review. James Durie, pictured below, chief executive of Bristol Chamber of Commerce & Initiative – part of Business West – said it contained some positive news for the city-region. “Once again the ‘builder’...
Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone is to be made bigger to help pay for the much-needed upgrade of Temple Meads station. The extension of the 70-hectare (173-acre) zone, which has already attracted around 2,000 jobs to the area, was included in the announcement of 26 new enterprise zones by...
Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his Autumn Statement and Spending Review. These are the main points: Chancellor says five years ago UK economy was in crisis. Debt will fall this year. £12bn of welfare savings will be delivered in full. Britain has grown faster than any other G7 countries...
An innovative crowdfunding project to raise more than £1m for projects and businesses with positive social and environmental impacts will be launched in Bristol next week. The Better Bristol fund is being set up by Bristol Green Capital Partnership (BGCP), the organisation that helped Bristol win its European Green...
Independent brokers Venture Insurance has found the new offices it needs to act as a base for continued expansion after a long search. Last year the firm announced that a lack of available office space in and around Whiteladies Road in Bristol was frustrating its plans to achieve further...
High-growth businesses in the Bristol area are to be offered specialist support under a scheme launched by Barclays. Called ‘Barclays High Growth and Entrepreneurs’, the initiative is in direct response to what the bank sees as Britain’s ‘scale-up gap’, and will also help the UK compete on the global...
Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his much-anticipated Autumn Statement next Wednesday – and once again Bristol Business News will be the number one media outlet for authoritative live news, analysis and comment. Our team of experienced business journalists will highlight the key measures that are likely to impact on...
Global accountancy group KPMG has made 35 promotions at its Bristol office, including the appointment of three directors. Experienced managers Gemma Broom, Robert Watkin and Tim Spooner become directors in audit, pensions and corporate finance following the annual firm-wide performance review last month. Five further employees have been promoted...
Devolving power over transport, housing and taxes from Westminster to the West of England would boost the economy and help Bristol firms thrive, according to survey results released today. Some 69% of the region’s business leaders backed the idea of giving responsibility for these services to local authorities. Fifty-three...
Bristol-based specialist software firm BOXARR, which works with global aerospace and defence groups, is to significantly accelerate its growth plans after receiving investment of £2m. The funding will allow the firm, the world’s leading provider of Interdependent Systems Management (ISM) software, to extend its geographical reach and advance its...
