Confidence among West of England firms has plummeted to its lowest level since the depths of the recession in 2009, according to the latest survey of its members by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation. The number of businesses describing themselves as confident about their future slumped by...
Accountancy firm Grant Thornton has appointed Alistair Wardell as head of restructuring for the South of England – a role in which he aims to help Bristol businesses reach their full potential. Alistair, pictured, brings more than 20 years’ experience to the job, most recently as practice leader in...
Cutting-edge legal work by experts from international law firm Osborne Clarke’s Bristol office has helped 10 local government pension schemes create a ground-breaking £27.5bn pension fund investment pool. Brunel Pension Partnership (BPP), which is also based in Bristol, manages the pension savings on behalf of more than half a...
Bruton Knowles, the national commercial property agency, has strengthened its Bristol-based valuations team with the appointment of Brendan O’Haire. Brendan has experience of the buoyant Bristol market having worked in the city since he graduated in 2009 – first with Edward Symmons, then with Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) and...
Reach Robotics, the Bristol-based robotics, augmented reality and mobile gaming firm, has secured a £5.8m investment as its first robots prepare to take part in a global test programme. The funding will help Reach take its MekaMon intelligent gaming robot to market as well as strengthening its team. Reach...
Bristol-based legal expenses insurer ARAG achieved an 11% growth in consolidated income to £12.3m last year despite challenging times for its sector. The firm, the UK arm of the giant ARAG German insurance group, said it expected further challenges over the coming year due to a combination of political...
Bristol’s forward-looking employers now have more time to enter a top awards scheme that champions the happiest workplaces in the West following a decision by organisers to extend the deadline for entries. Staged by Lawrence Hill-based and interior design consultancy Wylde IA, the Happiest Workplace competition recognises firms that...
Exporting firms based in the South West received support worth £3.2m from the government’s export credit agency UK Export Finance (UKEF) over the past year – helping them achieve overseas sales of more than £41m. The figures emerge from UKEF’s latest annual report. The agency works alongside the Department...
Paul Seymour has joined regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming as its new marketing director, based in its Bristol office. Paul arrives from the Bristol office of national law firm Bond Dickinson, where he worked for six-and-a-half years as senior communications manager and, more recently, marketing and communications manager. At...
Bristol-based ‘feel-good food’ café group Friska is aiming to double its number of outlets and expand in cities across the UK after receiving a £3m investment. The firm, which was founded in 2009 by former university friends Griff Holland and Ed Brown, pictured, now operates from nine locations across...
Regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming, which has its largest office in Bristol, has welcomed the brakes being put on Making Tax Digital for business, after the government admitted it needed more time. Sole traders, partnerships and landlords with income above £85,000 were to be forced into keeping their accounts...
Carl Deane, head of accountancy group Smith & Williamson’s audit and assurance team in Bristol, has become managing partner of the Bristol office, replacing Mike Lea, who has been in the role for the past 10 years. Mike takes on the newly created ambassadorial role of office senior partner...
A team from the Bristol office of regional law firm Thrings have advised fibre-optic infrastructure firm TrueSpeed Communications on its £75m investment from insurance giant Aviva’s global asset management arm, which will speed up the roll-out of its network to a further 75,000 homes and businesses in the region. Thrings...
