West of England businesses are warning that the economic recovery from the pandemic is at risk due to growing inflationary pressures and worker shortages. A third of the 250-plus firms taking part in the latest quarterly survey by regional business group Business West said they had to increase their prices due to rising input costs. ...
Accountancy and advisory firm Grant Thornton has promoted private tax director Richard Marsh to partner. He will now lead the firm’s South region private wealth team. Richard, pictured, is the first head of the team, which brings together specialists from Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford, Reading and Southampton. He is also responsible for supporting ultra-high net worth...
The South West’s key sectors could suffer irreparable damage unless the government starts to tackle the shortage of workers by easing EU visa restrictions, the region’s business leaders today warned. But even providing temporary visas for jobs such as drivers and food workers would only be a short-term measure and ministers must also come...
Outsourcing group Capita is to sell its Secure Solutions and Services business to international IT group NEC in a deal expected to be worth around £62m. Chippenham-headquartered Secure Solutions and Services (SSS) supplies IT to the police, criminal justice, emergency services and critical responder sectors across the world. These range from control room and...
Specialist funder Bibby Financial Services has appointed Steve Bentley as head of sales for the South West to consolidate its support for the region’s small and medium-sized businesses. Steve, pictured, has more than 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry, with more than half spent specialising in invoice finance. Based in Bristol, he joins...
Staff from Wiltshire specialist inhaler firm Vectura have been barred from attending a pharmaceutical industry conference days after its controversial £1.1bn acquisition by tobacco group Philip Morris International (PMI). In an apparent rebuff by academics over the deal, Chippenham-based Vectura was stripped of its sponsorship of a major lung health conference due to take...
Global accountancy group PwC has appointed partner Richard Cleary to the role of risk leader for its West & Wales region. Richard, pictured, has more than 20 years’ major transformation programme experience across numerous sectors, including retail, utilities and defence, and is PwC’s commercial markets leader nationally for technology and data. His focus in recent...
Green power supplier Good Energy looks to have repelled the latest takeover approach from arch-rival Ecotricity after it emerged that holders of just 1.8% of its shares have accepted the offer. Ecotricity already had 4,169,948 shares in Chippenham-headquartered Good Energy - equivalent to a 25.1% stake – before pouncing for a fourth time in...
Optimism among South West firms in the economy is increasing as the region continues to recover from the pandemic, according to a new survey, but businesses have become less confident about their own prospects. The latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking shows confidence levels among firms in the South West dropped month-on-month by four...
Directors in the Swindon area are being invited to enter the top regional awards scheme recognising excellence and enterprise in the boardroom. The annual Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year Awards seek to champion outstanding leaders and entrepreneurs in both the public and private sectors. Award nominations are open to anyone working at director level in...
