News

Keith Brown Scotland’s international exports (excluding oil and gas) increased by £460 million to £29.8 billion in 2016, with the 1.6 per cent rise driven by financial and insurance services, according to latest official figures.

Betsy Williamson The drive for greater cost control across financial and professional services in Scotland this year will have a bigger impact on recruitment activity than Brexit, according to analysis published today by specialist recruitment company Core-Asset Consulting.

HM Revenue and Customs has today announced that just over three million customers are yet to complete their 2016 to 2017 returns with only one week to go before the 31 January deadline.

Gerry Mallon Edinburgh-based Tesco Bank has announced the appointment of Ulster Bank boss Gerry Mallon as its new chief executive.

Andrew Bailey In response to high-profile scandals involving major financial firms such as Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and the Clydesdale Bank, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a consultation on plans to give more small businesses access to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has announced the opening of entries for its Top 100 Young CAs competition and is encouraging CAs to nominate peers under the age of 35 who excel and innovate in their field.

A long-running call by the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group (SEC Group) for the use of project bank accounts is now being backed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Jamie Watt Jamie Watt, Partner and IP&T specialist at Scottish law firm Harper Macleod, looks at the business risks associated with cryptocurrency projects, and the potential for it to be a gamechanger

Computer scientists at the University of Edinburgh have identified security weak spots in gadgets that manage personal accounts crypocurrency Bitcoin and have called for improvement to provide better protection against hackers.

Billy Macleod Allied Irish Bank is launching £2 billion of lending funds for medium to large sized businesses across the UK seeking finance for growth.

John Hewitt Peer-to-peer lender Assetz Capital has announced the promotion of John Hewitt to head of its operations in Scotland, North East of England, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man.

Kevin Ellis The number of UK CEOs expecting the global economy to improve over the coming year has more than doubled, according to PwC’s 21st annual CEO Survey published at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

With total annual office take-up in Aberdeen in 2017 surpassing 400,000 sq ft (37,160 sq m) to double 2016 volumes, Savills anticipates 2018 leasing activity in the city will be driven by: infrastructure delivery; improved optimism in the local economy generally; and continued M&A activity in t

Graeme Davidson EQ The role of research and innovation in farming in an uncertain future is due to be explored at a major agriculture conference taking place in Carnoustie, Angus, on 8 February and chaired by Graeme Davidson, partner at Dundee-based EQ Accountants LLP.

Richard Gardiner Dunfermline-based accountancy firm Thomson Cooper has been appointed after Glenrothes-based kitchen manufacturer Murray and Murray Limited was placed into liquidation with the loss of almost 40 jobs.