NEWS

DONALD STUART JOINS MCTEAR WILLIAMS WOOD
McTear Williams Wood has announced that Donald Stuart has joined them as an Associate specialising in banking and business rescue working alongside David Hovell.

ACCA NORWICH SPRING BALL
This is a just a little reminder to ensure that you have booked yourself a place to our Annual ACCA Norwich Spring Ball on Friday 7 May 2010 at Dunston Hall, the Sunningdale Suite. The booking deadline is the 31st of March 2010 and fast approaching.

ICAEW GUIDE TO HELP THOSE FACING INSOLVENCY PUBLISHED
The UK's largest regulator of insolvency practitioners has published a guide to help individuals and businesses affected by insolvency.

ANGLIAN ARCHIVES ACQUIRES NEW PREMISES
Anglian Archives has acquired the freehold of new premises on the City Trading Estate in Norwich, significantly expanding the company's storage capacity in the city.

AVIVA ANNOUNCES £1.3BN PROFITS
Aviva, which employs around 6,000 people in Norwich, made 'significant progress' in 2009 says Group Chief Executive Andrew Moss.

9¾ TIPS FOR PROFITABLE GROWTH
Paul Dodd, East of England Regional Director, The FD Centre

EMPLOYERS - PAYE ATTENTION TO SPRING CHANGES!
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has issued an urgent alert to employers in the East of England; important PAYE changes are coming this spring, so make sure you're prepared for them.

CITY MAKES CULTURAL SHORTLIST
Norwich has made it on to the shortlist of four cities to become the first ever UK City of Culture in 2013 - and we want to get the backing of the whole city as we compete for the prestigious title.

ST ANDREWS HOUSE OPENS ITS DOORS
To a Media Invitation and Photo Opportunity on Wednesday 3rd March 2010 3.30pm - 7.30pm at St Andrews House, St Andrews Street, Norwich NR2 4TP in which Fig will participate.

FINANCIAL INDUSTRY GAZETTE OUT NOW! LOOK OUT FOR YOUR COPY...
Exclusive stories and news from Marsh, Aviva, Swiss Re and Virgin Money. Sign the Norwich in Ninety rail petition now!

NORFOLK IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED FOR MOBILE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION
It's four years since Dr Neil Garner launched his pioneering technology for contactless payment software and neither he nor the business has looked back since.

VALIDUS SHOWS A CUTTING EDGE ON CLAIMS TO THE CREDIT HIRE SECTOR
Keep an eye on Validus-IVC - if only because it is growing so quickly that you might not recognise it in a few years.

VIRGIN MONEY BANKS ON SIR BRIAN
City banking veteran Sir Brian Pitman is joining Virgin Money as Chairman to head a new-look team leading the company into a stronger role in UK banking.

BUSINESS LEADERS URGED TO UNITE IN FIGHT FOR BETTER RAIL LINKS
Businesses across the county are being urged to speak with one powerful voice to improve Norfolk's infrastructure.

CITY WEEK, THE UK INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES FORUM
Monday 20th September - Wednesday 22nd September 2010 
The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London

NORWICH TO HOST ANNUAL TAX CONFERENCE FOR FIRST TIME
Norwich is one of the venues for the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) Annual Conference on 8 June for the first time in its history.

COLLEGE SUPPORTS FINANCIAL CAPABILITY PROJECT
City College has taken part in the first phase of the National Financial Capability Project at the National Skills Academy.

ACADEMY BOARD READY TO WIDEN ITS SCOPE
A new face and wider interests are being introduced to increase the vision and scope of the regional board for the National Skills Academy for Financial Services in Norwich.

NORWICH IN BLOOM
The Norwich in Bloom initiative helps sustain floral displays for all who work, visit and live in Norwich to enjoy.

KNOWLEDGE SO VITAL FOR NORWICH BUSINESS GROWTH
There was a chance to glance into the crystal ball and consider where Norwich's financial industry and other key businesses in the 'knowledge' economy will be in 10 years.

CII EXAM RESULTS
The Insurance Institute of Norwich is pleased to announce the Chartered Insurance Institute's exam results from the October 2009 session:-

RBS REFRESHES ITS INTERMEDIARY PROPOSITION
RBS refreshed its intermediary proposition at the end of January, launching a new core range of mortgages for brokers, a number of exclusive deals with its strategic and corporate partners.

FINANCE SECTOR HELPS WORLD CLASS NORFOLK MESSAGE HIT HEADLINES AGAIN
Our financial services industry is playing a vital role as The World Class Norfolk message continues to hit the headlines.

ifs SCHOOL OF FINANCE GAINS TAUGHT DEGREE-AWARDING POWERS
The ifs School of Finance, a specialist in the provision of financial education, has announced that it has been granted Taught Degree-Awarding Powers (TDAP) by the Privy Council as of the 2nd January 2010.

CENTRAL TRUST SECURES CREDIT FACILITY
Norwich based loans company Central Trust has secured a £90m credit facility which it says will enable it to carry out its planned growth.

MORE JOBS EXPECTED AS VIRGIN MONEY BUYS REGIONAL BANK
Norwich based Virgin Money to acquire private bank Church House Trust.

MARSH TO ACQUIRE HSBC INSURANCE BROKERS
Marsh said the deal will expand its presence in key markets; boost client services and solutions; secure preferred access to HSBC corporate and private clients.

RISK-GRADED MANAGED PORTFOLIO SERVICE LAUNCHED
Norwich-based independent financial adviser Almary Green Investments has partnered with discretionary fund manager Principal Investment Management and the Skandia Investment Solutions platform to offer a managed portfolio service to clients.

AVIVA REPORTS ENCOURAGING FOURTH QUARTER SALES
Long term savings new business performance increases by 21%.

WOMEN'S AGENCY IS PRAISED AS A 'GEM' BY NORFOLK MP
An agency that helps thousands of women every year to get a better economic deal has been praised by Norfolk MP Chloe Smith.

EXAM SUCCESS FOR LOCAL TAX PROFESSIONALS
Local tax professionals were among those celebrating recently when the two leading professional tax bodies announced the results from their November 2009 examinations.

DOUBLE DELIGHT OVER HAYLEY'S SUCCESS
An independent financial adviser from Norfolk has reached one of the highest levels of professional excellence in UK financial services.

NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN APPOINTED
The board of the Financial Ombudsman Service has announced the appointment of Natalie Ceeney CBE as Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive - to succeed Walter Merricks who stepped down in October 2009 after ten years in the post.

WILL POPE TO LEAD REGION'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Leading regional businessman appointed to replace Richard Ellis as the new chair of EEDA.

CIMA APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) is delighted to announce the appointment of Emma Cunis to its senior management team.

UNDERSTAND FUNDING YOUR BUSINESS
If you are starting or growing a business and you're looking for funding of £10,000 or more, you'll need someone to help you work through the different options and identify which type of funding will work best for your business.

SAVE MONEY ON RECRUITMENT
EmployAbility is UEA's Student Job Shop, listing vacancies for paid, voluntary, part-time, campus, casual and vacation work placements.

MONEYFACTS POWERS TESCOCOMPARE.COM
From December, Norwich-based Moneyfacts' website, moneyfacts.co.uk, is providing Tesco Compare with credit card and unsecured personal loan source data to power its comparison site service.

SHOP SAFELY IN THE SALES
The first three quarters of 2009 saw a 33% increase in identity fraud compared to the same period in 2008*, and shoppers are being urged to shop safely in the January sales to avoid becoming another statistic.

CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY ON LONDON GATEWAY PORT
Prime Minister and Business Secretary visited the deep sea port construction site in Thurrock, Essex.

CHARTERED TAX ADVISER AWARD FOR LORRAINE
The East Anglia branch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) recently made a presentation to its Branch Prize-winner from the May 2009 Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) exam sitting.

VIRGIN MONEY TIPPED FOR ROCK BID
Virgin Money was tipped last night as the front-runner to buy the savings and mortgage arm of Northern Rock as the nationalised bank was split into "good" and "bad" companies by the government.

NORWICH INFLUENCES FSA'S RDR PROFESSIONALISM PROPOSALS
Feedback from the Norwich financial cluster has been acknowledged by the FSA in its latest Consultation Paper 09/31 on delivering the Retail Distribution Review.

LMEYE AIMS TO PUT YOUNGSTERS ON RIGHT CAREER PATH
Young people considering a career in the financial sector can now get the latest information from Connexions, a support service for 13-19 year olds.

RBS PROVES AN ACE FOR NORFOLK TENNIS
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is playing a key role in helping develop tennis in Norfolk.

MARCUS TAKES FIG HONOURS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
Marcus Dobbs took the Fig-sponsored Award for Outstanding Achievement at the City College Further Education Awards ceremony.

ICAEW STUDENT OF THE SITTING AWARD
Seven newly qualified accountants, the highest number for several years, are among the latest successes for Lovewell Blake staff in accountancy examinations.

ULR IS A HIDDEN GEM - WITH EXTRA SPARKLE
It would be easy for the 100-strong team at Norwich-based ULR to dwell on an amazing 20 years which have seen it grow to be one of the UK's biggest providers of turnkey accident management services.

SMITH & PINCHING RAISING MONEY FOR EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE?
Smith & Pinching, one of the largest firms of independent financial planners and insurance brokers in East Anglia is committed to putting something back into the community.

N&P TO CUT FOUR JOBS IN NORFOLK
As part of a continuing cost saving programme Norwich and Peterborough Building Society is closing it's Unthank Road, Norwich branch with the loss of four jobs.

EXPERT TACKLES RDR QUESTIONS
The Retail Distribution Review (RDR) is the hot potato of the industry at the moment so the topic prompted a lively debate at a Norwich seminar.

NORWICH CAN BENEFIT FROM CITY WEEK LIMELIGHT
Norwich will have another chance to showcase its blossoming financial sector to the world at a three-day City Week conference in September 2010 at The Brewery and Cass Business School in London.

NORFOLK FINANCE IS WORLD CLASS
Norfolk's financial services industry plays a leading role in a bold campaign to sell the county's world-class qualities to a much bigger audience.

NEW PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S GROUP
A new networking group for professional women across Norfolk will be launched on Monday 7 December 2009.

AVIVA ANNOUNCES NEW UK STRUCTURE AND TEAM
Aviva has announced its new organisational structure and senior management team for its UK business with effect from 1 January 2010.

VIRGIN MONEY GIVING IS UP AND 'RUNNING WITH RICHARD'
'Run with Richard' competition launches not-for-profit fund-raising service. Charities can make £5 million more for every £100 million raised.

RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICE OF THE YEAR AWARD 2009
Risk Management Service of the Year award - UK broker awards 2009

BANKING MADE EASY
Thanks to Norfolk County Council and Norfolk Credit Union.

FINANCE FIRM GOING FOR GROWTH AFTER ACQUISITION
Finance firm Eastern Credit has set its sights on expansion after the acquisition of a finance and leasing business in the East Midlands.

NEW LIGHT SHED ON BURNING ISSUE
The impact of the Retail Distribution Review on the financial industry was one of the key topics at a London conference staged by the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales).

WEST NORFOLK FIRM'S RECORD-BREAKING CHARITY 'POT' GOES TO BREAK AND EACH
Staff at a West Norfolk company have split a £6,000 charity 'pot' between two Norfolk charities, Break and East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH).

ALAN BOSWELL PLANS EXPANSION IN 2010
Insurance group Alan Boswell have given an upbeat verdict on trading through the financial turmoil of the last 12 months - and revealed it is on track to increase turnover and profits in 2010.

PENSIONS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE EASTERN REGION SEMINAR
PMI exam success of Bulisa Nuala was celebrated at the recent Pensions Management Institute Eastern Region Seminar in Norwich.

K T FINANCIAL SERVICES JOINS N W BROWN GROUP
Cambridge based Financial Services business N W Brown Group has acquired a majority stake in Norwich-based KT Financial Services.

MORTGAGE BROKERS OPTIMISITIC ABOUT BUSINESS PROSPECTS
Research conducted by RBS Intermediary Partners has found that mortgage intermediaries are broadly optimistic about the prospects for their business over the coming 12 months.

SHOW THAT YOU LOVE NORFOLK
A new initiative will help Norfolk's businesses support lesser-known charities and good causes across the county.

FSSC APPOINTS INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE
FSSC Appoints Interim Chief Executive to drive forward new approach shaped through industry consultation

£8 MILLION INVESTMENT IN NORWICH
Under a deal between the Homes and Community Agency Partnership and Norwich City Council £8 million will be invested in Norwich and the council will provide a number of sites for new homes around the city.

ULR APPOINTS SHARON NURSE AS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
ULR has announced that Sharon Nurse, previously Customer Services Manager, has been promoted to Operations Director with immediate effect.

CITY COLLEGE SUPPORTS NATIONAL FINANCIAL CAPABILITY PROJECT
City College recently took part in the first phase of the National Financial Capability Project at the National Skills Academy for Financial Services.

LLOYDS TSB COMMERCIAL HAS APPOINTED STEVE ELSOM AS AREA DIRECTOR FOR EAST ANGLIA
LLOYDS TSB Commercial, the division of Lloyds Banking Group which supports small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has appointed Steve Elsom as Area Director for East Anglia.

COUTTS PROMOTES PAUL JOHNSON TO MANAGING PARTNER FOR EAST ANGLIA AND THE THAMES VALLEY
Coutts & Co has announced the promotion of Paul Johnson from Head of Sales & Service Development, based within Coutts' head office at 440 Strand, to Managing Partner for Coutts in the Thames Valley and East Anglia region.

HSBC APPOINTS INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL MANAGER TO SUPPORT CENTRAL AND EAST OF ENGLAND BUSINESSES
HSBC Commercial Banking has appointed Richard Casburn as Regional International Commercial Manager (RICM) to the Central & East of England team.

VAT UPDATE 2010
The standard rate of VAT changes back to 17.5% with effect from 1 January 2010

FREE BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMME
Project Evolve is a government funded business engagement programme designed to support Norfolk-based SMEs and their employees through the economic downturn.

SHAPING NORFOLK'S FUTURE CONFERENCE
Friday 20 November 2009, 9.15 to 12.15 followed by networking lunch

MARSH LAUNCHES DIRECTORS' & OFFICERS' LIABILITY DIAGNOSTIC TOOL
Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk adviser, has launched a new Directors' and Officers' (D&O) liability diagnostic tool for private companies domiciled in the UK.

AVIVA QUARTER 3 INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
Aviva reports £27 billion worldwide sales, significant balance sheet improvement and positive 2009 total profit outlook.

AVIVA UK TO BE LED BY MARK HODGES, CEO AVIVA UK LIFE AND CHAIRMAN OF SHAPING NORFOLK'S FUTURE
Aviva to bring UK life and general insurance businesses together under single UK CEO

IMPROVING TRANSPORT IN THE NORWICH AREA - BUSINESS QUESTIONNAIRE
Norfolk County Council is currently in the process of consulting on the Norwich Area Transportation Strategy (NATS).

EDWARD JONES BOUGHT BY TOWRY LAW
Financial Adviser and Stockbroker Edward Jones, which has had a growing presence in Norfolk, has been sold to Towry Law.

RISE IN PROFITS AT VIRGIN MONEY
Despite the gloomy economy Norwich based Virgin Money saw 2008 profits rise by £4 million to £24.4 million and has applied to the FSA for a full banking licence.

FURTHER EXPANSION FOR ALMARY GREEN AS IFA FIRMS JOIN FORCES
Almary Green Investments has continued its East Anglian expansion strategy through a merger with a financial consultancy based near Fakenham.

YOUR PAPER TAX RETURN
If you were planning on filing your 2008/09 tax return on paper this year, then you've almost missed the 31st October deadline and you could end up with a £100 late-filing penalty.

AVIVA STARTS TRADING ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group, started trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "AV".

UK CLAIMS TOP SPOT AS WORLD'S LEADING FINANCIAL CENTRE
UKTI the government organisation that helps UK based companies succeed in the global economy, reports that the UK is now the world's leading international financial centre according to the World Economic Forum Financial Development Report.

THE TAXMAN WANTS TO TOP UP YOUR WAGES
Many people who are entitled to a cash increase in their income are missing out simply because they assume they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit (WTC), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said today.

MARC WILSON HEADS COMMERCIALPLUS GROWTH
Marc Wilson has joined ULR as CommercialPlus Sales Manager. Marc will oversee the establishment and development of a new commercial legal expenses division.

Fig/ifs PRESTIGE LECTURE - OMBUDSMAN'S THOUGHTS ON A BETTER FUTURE FOR FINANCE
A man with one of the widest influences on the financial industry told a Norwich audience how he thought the sector could rebuild its reputation for the future.

NEW ADDITION TO GROWING TEAM OF IFAS AT ALMARY GREEN
Jane Armstrong has joined the expanding team of Independent Financial Advisers at Norfolk-based Almary Green Investments.

THE RETAIL DISTRIBUTION REVIEW: THE NEW PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR INVESTMENT ADVISORS
Delivered by Katharine Leaman, Manager RDR Professionalism, Financial Services Authority

AVIVA AGREES MORE SUPPORT FOR NORWICH CITY
Aviva has extended its role as main sponsors for Norwich City for an additional season, taking it to the end of the 2011-12 campaign.

HAYLEY EXCITED TO JOIN THE ALMARY GREEN TEAM
Hayley Tink, 31, has joined the team of independent financial advisers at Almary Green Investments and will be based at the Norwich head office in Meridian Way.

PRESTIGE LECTURE - 29 SEPTEMBER 2009 - HERE!
"Building Confidence in financial services - the role of the ombudsman"

WORLD CLASS FINANCIAL SERVICE IS 'NORMAL FOR NORFOLK' CLAIMS COUNTY
Leaders from the Norfolk business community gathered at the Institute of Directors conference suite, Pall Mall, London to launch World Class Norfolk.

STEVEN STEPS UP TO NEW R3 ROLE
Steven Law, partner and head of Business Recovery at Ensors Chartered Accountants, has been elected vice president of R3, the trade body for insolvency professionals.

FINANCIAL APPRENTICESHIPS
More and more financial companies are taking advantage of the financial apprenticeship schemes available locally.

MUCH TO DIGEST AT INSTITUTE DINNER
There was a mixture of fun and finance to digest at the East Anglia Branch annual dinner of the Securities and Investment Institute at Queen's College Cambridge recently.

TOP MARKS FOR SUFFOLK FINANCIAL PLANNER
A financial planner from Suffolk has been awarded the highest certification possible within his profession and achieved a perfect pass mark.

JOY AT SUCCESS OF MONEY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE
Norfolk joined national celebrations at Mansion House for the success of a project to extend money management skills to further education students and other groups, including hard-to-reach communities.

PHILIP SCOTT TO STEP DOWN AS AVIVA CFO
Aviva plc ("Aviva") announces that Philip Scott will step down as executive director and chief financial officer of Aviva at the end of the year, after a career spanning 36 years with the group.

AVIVA REPORTS £747m PROFIT
In its half year accounts to 30 June 2009 Aviva has reported profits of £747m.

ALAN BOSWELL GROUP BACKS CITY WITH NEW DEAL
Supporting the Canaries' 'We're Backing City' campaign, local independent insurance and financial services experts the Alan Boswell Group have entered into a new three-year deal with the Club.

CHANGES TO COMPENSATION RULES
Consumers will benefit from the changes in the FSA Policy Statement on faster compensation payout, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) said today.

HIGH LEVEL OF DEMAND FOR AWARD WINNING FRANCHISE
TaxAssist Accountants, the UK's leading accountancy and taxation service for small businesses with their head office in Norwich, are proud to announce that ten new Franchisees, including one based in Wymondham, have joined their July training course.

FINANCIAL ADVISERS IN NORWICH URGED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS
Following the initial success of the Government's "Train to Gain" initiative, the funding for many financial advisers to obtain ISO 22222 has been extended for a further year.

FINANCIAL BUSINESS LEADERS LOBBY CHANCELLOR
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling discussed views with business leaders yesterday at a private meeting at the National Skills Academy for Financial Services organised by Shaping Norfolk's Future.

SECURITIES & INVESTMENT INSTITUTE RECEIVES ROYAL CHARTER
The Securities & Investment Institute (SII) has announced that an Order of Grant of a Royal Charter was approved by The Queen in Council, paving the way for the Institute to become a Chartered body and for its members to become personally Chartered.

ADRIAN FLUX SPONSORS RAF RALLY TEAM
RAF Marham's Typhoon Rally Team is set to go 'supernova' in a Nova - thanks to sponsorship from private companies including Adrian Flux Insurance Services.

EVOLVE - FREE COURSES
A programme to support individuals and SME's in Norfolk. Individuals - identify and develop skills and career opportunities. Businesses - improve business performance and innovation.

ST STEPHEN'S REGENERATION
A master plan to change the face of the area around St Stephens Street, All Saints Green and the bus station is being drawn up - and the public has a chance to help it take shape.

BFA FRANCHISOR OF THE YEAR SILVER AWARD WINNER
TaxAssist Accountants is pleased to announce that, for the second year running, it has won Silver Award at the British Franchise Association's (bfa) Franchisor of the Year Awards 2009.

HSBC APPOINTS NEW REGIONAL COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
HSBC Commercial Banking has appointed Ian Urquhart as Regional Commercial Director leading its Central and Eastern team to provide greater support for SMEs across the regions.

TaxBUSter
Introducing the bus salary sacrifice scheme.

SWISS RE JOBS SAFE
Swiss Re which last year announced 1,000 job losses worldwide, has now confirmed that its Norwich-based staff will not face redundancy.

LOCAL TRAIN PUNCTUALITY RISES
Network Rail reports an improvement in punctuality of trains in the region.

SOCIETY SCOOPS AWARD FOR FAMILY SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
Norwich and Peterborough Building Society (N&P) has scooped a top award for its range of Family Savings Accounts.

NEW EASCA PRESIDENT
Tim Howes from Norwich has been elected the President of the East Anglian Society of Chartered Accountants (EASCA).

NORFOLK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Local financial companies take their corporate social responsibilities very seriously. Many turn to the Norfolk Community Foundation to assist them in 'giving something back' to Norfolk.

NEW ACCA APPOINTMENTS
New appointments have been announced by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Norwich Members' Network for the year 2009/2010.

TOP AVIVA MAN TO CHAIR SHAPING NORFOLK'S FUTURE
Chief Executive of Aviva UK Life Mark Hodges has been appointed Chairman of Shaping Norfolk's Future, the county's economic development partnership between the public and the private sector.

LORD HURD RELIVES HIS POLITICAL PAST AT COUTTS' DINNER
Lord Hurd of Westwell reflected on his experiences in the House of Lords at a dinner for 50 Norfolk and Suffolk business leaders and entrepreneurs at Hintlesham Hall Hotel, Ipswich.

ACCA NORWICH SPRING BALL
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Norwich Members' Network held its annual Spring Ball recently at Dunston Hall.

UKTI TOP TABLE - CITY IN THE SHOP WINDOW OF THE WORLD
Norwich's financial services industry finds itself in the shop window of the world thanks to the latest initiative to promote the regional strength of the sector.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE NEW FUTURES
Multi-million pound initiatives have been launched to "create new futures" for Norfolk's businesses and staff at risk during the recession.

NEW AUDITORIUM CAN HELP BOOST BUSINESS
An impressive new hi-tech auditorium called The Curve has been unveiled at the Forum in Norwich.

SWINTON AIMS TO CREATE 250 NEW JOBS
Swinton, the UK's third largest insurance company, plans to recruit more than 250 new workers for its Norwich-based call centre to cope with continued growth.

NEW BROCHURE AND WEBSITE POSITION NORWICH AS A KEY CENTRE
Potential investors across the world will learn about Norwich as a leading UK financial centre, thanks to a new brochure and website launched at Norwich Union's (soon to be Aviva's) historic Marble Hall.

CHANGES AT NORWICH UNION LIFE
Norwich Union, which employs 6,500 staff in Norwich, has announced job losses, expected to result in 500 staff cuts in Norwich, as part of the changes to its UK Life operation. Below is its announcement.

PANORAMA ROADSHOW SEEKS ADVICE FROM NORWICH MONEY EXPERTS
Two money experts from Norwich were among a team of elite advisers who took part in a Panorama television investigation on Britain's pensions and savings situation.

AVIVA LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE FOR INDEPENDENT BROKERS
Aviva, ahead of Norwich Union's name change on 1 June, launches a new broker initiative set to offer up to 3,000 local independent brokers unique access to a range of specifically tailored packages and services.

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT INSIGHT FINANCIAL ASSOCIATES
Insight Financial Associates is pleased to announce the appointment of three new Financial Advisors.

STRONG FUTURE FOR NU IN NORWICH DESPITE £885M AVIVA LOSSES
Norwich Union General Insurance Chief Executive Igal Mayer confirms the company will continue to be a major employer in Norwich.

NORWICH RELIES ON INSURANCE TO PROTECT AGAINST A DOWNTURN
Norwich has featured in The Times newspaper as part of a series mapping the UK economy and concluded that Norwich relies on insurance to protect against a down turn on the High Street.

IPSWICH BUILDING SOCIETY - NEW APPOINTMENTS
Ipswich Building Society has announced the appointment of three new Directors.

AVIVA RESULTS 2008
"In a tumultuous year, our underlying business has shown great resilience. Operating profits are up and we have maintained our dividend" - Andrew Moss, Chief Executive

CENTRAL TRUST RESTRUCTURE
Central Trust PLC, the leading UK consumer finance broker which offers personal loans, mortgages and insurance, has announced its intention to restructure the business.

HSBC 2008 RESULTS
HSBC which employs around 3,500 people on the East of England has announced its results.

TWO KEY APPOINTMENTS FOR EXPANDING CITY BROKERS
One of the UK's top 25 insurance brokers, the Norwich-based Alan Boswell Group, has made two key appointments to keep pace with the company's continued growth.

RBS RESULTS - LOCAL IMPACT WILL BE KNOWN IN 3 MONTHS
Royal Bank of Scotland has announced a loss in 2008 of £24.1 billion. Following its strategic review, the impact on staffing in the region will be known in 3 to 4 months.

NORWICH FLIES THE FLAG FOR EMBASSIES ACROSS THE GLOBE
A visit from senior representatives of Embassies from around the world gave Norwich a golden chance to raise the international profile of its financial industry.

TAXASSIST IS ON A NEW HIGH
TaxAssist Accountants is celebrating its higher profile after generating a record number of client leads to its franchisees in 2008 - up 27% on 2007.

GLENN'S NEW ROLE FOR BIBBY
Glenn Colyer is taking on the new role of Business Development Manager in East Anglia as part of the growth plans of Bibby Financial Services.

TECHIES SCOOP TOP AWARD FOR NORWICH & PETERBOROUGH
IT experts at Norwich and Peterborough Building Society (N&P) are so switched-on that they won a prestigious national award from the British Computer Society for innovative work in developing a unique in-house system.

ONLINE CONTINUES GROWTH AS FAVOURED CHANNEL TO BUY MOTOR AND HOME INSURANCE
New research released today shows that the internet has continued its growth in popularity as the most used place to buy motor or home insurance.

AMANDA'S DELIGHT AT CHALLENGING NEW ACADEMY ROLE
Amanda Allen believes she can repay a debt to the financial services industry in her new role as Director of the National Skills Academy for Financial Services in Norwich.

EDWARD JONES DUO REWARDED WITH US TRIP
There was double delight for Norfolk as it provided two of only five Edward Jones' staff from the UK to travel to the United States for the Managing Partner's conference.

NEW CHAIRMAN RELISHES 'UNIQUE' OPPORTUNITY
Philip Easter, previously a key member of Aviva's senior team, has joined the board of Norwich-based Validus-IVC as Chairman.

NORWICH STAMPS ITS MARK ON WORLD MAP
Norwich is set to establish itself even more firmly on the world map as a major centre of finance.

BEYOND 2010
Financial Services Skills Council is helping SMES to access funding for training in the East of England

NORWICH'S FINANCIAL REPUTATION REACHES MORE CORNERS OF THE WORLD
Norwich's international reputation as a vital centre of finance is catching the global eye.