Debenhams Group has introduced a new agentic AI system to manage sales, stock and pricing during peak season.

Developed by Peak – the Manchester AI firm acquired by UiPath this year – the tech can predict, guide and autonomously act on decisions – enabling much faster reactions as shopping behaviour shifts through Black Friday and into Christmas.

With the busiest trading period for the group approaching, this technology is expected to save the merchandising team’s time each month while significantly increasing the speed and accuracy of decision-making across the group.

Debenhams Group is home to PrettyLittleThing, boohoo, boohooMAN, Karen Millen and Debenhams.

Penfold, the digital workplace pension provider, has surpassed £1 billion in pension assets under administration as more UK employers move away from legacy pension systems that are slow, complex and unengaging for staff.

The company, said to be one of the fastest-growing FinTechs in the UK, now supports thousands of employers nationwide, serving more than 100,000 savers across the UK, from fast-growing startups to SMEs and large established enterprises.

Penfold’s growth has also been driven by adoption from several category-leading global businesses operating in the UK, including Deel, Anthropic and Tide.

Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has announced the promotion of almost 2,000 people across its UK offices.

These including 24 newly promoted partners across its Audit, Tax, Consulting, Risk & Outsourcing, Deals and Central Operations business areas.

Effective from 1 November 2025, the partner promotions follow the appointment of 16 new external partners since January, taking BDO’s partnership to more than 500.

Belfast-based compliance software developer AuditComply has been sold for an undisclosed sum to Toronto-headquartered cloud-based manufacturing software firm Nulogy.

AuditComply has developed a quality management platform which empowers manufacturers in multiple industries to track suppliers, drive higher quality, and increase throughput.

Led by Kevin Donaghy and Susan Fitzsimmons, the company has customers across the world using its software in 20 different languages.

The deal has resulted in a successful exit for Co-Fund NI, which was established by Invest NI and is managed by Clarendon Fund Managers. It invested in 2015 alongside a number of private angel investors, with further investment following from BGF and First Derivatives in 2017 and subsequently from British Business Investments through its Regional Angel Programme.

AI and data upskilling platform Multiverse is partnering with Palantir to upskill NHS staff on the Federated Data Platform (FDP) – a data infrastructure that connects health information, supplied by Palantir.

The two organisations are launching new, FDP-specific apprenticeship programmes to equip NHS staff with the critical AI and data skills needed to use the FDP effectively.

The first cohorts will launch early next year, with a curriculum tailored for a diverse range of NHS roles, including analysts, administrators, managers, and clinical staff.

The firms say the partnership will enhance staff training in support of FDP implementation and broader healthcare data initiatives, ultimately leading to improved patient care and operational efficiency.

Cirata plc has signed its largest-ever contract with IBM and says marks the latest step in its recovery since the appointment of Stephen Kelly as CEO.

The Sheffield company, which also has a HQ in California, has signed a $6.7m, three-year data integration software contract with IBM for a financial services customer.

It is under IBM’s existing OEM sales agreement for the Big Replicate platform.

The firm was founded as WANdisco by Dave Richards. He stepped down as CEO in 2023 during an investigation into a fraud scandal – related to the actions of a single sales employee – and the firm subsequently rebranded to Cirata plc.

Following the £1 billion sale of DCC Healthcare, DCC plc is proposing to return up to £600 million to its shareholders through a tender offer process, subject to shareholder approval.

The Irish sales, marketing and support services conglomerate, founded in 1976 as a venture capital firm and listed in London, is undergoing a restructure announced last year to simplify its business.

It recently also completed the sale of its UK & Ireland tech business for £100m.

The firm intends to acquire up to 11,952,191 ordinary shares from shareholders, representing up to approximately 12.3% of its current issued share capital.

“All successfully tendered shares will be acquired at a single price which will reflect the level of demand from shareholders to sell some or all of their shares within a certain price range,” it said.

 

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Lift Global Ventures plc, an investment company focused on technology and financial media, has rebranded as Yorkshire AI PLC and appointed Dave Richards as executive chair.

The Sheffield-based firm has an ongoing working relationship with Yorkshire AI Labs and has decided to change its name – subject to shareholder approval – to reflect its sharpened focus on AI. He was previously non-executive chair at the firm.

It has also this morning announced a share exchange with IntelliAM Al PLC, a manufacturing AI firm based in Dinnington, South Yorkshire and listed on the Aquis exchange. It now holds 0.45% of the entire share capital of IntelliAM AI.

Multiple-exit entrepreneur Richards is the founder and former CEO of WANdisco. He stepped down following a fraud scandal – related to the actions of a single sales employee – and the firm rebranded to Cirata plc.

Fresh from attending Web Summit in Lisbon, Chris Maguire has come up with his 10 key takeaways from Europe’s biggest tech conference.

Last week’s four-day conference attracted  71,368 attendees; 157 countries; 1,857 investors; 2,725 startups; 869 speakers; and 1,519 publishers, CEOs, editors and reporters.

Maguire, who attended Web Summit with BusinessCloud reporter Patrick Killeen, wrote:  “It sounds like a paradox but at times the event was both overwhelming and underwhelming.

“If I’d got £1 for every time AI or AI agent was mentioned I could single-handedly settle Donald Trump’s $1bn lawsuit against the BBC – and still have change for a private jet.

“The irony for me is that although Web Summit is a tech conference, it’s fundamentally all about people.

“Why else would 70k+ people and speakers as diverse as Formula One boss Toto Wolff; five-time Grand Slam singles champion Maria Sharapova; Anton Osika, CEO of Europe’s fastest-growing AI startup Lovable; and TikTok sensation Khaby Lame, choose to attend?”

Author: Chris Maguire

Lou Cordwell OBE is stepping down from her role as the inaugural chief executive of The University of Manchester’s innovation unit – Unit M.

Described as the ‘front door’ into the university’s world famous talent, ideas and  resources, Cordwell was named as CEO in December 2024.

She’s best known as the founder of Manchester-based digital design studio magneticNorth, which merged with Fluxx in 2021.

Writing on LinkedIn, Cordwell said: “I’m coming to the end of an amazing two-year term at The University of Manchester.

“In that time, it’s been a thrill and a privilege to co-conceive and bring to life the university’s new innovation capability, Unit M.

“We’ve shaped the university’s future innovation strategy, built an outstanding team, mobilised an array of incredible innovation projects, and created a game-changing asset that will benefit the university and the region for years to come.

“Unit M is the first of its kind – a new model for how universities step up to the challenge of driving good growth – and honestly, I couldn’t be more proud.”

Unit M is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge – from R&D through to innovation adoption through to talent and skills – by making the university’s world-class research, innovation assets and talent more accessible to all.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

A UK social commerce platform has debuted on the Nasdaq exchange in New York ahead of a launch in the United States.

WeShop is registered in the British Virgin Islands but headquartered in London, with a base in Manchester.

It combines shopping and social interactions to drive product discovery, retailer growth and community ownership. The company has deposited over 50% of its shares into a trust to be distributed to its shoppers.

WeShop – which partners with the likes of John Lewis, eBay, Selfridges, ASOS, Expedia, British Airways, TEMU and Shein in the UK – plans to launch its app in the US with hundreds of retailers.

Author: Chris Maguire

More details have been revealed ahead of BusinessCloud’s 2025 Northern Leaders awards on November 20^th.

130+ names have been confirmed for Thursday night’s celebration of those people who make the North a better place.

For the second year running, KPMG’s Manchester office will play host to the second Northern Leaders award.

There are 17 award categories up for grabs with leaders coming from across the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humberside.

The 17 categories are:  Outstanding Achievement Award; Champion Award; True Grit Award; Voice for Good Award; Community Award; Property Award; Sustainability Champion; People Award; Charity Award; Rising Star Award; International Award; Philanthropy Award; Education Award; Judges’ Award; Change Award; Tech Award and the overall Northern Leaders Award.

Northern Leaders is invite-only, and unlike most other award ceremonies, there are no shortlists or lengthy victory speeches.

This year’s headline sponsor is OBI, and they’re joined by J.P. Morgan Private Bank, CG, GM Business Growth Hub, Rochdale Development Agency and Lockton.

Author: Patrick Killeen

THG boss Matthew Moulding has revealed a major new partnership between Myprotein and confectionery giant Mars as it continues its rapid global expansion.

Launching on 20th November, the first products from the collaboration – Myprotein x Snickers – will hit shelves just in time for Black Friday, with further tie-ins featuring Bounty, Mars and Twix set to follow soon after.

It follows a year of rapid momentum that has seen the THG-owned business expand aggressively into offline retail and deliver double-digit growth across THG’s Nutrition division.

The collaboration also arrives just 12 months after it faced intense scrutiny over its global rebrand.

Risers:

PPHE Hotel Group – +13.87%

IP Group – +2.33%

Computacenter – +1.91%

Pantheon Infrastructure – +1.43%

DCC PLC – +1.26%

Fallers:

Ceres Power – -11.27%

Goodwin PLC – -8.04%

Qinetiq Group – -5.45%

Atalaya Mining – -5.37%

Land Securities – -5.26%

Just the one company in the FTSE 100 – DCC – has seen its share price rise as of 1:30pm today.

Champions (UK) plc has announced the appointment of Amir Qureshi as managing partner to lead both The NED Advisor and Board Champions.

He will focus on helping grow the flagship divisions which are dedicated to transform how boards and investors access, engage, and empower leadership.

With a distinguished international career spanning global corporations, private equity-backed growth firms, and entrepreneurial ventures, Qureshi will bring over two decades of executive experience to the role.

BGF has joined the Series A extension for T-Therapeutics, one of the UK’s leading innovators in immune-based drug discovery.

T-Therapeutics, which is developing T cell receptor (TCR) therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune disease, has raised a further £24m as part of the extension, taking the Series A total to date to £70m.

BGF and Tencent joined T-Therapeutics’ existing shareholders in the Series A syndicate, including Sofinnova Partners, F-Prime Capital, Digitalis Ventures, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Sanofi Ventures and the University of Cambridge Venture Fund.

Northern Irish AgriTech company farmdrive has closed a £1 million pre-seed round to accelerate the global scale-up of its livestock data and supply chain platform.

The investment – led by TechStart Ventures and Ascension Ventures, with participation from Angel Invest – will fund product development, new hires, and expansion across the UK, Ireland, and
Europe.

Founded in 2023 by two UK entrepreneurs, Gareth McDonald (CEO) and Gareth Gordon (CTO), farmdrive was built based on their own family farm experience to replace the heavy burden of
compliance paperwork with software. Today, the platform is used by over 1,000 beef and dairy farms across the UK and Ireland, tracking over 150,000 cattle, with farmers reporting they are saving at least 6 hours per week on compliance and record-keeping.

Alongside its app for farmers, ‘farmdrive enterprise’ connects meat processors and retailers to real-time supply-chain data, enabling full traceability, 12-month supply forecasting, medication monitoring, and emerging sustainability reporting. Trusted by supply-chain leaders including ABP Linden and Foyle Meats, farmdrive enterprise customers report saving at least 20 hours per week on supply-chain paperwork and movement recording.

GMB Union has signed a landmark deal with Aeralis – the company set to build next generation of Red Arrows – to create 4,000 aerospace jobs.

An agreement was signed by Aeralis chairman Robin Southwell Gary Smith, General Secretary of the GMB, this week.

The company is committed to establishing a major industrial hub in Central Ayrshire, with plans to create more than 4,000 highly skilled jobs nationwide.

In Scotland, the programme is set to generate £600 million in annual exports, among the top three in the country.

Aeralis is the front runner in the race to create the next generation of Red Arrows and is the only bidder offering a British-designed and -built aircraft.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

FRP Advisory Group plc, a national specialist business advisory firm, has acquired Arc & Co Structured Finance Limited.

The deal for the FCA-regulated provider of financial advisory services to the real estate sector is for a consideration of £6.65 million, with £4.85m in cash and shares with a value of £1.8m.

The acquisition is the group’s 15th since IPO in March 2020 and its second in 2025, as it seeks to broaden and deepen its services.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Polarean Imaging Plc intends to quit the London Stock Exchange and re-register as a private company after its share price bombed in recent months.

The commercial-stage MedTech is described as a global leader in functional lung imaging but says its current cash balance is anticipated to fund it only through the second quarter of 2026.

It explained that it needs to raise approximately £15 million from strategic or financial investors during the current cash runway to execute its business plan to achieve profitability.

It is asking shareholders to vote in favour of cancelling the admission of its shares to the junior AIM market on 23rd December 2025.

It added that the costs of being a public company, both in terms of financial and management time, are significant, and also said the public markets “are not fairly valuing the company”.