Lumon Corporate has appointed Eliot Bassett as managing director of its corporate division as it looks to differentiate itself in the FX market.

Bassett brings experience from founding Abacus FX and supporting the growth of Alpha Group, supporting businesses from SMEs to FTSE 100 firms on currency risk management and hedging.

The London-headquartered firm said he will focus on expanding its product and service offering to help clients stabilise exposure, improve budget certainty and protect margins.

Storfund has appointed Justin Hanna to lead a newly created partnerships team as the FinTech accelerates its expansion across the eCommerce platform ecosystem.

The London-based company, which pioneered Daily Advance to tackle delayed payouts, has advanced more than $2 billion to eCommerce businesses globally and is now integrated with over 60 platforms.

The new function will focus on embedding Storfund’s liquidity product into payment providers, marketplaces and vertical SaaS platforms.

Hanna joins from NomuPay and has previously held senior roles at Barclaycard and Worldpay, with Storfund reporting 164% customer growth in 2025 and recent launches on Mirakl Connect and TikTok Shop UK.

Haypp has made two senior executive appointments as it targets its next phase of growth in the UK and US nicotine pouch markets.

Svante Andersson will move from group COO to become president of the UK business, having previously joined the company in 2017 as CFO.

The online tobacco retailer said the UK represents its strongest growth opportunity in Europe, supported by a positive market outlook and new legislation expected to be finalised in the next year.

Meanwhile, chief commercial officer Gabriel De Prado will also assume the role of president of the US business ahead of expected market developments in 2026.

AJ Bell has posted a strong start to its financial year, with customer numbers rising by 29,000 in the quarter to 673,000, driven by growth in its direct-to-consumer offering.

The Manchester-based investment platform reported record assets under administration of £108 billion, up 21% year-on-year, supported by positive market movements and higher inflows.

Gross inflows hit a quarterly record of £4.6bn, while net inflows increased to £1.5bn, despite greater disruption linked to UK Budget uncertainty.

Meanwhile AJ Bell Investments grew assets under management to £9.5bn, up 32% over the year, following continued demand for its managed solutions.

Sahres in the company are up by over 5% to 472p so far today.

Kooth, which provides digital mental health support through online platforms, has secured a one-year contract with an undisclosed US state to support up to 100,000 students. 

The deal is expected to be worth $2.6 million and will see the London firm deliver services via its Soluna platform to young people aged 13-18, including behavioural health resources, a moderated peer community and chat-based counselling with state-licensed professionals. 

The rollout will be managed through its existing workforce alongside new in-state counsellors across specified school districts. 

It expands Kooth’s presence in the US, where it now provides services in three states, including California and New Jersey.

Shares in the listed company have risen by over 10% in the first two hours of trading today to 115.78p.

AIM-listed Netcall plc is expecting another period of double-digit growth in line with management expectations. 

Revenue for the last six months of 2025 is forecast to rise 15% to £26.5 million, supported by 11% organic growth and an initial contribution from Jadu, acquired in December 2025.

Adjusted EBITDA is expected to increase 12% to £6.4m. 

The Bedford-based company ended the period with £14.8m in cash and remains debt-free, despite £12.7m of acquisition-related payments. 

Netcall’s market cap currently sits at just over £200m after a strong 12 months, in which its shares have risen by almost 20% to around 118.5p. 

The enterprise software business helps organisations automate processes and improve customer engagement through its AI-powered Liberty platform, used across healthcare, government and financial services.

Next plc has agreed a £3.8 million deal to buy Russell & Bromley out of administration, securing the future of the brand but putting around 400 jobs at risk at 33 stores not included in the sale. 

The footwear retailer, founded in 1879, operates 36 shops and nine concessions, but the Leicester-based retail giant is understood to be taking on just three stores and around 48 staff. 

Next said in a statement: “This acquisition secures the future of a much-loved British footwear brand. 

“Next intends to build on this legacy and provide the operational stability and expertise to support Russell & Bromley’s next chapter, allowing it to return to its core mission, the design and curation of world-class, premium footwear and accessories, for many years to come.” 

The move comes after the FTSE 100 firm raised guidance for profit before tax for the year ending January 2026 by £15m to £1.15 billion, representing 13.7% year-on-year growth, following a strong Christmas performance that saw full-price sales rise 10.6%.

Author: Patrick Killeen

The House of Lords has voted to back a ban on social media for under-16s, increasing pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to accelerate plans to tighten controls on children’s online activity.

The government was defeated on Wednesday after peers approved an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill by 261 votes to 150, mirroring a policy introduced in Australia last month.

The vote comes as Downing Street considers an Australia-style crackdown, having confirmed on Monday that ministers are looking at the option of a legal ban.

However, in the House of Lords, several peers raised concerns about the timescale of the government’s response, pointing to a consultation launched this week that will take three months to complete.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

The takeover battle at Auction Technology Group has intensified after it released its quarterly results.

ATG, which owns 10 marketplaces and connects auction houses with bidders globally, rejected a fresh takeover approach from its largest shareholder FitzWalter Capital at the start of the week and they have taken aim at one another publicly this morning.

Author: Patrick Killeen

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a new £1 billion UK Social Investment Fund at the World Economic Forum in Davos, alongside confirmation of a £500 million investment in UK R&D and manufacturing from biopharmaceutical firm UCB.

The fund, backed by savings and investment group M&G, will target areas facing shortages in housing and transport, as well as communities in need of town-centre renewal and new education and health facilities.

It will also support investment in low-carbon and digital infrastructure linked to the UK’s net zero transition.

Around 850 CEOs of large companies and 64 heads of state have descended upon the Swiss town to navigate an increasingly tense geopolitical climate.

Author: Patrick Killeen

Future plc has acquired digital publishing group SheerLuxe Ltd and BLUSH Talent MGMT in a £39.9 million deal.

The move is designed to strengthen the listed company’s position in fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

SheerLuxe was founded by Georgie Coleridge Cole in 2007 and has grown into a leading UK digital publisher in women’s fashion and lifestyle.

The business reaches an audience of more than 6m, including 2.3m monthly page views, 2.4m social followers, 900,000 email subscribers and 400,000 YouTube and podcast subscribers.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Optalysys, a photonic computing company, has raised £23 million in a Series A extension round.

The round was led by Northern Gritstone with participation from imec.xpand, Lingotto Horizon, and the UK government’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF). 

The investment will be used to accelerate the commercialisation of Optalysys’ proprietary photonic chips and support expansion into the US.

Leeds-based Optalysys initially raised £21m in Series A funding in 2023 while former Arm CTO Dipesh Patel was appointed chair of its board last year.

Author: Patrick Killeen

Currys shares rose by more than 8% to 135.5p today after the electronics retailer upgraded its profit outlook above market expectations.

The FTSE 250 group’s like-for-like revenue growth accelerated to 6% over the 10 weeks to 10th January, with UK & Ireland up 3% and the Nordics up 12%, which it described as a standout performance.

The London-based retail giant said it is gaining market share in the UK & Ireland, supported by strong mobile sales alongside growth in computing and appliances, with omnichannel sales rising 11% year-on-year. 

Off the back of the performance, it now expects group adjusted profit before tax of £180m-£190m, representing 11% to 17% year-on-year growth and ahead of consensus expectations. 

Author: Patrick Killeen

Professional technology training and skills provider IN4 Group has acquired Approved Training Ltd (ATL), a Midlands-based apprenticeship provider specialising in manufacturing and engineering.

The move strengthens the Greater Manchester firm’s national apprenticeship and workforce productivity offer, as it looks to help employers develop skilled, job-ready talent and improve outcomes through levy-funded upskilling.

Established in 2016, ATL has built a strong reputation in apprenticeship delivery, particularly among manufacturing and engineering employers. 

London-based AI LegalTech startup Antidote has raised £3.7 million in a seed funding round as it targets billing compliance.

Founded in 2024, the company helps law firms automate checks against complex outside counsel guidelines, which it says can lead to an 8–12% loss of billable hours each year due to non-compliance.

Its platform reads time entries, compares them with client requirements and firm standards, and suggests compliant rewrites before bills are submitted.

The round was led by Lakestar, with backing from Concept Ventures, The LegalTech Fund and angel investors.

Pharmacy2U has entered the care home sector for the first time with the acquisition of Care Quality Pharmacy, one of the largest care home pharmacies in England.

Founded in 2013, the business provides prescription and NHS services to care home groups, extra care services and domiciliary care agencies, alongside support such as eMAR charts, training, audits and compliance visits.

Pharmacy2U said the deal supports its growth strategy and builds on recent acquisitions including Lloyds Direct and Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor.

Clare Sillery, the commissioning editor behind documentaries including Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams and Taken: Britain’s Forced Adoption Scandal, is stepping down as the BBC’s head of commissioning documentaries, with immediate effect, according to Broadcast.

Sillery, who has spent more than 20 years at the broadcaster, oversaw documentary commissions across BBC TV channels and iPlayer, including titles such as Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, Uprising, House of Maxwell and The Real Mo Farah.

She will still complete two Once Upon a Time documentaries for the BBC.

Her departure follows another senior factual commissioning change, with Channel 4 News recently appointing BBC World investigations editor Marc Perkins as its new senior commissioning editor.

Author: Patrick Killeen

NCC Group has agreed to sell its Escode software resilience business to TDR Capital LLP for a total enterprise value of £275 million.

This means that the firm will become a pure-play global cyber security and resilience company.

The Manchester-headquartered group has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with entities controlled by London-based TDR, with completion expected no earlier than 30th April 2026, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

Escode is the global leader in software escrow and verification services, providing operational resilience and business continuity protection for third-party, business-critical software and data. 

The business delivered FY25 revenue of £66.5m and adjusted EBITDA of £30.9m, with gross margins of 71.4%.

UK defence tech startup Shield Space has raised £2 million to support the launch of its first orbital test flight, as it develops technology to protect satellites from jamming and attack. 

The round was led by the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II via Mercia Ventures, with additional backing from Twin Path Ventures, ROI Ventures and P3A Ventures. 

Founded in 2025 by former UK Space Command colleagues Graeme Ritchie and Dan Molland, the company is building autonomous AI guidance systems that help satellites detect threats and manoeuvre without ground intervention. 

The investment will fund a move into new premises in Lincoln, the creation of five jobs and a test flight planned for early 2027.

Private equity-backed group ITM Communications, Bates IT and Serbus has announced it will unite under a single brand identity as Serbus.

It comes as the combined entity targets growing demand for secure services across the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). 

Backed by Aliter Capital, the business is aiming to double turnover, with a goal of reaching £75 million in revenue within the next 24 months through organic growth and further strategic acquisitions. 

The consolidated group brings together ITM’s infrastructure and communications capabilities, Bates IT’s healthcare expertise and Serbus’s government-grade operational security to create a scaled provider focused on secure-by-design infrastructure. 

The company said its key differentiator is its “security DNA”, rooted in standards from the UK Special Forces, UK Government and National Healthcare, with highly cleared teams operating in critical environments.