Bristol-based Wanda Health has appointed Michael Steel as its new chair, less than four months after it raised £1.9 million in investment. 

Steel brings a combination of operational leadership, board experience and healthcare scale-up expertise. 

He founded Greenbrook Healthcare, a provider of urgent care services to the NHS, growing it into a £40m+ revenue organisation employing more than 700 staff before its acquisition by Totally plc, where he went on to serve as COO and board member.

He has chaired and advised several health-tech startups, including serving as a non-executive director and now chair of DemDx over the past three years.

Steel is also an active angel investor in UK HealthTech and early-stage companies. 

Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in global strategy consulting, including as a Partner at Roland Berger and previously at Booz Allen & Hamilton. 

He also co-founded a 30-person advisory firm that was successfully sold to Roland Berger.

As chair at Wanda Health, Steel will work closely with the leadership team to advance the company’s commercial execution, accelerate strategic partnerships and support the rollout of its platform. 

Wanda has built an intelligent platform for remote patient monitoring and virtual care.

Private equity firm Perwyn has agreed to exit its holding in Manchester-based technology firm Interact Software.

Interact provides a SaaS platform that helps organisations to facilitate internal communication, foster knowledge sharing and boost employee engagement. 

During Perwyn’s investment period, the company has grown ARR and EBITDA by more than 2.5x and serves a broad range of blue-chip customers across North America, EMEA and the Middle East, with its largest markets being the US and the UK.

Derby-based Resonate Group has appointed Carmen Hula as its new CFO to support the company’s next phase of sustainable growth and innovation in digital rail technology.

In her new role, Hula will oversee the company’s financial strategy and operations, driving efficiencies and supporting strategic investment as the business continues to expand its presence across the UK.

She has advised and supported organisations across all stages of growth, from startups to global banks, including PrePay Solutions, HSBC and 101 Ways.

A listed regenerative medical devices company has secured emergency funding to make November payroll and remain solvent.

Tissue Regenix Group plc secured an emergency overdraft of $500,000 from MidCap, its existing lender.

“The company remains in dialogue with its major shareholders with respect to its short- and medium-term funding requirement and expects to provide a further update and post a circular to shareholders later this week,” it said.

Author: Chris Maguire

A Dragons’ Den-backed debit card and app for adults who need help managing their everyday money is looking for £400k to close out its fundraise.

Sibstar’s co-founder and CEO Jayne Sibley took her pitch to Dragons’ Den last year and secured £125,000 in funding from Deborah Meaden and Sara Davies MBE.

Sibstar empowers financial independence with a debit card and app to safely manage everyday spending. Originally aimed at people with dementia it’s now expanded to include other vulnerable adults.

That includes those with learning disabilities and mental health conditions as well as adults at risk of financial abuse or in addiction recovery.

Sibley said: “We’ve raised before from HNW, industry leading Angels and friends of course. This final £400k unlocks everything.

“Want in? Let’s talk. Email me at jayne@sibstar.co.uk. We know what makes Dragons invest. What makes you invest?”

Sara Davies threw her weight behind Sibstar. “If you want to back a founder who’s solving real problems for real people and not just chasing the next trend then this is your chance,” wrote the ex-Dragon.  “Sometimes the best investments aren’t the flashiest. They’re the ones that matter.”

 

 

Sarah Matthews-DeMers has taken over as CEO of AB Dynamics, as planned, succeeding James Routh.

Routh will take the reins at fellow listed firm Victrex from the beginning of 2026. 

AB Dynamics is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced testing, simulation and measurement products to the global transport market.

Today it has also announced a €9.7m contract win by subsidiary Ansible Motion to supply its ‘driver in the loop’ simulators to a major European OEM (original equipment manufacturer).

Author: Chris Maguire

Big news at Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) with the launch of a new Public Company Advisory group and the appointment of Jamie Peel as a senior director in Manchester.

In his new role, Peel will focus on establishing A&M’s public company advisory capability globally, addressing a gap in the mid-market for independent public company advisory services.

Peel is the first member of the new group, with additional senior hires expected in due course.

He joins from PwC where he was a director in the M&A team. Prior to this, Peel was an investment banking director at Zeus Capital, where he worked for 12 years.

Jonathan Boyers, managing director, and head of corporate finance EMEA, said: “The launch of our Public Company Advisory group marks an important milestone in the continued growth of A&M’s corporate finance practice.

“We see significant opportunity to support clients in this underserved part of the market, which will be a key growth driver for the wider business.

“Jamie’s deep expertise and experience in public company advisory will be instrumental in expanding our capability globally.

“I look forward to working closely with Jamie as we build out the team and drive the next phase of our expansion.”

 

Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £23.8 million after it disconnected telecare customers during its programme to migrate customers from a copper-based traditional phone network to digital landlines.

Migration of customers with telecare alarms must be undertaken with appropriate care and tailored support, as any disruption to their device’s connection could have material impacts on their safety.

Virgin Media notified Ofcom about a number of serious incidents related to the migration of telecare customers in November and December 2023. Its subsequent investigation ‘uncovered serious systemic failures in Virgin Media’s migration process’.

Virgin Media failed properly to identify and record the status of telecare customers, it said, with many affected customers not receiving the appropriate level of tailored support through the migration process.

It also found that Virgin Media’s approach to disconnecting Telecare customers who did not engage in the migration process, despite being aware of the risks posed, ‘put thousands of vulnerable customers at a direct risk of harm and prevented their devices from connecting to alarm monitoring centres while the disconnection was in place’.

 Versarien plc, an advanced engineering materials group, has resolved to serve a notice of intention to appoint Leonard Curtis as administrators.

This will protect the company against any creditor enforcement action for a period of 10 working days and allow secured creditors, if they so wish, to appoint an alternative administrator.

Versarien says a rescue deal may still be completed in this timeframe, which would avoid administration.

Consequently, the company has requested a suspension in the trading of its ordinary shares on London’s junior AIM market.

Non-executive directors Sir Iain Gray CBE, Diane Savory OBE and Susan Bowen have resigned with immediate effect.

Author: Chris Maguire

Actor Reece Douglas has provided a heartbreaking update after the death of his ‘legendary’ father Denis.

After finding TV fame on Waterloo Road, Douglas turned to tech and founded Manchester-based social media agency Social Plug before becoming a founding partner at Faraday Labs AI.

Writing on LinkedIn, he said: “Many of you have noticed my absence over the past month. I need to share why.

“On October 23rd, I lost my father, Denis Douglas. He made the decision to leave us, and while I found him at peace, my world has been forever changed.

“I had rushed home to be with him as he asked, but shortly after I realised it was too late. As his son, I’ve been handling his affairs and honouring his wishes during this impossible time.

“My Dad was a Manchester legend – from his days as a bouncer to running the beloved Dougy’s Takeaway on Great Western Street.

“He was a man who found faith in his later years despite facing persecution for it. He was complex, brilliant, and deeply loved.

“To my colleagues and connections waiting for updates on our AI developments – they’re coming soon.

“My friend and I have achieved something special, and I’ll share it when the time is right.

“For now, I’m focused on laying my father to rest with the dignity he deserves. I love you dad.”

 

Microlise Group to cut workforce as global sales hit.

Revealing the 2025 FinTech 50 – true finance trailblazers from across the UK.

boohoo cuts losses but revenue drops amid pivot.

‘Innovate UK scheme is an insolvency accelerator’.

What did Rachel Reeves’ Budget mean for business & tech?

Lindsey Burrow caps glorious night at 2025 Northern Leaders.

Monzo founder appointed by Government.

FTSE firm ‘in wind-down mode’ sees shares dip upon Arqiva news.

Tom Winnifrith v Amazing AI plc: Bizarre dispute heads towards legal action.

S4 Capital issues stock market warning as revenues fall. 

Versarien sale collapses as administration looms. 

Tech-enabled self-pay healthcare group Electiva has made several strategic hires at the end of its first year of trading.

In 12 months, Electiva has rapidly expanded its family of hospitals and specialist brands. It claims to already deliver more self-pay procedures by volume than any other provider in the UK.

The group’s brands include Transform Medical Services – cosmetic, weight loss, orthopaedics and gynaecology; La Belle Forme – advanced aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery; and Electiva Hospitals – purpose-built surgical centres.

Brian Welsh has been appointed as group CEO while Lee McKinnon has been appointed MD of Transform Medical Services and Laura McLaughlin is now MD of Electiva Hospitals Glasgow.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

The UK public markets have remained steady today following Wednesday’s Budget.

The FTSE 100 list of the most valuable publicly-owned companies is up slightly while the FTSE 250 is more or less where it was at the start of the day.

There are few standout risers, but the share prices of notable tech firms Paypoint (2.52%), Oxford Nanopore (2.45%), AO World (1.69%) and Rightmove (1.17%) are all up.

Investors Foresight (1.70%) and Molten Ventures (1.29%) are also up, alongside media giant Future (1.36%).

Raspberry Pi – the low-cost miniature computers firm which floated in June 2024 at a valuation of £542m – is down (-1.87%). It remains 7.5% up over five days, despite having lost more than 50% of its value in the year to date. The firm now has a market cap of £631m.

 

Tata Consultancy Services has extended its long-standing partnership with international retailer Aldi South.

TCS will manage its infrastructure and application services and improve stability and IT operations efficiency across the UK and Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, the United States and Australia.

The deployment of its cloud solution will advance Aldi’s digital advancement by supporting automation, stability and faster time to market. 

Belfast AI firm Whitespace has raised £10 million in Series A funding.

The round brings in new institutional investment from Beach Equity and White Cloud, together with earlier backing secured during its pre-Series-A phase. 

Whitespace will look to scale strategically to meet growing demand across defence, national security, and other high-assurance regulated sectors.

Private equity investment firm Ama Capital has appointed Dominic Miller as its latest operating partner.

Miller is the firm’s 10th appointment this year to an operating partner role and reinforces its operator-led approach to UK SME investments.

A senior business leader who has been through four rounds of successful private equity backing, Miller led 16 corporate acquisitions both in the UK and internationally during his time at buy-and-build Fishawack Health.

In 2001, Dominic co-founded Fishawack Health, a healthcare commercialisation consultancy, growing the business organically and via acquisition, into an international group with over 1,400 employees and 25 offices across North America, Europe and Asia.

He joins founding partners Miles Otway and Ed Ransome, alongside three recently appointed non-executive partners and nine other operating partners, who have held senior roles at global brands, including Accenture, Virgin Entertainment, Mubadala, Dowty, the Co-op Group, Elixirr, Genworth Financial, and the BBC.

In less than two and a half years, the University of Bristol has launched 12 social venture spinouts, each one rooted in academic insight and driven by societal purpose.

Whereas traditional university spinouts are more commonly associated with Science, Technology and Engineering, these startups originate from disciplines such as social sciences, humanities, arts for people and the economy – known collectively as SHAPE.

They include Affempreneurs, which empowers young women micro-entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa with business skills, financial resources and wellbeing support; Circular Agriculture Hub, which connects surplus produce from farmers to communities in need, thereby reducing waste and food insecurity; and Good Grief Festival, which opens up conversations around death and bereavement through creative practices to provide support and community to those who need it most.

Author: Chris Maguire

There have been plenty of hires and promotions in the North West in recent weeks.

Sarah Smith is set to become Warrington Borough Council’s new chief executive. She’s currently executive director of health and social care at Knowsley Council.

As well as celebrating becoming a mum, Chloe Fletcher has just been promoted to the role of director at Alvarez & Marsal. “My 9-5 will look a little different for the foreseeable but I  look forward to drinking hot coffee and having adult conversations with you all again next year,” she said.

Growing North West law firm CG has announced a new partnership  with Bolesworth to become their legal services partner.  Bolesworth is a historic 6,500-acre estate in the heart of Cheshire and under the leadership of managing director Nina Barbour, has evolved into a dynamic hub for enterprise, premium events, hospitality, and long-term strategic development.

Experienced Rich Graham has started a new position as head of digital experience and optimisation at The Fragrance Shop. He’s previously worked at N Brown, musicMagpie and Pharmacy2U.

Sam Saunders has started a new position as customer success director at THG Ingenuity.

Richard Hogg has joined the Manchester office of Forvis Mazars as a VAT partner. He previously spent seven years at BDO.

Author: Claire Cole, senior solicitor, Harper James

The government’s U-turn on introducing day-one unfair dismissal rights will come as a relief to many employers who were deeply concerned about the loss of flexibility in managing new hires.

Moving to a six-month qualifying period still represents a significant shift from the current two-year position, and employers will need to prepare for a much earlier exposure to unfair dismissal claims.

While the change eases immediate fears, it also creates uncertainty. We still have no clarity on how any statutory ‘initial period’ will operate in practice, what procedures will be required, or how probationary dismissals will be treated.

The direction of travel is clear – enhanced rights for workers much earlier in the employment relationship. Employers who prepare now will be best placed to adapt smoothly once the reforms take final shape.

The Government is abandoning plans to allow all workers to claim unfair dismissal from day one, instead proposing a six-month qualifying period.

The decision is a U-turn on a manifesto commitment and follows concerns raises among businesses that the move would dissuade firms from hiring.

The Government blamed opposition to its employment legislation in the House of Lords for the climbdown.

The move is expected to prevent delays to the legislation being passed, which will still grant workers rights to sick pay and paternity leave from day one. The changes will come into effect in April 2026.