Rhotic Media appoints editor for Capital Pioneer

Rhotic Media has announced the appointment of Beth Ure (PICTURED) as the new editor of Capital Pioneer, the company’s title covering digital capital markets transformation.

Beth joined Rhotic Media in May 2023 from the Press Association. Since joining the business, she has worked across a wide range of financial sectors including asset management, banking, commodities and payments. She holds an MA in Journalism and has experience as both a reporter and a radio broadcaster.

In her new role, Beth will lead the editorial direction of Capital Pioneer, working closely with Evy Williams, who becomes capital markets correspondent while continuing her work within Rhotic’s customer media division.

The expansion of the Capital Pioneer editorial team reflects the rapid growth of the brand and the increasing demand from financial services organisations for trusted insight, guidance and analysis on the digital transformation of capital markets.

Joe McGrath, chief executive of Rhotic Media, told That's Business: “Beth’s appointment is testament to her professional approach and her sharp commercial mind. During her years with Rhotic, she has demonstrated a willingness to support growth businesses and a natural attraction to innovation. I’m very proud to have her leading such a fast-growing title.”

Beth Ure, editor of Capital Pioneer, said: “As more and more companies search for new ways to innovate and stand out from their peers, I’m excited to take on a new challenge covering the market. This magazine is exactly what the industry needs right now.”

Elizabeth Pfeuti, chief operating officer of Rhotic Media and publisher of Capital Pioneer, added: “Since joining Rhotic, Beth’s acumen as a journalist has been clear, but she has also developed a deep knowledge of how companies within financial services operate across a broad range of business operations. 

"This makes her appointment as editor all the more exciting, as she will be digging below the surface and into how our industry is fundamentally changing at pace.”

Capital Pioneer has quickly established itself as a leading voice in this space, supported by a quarterly print magazine, the annual Capital Pioneer Summit, and The Pioneers, its awards programme celebrating innovation across banking, investment, insurance and payments.

The next awards gala will take place at Shakespeare’s Globe “Underglobe” on 24 April 2026, where global financial innovators will be recognised for their achievements.

Beth took on the new role on February 2nd.

11.48 million beat the Self Assessment deadline

Over 11.48 million people beat the filing deadline and filed their Self Assessment tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by 31 January, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

There were 475,722 taxpayers who waited until the final day to file their return. On the day:

27,456 people submitted theirs in the final hour (23:00 to 23:59)

the busiest hour for submitting a return was 17:00 to 17:59, when 32,982 people filed

HMRC advisers handled 5,409 webchats and 10,483 calls to the helplines which, unusually, were opened on a Saturday to provide extra support to customers on the deadline day.

Over 12 million Self Assessment customers were expected to file a tax return and pay any tax owed for the 2024 to 2025 tax year by 31 January. Anyone who needs to file a return and missed the deadline should meet their tax obligations as soon as possible, as late filing and late payment penalties are charged.

Customers can file their tax return now and pay any tax owed via GOV.UK. One of the quickest ways to pay is via the HMRC app. Time to Pay arrangements are available for those who cannot pay their tax bill in full, if they meet the relevant criteria. A full list of payment options is available on GOV.UK

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, told That's Business:  “Thank you to the millions of people and agents who filed their Self Assessment tax return and paid any tax owed by 31 January. 

"Anyone who missed the deadline should file their return as soon as possible, as penalties and late payment interest may be charged. HMRC digital channels are always the quickest and easiest way for people to sort their tax affairs. Search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”

The penalties for filing a tax return late are:

an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time

after 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900

after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater

after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater

There are also additional penalties for paying late - 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Interest will also be charged on any tax paid late.

Customers will be able to file their Self Assessment tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year from 6 April 2026.

The Postman Who’s Rewiring the £35 Bil Letterbox Industry

With his new CORE One Step® tracking software, ex-postie Mark Redmond is taking leaflet delivery from guesswork to GPS-perfect science.

A former Royal Mail postman has reinvented the centuries-old practice of door-to-door delivery with a breakthrough in tracking accuracy that could reshape the £35 billion global leaflet market.

Mark Redmond, founder of The Private Postman (TPP), has launched CORE One Step®, proprietary software that verifies leaflet delivery down to a single human step — finally solving one of marketing’s most persistent accuracy problems.

From Guesswork to GPS Precision, you can see!

For decades, GPS tracking has been the industry standard for verifying leaflet drops. But in cities such as London, signal drift of 10–15 feet can place delivery data on rooftops or roads. The average distance from pavement to letterbox is just 10 feet, meaning traditional GPS could only confirm a distributor was on the street, not at the door.

CORE One Step® changes that. Built and refined by Redmond’s in-house team, the system measures movement at a single-step level, providing precise, verifiable proof of delivery for every property.

“When we started developing our own software in 2021, we realised everyone was 10 to 15 feet off,” says Redmond. “So, we built a system that is designed for cities and tracks the exact route to each letterbox. It works anywhere there are maps, homes, and a existing door to door leaflet delivery market — that’s around 45 countries, including the US.”

From Royal Mail Dismissal to Disruption

Redmond’s journey began far from the tech world. Once a Royal Mail postman, he was dismissed for misdelivering mail,  a mistake he admits “every postie makes at some point.” With just £20 and a printer, he decided to start again on his own.

“I was living in a bedsit on Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise,” he recalls. “I printed some promotional letters, walked into every shop on the street, and within four hours had £1,500 worth of business. That’s how The Private Postman was born, one street at a time.”

Since then, the company has grown steadily, now delivering over one million leaflets each week across London. Redmond plans to expand nationally before scaling globally, partnering directly with advertising agencies and marketing teams that still rely on outdated offline systems.

“We’re bringing posting into the 21st century,” he says. “Our software makes leaflet delivery as measurable and accountable as digital marketing — but without the data privacy issues.”

Why Paper in 2026? The most sustainable product on earth

With digital marketing channels flooded, paper is making a comeback. Far from being outdated, Redmond argues that leaflets are among the most sustainable forms of local advertising when delivered responsibly.

We see things differently; sustainable paper is planted at the rate of 150 football pitches a day in European forests. Paper trees also takes twenty years before it can be used for paper. In that time it creates only carbon reducing qualities and no waste. We think supporting the paper industry rather than devaluing it (Paperless) is the human way- of change.

You see “Paper is the most recycled and sustainable product on earth,” he explains. “When it comes from FSC-certified sources, printed with bio inks, and delivered on foot — powered only by a good breakfast — it becomes one of the greenest forms of promotion available.”

As The Private Postman looks beyond London, Redmond’s goal is to redefine the way physical marketing is tracked and trusted.

“Leaflet delivery used to be seen as an old-school industry,” he says. “Now, with CORE One Step®, it’s as smart and transparent as any digital campaign — and just as effective.”

For more information, visit theprivatepostman.com

Judicial Review Challenges Mandatory Digital ID Policy for Right to Work

A judicial review has been brought before the Administrative Court (Manchester) challenging the lawfulness of the Government’s advancement of a mandatory digital identity requirement for proving the Right to Work.

The case is titled R (on the application of Proctor) v Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and is before the High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, Administrative Court.

According to the claim documents, the judicial review raises issues concerning whether the policy has been pursued without primary legislation and without publication of a lawful Equality Impact Assessment or Data Protection Impact Assessment.

The claim further raises matters relating to compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, data protection law including Article 35 UK GDPR, procedural fairness, and interference with Article 8 ECHR rights.

The proceedings are currently before the Administrative Court (Manchester).

Further factual information about the judicial review is available here:

https://charlieproctorlaw.substack.com/p/the-secretary-of-state-for-science

The Go fund me link is here ---https://gofund.me/4a0cc0194

Britt Nollé is new MD of PMG subsidiary X-CAGO

Since the beginning of the year, Britt Nollé has been the new MD of X-CAGO B.V., the Dutch specialist for data and content conversion in the international publishing business. 

She takes over from Ingo Kästner, who held the position of X-CAGO MD last year alongside his role as MD of the parent company PMG Presse-Monitor in Berlin.

"Britt Nollé meets the requirements for the position of Managing Director in an outstanding manner: leadership experience, knowledge of international publishing, and strong technical expertise – she brings all of this to the table. 

"She has acquired numerous well-known customers and has permanently strengthened relationships with X-CAGO's partners around the world. These successes impressively demonstrate Britt Nollé's market knowledge and initiative," Ingo Kästner told That's Business.

Her career at X-CAGO began in 2011 in project management, where she was responsible for planning and optimising digitisation processes. She then worked as a key account manager, advising English-speaking publishers and partners of the company. Finally, in recent years, as Director of Sales, she was responsible for the strategic development of sales and the establishment of an international customer base.

On taking up her new position, Nollé said: "Since joining X-CAGO, I have gained comprehensive insights into our organisation, markets and partners. My team and I will actively shape the future of the company, drive forward innovative solutions and strategically develop X-CAGO. In doing so, I always keep our maxim in mind: we are successful when our partner publishers are successful."

Olivera Kipcic, Head of Frankfurter Allgemeine Archive and Rights Management and Chairwoman of the Shareholders' Committee of PMG Presse-Monitor, welcomes Nollé to her new position: ‘Britt Nollé's career represents the perfect combination of continuity and progress, resulting in the sustainable growth of X-CAGO. Ingo Kästner and Britt Nollé will integrate PMG and X-CAGO even more closely and create a state-of-the-art, agile full-service network for publishers and content producers whose services are in demand worldwide.’

X-CAGO is a leading provider of digital conversion, archiving and content transformation services that help publishers unlock the value of their data and publications. With a focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions, X-CAGO delivers technologies that enable publishers, eKiosk providers, app providers and MMOs to thrive in the digital age.

https://x-cago.com

Bystronic completes acquisition of Coherent Corp.'s Tools Section

Bystronic has announced the completion of its acquisition of the Tools for Materials Processing division of the US company Coherent Corp. and is reviving the Rofin brand.

The acquisition will help Bystronic expand into new attractive growth markets such as medical technology, semiconductors, and general manufacturing.

Also Bystronic's portfolio will be expanded to include new laser applications such as micro material processing, marking, engraving, and drilling.

With this acquisition, Bystronic also acquires the rights to the well-known Rofin brand, which will continue as part of the newly created "Bystronic Rofin" business unit.

Bystronic Rofin's versatile laser technologies enable the processing of a wide range of materials, including metal, glass, ceramics, polymers, and organic materials. Due to the wide variety of applications and materials, the acquisition will open up new opportunities in research and development.

Applications for a wide range of industries

"We warmly welcome all customers, partners, and colleagues of the company to our new Bystronic Rofin division," Domenico Iacovelli, CEO of Bystronic told That's Business.

"We are integrating Rofin's successful and pioneering technology into our Bystronic product portfolio, thereby creating a broad range of applications for customers from various industries. Together, we will support our customers in optimizing and further developing their production so that they can remain at the forefront in increasingly competitive markets."

With around 400 employees, the profitable Bystronic Rofin business unit has achieved annual sales of around USD 100 million in recent years. Its headquarters are located in Gilching near Munich.

www.bystronic.com

That's Books and More: New Book, Leading in Chaos, Calls for a Fundamenta...

That's Books and More: New Book, Leading in Chaos, Calls for a Fundamenta...: LID Publishing has announced the publication of Leading in Chaos: A Clarion Call to a New Future From Two Pioneers in Leadership Development...