FCM M&E Makes Power Move with fresh Acquisition — And It Changes Everything for Events

FCM Meetings & Events (FCM M&E) has just made its first-ever acquisition, and it’s not a small one. 

The global MICE heavyweight has snapped up fresh, the award-winning creative force behind standout brand experiences for giants like Visa, Vodafone, M&S and Samsung.

This isn’t just another industry deal. It’s a statement of intent.

By bringing fresh into the fold, FCM M&E is transforming from a logistics-led events player into a fully integrated experience powerhouse, one that can design, produce, and deliver world-class events from concept to curtain call.

Scale, speed, and serious creative firepower

The immediate impact is huge. The combined UK team will quadruple in size to nearly 100 specialists, with new hubs in Manchester and Edinburgh joining its London base. That’s not just growth, it’s strategic expansion into key creative and commercial centres.

But the real story is capability.

FCM M&E can now offer clients a single, seamless service that covers everything: global travel logistics, event delivery, creative concepting, content production, and even high-end film production, all under one roof. No more juggling agencies. No more fragmented execution.

Why this matters right now

The timing couldn’t be sharper. With 98% of event organisers now prioritising attendee experience, the pressure is on to deliver events that are not just well-run, but unforgettable.

FCM M&E’s EMEA lead, Frits de Kok, says the business has already seen a 50% surge in demand year-on-year, and this move is designed to capitalise on that momentum.

The acquisition of fresh plugs a long-standing gap in the MICE sector: the disconnect between planning and creativity. Now, strategy, storytelling, and execution sit side by side.

From logistics to “standing ovation” moments

This is about more than efficiency, it’s about impact.

With fresh’s creative DNA now embedded into the business, FCM M&E is positioning itself as an end-to-end partner that doesn’t just manage events, but creates experiences people remember.

As fresh CEO Lee Harris puts it, the goal is simple: remove friction, amplify creativity, and deliver measurable ROI — all backed by global infrastructure and smart tech.

The bottom line

FCM M&E hasn’t just expanded. It’s reinvented its proposition.

In a sector where expectations are rising fast, this move signals a clear shift: the future of events belongs to those who can think, create, and execute, all in one place.

And right now, FCM M&E looks ready to own that space.

https://www.fcmtravel.com/en-gb

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AI Needs Power. PoweringAI Thinks It’s Found It

There’s a quiet truth behind all the AI hype: none of it works without serious power and serious infrastructure. 

And right now, Europe doesn’t have enough of either.

Enter PoweringAI, a new pan-European venture with a simple but ambitious idea: stop waiting for perfect sites, and start transforming the ones we already have.

Launched as a spin-off from advisory firm Xynteo (and backed by Leon Capital), PoweringAI isn’t playing the usual data centre game. 

Instead of battling over scarce land and grid connections, it’s going after overlooked industrial and port sites,  the kind of places that already have the one thing AI desperately needs: power.

And it’s not starting small. The company launches with a hefty 350 MW pipeline (with ambitions pushing closer to 500 MW), positioning itself as a serious contender in Europe’s race to build AI-ready infrastructure.

From Rust to Revenue

PoweringAI’s model is as pragmatic as it is clever: take legacy industrial land, plug it into modern energy systems, and turn it into high-performance compute hubs.

Think less “greenfield dream” and more “industrial reinvention.”

It’s a strategy that ticks multiple boxes:

Brings dormant sites back into productive use

Supports local job creation in post-industrial areas

Speeds up delivery by bypassing land and power bottlenecks

Aligns neatly with Europe’s sustainability and circular economy goals

In short: it’s infrastructure with a second life, and a business case.

Why This Matters Now

AI isn’t slowing down. If anything, demand for compute is accelerating faster than most infrastructure pipelines can keep up.

The real constraint? Not chips. Not software. Not even talent.

Power.

PoweringAI is betting that the winners in the next phase of the AI boom won’t just be the companies building smarter models, but the ones solving the unglamorous, foundational problem of where all that compute actually lives.

A Different Kind of Developer

Backed by Xynteo’s industrial network and over a year of groundwork in site origination and development, PoweringAI is positioning itself at the intersection of three forces:

Energy transition

Industrial regeneration

Digital infrastructure

That’s a crowded Venn diagram, but also where the biggest opportunities tend to sit.

The Bottom Line

While others are still wrestling with planning delays and grid constraints, PoweringAI is effectively saying: the infrastructure we need is already here, we just need to rethink it.

If it delivers, this won’t just be another data centre developer. It could be a blueprint for how Europe powers its AI future, faster, smarter, and with a bit of industrial common sense thrown in.

And in a sector obsessed with the future, that’s a refreshingly grounded place to start.

https://wearepowering.ai

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Utilities sector faces communications talent exodus at a moment of peak public scrutiny

The Utilities sector is facing a potential mass exodus of strategic communications talent across organisations including suppliers, networks, regulators and trade bodies, at a time when effective public engagement, transparency and trust-building have never been more critical. 

That’s according to new research from specialist recruitment firm Murray McIntosh.

The Strategic Communications Report 2026 reveals unprecedented levels of workforce mobility within Utilities communications teams, with over half (52%) of strategic communications professionals in the sector planning to move roles within the next six months, while almost two-thirds (64%) have interviewed for a new position in the past year.

The findings signal a sector under growing strain, as communications professionals grapple with rising regulatory complexity, sustainability pressures and heightened public and media scrutiny. With customer trust, affordability, environmental performance and resilience firmly in the spotlight, the loss of experienced communications talent risks further weakening already strained relationships between Utilities providers and the public.

Evolving skills landscape placing further strain on comms teams

At the same time, skills expectations within communications roles are evolving rapidly. Beyond core communications skills, demand is rising sharply for technical capabilities, including data literacy, AI, data science and coding. This reflects the Utility sector’s increasing reliance on digital transformation, predictive analytics and data-driven decision-making to manage complex infrastructure, customer expectations and regulatory obligations. Notably, 82% of communications professionals believe AI has already impacted, or will imminently impact, their role, the highest level recorded across all industries surveyed.

Lauren Maddocks, Associate Director, Policy and Public Affairs at Murray McIntosh, told That's Business: “Utilities organisations are operating in one of the most scrutinised environments of any sector, yet they are at real risk of losing the very communications talent needed to navigate that scrutiny. 

"When public trust is fragile, and expectations around transparency, sustainability and accountability are rising, experienced communications professionals aren’t a ‘nice to have’, they are fundamentally critical.

“Firms that don’t address the upcoming exodus in time and effectively pipeline communications professionals risk a revolving door of talent at precisely the wrong time. At a time when public trust in Utilities is already fragile, employers that fail to recognise just how crucial communications talent pipelining is will find themselves exposed, not just to skills shortages, but perhaps more importantly to reputational and operational risk.”

You can read the report here https://www.murraymcintosh.com/downloadable-content/strategic-communications-salary-labour-report

UK Foundations Hit Record Highs for Transparency and Accountability

The UK’s charitable foundations are stepping up, and the latest Foundation Practice Rating (FPR) report proves it.

The 2025–2026 assessment of 100 grant-making foundations has delivered the strongest results in the initiative’s five-year history, with clear progress in diversity, accountability and transparency across the sector.

Record-breaking performance

This year’s findings highlight a sector moving in the right direction:

12 foundations achieved an A grade overall, the highest number ever recorded

Three foundations secured straight A’s across all categories (diversity, accountability and transparency), a rare achievement

Only seven foundations received D grades across all areas, down from 12 last year

Every assessment criterion was met by at least one foundation, reinforcing that best practice is both realistic and achievable

The message is clear: standards are rising, and more organisations are meeting them.

Real progress—but more to do

Danielle Walker Palmour, Director of Friends Provident Foundation, says the shift is meaningful. He told That's Business: “Five years ago, the Foundation Practice Rating found that as foundations we had work to do especially in diversity. These results show we’re making headway.”

While progress is evident, she also acknowledges ongoing challenges, particularly as the operating environment becomes more complex.

Spotlight on leadership

Among the standout performers is Mission 44, founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton, which achieved a rare “AAA” rating.

The organisation focuses on improving access to education and STEM careers for young people, with CEO Jason Arthur emphasising the importance of inclusion:

“Valuing and listening to diverse voices, particularly young people, is central to everything we do.”

Community foundations lead the way

Community foundations continue to outperform the wider sector. All seven assessed this year received A or B ratings, reflecting strong local engagement and accountability.

Emma de Closset, Chief Executive of UK Community Foundations, credits their success to a grassroots approach: “We’re rooted in the communities we serve. That closeness drives transparency, trust and responsiveness.”

A sector in transition

Despite the positive results, the report also highlights emerging pressures. Some foundations are pausing or closing, while others face increased scrutiny—and even personal targeting of staff and trustees.

This raises important questions about how far transparency can or should go in a changing landscape.

Why it matters for business

For organisations partnering with charities or foundations, these improvements are significant. Stronger governance, clearer accountability and more inclusive practices make for more effective funding—and better outcomes.

As Palmour puts it: “How we fund matters just as much as what we fund.”

Bottom line: The UK foundation sector is improving fast—but in a more challenging environment than ever. For businesses, donors and partners, that makes transparency and trust more valuable than ever.

Read the full report: foundationpracticerating.org.uk/cohort-results-2025-2026

UK Payroll Systems Under Pressure as Year-End Exposes Cracks

As the financial year draws to a close, UK businesses are being hit with an uncomfortable truth: payroll systems simply aren’t keeping up.

New insights from CloudPay reveal that year-end pressures are exposing deep-rooted weaknesses in payroll infrastructure, and many organisations are struggling to adapt.

Legacy Systems Are Holding Businesses Back

For many companies, payroll modernisation isn’t just slow, it’s stalled.

According to the data:

61% of employers say integration complexity is delaying progress

29% point to legacy systems as their biggest barrier

This paints a clear picture: outdated technology and disconnected systems are preventing payroll teams from operating efficiently at a time when precision and compliance matter most.

More Than Just Paying Staff

Payroll has evolved far beyond simply processing wages. It now plays a critical role in:

Maintaining compliance

Supporting business decision-making

Protecting employee trust

Ensuring operational continuity

Yet many organisations are still relying on fragmented, ageing systems that can’t deliver the accuracy or insight modern businesses demand.

A Systemic Problem, Not a Temporary One

CloudPay warns that this isn’t just a seasonal issue driven by year-end workloads — it’s a structural problem across UK payroll.

John Pearce, Chief Customer Officer at CloudPay, highlighted to That's Business that businesses are facing “systemic barriers to progress,” with outdated infrastructure and poor integration limiting their ability to modernise.

At a time when payroll accuracy and employee experience are under increasing scrutiny, these limitations could have serious consequences, from compliance failures to reputational damage.

The Case for Payroll Transformation

The message is clear: payroll transformation can no longer be treated as a future project.

Businesses that invest in modern, cloud-based payroll systems stand to gain:

Greater agility and scalability

Improved accuracy and compliance

Better workforce insights

Stronger resilience in high-pressure periods

Those that don’t risk falling behind, not just operationally, but competitively.

The Bottom Line

Year-end isn’t just a busy period for payroll teams, it’s a stress test.

And right now, many UK payroll systems are failing it.

For forward-thinking businesses, the opportunity is obvious: modernise now, or risk being left behind.

https://www.cloudpay.com