Financial Services

West Perth-based Mirabela Nickel Ltd has decided to proceed with its US$263 million (A$300 million) Santa Rita nickel project in Brazil, appointing GRD Minproc to provide engineering, procurement, commissioning and construction consulting services.

Coles chief John Fletcher has handed back $1 million of his $4.57 million paypacket. The Australian Financial Review

BOUTIQUE corporate advisory group, New Holland Capital Pty Ltd, has recruited Investec Bank executive Jason Brewer to run its newly established Perth office.

TSG Key Group's David Simmons and Message Group's Kym Illman are among the winners of this year's Western Region Entrepreneur Of The Year awards, founded and produced by Ernst & Young.

San Francisco-based Franklin Resources Inc has returned to Iluka Resources Ltd's substantial shareholder list.

Australian businesses have seen a gradual improvement in the promptness of business-to-business trade payments over the last quarter, but the average payment period in June is still at around 54 days, keeping the pressure on.

Western Australian health insurance giant HBF has taken a major step in its strategy of offering a wider range of financial services by signing a memorandum of understanding with Bank of Queensland.

Fast-growing cash flow lender Benchmark Debtor Finance has been acquired by two Sydney-based financial institutions, Allco Principal Finance and Balmain NB.

A Pilot program at Western Australia's dominant health fund, HBF, could soon be competing with local financial advisers if all goes to plan.

The West Coast Eagles boasted a top line-up in the 1990s and several of their players have gone on to business success.

WEST Coast Group has continued its rapid growth with the recruitment of former Mellon State manager Adrienne Hall.

PERTH law firm Steinepreis Paganin worked on more Initial Public Offerings last year than any other law firm in the country, a national survey has found.

WHEN Kerbing West director Brian Kennewell enrolled in Curtin Business School's growth program, he had more than 20 years of business success behind him.

Dozens of Western Australian small business owners have completed Curtin Business School's growth program. Mark Beyer spoke to two graduates about the lessons they have learned.

THE State Government has confirmed that three types of stamp duty will be abolished on January 1.

FORMER Ernst & Young tax partners Dan Fogarty and Ian Crisp have joined forces to establish a specialist tax practice targeting the corporate and resource sectors.

OCKERBY Real Estate, one of Western Australia's largest residential real estate firms, is switching its banking business from BankWest to Challenge Bank.

THE latest round of changes to State Government taxes could lead to a significant shift in the way businesses are bought and sold.

OSBORNE Park-based finance broker Connaught Capital has become Centrepoint Finance after linking up with the national commercial finance group of the same name.

THE Federal Government has warned there is just four months until the end of the transition to the Financial Services Reform Act.

MYAREE company Tasman Oil Tools changed its bank last year – a move that makes it an exception among small and medium sized companies.

PLANNED revisions to Australian Stock Exchange listing rules are likely to change capital raising activity and may also affect takeover tactics, a recent seminar in Perth has been told.

FINANCIAL planning group Associated Planners has taken an industry lead by refusing to accept ‘soft-dollar' benefits from fund managers.

BUSINESS software company MYOB has partnered with credit management firm D&B to launch a range of account management tools for small and medium sized businesses.

THREE Western Australian companies have been given a five-star rating in a national survey of corporate governance practices.

BUSINESS borrowers should review their cash flow projections to assess the impact of higher interest rates, accountants and finance brokers have recommended.

ACCOUNTING bodies have called on the Australian Tax Office to be more lenient with small and mid sized businesses that breach their GST obligations.

THE use of schemes of arrangement has attracted substantial criticism this year, particularly in relation to the takeovers of BankWest and MIM.

COMMERCIAL lawyer Neal Fearis believes the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has tightened its scrutiny of schemes of arrangement during the past year.

A MAJORITY of chief financial officers is yet to identify the impact of the planned introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Australia, according to a new survey.

ST John Ambulance WA has outsourced its $45 million superannuation fund to Acumen Super.

CREDIT managers attending a conference last week had to deal with the fallout from a struggling telecommunications company.