• Financial consultancy Bishopsgate Financial has launched Cirrstra, an online platform that manages and engages with their large flexible talent pool. It aims to meet the challenge of identifying the right temporary staff and contractors quickly, while also ensuring the teams mobilised have access to a central repository of knowledge and tools they need to do their job well.

• Specialist recruitment firm Encore Personnel has opened an office in Peterborough’s city centre led by divisional manager Martin Knowles. The new office is Encore’s 10th in the UK.

• Martin Drake has launched Lancashire-based recruitment agency Higher People. The agency, which works with companies and candidates across Lancashire, aims to change the negative perception of recruitment agencies and provide both jobseekers and businesses with a positive experience throughout their recruitment journeys.

• Multi-sector recruiter Pareda Recruitment has moved to a new head office at Sunderland Software Centre. Pareda supports clients to recruit specialist candidates for the engineering, manufacturing, energy, contact centre, financial services, fintech and professional services sectors.

• Flexible workforce solutions provider The Best Connection has opened a branch in Doncaster to support local people with finding temporary work assignments across the driving, industrial, manufacturing, engineering, logistics and warehouse sectors. The new office is located at Priory Walk near to the city centre.