• Global executive search firm Amrop has opened a new office in Vienna, Austria. The global Amrop Partnership has appointed Gabriele Gradnitzer and Sandra Schrögenauer to represent its Amrop brand and business in Austria. Gradnitzer and Schrögenauer take over Amrop’s Austrian business from Günther Tengel. Tengel will take on the role of international senior adviser to the firm and will accompany the business transition with selected long-standing clients.

• HR technology firm Connectr has launched its candidate Renege and Decline Calculator, designed to give businesses the financial and operational implications of losing talent during the hiring process due to candidate dropouts, ghosting and declines. Connectr’s digital calculator applies a formula that analyses a short data set provided by businesses to benchmark an average renege rate and cost per hire. Reneging is when a candidate initially accepts a role offer but later backs out and declines. It then uses insight to generate a projected new candidate conversion rate and renege reduction rate and an annual business saving.

• Payroll firm Deel has launched two new products – Deel Shield and Deel API. The firm says Deel Shield offers businesses “the most secure level of contractor compliance”, allowing them to unlock global hiring with zero misclassification risks and liability. Deel API offers companies and developers worldwide the ability to supercharge and globalise their HR products with its hiring software.

• Diversify the Future, a new foundation, has launched thanks to funding from US-based technology and engineering recruitment firm Engtal. It was founded to empower the next generation of talent in tech and wider STEM industries by providing scholarships to access STEM education. The scholarships are open to Chicago-based residents attending any college or university in the US. Engtal says for every underrepresented candidate they place, a donation of at least $1k (£895) will be made to the scholarship fund.

• Global employment platform Multiplier has launched an IT assets and equipment feature that helps automate the purchase, setup and return of assets such as laptops and monitors for global companies that hire overseas employees. It will use a cloud service where customers can select from an online catalogue of hardware products available for employees worldwide where local prices and availability are displayed in real-time.

• Sharkfin Consulting has opened a new office in Manchester, headed up by Dean Duignan. The firm was founded by managing director Katie Dowling, who was previously global head of talent & development at G2V Recruitment Group and recruiter Opus Talent Solutions. Sharkfin has offices in Bristol, London, Tampa (in the US) and the Thames Valley.

• SkillsNow has launched a new HR Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform to help customers hire, train and develop digital workforces within one modular solution. The platform has been built to address challenges with hybrid and remote-working and learning at its core.