News in brief: Modelling agency picks new talent and more

THE modelling agency which discovered glamour model turned reality television star Jordon has appointed a Leeds-based agency to create its new website.

An Agency Called England will work with Samantha Bond Management to create a new website to suit the company’s corporate image and to make the most of new technology to help showcase the models.

Samantha Bond Management is one of the UK’s best-respected model agencies and has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with the behind-the-scenes BBC3 series Glamour Girls.

Christina Michael, model booker at Samantha Bond Management, said: “Samantha Bond Management is proud of its 30 year heritage, but we felt that a fresh, elegant image was now needed for the website. An Agency called England has created a site which delivers easily accessible information for our clients. The stylish and uncluttered design mirrors our corporate branding, and though we don’t ignore our heritage, the site firmly positions Samantha Bond as a contemporary model agency.”

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CHINA has overtaken the UK as a key country for investment in renewable energy sources according to a new report.

Ernst & Young’s Renewable energy country attractiveness indices showed China displaced the UK in the top five most attractive countries for investment in renewable energy for the first time in five years.

The UK dropped from fourth to sixth place in the All renewables index and from second to fifth place in the Long-term wind index.

The report shows that China is diversifying its energy supply by incorporating more sustainable sources into its rapidly expanding energy generation mix.

Jonathan Johns, head of renewable energy at Ernst & Young, says that the Chinese success story has been driven, in part, by the Government’s renewable energy policy which aims to generate 15% of the country’s energy from non-carbon sources by 2020.

The US retains the top spot on the all renewable indices, followed by Germany, India, China and Spain rounding out the top five. In addition to the UK and Germany, the report includes updates on the renewables markets in the US, India, Spain, Australia, Italy and Ireland.

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DIGITAL agency Rippleffect, based in Liverpool, has secured a three-year contract to carry out a major overhaul of an airport group’s websites.

The digital specialist won a three-way pitch to re-develop websites belonging to The Peel Airports Group, consisting of three airports across England.

The brief will see Rippleffect redesign websites for Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Durham Tees Valley Airport and Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Rippleffect plans to construct a new consumer site for each airport that will enable improved data collection and will allow easier booking of flights and car park spaces.

The new sites’ search engine intends to be user-friendly, whilst still maintaining a sophisticated content management system.