Business & Technology
Pinion cuts 25% finance review time with MindBridge AI
KAREN JOY BACUDO
Finance Editor
Pinion has integrated MindBridge’s AI platform into its financial review work, cutting time spent on a recent complex engagement by 25%.
The consulting and accounting firm, which focuses on food and agriculture clients, said a pilot with a new client reduced the workload on a review engagement from about 200 hours to 150 hours. The process also gave its team a broader view of the client’s operations.
Pinion had already used MindBridge for external audit work before expanding its use to review engagements. The move was part of a wider effort to change established processes and reduce reliance on manual sampling in favour of analysis across an entire dataset.
That shift proved important in the pilot because the client had been dissatisfied with the pace of work and the level of interaction required by other accounting firms. Pinion said the new process helped it handle a large volume of data more efficiently while improving the quality of discussions with the client.
Instead of checking selected samples by hand, the firm used anomaly detection across the full set of financial data. This helped staff identify trends earlier and ask more targeted questions during the engagement.
Process change
The pilot involved a new client that Pinion selected as a suitable test case for a different review method. The firm serves businesses across the food and agriculture sector, including tractor manufacturers and logistics providers, and said the result has changed expectations for future projects.
Jenn Tozlian, Principal at Pinion, described the aim as improving the review process without lowering standards.
“I wanted to see if we could optimise the review engagement process, reducing the total time spent while still delivering a high-quality outcome. It was incredible to not only avoid any major issues on this first-year engagement, but to exceed expectations on all fronts. The client was extremely complimentary about the experience. They appreciated how smooth the process was, the timely delivery, and how well-informed we were about their business. I truly believe that taking the time to set them up with MindBridge and dive into their needs made a significant difference in the outcome,” Tozlian said.
The outcome suggests that firms under pressure to complete assurance-related work more quickly are looking beyond labour-intensive methods. In this case, the benefits were not only shorter review times but also a deeper understanding of the client’s business.
That can affect both staff workload and client relationships. Moving away from manual processes allowed employees to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on analysis and discussion, according to Pinion.
Broader pressures
MindBridge, which sells AI software for financial review and audit work, said the result shows firms can shorten engagements without weakening oversight. It also linked the issue to wider staffing constraints in the profession.
“The results achieved by Pinion highlight the immediate value of adapting modern methods for complicated review engagements. By reducing the total time spent on a 200-hour engagement by 25%, the team has proved that significant efficiency gains do not require a sacrifice in quality. This allows professionals to focus on higher-value work and use our platform to find operational details that lead to more productive client discussions. This is critical when you consider balancing the pervasive theme of talent shortages with operational efficiency while maintaining coverage,” said Sarah McGinnity, General Manager of Audit & Assurance Solutions at MindBridge.
The figures disclosed by Pinion indicate the engagement fell from 180 to 200 hours to 150 hours, which the firm described as a reduction of 20% to 25%. The result has also increased internal confidence in using the approach on similar work in future.
For firms in specialist sectors such as food and agriculture, where clients can span manufacturing, supply chains, and transport, the ability to quickly review large sets of operational and financial information can shape how much time teams spend gathering evidence and how much they spend interpreting it. Pinion said the pilot showed that a fuller examination of data could also improve the quality of client conversations.
Business & Technology
Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students
Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.
The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.
To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.
Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.
Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.
Business & Technology
Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years
The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.
The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.
A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).
“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.
What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?
“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”
The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.
The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.
Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.
An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.
What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?
Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”
It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.
Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”
The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.
Business & Technology
Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.
Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.
“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.
“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.
“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”
The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.
Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.
However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.
All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.
They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.
With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.
The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.
The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.
If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.
The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.
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