Today's other stories in brief

Almac wins NI export award 

Craigavon-headquartered Almac, which was founded in 2001 by Sir Allen McClay, has been named as the 2009 Northern Ireland Exporter of the Year.

ING posts second quarterly loss Opsona Therapeutics clarification Almac wins NI export award Peter Bacon to advise Lenihan

Craigavon-headquartered Almac, which was founded in 2001 by Sir Allen McClay, has been named as the 2009 Northern Ireland Exporter of the Year.

The international biopharmaceutical group, which is privately owned, was one of a number of companies whose achievements were highlighted during the Innovation and Export Awards 2009 in Belfast last night.

Hundreds of companies and key business people from across the North celebrated the success of Northern Ireland businesses at the gala black tie event.

Northern Ireland Economy Minister Arlene Foster said the awards served to remind people that despite the current global economic difficulties, the North had much to be proud of.

Other winners last night included Randox Laboratories and Singularity.

ING posts second quarterly loss

ING, the first Dutch bank and insurer to tap a government rescue package, may not pay a dividend this year after posting its second consecutive quarterly loss.

ING fell 3.8 per cent in Amsterdam trading after reporting a fourth-quarter loss of €3.71 billion, or €1.82 a share. That was less than the €3.9 billion loss it forecast last month and compared with net income of €2.48 billion, or €1.18 per share, a year earlier.

ING, which traces its roots to 1743, is cutting 7,000 jobs in a bid to reduce operating costs by €1 billion this year. Following fourth-quarter write-downs of €3 billion, the Amsterdam-based company is focusing on fewer businesses and markets.

Opsona Therapeutics clarification

A report in yesterday’s paper identified Dr Manus Rogan as representing Novartis Venture Fund.

Dr Rogan is, in fact, senior partner at Fountain Healthcare Partners.

Both Fountain Healthcare and Novartis are investors in biotechnology company Opsona Therapeutics.

Peter Bacon to advise Lenihan

The National Treasury Management Agency, which is advising the Government on the recapitalisation of the banks, has appointed economist Dr Peter Bacon as special adviser reporting to the Minister for Finance for a three-month period. A spokeswoman for the agency said that Dr Bacon had been appointed to “enhance” the agency’s team during the recapitalisation process.