Stephanie Baxter
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UPDATED: The UK's biggest pension consulting firms
PP has analysed the accounts of the biggest pension consulting firms and recorded the turnover (revenue) in their most recent accounts. The full leaderboard is below…
LGPS 'should adopt outcomes-based approach' to improve governance
Local government funds should ditch prescribed governance models and move instead towards an outcomes-based approach with minimum standards, a report has proposed.
West Midlands Pension Fund set to absorb transport authority fund
The government is consulting on merging the £0.5bn West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority Pension Fund (WMITAPF) with the £15.7bn West Midlands Pension Fund (WMPF).
Trustee enquiries about bundling admin and investment rise 50% at Aviva
Aviva has seen a 50% year-on-year increase in the number of enquiries from pension schemes that use investment and administration on separate platforms seeking to move to a bundled provider.
Shining a spotlight on professional trusteeship
Matthew Giles looks at how the new standards and accreditation framework will impact professional trustees
PPF weathers the storm but challenges lie ahead
The lifeboat fund is in a good position despite reserves taking a £0.6bn hit. But the ramifications of the EU judgment on member compensation is an area of concern for CEO Oliver Morley, writes Stephanie Baxter
We need legislation on DB transfers
Margaret Snowdon says the industry remains handicapped, regardless of multiple layers of protection adopted on a voluntary basis
Employers say master trusts are best pension for employees
Nearly 60% of UK employers consider defined contribution (DC) master trusts to be the "most suitable" pension fund for their employees, according to research by Buck.
The new rules of engagement for pension funds
Robert Branagh calls on the industry to embrace this new world as an opportunity, not a problem
Five pitfalls to great trustee decision-making
Rachel Croft says over- or under-confidence and not being decision-ready are just some of the things that get in the way
PPF funding ratio falls 4.2 points after absorbing Kodak scheme
The lifeboat fund's reserves have fallen by £0.6bn but investment performance weathered significant market volatility, increasing assets under management by £2bn.
Pensions minister: Saving trends on right track but we must go further
With record numbers saving for retirement, Guy Opperman says we have an opportunity to make it easier for people to engage with their pensions
Affordable housing: A big idea opportunity for pension funds
Brian Cronin says an affordable housing equity fund would provide a lifeline to dealing with the housing crisis and also give a much-needed boost to pensions
Boris Johnson would be detrimental to pensions as PM, say Buzz peers
Boris Johnson would be detrimental to pensions if he becomes prime minister later this month, a majority of Buzz respondents said.
What does Woodford's fund suspension mean for schemes?
The suspension of the renowned manager's equity fund serves some important lessons and highlights the importance of properly managing liquidity, writes Stephanie Baxter
How trustees can react to the regulator's DB funding code
Matthew Harrison looks at what the forthcoming defined benefit funding code of practice means for pension schemes
The dangers lurking in investment manager contracts
Judith Donnelly explains why pension trustees need to review and negotiate investment documents and highlights some of the worst examples of unfair clauses
Unpacking gender inequality
Gregg McClymont says to really tackle the gender pensions gap, the government must look at measures to improve childcare provision across the UK
Sir Ed Davey: Pension funds must divest from fossil fuels and stop worsening the climate crisis
A former energy and climate change secretary has said that by continuing to invest in fossil fuel firms, pension schemes are just making the climate change crisis even worse.
Women in Pensions Awards 2019 - Shortlists published
Here they are - the finalists for the Women in Pensions Awards 2019...
How the declarations of intent regime could prove to be a mixed blessing
The government's proposed framework could hamper good corporate deals, which could affect the sustainability of DB sponsoring employers, writes Stephanie Baxter
Read all about it
Alan Pickering says lay trustees have to subscribe to lifelong learning, often picking up new skills on the way
Pension freedoms - still rather controversial but surely now here to stay
Malcolm Mclean says although he initially supported Freedom and Choice, he is now less certain it was such a good idea given the consequences for the consumer
ESG - it's just more of the same
Richard Butcher says ESG is simply more of the same of what we do now, so why isn't it properly catching on?
Back to Buck: How the consultancy returned to its roots
After many changes in name and ownership over the past 22 years, Buck has gone back to its roots. David Piltz tells Stephanie Baxter why being smaller and nimbler is better
Keep on running: The challenges of a self-sufficiency approach
Boris Mikhailov looks at the risks and benefits for schemes targeting self-sufficiency
All pension customers should be treated equally
Ros Altmann urges the industry to address injustices and inefficiencies, and engage in direct-to-consumer marketing that promotes pensions properly for the mass market
So what's your value for money?
Henry Tapper shares his thoughts on how IGCs could provide value for money statements that people wanted to read
My concerns over DB data and dashboard
Paul McGlone says let's start with the basics, re-unite members with their DB schemes, and provide some very basic information
PIP buys onshore wind farms for £50m
Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has sold its portfolio of onshore wind farms across the UK and Ireland to the Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PIP) for £50m.
LISA or a pension pot… or both?
Michael Johnson compares a pension pot with a Lifetime ISA from the perspective of a millennial
SSGA 'revolutionises' pooled LDI sector with funds launch
State Street Global Advisors has created a solution to help small to medium-sized defined benefit (DB) schemes access benefits typically only available for larger segregated mandates.
Some sponsors face a nasty Brexit surprise from their DB schemes
Marc Hommel says some employers are insufficiently prepared to engage their trustees on how they intend to manage liquidity and other adverse aspects resulting from Brexit
A bulk annuity market innovation for small schemes
The challenges for small pension funds to buy out their liabilities are well-known. A solution has emerged and is set to become popular across the DB universe, writes Stephanie Baxter
We have more to do on pensions scams
Margaret Snowdon says while there has been progress on tackling scams, particularly on cold calling, trustees are not out of the woods yet
Uncovering the depths of hidden talent
The PLSA's Caroline Escott says investors and stakeholders must continue to ask for better information on issues that affect the motivation, skills and productivity of the workforce
We should welcome TPR's involvement in the LGPS
John Gray predicts teething problems ahead and says regulation will result in a cultural shock for some schemes
One third of schemes have calculated transfer values for GMP equalisation
One third of schemes have calculated transfer values for guaranteed minimum pension (GMP) equalisation, according to last week's Pensions Buzz respondents.
A Brexit-obsessed government is not all good for pensions
Steve Webb says the sooner government as a whole, and HMRC in particular, has the bandwidth to return to the domestic agenda, the better it will be
The big issue with small pots
Troy Clutterbuck says action must be taken by all involved to ensure that the £400m - and growing - of unclaimed pension savings are not lost entirely
'We need to talk': How mediation could help save troubled pensions relationships
Rory Murphy says a bona fide mediation process could provide valuable evidence of reasonableness for trustee and employer alike
Targeting the key to DC success
Targets for retirement income can help individuals improve outcomes for retirement. Paul Waters looks at how such an approach can work
New insights into Antipodean pensions
Both New Zealand and Australia are assessing myriad complex pension policy options. David Harris says the UK would do well to study these developments
Railpen cuts costs further and brings more investment in-house
RPMI Railpen is in the next step in the journey towards achieving cost disclosure. Victoria Bell tells Stephanie Baxter about taking part in the Cost Transparency Initiative's pilot phase
Incisive Media acquires The Financial Services Forum
Professional Pensions' publisher Incisive Media has acquired the Financial Services Forum, a membership community for marketing professionals across financial services.
The future of master trusts
Lesley Carline explains why the PMI is setting up an industry-wide master trust group and how it will help provide a collective voice for those running and providing services to schemes
Brexit may turn out to be an oddly golden era for pensions
Robin Ellison says the one great advantage of the Brexit experience has been the inability of government to pass much new legislation affecting pensions
How to build successful infrastructure partnerships
The way pension funds invest in infrastructure is changing, with a partnership approach becoming increasingly popular. Stephanie Baxter reports