United Kingdom

UK - The chief executive of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), Partha Dasgupta, will stand down from his role in June 2009.

UK - The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has expressed disappointment over the departure of the Pension Protection Fund's CEO Partha Dasgupta, but said it hopes more can be achieved before he leaves in June.

UK - The government is being urged to encourage innovation in pension scheme design, following the release of its risk-sharing consultation.

UK - The number of employees whose defined benefit (DB) pension schemes are held by buyout players will rise to 180,000 by the end of the year, HSBC Actuaries and Consultants (HACL) has predicted.

UK - The Occupational Pensions Trust (OPT) has attacked proposals to change the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) risk-based levy as potentially damaging to funding levels.

UK - Balanced pooled pension funds results for the month of July improved from the previous month, a study by BNY Mellon Asset Services has revealed.

UK - Norfolk Pension Fund, which oversees retirement provision for some 52,000 employees, has awarded an active currency mandate to Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

UK - The majority of low paid workers would be better off not saving in a Personal Account, latest government figures reveal.

UK - Bedfordshire County Council has appointed Hewitt Associates to act as investment manager for its £1.1bn (US$2.05bn) pension fund.

UK - Half of institutional investors in the UK plan to increase their investment exposure to the Gulf region over the next three years, according to Lyxor Asset Management.