PP Rising Star Awards 2021 — The winners

The winners of this year's awards - which celebrate the emerging talent in pensions and those supporting them - were announced at an in-person gala dinner last night (24 November).

The awards, now in their third year, recognise and identify the sector's future leaders as well as shine the spotlight on the organisations and individuals that are helping develop and foster new talent in the industry.

The process for the awards began earlier this year, when you nominated your colleagues and companies in their hundreds. Every nominee was then invited to submit a further questionnaire for our independent panel of judges to review and decide the shortlist and our winners.

We had an incredible response to the awards, with around 250 industry rising stars and organisations put forward across the 13 accolades we will celebrate tonight.

Each of our entrants had unique and powerful submissions, with the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown particularly apparent, thereby making this a very tough year for our judges to choose a winner from so many worthy candidates.

The winners in each of the categories were then decided by a distinguished panel of industry judges.

The full list of finalists and winners for 2021 are as follows:

Training Scheme of the Year

Winner: RSM

Award for Supporting Development

Winner: NextGen

Highly Commended: CMS UK

Excellence in Customer Service and Communication Award

Winner:

Lauren Aitchison-Turner, Pension Protection Fund

Highly commended: 

Hannah Swallow, Pension Protection Fund

Investment Trainee of the Year

Joint winners: 

Jennifer Davidson, Lane Clark & Peacock

Panashe Bera, Barnett Waddingham

Investment Manager of the Year

Winner: 

Nikesh Patel, Kempen Capital Management

Highly commended: 

Owen Davies, Russell Investments

Legal Professional of the Year

Winner: 

Tamara Brittan, Pacific Life Re

Administrator of the Year

Winner: 

Matthew Smith, Barnett Waddingham

Highly commended: 

Liam Hanahoe, Barnett Waddingham

Actuarial/Advisory Trainee of the Year

Winner: 

Andrew Hetherington, Lane Clark & Peacock

Actuary/Consultant of the Year

Winner: 

Tom Yorath, Aon

Highly commended: 

Francesca Bailey, Lane Clark & Peacock

Trainee of the Year

Winner: 

Kareen McDonagh, Spence & Partners

Trustee of the Year

Winner:

Rebecca Wood, 20-20 Trustees

Mentor of the Year

Joint winners: 

Jay Harvey, Aon

Daniel Gerring, Travers Smith

Team of the Year

Winner: 

Pension Protection Fund's Contact Centre Team

Rising Star of the Year

Winner: 

Georgia Stewart, Tumelo

Highly commended: 

Matt Dodds, Willis Towers Watson and NextGen