Richard Butcher
Sweating it out in the search for yield
Schemes looking for higher yields face more risk. Stephanie Hawthorne asks if they can take it on the chin in today’s feverish environment.
Getting a better bulk annuity price from your insurer
Nimble footwork enables small schemes to compete with the big boys in the buyout market, says Stephanie Hawthorne.
What gets disclosed gets managed
Improving transparency of pension scheme governance will improve accountability, even if members take little notice, says Richard Butcher.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week’s top stories included The Pensions Regulator’s announcement of new measures around the appointment of professional trustees, and the £3bn Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund completing a £1.6bn buy-in with Pension Insurance Corporation.
Trustees face jail threat under 'extraordinary' pension bill provisions
PTL managing director Richard Butcher has warned trustees could face jail under proposed pension schemes bill additions to the Pensions Act 2004.
The smaller scheme's ABC of ESG
While it may be tough for small schemes to manage their approach to ESG-related investment risks, there are ways to meet this fiduciary responsibility, says Richard Butcher
Why changes to SIPs will be positive but not radical
From October, trustees need to show how they are factoring ESG issues into investment decisions. Holly Roach explores why the changes may not be radical but could boost member engagement.
Demolishing the tax structure
Any changes to pensions taxation must be deliberate, planned and controlled, with a clear end objective in mind, says Richard Butcher
TPT, Standard Life and Fidelity receive master trust authorisation
Four more master trusts have received master trust authorisation from The Pensions Regulator (TPR), taking the total number of authorised schemes to 10.
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?
How Brexit could hit PPF entry rights for UK schemes of EU employers
Regulations from the government set out plans to remove protections for UK DB schemes hit by an EU employer insolvency. James Phillips explores the details.
Employer covenant is top risk facing DB schemes amid Brexit concerns, finds PTL
Concern about the potential impact on employer covenants has been rated the top risk for defined benefit (DB) schemes, according to a PTL survey.
PLSA's Butcher: We all have a responsibility to fix the trust deficit in pensions
The industry is at a "brink point" where there is an opportunity to gain savers' trust in the financial system or risk losing them, according to Richard Butcher.
Richard Butcher: Are we on the brink of a new opportunity?
The PLSA's Richard Butcher says we should all work harder to reconnect with the saver, be open with them and tell them the truth
A gift from the FCA, with love
Richard Butcher says not all presents are welcome or easy to enjoy, and the same goes with transaction cost disclosure
PLSA in work to convene cost disclosure template implementation group
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) is in the process of convening an industry-wide group to take forward the work of the Institutional Disclosure Working Group (IDWG).
Investment Association urges FCA to drop 'flawed' DC cost disclosure methodology
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must ditch the methodology used to calculate transaction costs incurred by investment of defined contribution (DC) funds as a matter of urgency, the Investment Association (IA) says.
PLSA shrinks board by four in governance overhaul
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has announced it will shrink its board by more than one-third as part of a governance overhaul to make it "agile and more appropriate".
What do pesto and pensions have in common?
Richard Butcher says we should look to supermarkets' use of science and creative thinking to unconsciously engage with consumers to help our members make better pensions decisions
PTL bolsters Midlands presence with client director hire
PTL has appointed Karein Davie as a client director in its Birmingham office.
TPR wrote 12 letters to trustees over DB transfers in 2018
Since January, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has sent letters on 12 occasions to trustees about defined benefit (DB) transfer activity.
LGIM's Emma Douglas named PLSA policy board chair
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has appointed Emma Douglas as the inaugural chair of its newly-formed policy board.
How schemes conduct beauty parades
In the third and final part of a series on choosing asset managers. Jonathan Stapleton speaks to Richard Butcher and Roger Mattingly about beauty parades.
PLSA urges members to be more active in policy creation
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) needs a greater number of more active members to drive its policy development and arguments, Richard Butcher has said.
