Agenda

Full agenda to be announced...

Timings for the day:

08.30 - 09.00: Registration and refreshments

09.00 – 09.05: Chairman’s opening remarks

Robert Branagh, Former CEO, London Pension Fund Authority (LPFA)

09.05 – 09.35: Opening keynote speaker: The PPF at 20: Reflections on two decades of the PPF and the future that lies ahead

Shalin Bhagwan, Chief Actuary, PPF

This year marks 20 years of the PPF. Over this time, the PPF has consolidated over 1,100 DB schemes with almost 300,000 members and now manages more than £32 billion in assets.Hear from the PPF chief actuary, Shalin Bhagwan, as he reflects on the changes to the DB landscape and funding over this period, how this has impacted the PPF’s levy estimate, and what it means for the levy going forward.He will also look ahead to the future of the UK pensions system – reflecting on what the market might look like in 20 years’ time and how the PPF can grow and evolve over this period.

09.35 – 10.00: The Pension Schemes Bill – evolution or revolution?

Andy Lewis, Partner, Sackers

The Pension Schemes Bill was laid in Parliament on 5 June with the intention to “transform the £2 trillion pensions landscape to ensure savers get good returns for each pound they save, and drive investment into the economy”. This session will give an overview of the key policy proposals and consider the implications for DB and DC pension arrangements.

In particular, it will focus on:

- Options for use of surplus in DB schemes

- The new DB superfund regime

- DC megafunds

- Guided retirement products and default decumulation strategies

- The VFM framework

- Solutions for small pots

Has the Government risen to the challenge of seeking to deliver long-awaited reforms while at the same time putting in place a system that is fit for the future? And can the changes assist with the UK growth agenda at the same time? Sackers partner, Andy Lewis, will share his thoughts and highlight the key considerations for trustees and those involved in running occupational pension schemes.

10.00 – 10.25: The Changing Landscape for DB Pensions

Andrew Reid, Head of the Defined Benefit Relationship Management Team, BlackRock

As the regulatory environment shifts for pensions in the UK, Defined Benefit (DB) schemes are entering a transformative phase. With improved funding levels, the potential for increased flexibility to access surpluses, and the rise of the new ‘superfund’ concept, crucial decisions will need to be made about how to manage the unique challenges of pension liabilities. This session will provide guidance on how to navigate this changing environment.

10.25 – 10.50: Surplus extraction is here: Time to invest like an insurer?

Lara Edmonstone-West, Head of Solutions Distribution, L&G

Mathew Webb, Head of Endgame Solutions, L&G

The government is making it easier for well-funded DB schemes to release surplus, when ‘safe to do so’, and trustees will need to set out their proposed approach to surplus extraction as part of their statement of strategy. While we wait for further legislation and guidance to implement these proposals, in this session we will look at how trustees can start to plan now, to prepare to ‘invest like an insurer’ to preserve their low-dependency funding level and seek to grow a surplus, while retaining flexibility to pivot to insurance in the future.

10.50 - 11.20: Coffee break

11.20 – 11.45: BPAs: Endgame Planning Meets Government Policy

Alex Oakley, BPA Transaction Manager, Standard Life UK

As DB schemes approach their endgames, BPAs are playing an increasingly important role, not only in de-risking DB schemes, but also in aligning with broader economic and policy objectives. This session explores the evolving BPA market, clarifies their place in long-term endgame planning, and highlights how insurers are contributing to the UK government’s growth agenda.

11.45 – 12.10: Pensions dashboards – hitting the mark?

Geraldine Brassett, Senior Consultant, WTW

This session will delve into the two key objectives of dashboards: Increasing saver engagement and reconnecting savers with lost pensions. Geraldine will explore how trustees and scheme sponsors can evaluate changes in member behaviour, assess whether the dashboard’s objectives are being achieved, and determine what actions are necessary to understand and improve the saver journey. This should provide valuable insights and practical takeaways for the audience.

12.10 - 12.35: Session details coming soon, proudly sponsored by Lumera 

12.35 – 13.00: Modernising Retirement: Inclusive Strategies for a Changing Workforce

Shaily Sodha, Strategy Partner, Gallagher Communications

Sonya Poonian, AI Transformation Director, Employee Experience, Gallagher

This session will examine the gender pensions gap not just as a data point, but as a call to reimagine how the pensions industry supports savers. Gallagher will discuss the role of communications in empowering members to make informed decisions, and how schemes can evolve to better reflect the realities of modern working lives. Looking ahead, the session will touch on how technology and AI could help unlock new ways to engage, personalise, and drive equity across the retirement journey.

13.00 – 14.00: Lunch break

14.00 – 14.25: Differentiated global quality - investing in high quality companies, leaders in their industry, to protect and compound capital over the long term

Christopher Rossbach, Co-Founder, Managing Partner and CIO, J. Stern & Co

The World Stars Global Equity strategy aims to deliver long-term capital growth through investing in a concentrated selection of high-quality, large and mega-cap companies. It is an active, unconstrained strategy which invests in leading companies only in four broad sectors - technology, consumer, healthcare & life sciences, industrials & infrastructure. The investment approach is research-intensive, fundamental and bottom-up, with low turnover and relatively long holding periods. Our companies are typically leaders in their industry or a significant part of it. They have sustainable competitive advantages, financial strength and a management team with a track record of delivery. Clients invest alongside the Stern family and partners who own c.20% of our $2.5bn AUM.

14.25 – 14.50: How Technology will really change Pensions and Retirement

Paul Kitson, Head of UK Consulting, EY

In this session, EY will separate the science from the science-fiction and examine all the ways technology will change pensions in the future. EY will look across all facets of retirement, including the role of technology in changing communication approaches, the impact technology will have on life expectancy and the shape of future retirement, as well as look at the role for AI tooling in pensions administration, advisers and (yes) around the Trustee table.

14:50 – 15:15: Spink 360: The Global Rise of Britain’s Oldest Auction House

Gregory Edmund, Head of Numismatics, Spink

The Auctioneering world can be bewildering to outsiders, with only pop culture references as their modest gauge.

Spink will give you exclusive access "behind the rostrum" to explain how private collectors and respected institutions have honed their collecting techniques to protect their real-world numismatic and philatelic acquisitions in the 21st Century.

The omnipresent allure of history, rarity and intrinsic value is the last well-kept secret of the "self-investment" class. With appreciable CGT and VAT exemptions at play in the second-hand market space, this informative and entertaining talk is sure to be a highlight of the conference.

15:15 – 15.45: Session details coming soon, proudly sponsored by Gateley 

15.45 – 16.15: Closing keynote speaker (further details to come)

16.15: Close of conference and drinks reception