Nest has announced that its CEO, Helen Dean, will step down from her position in 2024, after nearly eight years in the role.

Dean was one of the architects of the auto-enrolment policy, having previously been tasked with coming up with a solution to the UK’s under-saving in pensions during her 30 years at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

From DWP, Dean moved to The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA), Nest’s predecessor, changing from policy to delivery.

Promoted to the role of CEO in 2015, Dean oversaw Nest's growth into the largest pension provider by membership in the country, receiving a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to pension saving, and is also an advocate for increased diversity in the industry.

Indeed, during her time as CEO, Dean signed the Women in Finance Charter on behalf of Nest, oversaw the creation of Nest’s first diversity groups and published Nest’s gender and ethnicity pay reports, committing Nest corporation to a path of continual improvement.

Commenting on the announcement, Dean stated: “The success of Nest is down to the hard work of many, many people I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years. I’m delighted to have played my part in Nest’s story and can’t wait to watch how it continues to flourish in the future. Nest will always have a special place in my heart.

“It’s important for the continuity of Nest that the board has plenty of time to run a competitive and thorough recruitment process, as the priority will be finding the right person for the role. I’m therefore confirming that I’ll be leaving Nest next year to allow someone else the honour and privilege of this wonderful job.

“With the new scheme administrator contract in place, I feel confident now is the right time to step down and allow my successor to continue driving forward the digital transformation of Nest’s platform.”

Nest chair, Brendan McCafferty, added: “Helen has helped revolutionise workplace saving, and the fantastic position Nest finds itself in is down to her excellent leadership. I deeply value her energy, expertise, and passion for ensuring the Nest project she started all those years ago remains a success.

“Our focus now is the bright future ahead of Nest. We will begin by looking for the best person to fill Helen’s shoes, not an easy task, and I am confident we will find someone who can build on the strong foundation Helen helped create, advancing our digital scheme and providing a world class service, for millions of people across the UK.

“I wish Helen all the best for whatever challenge she chooses to take on next.”

Share Story: