Scottish Widows has opened private markets to its workplace pension savers.

The firm has launched two new workplace pension options, Lifetime Investment Plus and Lifetime Investment Extra, giving members access to private market investments through bespoke long-term asset funds (LTAFs). The options will sit within its Lifetime Investment suite and introduce allocations of approximately 11 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, to private markets, spanning private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, and private credit. The growth-phase portfolio is managed by Aberdeen Investments, while the diversified private credit portfolio is managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management, with Scottish Widows also drawing on Lloyds Banking Group’s origination capabilities. Scottish Widows managing director of pensions and retirement, Graeme Bold, said the move was a major milestone in improving long-term outcomes for savers, while Scottish Widows chief investment officer, Kevin Doran, added the portfolios would give members exposure to unlisted growth opportunities alongside diversification benefits.

The London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) has updated its equities dashboard through a new partnership with Minerva Analytics.

The upgraded platform aims to strengthen transparency and accountability around where the LPFA Pension Fund is invested. It will also allow users to filter holdings by detailed sector breakdowns using NACE classifications and by country of incorporation, and to sort companies by their proportion of the Global Equities Fund, managed by Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI). Members will now be able to view the full global equities portfolio of around 220 companies. LPFA responsible investment manager, Paul Hewitt, said the enhancements responded directly to member feedback and provided clearer, more consistent accountability, while Minerva managing director for asset owner solutions, David Crum, claimed the partnership supported stewardship oversight as Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) assets moved into pooled arrangements.

Omnicore, the integrated distribution platform of Fintel Services, and Pension Lab have announced a new strategic partnership.

The partnership will enable Pension Lab's digital Letter of Authority (LoA) technology to be rolled out to advisers and advice firms across Simplybiz and threesixty via Omnicore. It will also give thousands of firms access to Pension Lab’s digital platform, designed to eliminate paper-based inefficiencies and accelerate LoA turnaround times across the full provider universe, supporting Consumer Duty and improving client outcomes. Omnicore managing director, Omni Invest, Fabian Wiesner, said the collaboration would remove a major administrative burden for advisers, while Pension Lab CEO and founder, Scott Phillips, argued that working with Fintel would accelerate the move towards a digital-first advice process.

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