Tim Hodgson

BlackRock

Head of the UK DC Platforms and Retirement Solutions

The retirement landscape is changing rapidly, as the industry shifts from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, meaning individuals have more responsibility and choice over how they save and spend their retirement income.

To support individuals achieve better outcomes in retirement, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has proposed a new requirement on pension schemes to offer their members retirement products and services that meet their needs and preferences. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has also put forward a number of principles for how it wants the 'at retirement' market to develop, such as ensuring good governance, clear communication, and appropriate investment strategies.

In this session, we will share insights from the UK and overseas on how the industry can respond to these changes and provide DC members with a sustainable income in later life. We will discuss solutions that manage the journey both to and through retirement, and the need for combining investment, technology and lifetime income into default design.

Nick Meredith

Equisoft

Products Director

Occupational pension transfers in the UK are in flux. Manual processes, legacy technology and a mix of disparate systems still contribute to long transfer times and poor outcomes for consumers. But a more unified and streamlined pension transfer space is coming into being.
Attend this session to find out how pension transfers have been evolving over the past decade—including why, already increasing transfer volumes, are set to increase even faster going forward.
Discover how the effects of recent and future initiatives such as those from DWP and TPR could impact transfers. And hear how integration and automation are streamlining the transfer process in the occupational pensions world.

Sarah O’Sullivan

Phoenix Group

Head of Strategy and Regulatory Change

Kieran Mistry

Standard Life

Senior Business Development Manager

A forward-looking analysis of the regulatory landscape and its implications for the DB de-risking market, including anticipated regulatory reforms and their expected impacts on insurer decision-making, from risk management to the investment universe.

Chris Budd

Institute for Financial Wellbeing (IFW)

Founder

One of the biggest reasons people struggle to engage with their pensions is the difficulty we have in connecting with our future selves. We like our fun now, not put off until later! In this talk, Chris Budd explores our relationship with money – financial wellbeing – and provides ideas on how to increase employee engagement with their pensions

Sarah Luheshi

Pensions Policy Institute (PPI)

Deputy Director

Tim Middleton

PMI

Director of Policy and External Affairs

What should the incoming Government’s pensions priorities be? PMI’s Director of Policy discusses the issues that should be top of the agenda with Simon Kew, Head of Market Engagement at Broadstone, and Sarah Luheshi, Deputy Director at the Pensions Policy Institute.

Katya Gorbatiouk

London Stock Exchange

Head of Investment Funds, Primary Capital Markets

Tom Simmons

London Stock Exchange

Director, Private Markets Development

Mohammed Zaheer

Infrared Capital Partners

Director, Listed Investor Relations

Investment in private markets is on the rise, as capital allocators are pressed to achieve higher potential risk-adjusted returns, access a broader range of alternative asset classes, while seeking to benefit from additional portfolio diversification.

With a growing range of structures available that provide exposure to private assets and positive pension industry reform, UK pension funds are well positioned to capitalise on new investment opportunities.

In this panel, senior representatives from the London Stock Exchange and Infrared Capital Partners will cover the following topics:

• Accelerating the pace of pension reforms and the new aspirations for pension capital
• Accessing alternative and difficult-to-source assets via listed investment companies
• PISCES regulation: A new market facilitating direct access to shares in private companies
• Active asset management: what is the value for money and how is it delivered to the investor?

Susie Daykin

Travers Smith

Head of Pensions

James Longster

Travers Smith

Partner, Technology & Commercial Transactions

David Craddock

The Pensions Ombudsman

Senior Counsel

Mike Birch

Vidett

Client Director

As the pensions landscape evolves, regulatory frameworks must adapt to foster innovation while protecting consumers. In this panel discussion, chaired by Mike Birch, experts Susie Daykin, James Longster, and David Craddock will explore the regulatory challenges and opportunities surrounding the integration of technology and AI in the pension sector. They will discuss some of the potential "use cases" in the pensions space and explore the regulatory, governance and other issues that trustees should be thinking about when AI is used.

Rachika Cooray

PMI

Vice President

Joe Craig

Quietroom

Development Lead

In an era where digital innovation is reshaping industries globally, the pensions sector stands at a pivotal crossroads. This breakout session will delve into the critical question of how trustees can be encouraged and supported in embracing digital transformation. The expert panel will explore the challenges and opportunities that digital tools and technologies bring to pension scheme governance and management.

Dominic Makemson

Aon

Associate Partner

Stuart Breyer

mallowstreet

CEO

Tim Robinson

Crowe UK LLP Partner

Forensic Services – Cyber Security and Counter Fraud

• AI - Showcasing the intuitiveness of AI how it can help organisations
• AI - the robots are taking over! Cybersecurity risk
• Panel discussion: Harnessing AI for personalised retirement planning