PMI's Northern Conference

PMI's Northern Conference

05 October 2023 | 12:00 - 17:00

PMI's Northern Conference

PMI's new Northern Conference is a must-attend event for anyone involved in the pensions industry, whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your career. This gathering will feature an impressive lineup of renowned speakers, representing a diverse range of organisations and backgrounds, who will share their expertise, insights, and latest developments in the field. 

By attending the conference, you'll gain access to valuable knowledge and practical strategies to navigate the ever-changing landscape of pensions. In addition to the insightful sessions, the Northern Conference provides ample networking opportunities. Connect with industry peers, forge new relationships, and expand your professional network. Share ideas, exchange experiences, and collaborate with like-minded professionals who are passionate about shaping the future of pensions.

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    Fees

    Members: Free
    Non-members (pension scheme representatives & asset owners): Free
    Non-members: £600 (+VAT)
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    4

    CPD
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    10

    Speakers

Event Details

THE BASICS

Topics of discussion:

More details to follow.

Who should attend:
  • Pension Scheme Managers
  • Trustees
  • Administrators
  • Policy advisers
  • Consultants
  • Lawyers
  • Corporate IFAs
  • Investment managers
  • Actuaries
  • Communication professionals
The venue

Barnett Waddingham's Leeds office, based at Pinnacle, 67 Albion Street

12:00 - 13:00
Arrivals, refreshments & networking
13:00 - 13:05
Welcome
Robert Wakefield
Robert Wakefield
PMI
President
13:05 - 13:45
Delivering pensions in a digital world
Daniel Heaton
Daniel Heaton
Barnett Waddingham
Associate and Senior Client Account Manager
Simon Maxwell, FPMI
Simon Maxwell, FPMI
Barnett Waddingham
Associate & Senior Pension Management Consultant
  • The immediate future of digital provision (PDP).
  • Where members sit within this vision, the benefits of moving towards digital provision and the roadblocks to providing pensions digitally.
  • What Trustees and scheme managers can do to ensure they accept and embrace digital provision.
  • The longer term future and new technology.
13:45 - 14:25
Helping members to engage with their pensions in times of crisis
Marliane Owen
Marliane Owen
Landscape
Consultant
Mark Tomlinson
Mark Tomlinson
WEALTH at work
National Business Development Manager

As financial pressure on household incomes continues, it is more important than ever that people are engaged with their finances, and this includes their pensions.

Given recent concerns that cost of living worries may be impacting pension savings, WEALTH at work will share its latest research and insights into what’s happening in reality. It will also explore how to better engage people with their pensions throughout their career to improve their financial future, especially during times of crisis.

This session will cover:

  • How do uncertain times affect financial behaviour and what are the main financial worries that people are currently facing?
  • What impact is this having on pension savings as well as future retirement plans?
  • How can employers and Trustees best respond and support members to improve their financial future?
14:25- 14:50
Networking break
14:50 - 15:30
What is Net Zero and the roadmap to achieve it
Anne Scott
Anne Scott
Aegon
Global Climate Solutions Lead
Andy Lewis
Andy Lewis
Travers Smith
Partner
Jenny Mill
Jenny Mill
Schroders
Climate Change Strategist

In this session, the panellists will define what we mean by "net zero" and its significance, highlighting its relevance for both smaller and larger schemes. We delve into the key building blocks for implementing climate transition in portfolios and discuss the current legal and practical landscape for pension schemes.

The discussion also covers an asset manager's role in climate transition solutions and the speakers will give their insights on client expectations from asset managers on Net Zero, giving guidance on the right questions to ask at Board level. The panel will cover the challenges faced by schemes on this journey and give practical tips for net-zero practitioners. The session will conclude with key takeaways, emphasizing the educational, collaborative, and urgent aspects as well as the growth potential of this transformative journey.

15:30 - 16:10
Navigating Pension Dashboard Challenges: Collaboration, Timing, and Data Integrity
Chris Curry
Chris Curry
The Pensions Dashboard Programme
Principal
Paul Aggett
Paul Aggett
Vestigium
CEO
Jo Dudley
Jo Dudley
Capita
Head of Pensions Data Strategy
Richard James
Richard James
Civica
Product Director

In this discussion, we consider industry collaboration on implementing the pension dashboards. With an upcoming general election, the question arises whether pension providers and schemes will wait for potential shifts in government policy on dashboards before taking further steps with regard to data and tech. Given the pause in the dashboard program, administrators are advised to optimise their readiness for onboarding by selecting the best technical solutions. Matching criteria is a key topic, and strategies for establishing rules that align with administrators' needs are discussed.

The question of whether trustees should prioritize accurate customer data now or wait for dashboards is addressed. The speakers will consider the extent of data issues and current reliability of digital matching. Additionally, the conversation touches on technological hurdles, the varying needs of big and small schemes as well as cyber security concerns.

16:10 - 16:30
PMI Pathways Panel
Robert Wakefield
Robert Wakefield
PMI
President
Dr Keith Hoodless
Dr Keith Hoodless
PMI
Director of Qualifications and lifelong learning
Nisha Harley
Nisha Harley
PMI
Membership Development Manager

In this interactive discussion chaired by Nisha, Robert and Keith will be discussing the key benefits for both learners and qualified members embarking and completing PMI Pathways.
The panel will address all the advantages completion of the pathways has for an individual’s career as well as for employers.
The group will discuss the motives resulting in the launch of the Pathways following a sector wide consultation process.
The session will conclude with a Q&A, delegates will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the pathways and the group will also address any questions that have already been raised.

16:30 - 17:30
Drinks reception

Speakers

Andy Lewis
Andy Lewis
Travers Smith
- Partner

Andy Lewis is a Partner in the Pensions Sector Group at Travers Smith. He is a thought leader on ESG and sustainability within pensions and has worked with a range of organisations in this area including the UN PRI, Impact Investing Institute, the PLSA and the PMI, as well as helping many schemes with sustainability policy disclosures, fiduciary duty and net zero commitments. Other regular work includes major pensions projects such as scheme reorganisations, liability management and risk transfer, benefit changes and difficult funding settlements. Andy is known for his practical approach and has been described as an "excellent, pragmatic adviser" and "highly personable".

Andy is a member of the firm's LGBTQ+ Group and provides pro bono legal advice to the well-known LGBTQ+ charities, Just Like Us and GiveOut. He also volunteers at the City Law School Public Legal Advice Clinic and has provided pro bono legal advice on individual personal pension complaints. He has spoken on diversity and inclusion in pensions in various settings, including for the Association of Pension Lawyers and PLSA, and is a founding member of O:pen, the industry-wide network for LGBTQ+ professionals and their allies working in pensions. He also sits on committees for a number of pensions industry bodies

Anne Scott
Anne Scott
Aegon
- Global Climate Solutions Lead

Anne Scott is Global Climate Solutions Lead at AEGON Asset Management, where her focus is to promote their Climate Transition approach, support the consistency and delivery of their climate research process and embed climate solutions within fixed income products. Anne works alongside the fixed income specialist and responsible investment teams.

Anne joined AEGON Asset Management in 2005 and has held a variety of roles across the business. Working in the investment department since 2012, she developed their front office oversight and relationship management with key counterparties, including managing corporate access and investment research provision across all asset classes. She led the design to manage, monitor and evaluate research consumption in line with MIFID II and has chaired AEGON Asset Management’s Global Investment Management Risk Control Committee and Investment Research and Execution Oversight Committee.
Anne has over 25 years’ experience in financial services and has also held positions at HSBC and Financial Times Information.

Chris Curry
Chris Curry
The Pensions Dashboard Programme
- Principal

Chris Curry was appointed as Principal of the Pensions Dashboards Programme at the Money and Pensions Service in 2019, on a part-time basis. Chris reports into Chair of the Money and Pensions Service, Sir Hector Sants.

Chris brings valuable expertise and insight gained in his other role as the Director of the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI), where he continues to work part-time. Chris has worked on important projects, such as the Department for Work and Pensions Auto-Enrolment Review Advisory Group in 2017, where he was co-chair and led on providing advice on the theme of Contributions.

At the PPI, Chris has authored and presented a number of research reports analysing pensions (including state, private and public sector pensions), pension reforms and other provision for retirement income.

Chris started his career as an Economic Adviser at the Department of Social Security (now the Department for Work and Pensions), before joining the Association of British Insurers as Senior Economist.

Chris has a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Warwick, and an MSc in Economics from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London.

Daniel Heaton
Daniel Heaton
Barnett Waddingham
- Associate and Senior Client Account Manager
Jenny Mill
Jenny Mill
Schroders
- Climate Change Strategist

As Climate Change Strategist at Schroders, Jenny focuses on the group Net Zero strategy, in particular the approach to aligning Schroders portfolios to meet mid- and long-term targets, developing the suite of tools to understand climate risks, opportunities and progress across portfolios and integrating climate analyses into investment processes. Prior to Schroders Jenny was a consultant with PwC’s Sustainability & Climate Change team focusing on sustainable finance and mobilizing investment into emerging markets. She previously worked in government and public policy both in South Africa and the UK.

Jo Dudley
Jo Dudley
Capita
- Head of Pensions Data Strategy

Jo has more than 23 years’ experience in the pensions industry with a focus on administration, systems and data. She has a working knowledge of both public and private sectors schemes of all sizes.

Jo has extensive experience of leading large-scale pensions projects including GMP Rectification and Equalisation, and other strategic projects often delivered in challenging or complex environments, such as time constrained delivery or involving multiparty solutions. She has in-depth knowledge of the data challenges posed by complex pensions projects and the range of solutions available to Trustees to optimise the member experience.

She is the product owner for the Pensions Dashboard programme at Capita delivering to over 200 of their administration clients.

Dr Keith Hoodless
Dr Keith Hoodless
PMI
- Director of Qualifications and lifelong learning
Mark Tomlinson
Mark Tomlinson
National Business Development Manager
-

Mark joined Wealth at Work in April 2023. Mark has over two decades of experience in financial advisory business development, having spent most of his career with discretionary asset managers. This included positions as Business Development Director at Investec Wealth and Binary Capital prior to joining Wealth at Work.

Mark is eager to use his experience to help others within the workplace to become financially secure by accessing the best financial education available.

Outside work Mark likes to spend time with his young family. He can be found at the weekend pushing his four year old daughter on a swing.

Marliane Owen
Marliane Owen
Landscape
- Consultant

Marliane has worked for in-house teams and as a consultant and has over 20 years experience in the pensions industry both in the UK and abroad. She holds an MSc, with distinction, in behavioural economics which she completed in December 2019. She loathes the word 'members' and is a big advocate for engaging with consumers through communication that considers human nature.

Nisha Harley
Nisha Harley
PMI
- Membership Development Manager
Paul Aggett
Paul Aggett
Vestigium
- CEO

Paul is CEO of Vestigium Services Limited which he founded six years ago. Paul is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services with Coopers& Lybrand (now PWC), Century Life plc and Aberdeen Asset Management plc. Paul is experienced at Life and Pensions and Asset Management where he worked at Director Level.
Paul is passionate about Financial Services doing more to re-engage with ‘Lost’ customers and the Next of Kin of Deceased customers and built Vestigium to meet future regulatory concerns and best practice including the Regulatiory requirement for Good Customer Outcomes.
Vestigium Services Limited’s clients include JP Morgan, Aviva, BNY Mellon, SS&C, abrdn , Omni, LionTrust, InvescoPerpetual to name a few.
Vestigium produces results which undermine current digitally based mortality testing leading to potentially significant savings for the Pensions Industry.

Richard James
Richard James
Civica
- Product Director

Richard has over 16 years’ experience of leading and managing software in the pensions, fuel and retail sectors. He is responsible for the definition and delivery of Civica UPM’s product strategy, leading several multi-functional product and development teams across our suite of products. Richard is passionate about innovation. He uses new and emerging technology to solve problems for our customers, prospects, and sector, whilst maintaining quality for our products through proven product management and development life cycle processes and governance. Richard strives to achieve the right balance between new and innovative developments, along with key legislative and core aspects of a pensions administration offering, to ensure funds can improve their member interaction and the efficiency of their services.

Robert Wakefield
Robert Wakefield
PMI
- President
Simon Maxwell, FPMI
Simon Maxwell, FPMI
Barnett Waddingham
- Associate & Senior Pension Management Consultant

Thank you to our sponsors and partners for their continued support

Barnett Waddingham
Barnett Waddingham
Host
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WEALTH at work
WEALTH at work
Sponsor
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Schroders
Schroders
Sponsor
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Aegon
Aegon
Sponsor
-
Capita
Capita
Sponsor
-
Travers Smith
Travers Smith
Sponsor
-
Vestigium
Vestigium
Sponsor
-
Civica
Civica
Sponsor
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