Please note: this programme is subject to change

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Registration
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Welcome and Opening Remarks
Speaker
Editor-in-Chief
Professional Pensions
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All Hands-on Deck: Navigating the Changing Tides of Retirement Planning

Private sector pension provision is almost exclusively DC and therefore the amount contributed to these schemes and the way they are managed and invested will significantly affect the retirements of many of today’s workers. With more saving into DC comes certain challenges. Those saving in DC pensions bear more risks, and as the nature of working and retirement change, managing these risks is becoming increasingly complicated. Alongside these challenges, Government and industry are also working to tackle retirement income gaps for women, ethnic minorities and other “underpensioned” groups. Industry, Government and member representative bodies are working hard to ensure pension members have a Future in Hand, and are looking for ways to support navigation of the changing tides of DC pensions, so they can smooth sail to retirement success.

This session will address:

  • The rise of DC in the private sector and the reasons behind this
  • The transfer of risk and the changing needs of pensioners
  • How the needs of tomorrow’s pensioners may differ from todays
  • Inequalities within the system (ethnicity, gender, self-employment, disability, caring)
  • The role of policy and industry in ensuring that future pensioners can meet their needs from DC saving
Speaker
Head of Policy Research
Pensions Policy Institute
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Session Sponsored by Standard Life

Content TBC

Speaker
Head of Retirement Proposition
Standard Life
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Pension Participation at its Peak: Strategies for Maximizing Member Engagement

Member engagement is crucial for the success of DC pension schemes, as it helps to ensure that individuals are taking an active role in building and managing their retirement savings. There are several key reasons why engagement is imperative to members, including: Increased savings, better investment decisions, improved confidence in the scheme, improved retirement outcomes, and enhanced member communication. By encouraging member engagement, DC pension schemes can help individuals to take control of their retirement savings and to prepare for a more secure financial future. This requires a focus on providing clear and accessible information and guidance, as well as regular opportunities for members to engage with their pension scheme.

This session will address:

  • How can schemes improve members' awareness and understanding the options available to them?
  • How can we simplify the wide range of investment options and reduce the sense of "choice overload"?
  • What tools are on offer to schemes to improve engagement levels for their members?
  • How can we improve engagement for those who are digitally excluded?
Speaker
Chief Marketing Officer
Aegon UK
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Networking Break
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Legal Obstacles to A Satisfactory Member Journey

At this seminar, Gareth Craft and Jack Gillions from the Linklaters Pensions team will discuss some of the key legal hurdles Trustees need to overcome, viewed through the lens of the member’s perspective and experience, on transfers to a DC master trust and when entering the decumulation phase. They will look at some of the key practical and regulatory issues faced by Trustees when giving guidance to help members navigate the options during the decumulation phase, along with the potential legal risks of introducing decumulation options into a scheme at retirement.

Speakers
Managing Associate
Linklaters
Associate
Linklaters
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Sustainable Fixed Income: Making Pensions Brilliantly Impactful

The low-rate, low-yield environment of recent years has given way to a new fixed income landscape, presenting both promising opportunities for returns and potential risks to navigate.

Looking ahead, we anticipate higher and more volatile inflation, increased interest-rate fluctuations, a tighter monetary policy, greater market dispersion, and periods of market upheaval. This allows DC investors to have an opportunity to harness the potential for long-term returns through diversified exposure to fixed income. By incorporating that strategic diversification and conducting thorough research, DC investors could have the opportunity to enhance the attractive long-term return potential through active management. Looking at fixed income through a sustainable lens is increasingly important to make the research informative over the long term.

Our conviction lies in the belief that DC investors who combine astute top-down sector rotation with meticulous bottom-up credit and ESG research could potentially benefit from consistent returns, robust downside protection, and low correlations to traditional market betas. By adopting this approach, they can position themselves advantageously to navigate an increasingly dynamic financial landscape.

Speaker
Investment Director
Wellington
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The Green Agenda: A Key to Unlocking Member Engagement and a Better Retirement

Sustainable investing is becoming increasingly important for DC pension schemes. Many DC scheme members are increasingly interested in investing in companies and projects that align with their values. Studies have shown that companies with strong sustainability practices tend to outperform those without such practices in the long-term.

With increasing regulations around sustainability, incorporating sustainable investing into DC pension schemes can also help schemes comply with regulations and avoid potential financial penalties. Plus, by incorporating sustainable investing into their investment strategies, schemes can enhance their reputation and attract more members who are interested in sustainability.

This session will address:

  • How can schemes affectively measure sustainability without a universal measure or methodology for this?
  • How can schemes effectively make informed investment decisions based on data that lacks reliability and comparability?
  • Can ESG help drive member engagement?
  • How can DC schemes better align with the values of their members?
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Lunch
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Session Sponsored by Premier Miton Investors

Content TBC

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Going Private: Why UK DC Schemes Should Look to LTAFs

The challenges facing UK defined contribution (DC) pension schemes is clear. After the relatively stable growth and low inflation of the past four decades, schemes must now contend with high inflation, elevated interest rates and volatile public markets – all of which threaten their members’ outcomes. BlackRock believe in this new market regime, DC schemes should consider private markets – such as private equity, private credit, real estate and infrastructure.

Extending private markets access to DC members through the launch of the LTAF is a natural extension to building better, diversified and more resilient investment portfolios with the focus on helping members achieve financial wellbeing.

Join Hannah Wallis, Alternative Specialist, Melissa Ferraz, Head of Aladdin Alternatives and Claire Felgate, Head of UK & MEA Global Consultant Relations as they discuss the benefits of multi-alternative strategies, strategic asset allocation, sourcing, sustainable opportunities and risk management.

Speakers
Managing Director, Head of UK & MEA Global Consultant Relations
BlackRock
Director, Alternatives Specialist
BlackRock
Managing Director, Global Head of Aladdin Alternatives
BlackRock
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Private Assets: Enhancing Long-term Returns and Delivering Impact for DC Schemes

Historically access to private assets has been the domain of large institutional DB investors and while the potential benefits have been well known they have remained out of reach for most DC investors. This is now changing as DC schemes start to consider private assets, not only for the potential higher returns and diversification they can offer compared to traditional assets classes, but also for the positive impact those investments can have.

Tim Horne, Head of UK Institutional Defined Contribution at Schroders will discuss:

  • How a thoughtful allocation across private assets can provide these benefits while facilitating the transition to a more sustainable future
  • How they are now accessible for DC schemes
Speaker
Head of UK Institutional Defined Contribution
Schroders
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Networking Break
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ESG v Sustainability: Are We Heading in The Right Direction?

It is clear that DC schemes and their members have a growing appetite to invest in ‘sustainable’ companies. Fund managers commonly use environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores to decide which firms qualify, but these metrics can be problematic.

This session will consider the questions that we should consider in order to avoid being led astray be ESG risk scores.

Speaker
Client Director
Baillie Gifford
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Costly Concerns: Addressing the Challenges Faced by DC Pension Schemes in The Cost of Living Crisis

The cost of living crisis has made it difficult for many people to make ends meet, resulting in increased financial pressure and a reduction in disposable income available for savings and investments. The cost of living crisis has had a significant impact on pensions, particularly DC pension schemes, in several ways: Many DC members are contributing less to their pensions, reduced contributions from employers, delayed retirement from lack of confidence in retirement savings, poor investment returns, and increased demand for flexible access to pensions.

This session will address:

  • How can schemes best help members during the cost of living crisis?
  • How long can we predict it will take for members to restart contributions and what can schemes to do shorten this period of time?
  • How can schemes advise members who need to balance short term needs with their retirement ambitions?
  • What impacts can DC schemes expect for the near future, and how can we best prepare for the hurdles to come?
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TPR Toolkit: What's New, What's Next, and What to Expect

In recent years, TPR has been responsible for a multitude of aspects of the pensions industry: Regulating master trusts, focussing on improving retirement outcomes, developing guidance for protecting members from scams and fraud, and playing a key role in the development of The Pensions Dashboard. Lately, TPR has also been developing The Single Code of Practice, implementing change for more diversity in trusteeship, and giving guidance surrounding the gilts market following the mini budget last year. With so much going on, it's never too soon to update your knowledge, clarify your concerns and prepare for what TPR have instore for 2023.

This session will address:

  • Guidance on how DC schemes can best comply with The Single Code of Practice
  • What can schemes do to improve diversity in trusteeship?
  • Clarifying guidance surrounding the gilts market in the DC space
  • What can DC schemes expect from 2023?
Speaker
Director of Regulatory Policy, Analysis and Advice (interim)
The Pensions Regulator
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Closing Remarks
Speaker
Editor-in-Chief
Professional Pensions
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Drinks Reception

Finish the day and join us for a drink and a chance to network with your industry peers.