V-FM: The Pensions Podcast

The podcast from Darren Philp and Nico Aspinall talking all things pensions and investments.

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Chatting all things pensions and investments

 

'V-FM'... It's the podcast you've been waiting for...

 

Darren Philp and Nico Aspinall having a chat about pensions, investment and anything else that takes their fancy. Join us for an hour of geekery and topical discussion.

 

Got a topic you'd like us to cover... get in touch at vfmpensions@gmail.com

Episodes

3 hours ago

In the latest episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Aviva's Managing Director (workplace) Emma Douglas. 
The usual canter through the V-FM staples of dashboards, productive finance, fees and charges and investments, is hijacked by some very important and timely health advice, a pop quiz on bamboo toilet roll, bin liners and, to top it all off, we had a very passable Yoda impression. We also had a big announcement with V-FM doing its first show with a live audience!!
We had some technical issues while recording the podcast (basically Darren's computer metaphorically blew up) so had to record over two sessions, but we got there in the end!

7 days ago

In this episode hosts Darren and Nico spend an hour chatting to the CEO of Make My Money Matter Tony Burdon.
 
We talk about what Tony is trying to achieve (alongside Richard Curtis) with Make My Money Matter, his innovative campaigns (have you checked out Oblivia Coalmine...?), and the power that pension schemes and insurers can leverage in delivering meaningful change to help tackle the world's climate challenges. We also chat pension freedoms ten years on and whether we need two regulators.
 
Tony has had a really interesting purpose-driven career having worked at Oxfam before joining the Treasury (giving a certain Gordon Brown a 5 point ultimatum) and subsequently the Department for International Development (as it was at the time).

Friday Mar 15, 2024

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Executive Chair of Schroders Solutions James Barham.
 
As well as the usual V-FM chat and a discussion about the news and topical pensions issues (including Jeremy Hunt's disclosure drive for UK pension funds and Hymans latest retirement research), we talk about the recently launched Lifetime Savings Report that Schroders have carried out with the Pensions Management Institute. We also, of course, ask James what value for money means to him.

Friday Mar 08, 2024

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Nico and Darren chat to the CEO of Pensions for Purpose, Charlotte O'Leary.
 
This episode was recorded on the morning of Jeremy Hunt's 2024 Budget, so we had a bit of speculation, alongside discussion of some of the pre-announced pensions measures. We discussed the gender pensions gap, something Charlotte campaigns passionately about, moves by the Chancellor to force DC schemes to disclose their assets held in the UK and the introduction of Aus-style performance league tables, and the recent investment changes by The People's Pension. We also discuss systems change and whether fiduciary duty hampers Trustees from investing with a purpose.
 
The episode ends on a discussion about fitness where Nico outrageously questions Darren's commitment to the fitness cause (Charlotte is an uber-athlete). But we also talk about the importance of neurodiversity in decision-making and keeping the mind as well as the body fighting fit.
 
A fabulous episode!

Friday Mar 01, 2024

In this episode of V-FM Pensions Darren and Nico chat to one of the architects of auto enrolment in the UK and current NEST CEO Helen Dean.
 
Helen talks about her role in helping to deliver the biggest pension reform ever seen in the UK and the creation of NEST. This episode has it all.... pensions, the need for scale, productive finance, wider savings and financial wellbeing, and, of course, we ask Helen what value for money means to her. 

Friday Feb 23, 2024

In this episode of V-FM, the Pensions Podcast, hosts Darren and Nico spend an hour chatting to Joanne Segars.
Having been in the driving seat behind the NAPF and PLSA for a number of years, and a stalwart of the pensions industry, Joanne now has an impressive portfolio career including chairing the Now Pensions trustee board, the LGPS Central Pool and Legal and General's Independent Governance Committee. She is also a member of CERN's pensions governance board (cue a couple of dodgy one liners from Darren).
We talk about the gender pensions gap, pensions engagement, consolidation and supertrusts, and productive finance.
We also, of course, ask Joanne what value for money means to her!
 

Friday Feb 16, 2024

In this episode of V-FM, your hosts Nico and Darren talk value for money with Aon's Jo Sharples. An actuary by trade, Jo has spent her career in a variety of different roles at Aon and is currently CIO of Aon's DC solutions.
 
As well as the usual V-FM chat, this episode covers the latest inflation figures and the PLSA's retirement living standards, calls from the People's Pension for a new Pensions Commission and a recent FT piece highlighting how climate change is affecting insurance and reinsurance availability. 

V-FM Pensions #49: Sir Steve

Friday Feb 09, 2024

Friday Feb 09, 2024

In this episode of V-FM, Darren and Nico chat to Sir Steve Webb about politics, pensions and his time leading the pensions charge during his time as pensions minister.
 
Steve was in post for 5 years and broke the mould of having a new pensions minister every nine months or so. He was instrumental in reviewing and helping to deliver the auto enrolment reforms and in the introduction of the single tier pension. He also had his finger prints on the pensions triple lock; the Lib Dem manifesto commitment that made its way into the Coalition Agreement. He certainly made the most of his time in the pensions hot seat!
 
We talk PLSA retirement living standards, tax relief and the LTA, triple lock and the state pension, pensions freedom and choice, small pots consolidation and pot for life, and a whole lot more! We also find out what value for money means to Steve.

Friday Feb 02, 2024

In this episode of V-FM, the pensions podcast, Darren and Nico chat the Pension Policy Institute's Chris Curry. Chris is also Principal of the Pensions Dashboards programme.
As usual, topics for discussion are wide and varied: labour's pensions review, DC priorities for 2024, consolidation, the PPI's Policy Wheel, state pensions, admin, data and dashboards and, of course, what value for money means to Chris! (spoiler: it's the PPI!)
As an added bonus, and in a V-FM podcast first, Nico gets to crack the first quantum mechanics joke on V-FM!
 

Tuesday Jan 30, 2024

In the first V-FM special of 2024, Nico and Darren talk to Lord David Willets of Havant.
Lord Willets served as Minister of State for Universities and Science from 2010 until July 2014, as well as being in John Major’s Government in the mid 1990s. He became a member of the House of Lords in 2015 and is President of the Resolution Foundation.
This podcast has it all: intergenerational inequality and his book titled 'The Pinch', state pensions, housing, auto enrolment, and productive finance.
We also, of course, ask Lord Willets what value for money means to him.

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