V-FM: The Pensions Podcast

V-FM Pensions #104: BESTrustee's Alan Pickering

In this episode of V-FM, hosts Darren and Nico chat to trustee extraordinaire and President of BESTrustees Alan Pickering.
As well as Alan giving the podcast a scoop about the renaming of Yorkshire, we discuss: the importance of balancing the interaction between regulation, growth and consumer protection; the thorny questions of governance and conflicts of interest in the pensions industry; and Make My Money Matter's annual review of master trusts and climate change.
We chat about Alan's amazing career and how he got into pensions and, of course, ask what value for money means to him.
We also give a huge V-FM shout out to our first ever podcast guest, David Butcher, for the launch of his new mindfulness coaching programme. Congratulations David!
 

V-FM Pensions #103: LCP's David Fairs

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to LCP partner and PASA Board member David Fairs. David has had a long and distinguished career in the pension industry, including a 5-year stint at The Pensions Regulator as Executive Director responsible for Regulatory Policy, Analysis and Advice.
The pensions chat covers DB surplus extraction, Trump (again) and DEI/ESG, NEST taking a stake in IFM and People's Pension appointing itself as its own investment consultant. We also chat conflicts in the pensions industry, how David found the transition from the private to public sector, how David got into pensions, and a whole lot more.... including what value for money means to him.
The podcast also has a scoop regarding David's future.... you'll have to listen to find out more! 

VFM Pensions #102: TPR's Sarah Smart

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Chair of the Pensions Regulator Sarah Smart.
In a wide-ranging episode we chat about a lot of things including diversity (spoiler: Trump was mentioned...), climate change and climate investing, the doomsday clock ticking ever closer to midnight, surplus extraction for defined benefit schemes and the role of trustees (which caused Darren to semi-rant about conflicts of interest), and the need for innovation and scope for the use of AI in pensions and pensions regulation.
We chatted about how Sarah transitioned from the investment world to become an independent trustee, driven by a desire to make the pension system work better for people.
We also, of course, discussed value for money and current regulatory initiatives in this area, with Sarah highlighting the need for.... [well... you'll need to listen to the podcast....]. And, following hot on the heels of last week's episode, we covered the need for balance between achieving scale through consolidation and allowing for innovation and competition in the pensions market.
Lots in this one... enjoy!
 

V-FM Pensions #101: Smart chat with a smart fella - Jamie Fiveash UK CEO of Smart Pension

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to CEO of Smart UK, Jamie Fiveash. Jamie is a DC and master trust expert, is on the PLSA Board, and has had the pleasure of being Darren's boss, not once, but twice.... 
As it's our 101st episode (finally we've got a new numbering system...) we play a little game of Room 101... what will our guest and hosts consign to history (hint: first Brexit rant of the year from Darren)?
Given the timing of the episode we had to talk about Trump.... but we spend most of our time chatting DC, productive finance, scale and consolidation, pensions reform and IHT.
We find out how Jamie got into pensions and, of course, ask what value for money means to him.
 

V-FM Pensions #100 (#94): Robin Ellison

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to pensions lawyer extraordinaire, Robin Ellison.
Robin is not shy with his views on policy and regulation and the podcast takes a whistle stop tour through many of the issues the pensions industry is grappling with currently.
As well as welcoming the new pensions minister, we talk about Robin's foray into politics with the 'U' party, his views on regulatory policy and regulation including current initiatives to promote value for money and force consolidation, and a pension scheme investing in bitcoin. We also discuss climate change and the devastating fires in Los Angeles. We find out how Robin got into pensions and ask Robin what value for money means to him. Tune in to hear all this and a whole lot more! 
It's celebration time for VFM as this is the 100th episode of the podcast (including a number of specials that we have recorded over the past couple of years). Here's to the next 100 episodes!

V-FM Pensions #93: The podcast's response to the Government's Consultation on its proposed reforms to the DC pensions market

A Happy New Year to all our listeners!!
In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico kick off the year with an in depth discussion of the UK Government's consultation on reforms to the Defined Contribution pension market. This consultation is part of the Mansion House package of measures published on 14 November 2024.
We chat through the main elements of the consultation including: the (flawed?) premise behind the Mansion House agenda; what scale really means and what we actually mean by a default; bulk transfers without consent; and the role of employers and advisers in choosing a pension scheme.
This is our response to the Government's consultation. Fair to say it asks more questions than it answers, but we hope it helps and that others find it useful as they go about pulling together their own responses.

V-FM Pensions #92: A Merry Mansion House Christmas from Darren and Nico

After a few weeks break due to illness, V-FM Pensions is back for a Christmas special where Darren and Nico chat about Pensions and the Mansions House reforms and look forward to 2025.
 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our listeners. Here's to a fantastic 2025!

V-FM Pensions #91: Richard Sweetman

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to Broadstone's Richard Sweetman.
Due to illness, publication of this episode has been delayed, but not to worry as you can see how Richard's Mansion House predictions match up to what Rachel Reeve's announced during her maiden Mansion House speech.
We also discuss a Private Eye Article on the Budget, money and inflation in ancient Rome, pre-Budget tax speculation that never materialised, and the recent Lord Mayor's speech which called for more investment by pension funds into the UK.

V-FM Pensions #90: Žiga Vižintin from Slovenia's Pension Fund A

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Žiga Vižintin, Director of Retirement Solutions at 'Pokojninska družba A pension fund' ('Pension Fund A') and author of the Irrational Retirement Blog.
We chat the US election, a news story about Nordic regulators sending a joint letter to European regulators urging simpler pension regulation, statistics from the European regulator EIOPA showing low pensions participation across Europe, an unnamed UK pension scheme allocating 3% to Bitcoin, and the presence of microplastics in the human brain and their potential health impacts.
We also discuss pension reform plans in Slovenia, including the potential introduction of auto-enrolment, and, of course, what value for money means to Žiga.

V-FM Pensions #89: Tan Suee Chieh

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Tan Suee Chieh, former CEO of Prudential Singapore, former CEO of Singapore's NTUC (National Trade Union Congress), and past President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
As well as chatting to Suee Chieh about how he got into pensions and value for money, we spend some time focussing on the proposed sale of Singapore’s NTUC Income to Allianz - a strong example of the importance of speaking up.
We also chat about the proposed acquisition of Redington by Gallagher, the launch of the new trustee company Aretas Trustees, and we send Andrew Warwick-Thompson our heartfelt best wishes.