V-FM: The Pensions Podcast

V-FM Pensions #50: Aon's Jo Sharples

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

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.

VFM #48: The PPI's Chris Curry

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!
 

VFM Special #6: Lord Willets of Havant

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.

VFM #47: The second most dynamic duo in pensions - Pete Glancy and Rob Cochran

In this season opener, Darren and Nico chat to Scottish Widows' Pete Glancy and Rob Cochran.
We welcomed Rob back to the pod to talk about his Mountain Warehouse rucksack, and Pete joined us to talk snooker and fine wines.
In the podcast we look forward to the year ahead and chat about the importance of communicating effectively. We talk Big Zuu and pensions attention, pot for life, the pensions mirror, understanding members, and, of course, value for money and consolidation.
 

V-FM Special #5: Nico and Darren look back on the year

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Nico and Darren look back on season one of the podcast, picking out some of the key themes and talking points that have been raised by our fantastic guests over the past year. We cover value for money, dashboards, at retirement, Mansion House reforms, small pots and a whole lot more!
 
Seasons greetings to all our listeners! We'll be back with season two in 2024...!!
 

V-FM Pensions #46: The Aussies are coming: Nick Sherry talks V-FM

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Nico and Darren chat to former Australian politician and now Super trustee, Nick Sherry. Nick squeezes in a cheeky reference to the cricket, but discussion quickly moves on to Aussie Rules (phew...!).
Nick was Australia's first Superannuation Minister and has been instrumental in shaping the highly-regarded Australian system. We talk about all the topics you'd expect us to discuss and more: certainly lots of lessons for UK pensions from our friends down under.

V-FM Pensions #45: Don’t mention cricket... ’Super’ legend Paul Watson discusses lessons from Australia

In this episode of V-FM Darren and Nico chat to Paul Watson who has had a distinguished career shaping and helping deliver the Australian Superannuation system.
We ban Paul from talking about cricket... but we cover loads of ground including illiquid investments, the mansion house reforms, dashboards, admin, net benefit and value for money, and pot for life to name just a few topics. Paul's visit was incredibly timely given the Chancellor's Autumn Statement announcements and it was great to hear Paul's perspective and insights on what this all might mean.

V-FM Pensions #44: Railpen’s Caroline Escott talks stewardship, investment, NextGen and what value for money means to her

In this episode of V-FM: The Pensions Podcast Darren and Nico have a great chat with Railpen's Caroline Escott. Caroline wears many different hats and, in addition to being a senior investment adviser at Railpen, is Chair of NextGen and a trustee director for the Standard Life mastertrust.
We, of course, discuss aspects of the autumn statement. But we also discuss stewardship, responsible investment and Caroline's fantastic work with Next Gen.  

V-FM Pensions #43: DE&I and governance specialist Uche Enemchukwu

In this episode of V-FM, Nico and Darren talk to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and governance specialist Uche Enemchukwu. Uche is a passionate employee benefits champion and co-founded Nelu, a US-based employee benefits consultancy. We chat the FCA diversity and inclusion consultation, research showing 'wasted' spend by employers through their employee benefit strategies, Labour's proposed pensions review and a whole host of things covering employee benefits and DE&I. We also chat a bit about value for money.