Is Consolidation the Future for Defined Benefit Pensions? 2022 | FT Live | 22 November 2022 | Hilton Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk Street, London

Private sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes continue to present challenges for employers because of their high costs and the demands they place on management time. But employers are increasingly taking advantage of industry and regulatory changes to embark on the process of “DB consolidation”. This is where administrative, actuarial, investment and other services are pooled to create economies of scale, reduce risk, save on costs and increase benefit security. Consolidation has advantages for scheme sponsors (employers), scheme trustees and scheme members (employees).

There are different levels of consolidation to choose from. They range from simply appointing an independent professional trustee to replace the scheme’s in-house or member-nominated trustees, to the most radical where the employer offloads its liabilities entirely by selling the scheme to an insurer.

This FT briefing, in partnership with abrdn, is targeted at chief financial officers, finance directors and HR directors in private sector companies with DB pension schemes. Pensions experts from a variety of firms – including investment managers, consultants and lawyers – will outline the advantages of DB consolidation and the options available to employers.

2022 Speakers

Mark Foster
Global Head of Pension Solutions, Global Client Solutions abrdn

Rachel Brougham
Trustee Executive, BESTrustees

Justin Grainger,
Managing Director, Defined Benefit Solutions Standard Life

Simon True
CEO, Clara Pensions

Brian Denyer
Senior Solutions Director, Pensions abrdn

Louisa Knox
Partner, Shepherd & Wedderburn

Tom Froggett
Senior Consultant, XPS Pensions Group

Christopher Wheeler
Trustee Executive, BESTrustees

Chris Flood
Reporter, Financial Times

2022 Sponsors

• Abrdn