All articles by Tom Dines – Page 15

  • News

    Industry mulls impact of Labour drawdown cap pledge

    2015-03-09T00:00:00Z

    Analysis: Experts have raised questions about a possible cap on drawdown charges proposed by Ed Miliband last week, as the industry braces itself for the reforms and an uncertain general election outcome.

  • News

    Deficit quadruples for Johnson Service scheme

    2015-03-05T00:00:00Z

    Johnson Service Group has seen its defined benefit scheme deficit more than quadruple after a reduction to the discount rate and the closure of the scheme to future accrual.

  • Features

    Will LDI ever take off for defined contribution?

    2015-03-05T00:00:00Z

    Aviva Investors' Mark Versey, Legal & General Investment Management's Laura Brown, KPMG's Simeon Willis, AMNT committee member and Lend Lease Pension Scheme trustee, Alan Gander, Pan Trustees' Mike Roberts, Buck Consultants at Xerox's Celene Lee and State Street Global Advisors' Howard Kearns focus on how LDI could work for DC schemes, in the third of a four-part roundtable.

  • News

    Webb calls for pensions dashboard within two years

    2015-03-04T00:00:00Z

    Pensions minister Steve Webb last week called on the next government to implement a combined state and private pension statement within the next two years that also incorporates aspects of pot-follows-member.

  • Features

    How can small schemes get smart with LDI?

    2015-03-03T00:00:00Z

    Aviva Investors' Mark Versey, Legal & General Investment Management's Laura Brown, KPMG's Simeon Willis, AMNT committee member and Lend Lease Pension Scheme trustee, Alan Gander, Pan Trustees' Mike Roberts, Buck Consultants at Xerox's Celene Lee and State Street Global Advisors' Howard Kearns, discuss how LDI can benefit small schemes given the correct advice, in the second part of this roundtable.

  • Opinion

    Why trustees should pull together to focus on what matters

    2015-03-02T00:00:00Z

    The Pareto principle states that 80 per cent of effects come from 20 per cent of the causes. In management terms this means a fraction of your efforts could have disproportionate outcomes.

  • News

    Rentokil sets up escrow as funding level tips into surplus

    2015-03-02T00:00:00Z

    The Rentokil Initial Pension Scheme has set up an escrow account to prevent employer contributions becoming trapped in the scheme, after its funding level reached surplus.

  • Opinion

    Four graphs on why auto-enrolment is just the first step

    2015-02-26T00:00:00Z

    Data released by the Office for National Statistics give more evidence automatic enrolment is driving up participation in pension schemes, but a growing proportion of payments to defined contribution schemes languish at 2 per cent, with public sector contributions outpacing private.

  • Features

    How will LDI portfolios withstand current inflation falls and low yields?

    2015-02-25T00:00:00Z

    Aviva Investors' Mark Versey, Legal & General Investment Management's Laura Brown, KPMG's Simeon Willis, AMNT committee member and Lend Lease Pension Scheme trustee, Alan Gander, Pan Trustees' Mike Roberts, Buck Consultants at Xerox's Celene Lee and State Street Global Advisors' Howard Kearns, debate whether now is a good time to embark on a liability-driven investment strategy, in the first of a four-part discussion.

  • News

    Coal ditches surplus-sharing to stabilise pension increases

    2015-02-23T00:00:00Z

    The British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme has announced pension increases for its members, as it ends the surplus-sharing arrangement established after the privatisation of the scheme's employer in 1994.

  • News

    Lloyds scheme turns to alt credit as it shrinks equity risk

    2015-02-19T00:00:00Z

    Lloyds Bank’s larger defined benefit pension fund has ditched a proportion of its equity holdings in favour of credit and hedge fund strategies, as pension funds widen their search for diversified sources of return.

  • News

    BA allows AVC transfer to meet flexibility demand as schemes seek middle way

    2015-02-17T00:00:00Z

    British Airways’ pension schemes have introduced a new additional voluntary contribution transfer option allowing members to take advantage of the greater retirement flexibility available after April.

  • News

    Energy group sells ships to buoy funding

    2015-02-13T00:00:00Z

    UK energy major BG Group is using the $460m (£299m) sale of two liquid natural gas carrier ships to quell a rising deficit, the latest development in a 15-year funding deal.

  • News

    Fund management body sets out charges disclosure plan

    2015-02-11T00:00:00Z

    Industry experts have welcomed proposals on charges and transaction costs from the Investment Association, but warned trustees should not make fees their only focus.

  • Opinion

    Strength in numbers: how your scheme can use the power of collaboration

    2015-02-09T00:00:00Z

    With hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of members paying in every month, much of the strength of pension schemes as investors is based on the power of economies of scale. But can this effect be compounded further when schemes pool resources?

  • News

    Jaguar Land Rover drives down DC charges by a tenth as cap bites

    2015-02-05T00:00:00Z

    Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has cut its defined contribution scheme charges by 10 per cent as the imminent fees cap pushes down costs for savers across trust and contract-based schemes.

  • News

    Smart beta marches on in Europe but consultants raise concerns

    2015-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Investment data reveal the amount of money invested in smart beta strategies across Europe has grown strongly over the past decade, but a recent report has raised concerns the strategies' benefits could be overstated.

  • News

    How BT structured deal to recover £7bn deficit

    2015-02-02T00:00:00Z

    The BT Pension Scheme has agreed a revised plan to conquer its £7bn deficit, a deal that experts say will give the scheme particular reliance on the company.

  • News

    NHS scheme sees positive response for overhauled comms

    2015-01-30T00:00:00Z

    The NHS Pension Scheme has sought to turn around criticism from employers on its communications approach, with the launch of online statements for employees detailing their various entitlements.

  • News

    What the regulator's £8.5m Carrington Wire deal means for your scheme

    2015-01-30T00:00:00Z

    The Pensions Regulator has settled with two linked Russian companies for £8.5m over their UK pension fund obligations, prompting calls for trustees to re-examine covenant agreements.