All Towers Watson articles
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People NewsAppointments: AMNT, Pi Partnership, Towers Watson, XPS
The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 21 March 2025.
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NewsWillis Towers Watson and Wales LGPS pool target carbon emissions
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, with Wales Pension Partnership and Willis Towers Watson reducing their carbon emissions, and new research from PGIM that shows almost half of investors are overlooking climate risks.
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Experts dismiss national pension fund proposal
Analysis: Experts have largely poured scorn on a highly controversial proposal to create a gigantic national sovereign fund by merging public schemes and then mopping up private plans as well.
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AkzoNobel transfers assets to master trust
On the go: The AkzoNobel Benefit Builder, which closed to future contributions in October last year, has transferred the majority of its assets to a defined contribution master trust with Mercer.
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West Ferry Printers scheme completes £120m buy-in
On the go: The West Ferry Printers Pension Scheme has completed a £120m buy-in transaction with Rothesay Life, securing the benefits for the remaining 263 members of the scheme.
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New solution allows schemes to have voting rights on pooled funds
On the go: The Asset Management Exchange and asset manager DWS have created an investment solution that allows pension schemes to express their stewardship preferences in pooled funds.
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Guide launched to assess investment consultants’ climate competence
On the go: The Investment Consultants Sustainability Working Group has launched a guide to help trustees in assessing their investment consultants on climate competency.
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Coalition bemoans lack of climate progress in transport industries
The UK’s largest pension funds are among those hailing a “moment of reckoning” for transport companies failing to align with the Paris agreement on climate change, as the investment community evaluates its own success in engagement.
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BHS exec scheme next to achieve PPF-plus outcome
On the go: The defined benefit scheme for senior management at defunct retailer BHS has bought out its benefits, allowing the plan to exit the Pension Protection Fund’s assessment period.
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Kier schemes agree cut to deficit contributions as funding improves
The trustees of construction company Kier Group’s defined benefit pension plans have agreed a new payment schedule, to reduce sponsor contributions as the schemes approach full funding.
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Experts pour scorn on ‘pensions as deposit’ suggestion
On the go: The pensions minister’s appeal for suggested schemes that would let young savers use their retirement savings to help them on to the property ladder has been criticised as ignorant of the laws of supply and demand by pensions commentators.
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CDC pensions ‘would be 70% higher’ than traditional DC
On the go: A new guide published by Willis Towers Watson estimates that collective defined contribution pensions would be on average 70 per cent higher than traditional defined contribution, and 40 per cent higher than typical defined benefit schemes.
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Tisa backs AE pause for strapped low earners but no respite for employers
Analysis: Pensions policy experts are split over whether the government should begin to ramp up automatic enrolment contributions with an ‘opt-down’ for low earners, after recent calls to reform the landmark pensions policy.
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DB schemes over-reliant on ‘historically improbable’ returns
On the go: Underfunded defined benefit schemes in the UK will require “once-in-a-century” equity performance if they are to avoid carrying their funding gaps well into the 2030s, according to a new report from Willis Towers Watson.
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Consultants seek to push up industry sustainability standards
A new working group formed by 12 UK investment consultants is aiming to encourage standardisation of practices and meaningful action on sustainability among asset owners.
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Littlewoods scheme buys in remaining £930m with Rothesay
On the go: The Littlewoods Pensions Scheme has secured almost £1bn of its defined benefit liabilities with insurer Rothesay Life, with the plan’s pension promises now completely covered by bulk annuity contracts.
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Trend towards master trusts continues apace
On the go: The rate at which FTSE 250 companies move to master trusts as their main defined contribution vehicle is set to accelerate over the next two years, according to a new report from Willis Towers Watson.
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ONS indicates master trust transfer spike as experts demand opacity
Data crunch: A massive spike in defined contribution transfers could signal frantic consolidation in the master trust sector, as experts call for clearer data from the Office for National Statistics.
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One in five schemes considering superfunds
On the go: The Pensions Regulator’s interim guidance for consolidators has sparked a surge of interest by pension schemes, with one in five considering superfunds as an option for their endgame, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson.
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Willis Pension Scheme enters £1bn longevity swap
On the go: The Willis Pension Scheme has entered into a £1bn longevity swap with Munich Re, covering around 3,500 members.