United Kingdom

Aon’s Pension Conference Series 2019

Pensions: evolution, solutions, performance

The Aon Pension Conferences are designed for pension schemes trustees and pensions, HR & finance professionals who make decisions about their company’s pension scheme.

The full day programme of presentations, workshops and discussions provide delegates with the opportunity to hear experts’ views on the latest issues faced by pension schemes and take away ideas on how to manage defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes.

The varied format of the day also provides a great platform to learn from and network with peers.

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Agenda

08.15 Registration opens

Pre-conference Workshop (optional) – these focused sessions require an additional registration and will be promoted to registered delegates in the weeks before their chosen event.

Find out more

09.50 Conference Welcome

10:05 Guest speaker

10:20 Tips and techniques to enhance trustee effectiveness

Trustees and sponsors are continuously having to evolve and adapt to the latest governance needs within the Pensions industry. With more and more guidance and regulation being introduced there is a great deal being asked of these individuals and it can be hard to know where to start.

This session looks at the tips and techniques developed by Aon following the behavioural research carried out by Aon into group decision making. We will focus on useful tips and techniques to help Trustees make robust decisions and also manage trustee meetings more effectively. There will be the opportunity to try out some of these decision making techniques in your table discussions throughout the day.

10:40 The year of living dangerously

The long period of strong and stable markets is seemingly coming to an end as the investment environment transitions into much more dangerous and murky waters. This session will take you through our latest outlook on the key asset classes and our recommendations for portfolio positioning. We will also provide our updated views on recent political developments. We might even mention Brexit!

11:05 Enabling financial wellbeing - a retirement savings evolution

Is it time for trustees and others running pensions to consider the wider financial wellbeing of members?

Aon’s recent research shows that the general financial situation of individuals has a significant bearing on, not just their capacity to save for retirement, but also on their expectations towards pension provision and the types of support needed.

When considering this, along with the discovery that we also found the majority of DC members intend to continue working after their ‘retirement date’, which means many current employees will also be pensioners, has the duty of care to provide retirement benefits changed?

If so what do trustees and sponsors need to do about it?

11:40 Break

12:05 To fully funded and beyond

Slowly but surely schemes have whittled away their deficits. For many schemes, full funding, at least on a Technical Provisions measure, is now becoming a reality.

As schemes reach that position, the challenges don’t disappear, but change. Focus switches from filling the deficit to what happens next. And for many schemes that is not only unchartered territory but something that they have not planned for.

In this session we will explore three topics:

  1. What are the immediate issues when you reach full funding?
    How does your approach to funding, investment and covenant change?
  2. Where are you heading next? For many schemes buyout has always been the assumed destination, but new opportunities such as commercial consolidators and master trusts are changing the game.
  3. How do you bridge that gap? There are a range of tools that Sponsors and Trustees can use to turn an apparently large gap into one that is financially affordable.

13:20 Lunch

14:15 Current issues - Chair’s update on topical issues

Chair’s update on topical issues at the time of the conference.

14:30 Client journeys: adding value through investment solutions

Actively managing your pension scheme has become increasingly important; be that the managers you use, your asset allocation, risk management or fee negotiations.

In the current environment, taking no action without due consideration (which is an active decision in itself) is not an option.

In this session we will draw upon a number of client case studies demonstrating how we have helped clients to be active and add value to their scheme. You will hear from the clients themselves as they share their views on the solutions implemented, the performance and outcomes.

15:00 GMP equalisation

After almost 30 years of legal uncertainty the Lloyds case has given schemes a way forward to start tackling the historically thorny issue of GMP Equalisation.

In this session one of the expert witnesses in the case will dispel some of the myths surrounding the topic and help you prioritise actions.

15:20 What’s your cyber defence?

Cyber-attacks are hitting some of the largest companies out there and barely a day goes by without this being mentioned in the press. How would you feel if your sponsor was in the headlines due to an attack on your pension scheme? As a trustee, do you know how you would tackle a crisis situation?

In this interactive session, you can get to grips first-hand with the consequences of a cyber-attack. We will highlight some of the key actions that trustees and sponsors should be taking in relation to this risk and promise to leave you with plenty to think about.

15:50 Closing remarks

16.00 Drinks and networking

17.00 Close

*agenda timings and content subject to change

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The Pension Conference takes place in these cities on these days in 2019 so register your place at your preferred location.

Manchester - 5 February

London - 26 February & 2 April

Bristol - 5 March

Birmingham - 12 March

Leeds - 19 March

Edinburgh - 26 March

Delegates attending the full day will be eligible for 4.5 CPD points.

The Aon Pension Conference has been designed for those who managed or govern pension schemes - Aon reserves the right to decline an individual's registration for the Pension Conferences.

 

Aon Solutions UK Limited - a company registered in England and Wales under registration number 4396810 with its registered office at The Aon Centre, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4AN.