Knowledge hub

Check out some of our latest insights into the happenings in the market and keep up to date with our current thinking.

Approaching Renegotiation

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

Although it’s not a document anyone wants to be constantly referring to, the contract between Trustees and their administrator is crucial in governing the relationship. It is important that as a renewal approaches it isn’t just rolled over. It needs to be looked at afresh to make sure it still reflects what the Trustees need from the service, and the services actually being delivered.

Making the Selection

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

We were appointed to help our client develop a pre-selection process for a single MNT vacancy on their trustee board. The candidates were always going to go to ballot, but the trustee wanted to be able to exercise some control over the skills and aptitudes of the candidates.

Governing Investments

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

A company-appointed trustee felt that the trustees were rather too passive when it came to the investment strategy. This individual trustee felt the trustee board wasn’t considering all their options and weren’t making the best use of their investment adviser. However, being a company-appointed trustee meant that there was a risk of perceived conflict and he recognised that can be just as damaging as the real thing.

Outsourcing Investments

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

Our client had an in-house investment team including provision of investment advice and some direct investment management and was on a journey towards a greater level of outsourcing. However, they didn’t know how they should approach the range of options for outsourcing, while pursuing their objective to further derisk the scheme.

Asking the Right Questions

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

Our client was reviewing their DC options, something that we increasingly see, and had decided to look at the master trust market. They wanted to reduce the costs and governance burden for the company, but ensure that members were getting good value for money. It was also important that the members could access the full flexibilities.

Broadening Horizons

13 Dec 2021

Case studies

Our client had decided to conduct a review of their scheme governance and trustee effectiveness. However, the process they went through with a competitor of ours was challenging, dispiriting and produced a quite damning verdict. Nonetheless, the trustee had worked through the recommendations and were now ready to re-assess where they were. We were appointed because we were able to demonstrate an awareness of the sensitivities inherent in any such exercise: the need to balance competing interests, understand different views and personalities, and to create an open, supportive and collaborative exchange of opinions and views.