Consultants, providers, HR & reward professionals, tech innovators and a range of other industry stakeholders took part in the sector’s first Pensions Walk and Talk event yesterday, completing a 26km hike along the Sefton Coastal Path.
Organised and led by Barnett Waddingham partner Damian Stancombe, the event saw more than 30 pensions professionals, from partner organisations and rivals, come together to navigate the route picturesque from Southport to Crosby, ending up at Antony Gormley’s famous beach statues.
Stancombe describes the Pensions Walk and Talk as ‘a conversation, not a conference’, that brings together people from across the industry in a novel environment that promotes different thinking and the free flow of ideas.
Participants spent the six-hour hike in free-flowing conversations covering key issues facing the world of pensions. The interaction of pensions and property, value for money, communications, the future of consultancy, the pensions compact and the delays to the dashboard all featured, although it was noted by one participant that there had been little or no unprompted conversations about ESG.
Despite predictions of several hours of rain, the Walk and Talk was favoured with a lack of precipitation, although low cloud meant a fly-by from light aircraft enthusiast Tor Financial’s David Harris wasn’t possible.
Stancombe said: “The Walk and Talk was a simple idea built from the premise that pensions is a problem that can’t be solved if we exist in silos.
“Coming together, sharing ideas and fostering the desire to work together is key. Indeed, I would go further I believe it our duty to. Our job is to help improve the outcome for members who ultimately, we serve.
“It was wonderful to meet so many like-minded people so open to collaborate.
“I would welcome an extension of this thinking to housing and long term care as looking at pensions as a silo will not deal with the inherent problems that are building up in the ageing population.
“Who knows maybe this will become an annual occurrence.”
Aon head of UK DC solutions Tony Britton posted on Linkedin: “Thought-provoking conversation and great to meet up with so many friends and colleagues. Amazing organisation and generosity from Damian Stancombe with terrific support form Paul Leandro and Mark Futcher.”
Steph Gold, principal and DrumRoll lead consultant, Barnett Waddingham, said: “What a great day on the inaugural Pensions Walk and Talk. The weather was mostly kind, the sand thankfully not quick, the company and conversation exceptional and the food exquisite. Looking forward to next year.”
Scottish Widows retirement specialist Robert Cochran posted: “So we made it all the way to the pension dashboard waiting men of Crosby. A whole bunch of them waiting. I genuinely learned loads in a new and fun way.”
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