What is the pensions conference good for?

The pensions conference harnesses the intellectual energy of the pensions industry and fortifies its network. But is it still necessary?

Hosts of pensions conferences are tasked with drafting timetables teeming with stimulating panel discussion. The industry’s blue riband event, hosted biannually by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, is one of many gatherings that broadcasts its speeches and debates online.

As technology negates the need for those who want to listen to a presentation to even be in the room, what still drives attendees to show up?

“The opportunity to speak,” said Henry Tapper, director at First Actuarial. “It would be difficult for me to justify spending a day at a conference and paying a large amount of money to go to it, unless I didn’t participate.”

Pop-up events gather traction

Social media has disrupted the conference calendar, decentralising individual matters of discussion from costly all-encompassing conferences.

So-called ‘pop-up’ events, often organised via social networks, allow interested parties to attend meetings with greater relevance to their fields of interest.

“The opportunity to meet in lunch groups, seminars, webinars… has radically changed the dynamics of these big, lumbering, great two-day, one day events,” Tapper said.

Nevertheless, 'analog' conferences remain the broadest source of access to industry talent, and this is what ensures the flow of delegates.

“I can watch [conference talks] on YouTube... What I can’t do is meet the people. That’s the only thing that conferences bring,” Tapper said.

Progress requires independent thinkers

Events fall into three categories, according to Andy Agathangelou, founder of the Transparency Task Force.

“The worst are when all you’ve really got going on is somebody representing a company talking about his or her products and services… they tend to be so predictable, rather boring, you might as well be reading a brochure,” he said.

“The next group of speakers is where there’s more than that, there’s actually true, genuine conversation, there’s the discussion of ideas.”

The third, and ultimate genre of the pensions conference, according to Agathangelou, provides “real, edgy commentary”. This can only take place where speakers are free from the reins of the event’s commercial agenda, he said.

Agathangelou has witnessed a speaker’s removal from an event following a “fair, balanced, robust and incredibly honest” critique of a topic that ran counter to the event sponsor’s own agenda.

“It is such a pity that sometimes the commercial agenda wrapped around an event is so strong and so influential that it actually suppresses the kind of... candid discussion and debate, which can sometimes be quite edgy, that you really need,” he said, adding: “It’s the edgy conversations that cause progress.”

A push towards diversity

Conference hosts recognise the need for attendees to justify signing up to their events. Increased audience interaction, networking opportunities and the scheduling of industry gurus are all part of the PLSA’s strategy to retain the appeal of their conferences, according to Kate Hadley, the PLSA’s head of events.

Hadley said: “Our members tell us they really value the opportunity to hear from top industry experts on the topics that are most important to them; network with peers and industry suppliers, ask questions, and discuss potential solutions to issues they face.”

“Pension conferences need to ensure they are interactive, offer good value for money, networking opportunities and a range of conference sessions in order to represent the diversity of the pensions industry,” she said.

The PLSA selected diversity as the theme of its last conference in March. The organisation has prioritised increasing female representation among speakers at its events.

“At the PLSA we are aware of the need to represent our diverse industry,” Hadley added.