Latest articles from Maria Espadinha

Smart Pension platform raises £165m in funding

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On the go: Smart, the platform provider behind master trust Smart Pension, has raised £165m in a funding round, with the goal to expand its business in different territories.

FTSE 350 DB schemes back on track after Covid-19 blow

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On the go: The majority of defined benefit schemes from FTSE 350 companies are back on track in terms of their funding goals, after being hit in 2020 by the economic crisis caused by Covid-19, according to research from Barnett Waddingham.

USS board member resigns after scheme valuation fallout

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On the go: Ian Maybury, director at the trustee board of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, has resigned from his post after a disagreement on the pension fund’s latest actuarial valuation.

State Street pays schemes for missed return after index error

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On the go: State Street Global Advisors is making payments to pension schemes, including PensionBee, after an error made by FTSE Russell in the composition of one of its indices affected the returns of several funds offered by the asset manager.

TPR’s intervention guarantees £730m protection for Sanofi scheme

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On the go: The Sanofi Pension Scheme has received a new guarantee package from its sponsor, including additional protection of up to £730m in the event of insolvency in the next 20 years, following intervention from the Pensions Regulator.

Britvic wins appeal on pension inflation change

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On the go: Soft drinks manufacturer Britvic will be able to reduce the inflation-proofing it provides for its defined benefit pension scheme, as the Court of Appeal has ruled in its favour.

DB schemes overestimating endgame timeline goals

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On the go: Almost half of defined benefit schemes are expecting to reach endgame in five to 10 years, which could be a cautious forecast as trustees risk missing strategic opportunities, according to Aon.

Preliminary findings show govt failings on state pension age changes

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On the go: Women born in the 1950s suffered delays of more than two years in being informed about rises in their state pension age due to government maladministration, according to preliminary findings by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Only half of trustee boards conduct governance reviews

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On the go: Only half of defined benefit scheme trustee boards review their effectiveness annually, which shows the industry still has some way to go when it comes to governance, according to Willis Towers Watson.

FirstGroup shareholders approve pension black hole solution

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On the go: Shareholders of transportation company FirstGroup have approved the sale of two subsidiaries, with the profits being used in part to fund a black hole in its defined benefit schemes.