The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 23 January 2026.
Administration provider Aptia has appointed experienced professional trustee Peter Redhead as vice president, and John Carew as chief operating officer.
Carew joins from Capita where he worked for more than 20 years, most recently as chief operating officer for Capita Pension Solutions. He previously held the same position at the firm’s public sector arm.
At Aptia, the company said Carew would oversee day-to-day operations, while Aptia president Malcolm Reynolds added that his experience would be “invaluable as we continue to strengthen our UK business”.
Meanwhile, Redhead joins from BESTrustees, where he was a professional independent trustee. He has also previously worked at Aon and JLT Employee Benefits over a 40-year career in the pensions industry.
In his new role, Aptia said Redhead would oversee “complex member queries, ensuring they are resolved promptly, professionally, and in full compliance with governance standards”, as well as working closely with independent trustees and clients on Aptia’s overall offering.
Aptia recently acquired Atkin Pensions with a view to launching a consulting arm.
New s151 officer for LPFA
The £8.1bn London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) has appointed Matthew Hopson as its new director of finance and corporate resources (s151 officer).
Hopson will join the LPFA in late April 2026 from the London Borough of Islington, where he spent over three years working on the borough’s £2bn pension scheme, latterly as acting director of finance.
Hopson has also worked at Westminster City Council on its the Tri-Borough pensions team and the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Jo Donnelly, CEO of the LPFA, said: “We are delighted that Matt is joining the LPFA. He brings an excellent grounding in local government pensions as well as leadership in local government finance. His reputation as a strong supporter of the Local Government Pension Scheme and a capable finance professional is well deserved.”
New risk chief for PPF
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has appointed Jeremy Lee as chief risk officer. He joined the organisation earlier this month. Read the full story.
Taylor joins TPT in senior risk and compliance role
TPT Retirement Solutions has named Helen Taylor as its new chief legal, risk and compliance officer.
In a statement, the pensions provider said the appointment “underscores TPT’s commitment to a culture of strong governance, robust risk management and high professional standards”.
Taylor has worked at TPT for more than a decade, most recently as chief people officer. Before joining the firm, she worked at clothing retailer Damartex as head of human resources.
David Lane, chief executive at TPT Retirement Solutions, said: “We are delighted to see Helen step into this important role within the business. As TPT continues to grow its suite of consolidation vehicles, compliance and risk management will demand a collective approach. Helen’s leadership and oversight will be instrumental in strengthening our compliance frameworks, supporting a culture of accountability and professionalism, and ensuring we continue to operate in the best interests of our members.”
Taylor added: “As the business continues to innovate and grow, navigating an evolving regulatory landscape and helping the business identify and manage risk is a key priority. It’s one that I am looking forward to leading within a sector where expectations are changing rapidly and good member outcomes are paramount.”
TPT is currently planning on launching a defined benefit (DB) superfund and a multi-employer collective defined contribution offering.
Aon adds Burrows to DC team
Gemma Burrows has joined Aon’s defined contribution (DC) and financial wellbeing team, based in London. She joins from rival consulting giant WTW, where she led on some of the company’s largest DC scheme relationships.
In her new role, Aon said Burrows would focus on DC and wellbeing initiatives for corporate and trustee clients.
Ben Roe, head of UK retirement at Aon, said Burrows’ new team was “a real growth area of the business”.
Burrows added: “Aon’s work in the field of DC pensions and financial wellbeing has a market-leading proposition and a strong reputation. I’m looking forward to working with the team and bringing our advice and industry-leading solutions to clients.”
Sackers adds Card to project management deck
Law firm Sackers has appointed John Card as a project manager within its established project management team.
He joins from Just Group, where he was DB operational services manager. He has also worked at Equiniti in administration and analyst roles.
Sackers also recently hired Derek Obeng from Benifex, also to its project management team.
Elizabeth Nolan, head of project management at Sackers, said specialist knowledge was “key to the successful delivery of the projects we work on for our clients”.
“The recruitment of John and Derek demonstrates the further development of our project management team and our commitment to continuous improvement of services,” she added.
Allspring targets UK and Europe with senior hire
US-based asset manager Allspring Global Investments is targeting a global expansion, including in the UK, with the appointment of Max Watson as consultant relations director for its international business.
Watson was previously responsible for Capital Group’s consultancy relationships in the UK, and he has also worked for Neuberger Berman and Alcentra.
Joseph Dore, head of consultant relations at Allspring, said: “Over the last few years, Allspring has made significant progress within the global consultant community across both fixed income and equity. With Max on board, we aim to further strengthen our go-to-market approach, particularly in insurance and wealth, alongside our established retirement focus.”
