Appointments: Howden appoints employee benefits leader; Sackers adds to lawyer line-up

Howden Employee Benefits has appointed Hugh Bennett as executive director of corporate consulting, responsible for leading its pensions and employee benefits teams. He has worked at Howden for 10 years, supporting clients with benefit strategy advice and development.

In his new role, the consultancy group said Bennett would take charge of the employee benefits team following the recent acquisitions of Barnett Waddingham and Evelyn Partners.

Cheryl Brennan, managing director of Howden Employee Benefits, said: “Hugh has a deep understanding of our clients and the challenges employers face in getting the best from their benefits investment. He has played an important role in developing our corporate consulting business, and his combination of consulting experience, commercial insight and focus on client outcomes makes him the right person to lead its next phase.”

Bennett added: “Employers are under increasing pressure to make sure their benefits deliver real value, both for their people and their organisation. Our role is to understand what each client is trying to achieve, bring together the right expertise and insight, and help them make informed decisions about where and how they invest.”

Sackers adds to legal team

Law firm Sackers has appointed Zak Ullah as an associate. He is a newly qualified lawyer and joins from Eversheds Sutherland.

Ullah will advise trustee and employer clients on governance, legislation, documentation, tax and other day-to-day operational issues.

David Saunders, senior partner at Sackers, said: “As the needs of schemes, employers and providers continue to evolve, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to pensions advice. Clients need specialist expertise combined with a real understanding of their particular challenges and objectives.”