The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 17 April 2026.
Helen Charnley has joined the trustee board of the BT Pension Scheme, it announced this week. She replaces David Viles, who has stepped down.
Charnley is currently BT Group’s director of audit, risk and controls, having joined the company in September 2023. She previously worked for supermarket chain Sainsbury’s in a similar role.
Jill Mackenzie, chair of the BT Pension Scheme trustee board, said: “Helen’s knowledge of the BT Group and her deep experience in audit and risk will help strengthen the collective skills of the trustee board – I’m delighted to welcome her.
“I would like to thank David Viles for his significant contribution to the trustee board over the past six years and for the commitment he has shown to the scheme and its members.”
The BT Pension Scheme is the largest single-sponsor defined benefit (DB) scheme in the UK, with more than £33bn in assets and around 253,000 members.
WTW appoints senior DC leader
WTW has appointed Simon Davidge as a senior director in its defined contribution (DC) advisory team.
In his new role, the consultancy group said Davidge would lead its existing DC client teams and support its growth.
He rejoins the company from Mercer where he was a principal consultant specialising in DC and financial wellbeing. Davidge previously worked at WTW between 2008 and 2016, and has also held DC-focused roles at Isio and KPMG.
Natasha Rogers, a senior director in the DC team at WTW, said Davidge’s experience in DC and financial wellbeing “strengthens our ability to support clients with strategic, forward-looking solutions”.
Dalriada’s Kaur-Sadler to take key role at West Midlands
West Midlands Pension Fund has appointed Mandy Kaur-Sadler as its “independent person”, with effect from May 2026. She will provide advice, insight and challenge to the pensions committee that oversees the fund.
Kaur-Sadler is a senior trustee director at Dalriada, a professional trustee firm, and joins to add key governance experience for the £21.4bn fund in line with the ‘Fit for the Future’ reforms.
Her Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) experience includes being a board member at the London Pensions Fund Authority, a position she has held since the start of 2024.
Rachel Brothwood, executive director at the West Midlands Pension Fund, said: “This appointment strengthens our governance at an important point in time for the LGPS. Mandy brings significant pensions expertise, an independent perspective and a strong connection to the region, all of which will add real value to our pensions committee.”
Mandy Kaur-Sadler added: “I look forward to supporting the pensions committee through expert insight and objective constructive input in relation to the advice it receives, helping to ensure decision-making remains robust, transparent and aligned with best practice as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.”
New partners at Eversheds
Law firm Eversheds Sutherland has appointed 25 new partners across its business, with effect from 1 May 2026.
The promotions include James Ellis, Jen Green, and Sarah Lown from its pensions team. The law firm highlighted that 40% of the new partners were female.
Keith Froud, Eversheds Sutherland’s chief executive, said: “Our newly promoted partners exemplify exceptional talent, deep client commitment and market-leading capability. Together, they reinforce our position as a firm that is powerful globally, strong locally, delivering seamless support to clients wherever they operate.”
