The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 3 July 2026.
Laura Jackson has joined the trustee board of the Aon MasterTrust. She is currently a consultant working in employee health and wellbeing, and previously spent more than 20 years at Credit Suisse in a variety of benefits and pension-related roles.
Jackson was also previously a trustee on Credit Suisse’s UK and overseas pension arrangements.
She joins the board alongside chair Kim Nash of Zedra, Jenny Davidson of BESTrustees, Keith Scott of Law Debenture, Jonathan Hawkins and Paul Macro.
Louise Wheeler, head of UK defined contribution (DC) solutions at Aon, said: “Laura Jackson brings a rare combination of experience to the Aon MasterTrust, having operated both at trustee board level and as a senior corporate leader responsible for pension strategy. This dual perspective gives her a valuable understanding from both sides, alongside a fantastic insight into how we can continue to enhance engagement and support for pension scheme members.”
Godfrey to boost NOW Pensions trustee board
Elsewhere, fellow master trust NOW Pensions has named Daniel Godfrey to its trustee board and investment committee.
Godfrey currently chairs the Financial Conduct Authority’s Advisers’ Sustainability Group and is a member of Legal & General’s independent governance committee, which oversees its contract-based DC arrangements.
Over the course of his career Godfrey has also held senior positions in the investment industry, including chief executive of the Investment Association and director general of the Association of Investment Companies, the trade body for listed investment trusts.
Joanne Segars, chair of the NOW Pensions trustee board, said: “Daniel brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from across the pensions and investment industry. His expertise will be invaluable as the pensions landscape continues to evolve, helping to further strengthen the trustee board’s governance and support our focus on delivering the best possible retirement outcomes for our members.”
Godfrey added: “Joining the board is an opportunity to contribute to the oversight of a large-scale master trust with a strong commitment to financial inclusion. I was particularly drawn to NOW Pensions’ focus on extending good pension outcomes to employees who have historically been underserved. I look forward to supporting its decision-making and governance responsibilities while helping to shape its continued development.”
As well as Joanne Segars, the other members of the board are Adrian Kennett of Dalriada Trustees, Ed Jones, Gary Smith, and Tracey Weller.
Brunel’s Faith Ward joins LPPI as strategic adviser
Renowned responsible investment expert Faith Ward has joined Local Pensions Partnership Investments (LPPI) as a strategic adviser, the local authority asset pool has announced. She was previously chief responsible investment officer at Brunel Pension Partnership. Read the full article.
Solanki bolsters BESTrustees’ ranks
BESTrustees has hired Jay Solanki as a professional trustee. He joins from Isio where he was head of governance, a position he previously held at Premier Pensions Management before it was acquired by Isio.
Solanki has worked in the pensions sector for more than 25 years in various consulting and governance roles.
Ann Rigby, chair of BESTrustees, said: “Jay is the second professional trustee we have brought on board since the beginning of 2026, and he is a high-quality hire.
“He has a fantastic reputation as a client-focused pensions consultant with a focus on governance and managing buy-ins and buyouts, which is a huge part of the work we are doing at present.”
Sackers poaches Jones from Eversheds
Specialist law firm Sackers has hired Michael Jones as a partner from rival firm Eversheds Sutherland.
Jones is a specialist in defined contribution (DC) pensions law, and has previously worked at Linklaters and Pinsent Masons.
David Saunders, senior partner at Sackers, said the hire boosted the firm’s DC support and its position in the collective DC.
Jacqui Reid, head of DC at Sackers, added: “Michael is joining us at an important time for the DC market and those running DC arrangements. His experience, combined with the breadth and depth of our client base, further reinforces Sackers’ position as a DC powerhouse and puts us in a fabulous position to support clients through the significant regulatory and market challenges that lie ahead.”
Festina adds UK technical lead
Technology firm Festina Finance has recruited Kevin Jones as UK pensions technical lead as it seeks to further penetrate the administration market.
Jones has worked in the pensions sector for more than 10 years in roles at WTW, Equiniti, Heywood, Prudential, and EQ.
Dan McLaughlin, UK country head at Festina Finance, said: “The UK market is evolving quickly, particularly with growing interest in collective DC and the need for more flexible, technology-enabled approaches to pension provision. Building a strong, dedicated UK team is a key part of our long-term strategy, ensuring we continue to play a leading role in the next phase of the market.”
MFS raids BlackRock for new sales chief
MFS Investment Management has hired Henry Odogwu as a senior managing director for institutional sales for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
He joins from BlackRock where he worked since 2020, most recently as head of UK professional trustee relations. He has also worked at FTSE Russell and MSCI.
In his new role, MFS said Odogwu would be responsible for managing the institutional sales team and strengthening relationships with institutional investors and consultants.
Just Group boss joins ABI board
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has added two new board members, including interim Just Group CEO Pretty Sagoo.
Sagoo currently chairs the ABI’s Pension Insurance and Investment Board, and is managing director of Just’s defined benefit business. She is also a trustee of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Also joining the ABI’s board is Jim Islam, chief executive officer at OneFamily Group.
