The latest hires, promotions and appointments for the week ending 23 October 2026.
The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has announced that Matt Gurden will join the defined benefit (DB) lifeboat fund as chief actuary early in 2027.
Gurden is currently the deputy government actuary at the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD). He spent 14 years in the private sector advising pension scheme trustees and sponsors before joining GAD 15 years ago, where he has supported government financial management and helped inform public policy.
During his time at GAD, Gurden has worked with the Pensions Regulator, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Treasury, including on major policy work such as the most recent DB funding code and the proposed legislative framework for DB superfunds.
He is also a member of GAD’s board and executive committee, helping oversee the department’s expansion to support the public sector beyond pensions and into wider financial and fiscal risks and liabilities.
Gurden replaces Shalin Bhagwan, who left the PPF earlier this year to join BlackRock. Aaron Pang has acted as chief actuary since then and will continue in this role until Gurden joins in the new year.
Richard Beaven, acting chief executive officer at the PPF, said: “Our three-year strategy commits us to protecting people’s financial futures, delivering strong investment performance and helping to shape positive change across the pensions industry. Matt’s actuarial expertise and perspective will be invaluable as we pursue those ambitions, and I look forward to welcoming him to the PPF.”
Gurden added: “The PPF has an impressive record of protecting people’s financial futures, while continuing to adapt and contribute to the wider pensions system. I’m looking forward to collaborating with colleagues across the organisation and the pensions industry, bringing my experience to the opportunities ahead and helping to deliver the ambitions set out in the PPF’s three-year strategy.”
Baldwin boosts GLIL investment committee
GLIL Infrastructure, the specialist investment fund set up by local authority pension funds, has appointed Stuart Baldwin to its investment committee as an independent member.
The committee leads the assessment and approval of new investment opportunities on behalf of its clients, which include the LPPI pool and Nest.
Baldwin has worked in infrastructure investment for more than 25 years, most of which has been at the Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, where he established its infrastructure investment team.
Baldwin has also held non-executive roles at several major infrastructure businesses, including 18 years on the board of Heathrow Airport, as well as spells on the boards of Yorkshire Water, Budapest Airport, global ports operator Terminal Investment Limited, and carbon capture and storage developer Storegga.
GLIL recently secured £400m of capital commitments from its existing investors, bringing its total committed capital to £4.5bn. It is actively seeking new clients as well as new opportunities across UK infrastructure.
Chris Rule, chief executive officer at LPPI and member of the GLIL supervisory board and investment committee, said: “Few people have been as closely involved in investing in and overseeing major infrastructure assets as Stuart, and his wealth of experience will be invaluable to our Investment Committee.
“He joins us at an important moment. With additional committed capital and plans to welcome more members, we’re focused on pursuing new opportunities across a diverse range of sectors to continue delivering the benefits of direct infrastructure investment to pension fund members.”
Baldwin added: “[GLIL’s] model of pension funds pooling their capital and expertise to own UK infrastructure directly, for the long term, is one I have admired for some time. It aligns closely with how I have approached infrastructure investment throughout my career, and I look forward to working with the investment committee and the wider team to support GLIL’s continued growth.”
