Appointments: Smart, Nest, Barnett Waddingham, Fidelity

Former pensions minister Guy Opperman has joined pensions provider and fintech Smart as a senior adviser.

Opperman served as the minister for pensions and financial inclusion in the Department for Work and Pensions between 2017 and 2022, and subsequently held ministerial roles centred on employment and transport before losing his seat representing Hexham in Northumberland at this summer’s general election.

During his tenure as pensions minister, Opperman oversaw developments including the expansion of auto-enrolment and the first moves towards the introduction of collective defined contribution pension schemes.

In a press release announcing his appointment, Opperman praised Smart’s approach and leadership. He added: “As pension legislation changes around the world, great technology has the ability and scope to deliver better outcomes for individual savers and societies as a whole.”

Separately, Smart has chosen Martin Gill as its new chief technology officer. Gill joins the fintech after almost two and a half years as a partner at the Blue Hat Associates consultancy, having also held roles as vice president of engineering at fintech payment company Railsbank, and director roles at Moody’s Analytics and UBS.

Gill will oversee Smart’s technology strategy, working with its product and engineering teams. Smart’s Keystone platform is used by companies and governments to offer retirement savings plans, and is also the technology behind Smart Pension, the workplace pension provider.

New board members appointed at Nest

Current pensions minister Emma Reynolds has appointed five specialists across investment management, sustainable finance, customer experience and risk to the board of master trust Nest.

Michael Gordon, who is currently an independent director at Yarra Capital Management, joins the board to provide investment management experience. Stuart White, who is chief executive officer at HSBC Global Asset Management, also joins the board to offer investment management expertise.

They are joined by Catherine Howarth, chief executive of ShareAction and a member of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Sustainable Finance Committee, to offer her expertise in responsible investment.

Faith Reynolds, who sits on the government’s Smart Data Council, joins the board to bring her experience in data and technology. Howard Walpole, meanwhile, will contribute 35 years’ experience in the insurance industry, with significant risk management expertise.

All members began their terms on 25 November. Gordon, Howarth and White have three-year terms, while Reynolds and Walpole hold four and five-year terms respectively.

Morrissey to chair Barnett Waddingham board

Consultancy group Barnett Waddingham has appointed Baroness Helena Morrissey as the new non-executive chair of its management board.

Morrissey is a well-recognised leader in the city, perhaps best known for founding the 30% Club in 2010, which has campaigned for better gender diversity on boards.

She spent 15 years as the chief executive officer of Newton Investment Management, and is currently chair of the boards of Fidelis Insurance Group and Altum Group, having also chaired the Investment Association.

Morrissey was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 for her work on diversity in financial services.

She will take up her role at the start of next year, replacing Elizabeth Renshaw-Ames, who held the position for six years. Morrissey will work alongside senior partner Andrew Vaughan and four new managing partners, whose appointments were announced in the summer.

Fidelity International appoints future master trust chair

Fidelity International has named Mark Cliff as a new trustee of the Fidelity Master Trust.

Starting in January, Cliff will eventually replace the retiring Kim Nash as chair of the master trust from April. Nash will leave after 10 years as chair.

Cliff has been a trustee at the Legal & General Master Trust for more than four years, and holds experience as a trustee chair for defined benefit and defined contribution schemes.

He is currently a client director at professional trustee firm Vidett, having also previously been head of pensions at Manchester Airport Group.

AustralianSuper builds out international equities team

Australia’s biggest superannuation fund has made three senior investment management appointments in its London office.

The £180bn AustralianSuper has hired Steve Kelly from AXA Investment Managers, where he spent 27 years specialising in US equities.

Kelly will oversee AustralianSuper’s High Growth Global Equities Strategy alongside fellow new appointment Anu Narula, who joins from Mirabaud Asset Management after over a decade at the firm culminating with his elevation to partner in 2022. Kelly and Narula will both hold the positions of co-head of high growth global equities.

AustralianSuper’s third announced appointment, Colin Moar, joins as senior portfolio manager for technology equities. He was previously at Barings where he was a director and investment manager in the asset manager’s technology sector team.