“TPR wants all trustees to be seen as a knowledgeable, empowered first line of defence for scheme members. Unfortunately, there is a certain lack of engagement from some employers who do not fully recognise that a knowledgeable and empowered trustee board can be an asset to them too. For MNTs in particular, much more support and investment is needed to provide them with the knowledge and training they need to help them add as much value as possible.
“The presence of high-quality professional trustees on boards is also needed to promote an environment of collective decision making and make sure the MNT voice is always heard. A key focus for TPR over the next year will be improving the standards of professional trustees and we will be working with the industry to develop propriety protocols and an accreditation framework that will bolster the effectiveness of the trustee board as a whole, which in turn will enable MNTs to add even greater value.”
David Weeks, co-Chair of the AMNT, commented: “We welcome Andrew Warwick-Thompson’s collaborative approach and are very pleased he decided to make AMNT members his final audience before departing TPR. Last week’s event was intended to be a platform for MNTs to air their views and discuss concerns with key industry influencers - it is encouraging to see organisations like TPR recognising their value and taking steps to ensure they are fully equipped to carry out their roles.”
Other speakers at the Summer Conference included David Blake, Director of The Pensions Institute; Chris Curry, Director at The Pensions Policy Institute; Toby Nangle, Head of Multi-Asset Allocation at Columbia Threadneedle Investments; Luba Nikulina, Global Head of Manager Research at Willis Towers Watson; Chris Wagstaff, Head of Pensions and Investment Education at Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
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