V-FM: The Pensions Podcast

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to pensions goth and research guru, Daniela Silcock about all things pensions. As well as talking about what value for money means to Daniela, we discuss: politics, pensions and winter fuel payments; the politics of DC pension allocation building on research Daniela has just conducted on behalf the the DCIF; developments in the 'at retirement' market and a whole lot more.... enjoy!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat to the CEO of the Money and Pensions Service, Oliver Morley, and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge. This is part two of the podcast recorded 'on the road' at the PMI Annual Conference.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico interview some amazing speakers at the PMI's Annual Conference. Part one covers interviews with PMI CEO, Gareth Tancred, and the PPF's Michelle Osterman and Kate Jones. Part two covers interviews with MAPS' Oliver Morley and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge.

In this V-FM Pensions special, hosts Nico and Darren discuss the outcome of the Government's Pensions and Investment Review phase 1. Tune in to hear about what the review had to say and also hear the hosts' views on what's hot, what's not, and what's still just simply confusing....

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Guiide Founder and CEO Kevin Hollister. Not surprisingly, this is a decumulation-heavy episode with Kevin using the opportunity to talk about a new Guiide D2C proposition that has just been launched with the aim of helping people achieve sustainable retirement outcomes. We also chat a lot about how to help people manage their money in retirement and, of course, defaults vs engagement, as well as the FCA's advice/guidance regulatory boundary. We cover the Pensions Investment Review (watch out for the special incoming...), consumer satisfaction with pension transfers, and, of course, find out what value for money means to Kevin. Enjoy!

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Eversheds Sutherland's Partner and Head of DC, Michael Jones, about all things value for money. Michael has the honour(?) of being the first actively practicing pensions lawyer on the podcast and he timed his appearance perfectly being a Spurs fan (recording the morning after a lucky Europa Cup win...) As well as finding out how Michael got into pensions and what value for money means to him, we have a wide-ranging discussion covering: Recent statements from the Pensions Minister concerning DB Surpluses The latest WPI report on scale and independence Angela Rayner's proposed tax hikes - will we / won't we see the reintroduction of the Lifetime Allowance? Pension investment and fiduciary duty The use and evolution of AI in pensions And a crowd funding campaign seeking a KC opinion on the retrospective nature of the Government making DC pensions subject to IHT. Enjoy!  

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to XPS' Head of DC Investments Mark Searle. As well as finding out what value for money means to Mark and how he got into the pensions industry we, of course, kick off by talking about the gig news of the week, the Mansion House Accord. We also chat pensions adequacy, at retirement solutions and investing in the US. Enjoy!

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Fidelity International's James Monk. As well as finding out what value for money means to James and how he got into pensions, the wide-ranging discussions covers: Mansion House and local investing, and a general discussion about UK economic developments; Trump's crypto play; TPT's announcement that it is planning to introduce multi-employer CDC; a report from the SPP urging savers not to panic; and the pros and cons of life vs custody platforms. Listen to hear all this and more!  

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico spend time reflecting on some of the key pension and investment topics of the moment, building on comments from guests over the last few episodes. We chat about Tony Blair's latest comments on climate change, the latest gossip about the next iteration of Mansion House and productive finance, assessing value for money by scratching the ITCH, next steps for collective defined contribution schemes, and a whole lot more... We also get an update on Nico's injury woes and Nico shares some amazing news!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat with the Chair of Pan Trustees, Steve Delo. Steve is a Trustee on many schemes and was chair of the People's Pension for 10 years from its inception (he had the pleasure of working closely with the podcast hosts for a good few years). We take a trip down memory lane discussing some historical pensions issues that schemes and trustees are still grappling with, focussing on the complexity of administration and data. We also chat about Steve's time at the People's Pension and some of the challenges in providing pensions at scale, the DWP announcement confirming its solution to deal with small pension pots, and the fiduciary challenges and lack of clear guidance on assessing and addressing climate risks in pension schemes. We also find out how Steve got into pensions and, of course, find out what value for money means to him. Enjoy!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Fulcrum's Head of Alternative Solutions Matt Roberts. Matt takes the podcast by storm and rips up the usual podcast format by kicking off with his views on what value for money means to him... We also cover tariffs, consolidation, zero cost equity investing, British Steel and... would you believe it... stamp collecting...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to NEST policy guru Philip Brown about all things pensions and all things policy. As well as talking about the 100th anniversary of the Great Gatsby and celebrating Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid, we chat pension freedoms, market volatility, the role of NEST, Hymans proposals for reform of the pension system, CDC and a whole load more! We also find out how Phil got into pensions and discuss what value for money means to him.   Enjoy!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico Chat to the PMI's new Chief Strategy Officer, Helen Forrest Hall. Helen has been in the industry for 20 or so years and has just recently joined the PMI following a glittering career spanning time at The Pensions Regulator, the NAPF, and the DWP. Helen is a self-confessed pensions and policy geek, and we get stuck into topics such as pensions and housing, TPR's approach to supervising professional trustee companies, a recent talk by the Regulator at the PMI's excellent Master Trust and DC Symposium, glide paths and investment allocation, the latest report from the IFS, and a whole lot more. We also find out how Helen got into pensions and, of course, ask what value for money means to her.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico pick up on some of the key topics from the last few episodes. Our one-one 'specials' have often been based around responses to consultations, but, in an evolution of the podcast format, once a month we're going to explore in more depth some of the issues raised on the regular podcast. So tune in and hear about the Spring Statement and the role of the Office for Budget Responsibility; systemic stewardship and fiduciary responsibility, including the role of pension funds in addressing society's big issues; and systems thinking in financial services. And we also discuss the recent acquisition of Barnett Waddingham by Howdens.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat to Money Alive co-founder Ian Beestin. Best known for his love of music and drumming - and his Thursday lunchtime drum quizzes during lockdown - Ian is helping to change the face of how pension schemes and providers communicate and engage with people in the digital age. As well as finding out how Ian got into Pensions and discussing what value for money means to him (hint: not Ryan Air...) we chat: AI and innovation in pensions communications, the need for engaging content and personalisation, The Pension Regulator's new innovation zone and what appears to be a deregulatory agenda, Torsten Bell's first big keynote speech including the continued drive for consolidation, and recent moves by USS to end reporting on emissions. Ian also flags a recent news story in Professional Pensions highlighting their 30th Anniversary. A big shout out to Jonathan Stapleton and the team in their anniversary year - many congratulations!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren talk to Ruston Smith. Ruston was formerly Director of Pensions at Tesco and now holds several non-exec roles at pension funds, asset managers, private businesses and charities, and is the Chair of the Pensions Management Institute. We, of course, talk about how Ruston got into pensions and what value for money means to him. We also cover many of the big topics affecting the pensions industry and start by talking about International Women's day and Schroders' recent Women and Wealth Report. We chat a lot about pension fund investments and productive finance, fiduciary duty, and the ethics of pension fund investment in defence. And we also discuss Ruston's work on the Lifetime Savings Initiative, pensions adequacy and work Ruston has done with the government regulators and industry to improve transparency and simplify communication.  And, in what must be a V-FM podcast first, we also touch on ‘the unkillables' of the Patch Plant world and Ruston squeezes in a few pop star name checks. A great listen!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat with accredited professional trustee, Paul Tinslay. Paul was previously a financial adviser before being a trustee and this comes through loud and clear in the podcast. As well as chatting about Paul's career and finding out what value for money means to him, we discuss Make My Money Matter's closure, Fidelity's approach to pension defaults, the challenge around pensions admin and its impact on dashboards, the 'four chapters of life' approach to modern careers and retirement, and People's Pension moving the vast majority of its assets away from State Street. Darren also goes off on a bit of a rant re a recent interaction with the DWP on behalf of a relative claiming the state pension (you might want to fast forward this bit....). A lot in this episode!  

In this week's episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico chat to the ABI's Yvonne Braun and Aviva's Michele Golunska on the fringe of the ABI's 2025 Annual Conference. We spoke to Michele and Yvonne straight after an excellent panel session looking at savings adequacy and longevity, continuing a wide ranging and in depth discussion building on the topics discussed during the panel. We chatted about pensions policy, adequacy, productive finance, pensions dashboards, advice and guidance, technology and a whole lot more.... and, of course, we asked Yvonne and Michelle what value for money means to them.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Benefits Consulting Leader at Gallagher, Mark Pemberthy. A self confessed 'regular' listener to the podcast, we've been trying to get Mark on to the pod for a little while and it was great to have a chat about all things pensions. As well as the staple topic of value for money, and, of course, finding out about how Mark got into pensions, we have a wide-ranging discussion about the pensions and savings landscape, auto enrolment, small pots and the future of regulation. Mark had clearly done his homework ahead of appearing on the podcast and came armed with news stories galore to demonstrate the complexity of our pensions and savings system.

In this episode of V-FM, hosts Darren and Nico chat to trustee extraordinaire and President of BESTrustees Alan Pickering. As well as Alan giving the podcast a scoop about the renaming of Yorkshire, we discuss: the importance of balancing the interaction between regulation, growth and consumer protection; the thorny questions of governance and conflicts of interest in the pensions industry; and Make My Money Matter's annual review of master trusts and climate change. We chat about Alan's amazing career and how he got into pensions and, of course, ask what value for money means to him. We also give a huge V-FM shout out to our first ever podcast guest, David Butcher, for the launch of his new mindfulness coaching programme. Congratulations David!  

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to LCP partner and PASA Board member David Fairs. David has had a long and distinguished career in the pension industry, including a 5-year stint at The Pensions Regulator as Executive Director responsible for Regulatory Policy, Analysis and Advice. The pensions chat covers DB surplus extraction, Trump (again) and DEI/ESG, NEST taking a stake in IFM and People's Pension appointing itself as its own investment consultant. We also chat conflicts in the pensions industry, how David found the transition from the private to public sector, how David got into pensions, and a whole lot more.... including what value for money means to him. The podcast also has a scoop regarding David's future.... you'll have to listen to find out more! 

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Chair of the Pensions Regulator Sarah Smart. In a wide-ranging episode we chat about a lot of things including diversity (spoiler: Trump was mentioned...), climate change and climate investing, the doomsday clock ticking ever closer to midnight, surplus extraction for defined benefit schemes and the role of trustees (which caused Darren to semi-rant about conflicts of interest), and the need for innovation and scope for the use of AI in pensions and pensions regulation. We chatted about how Sarah transitioned from the investment world to become an independent trustee, driven by a desire to make the pension system work better for people. We also, of course, discussed value for money and current regulatory initiatives in this area, with Sarah highlighting the need for.... [well... you'll need to listen to the podcast....]. And, following hot on the heels of last week's episode, we covered the need for balance between achieving scale through consolidation and allowing for innovation and competition in the pensions market. Lots in this one... enjoy!  

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to CEO of Smart UK, Jamie Fiveash. Jamie is a DC and master trust expert, is on the PLSA Board, and has had the pleasure of being Darren's boss, not once, but twice....  As it's our 101st episode (finally we've got a new numbering system...) we play a little game of Room 101... what will our guest and hosts consign to history (hint: first Brexit rant of the year from Darren)? Given the timing of the episode we had to talk about Trump.... but we spend most of our time chatting DC, productive finance, scale and consolidation, pensions reform and IHT. We find out how Jamie got into pensions and, of course, ask what value for money means to him.  

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to pensions lawyer extraordinaire, Robin Ellison. Robin is not shy with his views on policy and regulation and the podcast takes a whistle stop tour through many of the issues the pensions industry is grappling with currently. As well as welcoming the new pensions minister, we talk about Robin's foray into politics with the 'U' party, his views on regulatory policy and regulation including current initiatives to promote value for money and force consolidation, and a pension scheme investing in bitcoin. We also discuss climate change and the devastating fires in Los Angeles. We find out how Robin got into pensions and ask Robin what value for money means to him. Tune in to hear all this and a whole lot more!  It's celebration time for VFM as this is the 100th episode of the podcast (including a number of specials that we have recorded over the past couple of years). Here's to the next 100 episodes!

A Happy New Year to all our listeners!! In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico kick off the year with an in depth discussion of the UK Government's consultation on reforms to the Defined Contribution pension market. This consultation is part of the Mansion House package of measures published on 14 November 2024. We chat through the main elements of the consultation including: the (flawed?) premise behind the Mansion House agenda; what scale really means and what we actually mean by a default; bulk transfers without consent; and the role of employers and advisers in choosing a pension scheme. This is our response to the Government's consultation. Fair to say it asks more questions than it answers, but we hope it helps and that others find it useful as they go about pulling together their own responses.

After a few weeks break due to illness, V-FM Pensions is back for a Christmas special where Darren and Nico chat about Pensions and the Mansions House reforms and look forward to 2025.   Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our listeners. Here's to a fantastic 2025!

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to Broadstone's Richard Sweetman. Due to illness, publication of this episode has been delayed, but not to worry as you can see how Richard's Mansion House predictions match up to what Rachel Reeve's announced during her maiden Mansion House speech. We also discuss a Private Eye Article on the Budget, money and inflation in ancient Rome, pre-Budget tax speculation that never materialised, and the recent Lord Mayor's speech which called for more investment by pension funds into the UK.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Žiga Vižintin, Director of Retirement Solutions at 'Pokojninska družba A pension fund' ('Pension Fund A') and author of the Irrational Retirement Blog. We chat the US election, a news story about Nordic regulators sending a joint letter to European regulators urging simpler pension regulation, statistics from the European regulator EIOPA showing low pensions participation across Europe, an unnamed UK pension scheme allocating 3% to Bitcoin, and the presence of microplastics in the human brain and their potential health impacts. We also discuss pension reform plans in Slovenia, including the potential introduction of auto-enrolment, and, of course, what value for money means to Žiga.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Tan Suee Chieh, former CEO of Prudential Singapore, former CEO of Singapore's NTUC (National Trade Union Congress), and past President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. As well as chatting to Suee Chieh about how he got into pensions and value for money, we spend some time focussing on the proposed sale of Singapore's NTUC Income to Allianz - a strong example of the importance of speaking up. We also chat about the proposed acquisition of Redington by Gallagher, the launch of the new trustee company Aretas Trustees, and we send Andrew Warwick-Thompson our heartfelt best wishes.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren Philp and Nico Aspinall join Broadstone's Simon Kew and David Brooks for a V-FM/Pensions in Ten mashup to discuss Rachel Reeve's first Budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer. 

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico spend time chatting with Tomorrow's Company Jonathan Maguire. Tomorrow's Company is an organisation focused on inspiring businesses to be a force for good in society and Jon's focus is on the state of the education system, particularly the lack of funding for special educational needs and the disconnect between the curriculum and the needs of young people. Less pensions chat in this episode, but a really positive and insightful discussion where Jon talks about how we can and should be empowering and inspiring young people, developing their skills, and connecting them with local businesses and mentors. Investing properly in our kids' futures… what could be better value for money than that!?

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to the CEO of the Irish Association of Pension Funds, Jerry Moriarty. As well as finding out what value for money means to Jerry, we learn about the Irish pension system and the proposed introduction of auto enrolment. We talk about lessons from the UK experience of introducing auto enrolment and pick up on the question of the FCA's value for money consultation which closed this week. We also chat about the recently published Mercer Global Pensions Index (an annual ranking of pension systems worldwide based on adequacy, sustainability, and integrity) and discuss the proposed sale of a mutual insurer in Singapore including the objection and backlash it has created.  

In this episode of V-FM the pensions podcast, Darren and Nico chat to the legend that is David Porter. David is now an independent investment consultant who helps schemes and providers implement new approaches. As well as talking about what value for money means to David, we also chat Royal Mail CDC, CDC more generally and Willis Towers Watson arguing that DC is 'broken', deaths outnumbering births in the UK and the cost of a pint of beer! 

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat with Morten Nilsson, CEO of Brightwell, about what value for money means to him. As we move to cover more than just defined contribution pensions we spend time talking about the challenges and rising costs of running defined benefit schemes, the impact and cost of advisers, and conflicts of interest within the pensions industry. We chat about the importance of consolidation, not just in the DC and LGPS sectors, but also for private sector DB. In Morten's eyes small schemes need to collaborate to reach a scale that allows for better management and value for money.  We also chat about what the future holds and Morten is clear that DB pensions will remain important for decades, despite many schemes now being closed; there are exciting opportunities for trustees and sponsors to manage surpluses creatively.

In this episode of V-FM, the Pensions Podcast, hosts Darren and Nico are joined by Jonathan Hawkins, Propositions Lead at Bravura, to dive deep into what Value for Money (VFM) means in the pensions world. As we navigate Pensions Dashboard Week, Jonathan shares insights on the challenges and opportunities that the industry faces as it prepares for one of the biggest transformations in recent times. We discuss the impact of technology—or the lack thereof—in delivering VFM, the role of data quality, and the importance of evolving core pension systems to meet future customer needs. Jonathan doesn't hold back on highlighting where the industry needs to improve, from outdated tech to how the sector can better engage with underrepresented groups.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to their former boss and Chief Executive of the People's Partnership Patrick Heath-Lay. Patrick has been at People's (formerly B&CE) for his whole career and has a remarkable story of joining the organisation to deliver the mail and then working his way up to become CEO of one of the largest pension schemes in the country. We, of course, ask Patrick what value for money means to him, but we also have an in depth discussion about policy and what's in the store for the future. We chat pensions adequacy, the Government's pensions review and productive finance. We also cover transfers, consolidation and scheme quality and the evolution of pensions in the UK, including how Patrick (and others) came together to truly disrupt the pensions market with the launch of the People's Pension back in 2011. The most surprising thing about this episode though... Patrick is even complimentary about Nico's piano playing!

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat about the Financial Conduct Authority's value for money consultation CP24-16. What do we like, what don't we like, what do we think will work, and where is there room for improvement? Listen to find out all this and more.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to DC consultant extraordinaire LCP's Steve Budge. Steve has an amazing career in pensions consultancy and we tap into his significant insights and knowledge of DC pensions as we navigate some of the big issues at the front of the industry's minds. The podcast was recorded on the launch day of the latest Pension Attention campaign so we discuss that. We also spend a lot of time chatting about the Government's pensions review call for evidence, as well as a new report on the "Capital Markets of tomorrow" that looks at unlocking pension fund investment for the future. We speculate about the speculation around reforms to pensions tax relief and, of course, ask Steve what value for money means to him.  

In this episode of V-FM pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to the World Gold Council's Claire Lincoln. As well as having lots of experience in pensions and investments, Claire is an expert on wine... so, of course, alongside the usual V-FM chat we find out what vino for money means to her! A very wide ranging discussion this week where we cover the state of the economy and public finances, pensions tax relief, TPT research on the DB endgame, increasing minimum contribution levels, possible increases in employer national insurance contributions and a whole lot more.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren, talk to TOR's David Harris about planes, pensions, policy, and, of course, value for money. David has some amazing international pensions experience and his consultancy (celebrating its 20th year) is well know for creating international connections. He is also known for clocking up the air miles and spends more time in the air than on terra firma. As well as a bit of the expected cricket chatter, David confesses to being an Ipswich Town fan (Ed: enjoy this season while it lasts, David!). We also discuss pension transfers (following the excellent article in Professional Pensions looking at incentives), tax relief, contribution rates, investment in defence and nuclear, David's aviation business and a whole lot more!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to the PPI's current deputy director Sarah Luheshi. Sarah is retiring at the end of August after an amazing career in the financial services industry, culminating with a fantastic 9 years at the Pensions Policy Institute. In a jam-packed podcast, as well as chatting about the weekly staple of value for money, we talk about Labour's pensions review and the need for it to take a holistic approach, the PPI's pensions framework, pensions adequacy, the launch of a provider transfer rating service, and productive finance think pieces from the PLSA and Policy Exchange. We wish Sarah all the best for her retirement.....but we don't think for a second that she'll totally break connections with an industry she has contributed so significantly to!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to IFM's Executive Director of Public Affairs and former Shadow Pensions Minister Gregg McClymont. Gregg returns to the podcast after being one of our first guests (episode #5) so we take the opportunity to find out what Gregg's been up to and look to get underneath the skin of what's driving change in the pensions industry. We talk about consolidation, scale, productive finance and draw on Gregg's significant experience and insight of the Australian and Canadian pension systems.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to BNY's Head of Retirement, Richard Parkin. Richard is an industry stalwart with over 30 years experience in the industry and describes himself as a "card-carrying pensions and retirement geek." Perhaps he should also add to that that he is the 'Daddy Cool' of pensions... In another wide ranging episode we chat Mansion House reforms, the Government's decision to means test winter fuel payments, and the Turkish State Pension system. We also discuss presenteeism and Nico throws us a curve ball by talking want to talk about the theory that complex life may have started much earlier than previously thought - one for the actuaries! We also find out a bit about Richard's career and, of course, ask what value for money means to him.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico are again joined by the self-styled Jasper boys, John Mitchem and Jorik van Zanden for a whistle stop tour and discussion of world pensions. This episode is very much a Jasper takeover with the co-hosts (Ed: would you believe??) struggling to get a word in edgeways while John and Jorik talk about the common retirement challenges faced by nations around the globe.   A crazy episode even by V-FM standards... but fantastic discussion and insight from Jorik and John.

In this special episode of V-FM Pensions, co-hosts Darren and Nico chat about the Pensions Bill and the first phase of the new Government's pensions review. We discuss the Bill, including small pots consolidation, value for money and at retirement. We also chat about what might be in store from phase one of Labour's much trailed review of pensions, focusing on productive finance and what it might mean for consolidation across the pensions landscape.

In this episode of V-FM pensions Nico and Darren chat to CEO and co-founder of Wayhome, Nigel Purves. Wayhome have got some big ideas looking at how to join up thinking around pensions and housing so it was great to have Nigel on to chat through the societal issues we face and how we can think differently to deliver better outcomes for people. In an episode recorded on Wednesday morning, we talk about leadership and the resignation of Gareth Southgate, sidecar savings, the King's speech, lifetime savings, and private markets. We chat through some of the big issues affecting people getting on the housing ladder and how that impacts people's lives, including their retirements. We also, of course, ask Nigel what value for money means to him.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to independent consultant and TPR non-exec director Alison Hatcher. In an episode that was recorded on the morning after England's win against the Netherlands we chat about the Euros, including a tweet from King Charles 'commanding' the nation to win against Spain on Sunday.  We talk about Taylor Swift causing the Bank of England an interest rate headache, politics, pensions and productive finance, and the need to join up pensions with other forms of assets and savings (especially housing). We also hear about Alison's career and, of course, what value for money means to her.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to Jorik van Zanden and John Mitchem. During lockdown, Jorik and John founded the 'Jasper forum' - a community of like-minded international pensions and investment folk who regularly come together to discuss common issues and learnings. A great initiative! This is the first episode in a two part series. In this episode we do the traditional VFM thing of discussing the news, hearing a bit about John and Jorik's careers and discussing what value for money means to them. Part two will drop later in the summer where we'll be diving a little deeper into the key learnings that John and Jorik have gained from hosting the Jasper forum, looking at commonalties, but also differences, between country's retirement systems.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Smart Pension's Director of Strategic Delivery Eve Read. Eve has seen it all when it coms to pensions having done every role going at Mercer, before joining NEST and now Smart Pension. A fantastic chat where we cover the Euros, fine wine, singing, renting in retirement, pension consolidation, transfers, conflicts of interest, politics, governance.... the list goes on and on! Eve also talks about the need for pension role models and we, of course, chat about what value for money means to her.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions co-hosts Darren and Nico chat to Standard Life's Mike Ambery. Mike is a pensions industry stalwart who has recently joined Standard Life after a long and illustrious career at Hymans Robertson. Mike is an Arsenal fan (he promised Darren use of his season ticket...) so he slots straight in to a quality chat about Arsenal, even pondering how England hero Jude Bellingham could fit into the Arsenal team.... Amongst the usual pensions and VFM chatter, we cover politics and the Labour manifesto, social media and pensions, and campaign finance in the US. We also discuss what value for money means to Mike. Enjoy!    

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to fellow Gooner and editor of Pensions Expert Nick Reeve. Nick joins us supping water (not Pina Colada) from a pineapple shaped glass from sunny Barbados for a great chat about pensions, journalism and, of course, value for money. It was nice to turn the tables on Nick and be asking the questions, but he did manage to ask us a few searching questions... that journo instinct never goes away... Topics discussed this week include pensions dashboards, the Pensions Regulator's Corporate plan, conflicts in professional trusteeship, the Lib Dem manifesto, and pension transfers. Another great guest, another great chat!