Monthly Archives: September 2011

PPF II -opening the door for a better DC

We are where we are – the social contract has been decided… not compulsion but impulsion; impulsion  into a DC pensions model that relies on the markets to deliver a second tier of pensions. Our retirements will be funded from employer and employee contributions over a … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, Liability Driven Investment, NEST, OECD, pension playpen, twitter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Yes – things are this bad in DC land!

We all know that equity markets have sent the value of our pension savings into free fall and some people understand that low prospective interest rates mean the amount of pension you can buy from your savings has fallen lower. But did … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, dc pensions, de-risking, pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

From the Piccadilly tram

I have long wanted to go to work on a tram, through Salford. I write to you from Media City tram stop. I am bypassing the “Lowry Corporate wi-fi network” though the thought of Lowry endorsing  mobile blogging appeals. Instead, courtesy … Continue reading

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159 years good – my Mum and Dad

My Mum was 79 last month, my Dad is 80 on Sunday. Dad packed in work this year, my Mum completed the 700 mile South West coastal path – they are beginning to wind down. All too often it takes a … Continue reading

Posted in pension playpen, pensions, Retirement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Our weapon is the camera”

Perhaps the measure of political control in Libya is calibrated by fear.
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Posted in Facebook, Libya, Middle East, OECD, social media, Syria, twitter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scotland has hexed our cricket team.

Let’s make this clear- we do not want your support- your support is toxic. Now you have hexed our cricket team. Continue reading

Posted in cricket, The Ashes, Twickenham, World Cup | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Extending a hand to the Regulator

Saturday morning allows me time to expand on some hurried thoughts in my post The Regulator, wisdom and the crowd. Continue reading

Posted in corporate governance, dc pensions, pension playpen, pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Regulator, wisdom and the crowd

The Pension Regulator, it needs be said , did not have a good Professional Pension Show. Things started well enough with a keynote speech that laid out its 2012 agenda Get DB solvent Get DC sorted Get Auto-Enrolment in Simples… And that … Continue reading

Posted in annuity, corporate governance, customer service, dc pensions, de-risking, Fiduciary Management, Liability Driven Investment, NEST | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Nuts traced as market collapses – @ #ppshow

£64bn fell off the shares of the London stock market today. Meanwhile we were holed up in the Excel Centre, listening to the views of the great and the good.. Here are my good buddies Colin Wilson and David Harris. It … Continue reading

Posted in corporate governance, de-risking, pension playpen | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Feeding frenzy at the claims management zoo!

I was t-boned by an entrepreneurial garage owner on Saturday who , after shunting me off the road enterprisingly suggested that he would be happy to do the repairs on my car. I politely declined feeling it vaguely inappropriate. I … Continue reading

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