Monthly Archives: April 2012
Now I speak actuarial
You can’t laugh out loud in the Institute of Actuaries‘ global HQ in Staple‘s Inn London. You would undoubtedly be ensnared in a giant spreadsheet and gently subsumed by toxic algorithms. Actuaries do not enjoy words, they prefer numbers and when … Continue reading
More pensions nonsense from the “investment community”
How have have the people who invest pension funds become so out of touch with the people who retire from them? This question occurred to me several times yesterday as I listened to a large numbers of charming and intelligent people … Continue reading
From Eton to Canary Wharf
This morning I travel from Eton to Canary Wharf, following the River Thames as it flows from Windsor Castle to the Isle of Dogs. My journey takes me by car up Eton High Street, past the college, past the Thames … Continue reading
Posted in Lady Lucy, London
Tagged Canary Wharf, Eton College, Isle of Dogs, Jubilee Line, London Bridge Station, River Thames, South West Trains, Windsor Castle
6 Comments
Why we shouldn’t give up on pensions.
Many people now see their company pension as a cause of concern not of comfort. Take this person who wrote to us last week… Prior to the meeting, I was a little apprehensive ,as I had an assorted portfolio of … Continue reading
The day the world turned orange – Grand National 2012
The Grand National of 2012 will be remembered for good and bad. Detractors will point to the shocking deaths of According to Pete and Synchronised, the shambles of Sychonised’s final minutes played out in the most desperate fashion. Others will remember it … Continue reading
Posted in cheltenham festival, Horse racing
Tagged Aintree, Coleen Rooney, Grand National, Hales, Liverpool, Liverpool Everton, Merseyside, Neptune Collonges, Paul Nicholls
4 Comments
Stamp Collecting – Britain’s most profitable hobby.
Once upon a time Britain invented the universal penny post that allowed your for 1d to send a letter anywhere in the UK. Because we invented the service and did the infrastructure properly we became the envy of the world and … Continue reading
Posted in corporate governance, Treasury
Tagged Collecting, First-class cricket, Leonard Cohen, Mail, Ofcom, Post office, Postage stamp, Price, Royal Mail, Stamps
1 Comment
I’ve just worked out why wrap rhymes with crap
I had an interesting meeting yesterday with a fellow who has accumulated over £4bn on an investment platform within a few years. The money comes from high net worth individuals who invest in funds. The service he provides allows IFAs to … Continue reading
Posted in auto-enrolment, corporate governance, dc pensions, de-risking, defined aspiration, FSA, pensions
Tagged ascentric, nucleus, Standard Life, value, wrap .corporate wrap
4 Comments
Pension Corporation points the way to “ambitious pensions”
A timely report arrived yesterday from the Pension Corporation estimating that the cost of replacing a standard DB benefit structure using DC had risen to 55% of salary. PIC’s business model is based on managing out DB plans on a … Continue reading