Category Archives: Personality

A gentler way to talk about pensions

  Yesterday afternoon I had a chat with Glyn Jenkins. Most of my conversations with Glyn over the years have been in the bar of Unison’s Marylebone’s offices. Glyn is old school and that means he prioritises people. This chat … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, Pension Freedoms, pensions, Personality, Public sector pensions | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

We don’t know how lucky we are!

I have just come out of hospital. I was admitted on Monday afternoon, had a three hour operation under general anaesthetic on Tuesday morning and left at Wednesday lunchtime. Had I not had the services of the NHS, I could … Continue reading

Posted in age wage, NHS, Personality | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Telford’s finest – the ReAssure 2017 IGC report

What UK Life insurer is based in Telford Shropshire? Answer – ReAssure And if you were in a workplace pension with Guardian, HSBC, Barclays Life, Alico and National Mutual, you are now one of their customers. They are the kind of pensions … Continue reading

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Can pensions be more playful (please)!

  I’ve waded through a number of IGC chair reports this Easter weekend and a smile has seldom  been on my lips. With the exception of the Virgin Money report, I hardly felt I knew who I was talking to. Ironically, … Continue reading

Posted in IGC, pension playpen, pensions, Personality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How IGCs help employers (and their advisers)

  If you read the terms of reference or Chair reports of the IGCs (and GAAs) , it’s the “member” on whom the work is focussed and for whom the reports are written. “Member” is short-hand for policy holder as in … Continue reading

Posted in IGC, pensions, Personality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Should we by-pass “personality”?

  I once went to an interview at Goldman Sachs and sat in front of two successful guys (much younger than me). They picked up from my CV that in two of the previous four years I had been nominated … Continue reading

Posted in pensions, Personality | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The left needs steady (not raw) nerves!

Appalling behaviour from the bulk of the Parliamentary Labour Party I am not a socialist and I didn’t vote for Jeremy Corbyn. I am a Liberal Democrat , I believe in democracy and I want a strong opposition in Government … Continue reading

Posted in pension playpen, pensions, Personality, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Corbyn – Pietas and the Malcolm Tucker Litmus Test

I’ve been thinking about Jeremy Corbyn but I’ve had nothing to say, because I didn’t get what was going on and didn’t know how to divide hype from reality. Now I know the reality, 60% of the people who voted … Continue reading

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Can IFAs create their own profession?

James Walker  has published BWD’s assessment of the prospects for firms offering financial advice as their core product. He paints a picture of rising regulatory costs and sluggish growth prospects preventing IFA practices from employing the young blood to refresh it. Last … Continue reading

Posted in advice gap, FCA, Financial Conduct Authority, First Actuarial, Personality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The lady’s not for turning.

For reasons that weren’t particularly obvious , a random group crammed into a much too small committee room in the House of Lords on Wednesday night for a round table with the new pensions minister. It was a hot day that … Continue reading

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