Tag Archives: Canada

The view from the other side of the pond.

It’s been glorious in New York. Here’s Andy Walker (Pension PlayPen’s genius designer) and me, enjoying a craft beer above the high line (note the Empire State building behind us!) I wouldn’t like anyone to think that drinking beer was all … Continue reading

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Who’s risk is it anyway? How Canada and Britain are dumping pension risk

I’m off to Manhattan to talk to a couple of hundred Canadian pension experts. This is broadly what is going to be said, I’ll be sharing the stage with a couple of Canadian pension experts and (if you open the presentation), … Continue reading

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First we take Manhattan…

Canada bores me. I have only two cultural references for the place, Supertramp – (the band that drove me to punk in the 1970s) and South Park the movie which urges Americans to “blame Canada, they’re not even a real country anyway”. I know … Continue reading

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Are workplace pensions “risk-free” to employers?

If you think workplace savings plans are “risk free” to employers – think again; “value for money” changes that Continue reading

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All change on pensions – a positive outlook for 2013!

Neasa MacErlean has written a great article in the Independent which you can read here. I was asked to collaborate on one or two sections and I’m quoted as inciting members of workplace savings plans to up the ante and make sure that … Continue reading

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The Play Pen’s golf day like no other!

Corporate Golf days are such formulaic affairs…the obligatory “bacon rolls before and ploughmans after”, the lager shandies, the accusations of banditry and the stories of the put that got away. Dull as ditch! And were this blog to concern itself with such nonsense … Continue reading

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Doctors are pension millionaires – so why are they striking?

My Dad’s a doctor and in retirement – he has a great pension  and who can begrudge him it? He retired 25 years ago as a senior partner – on about one third of the final salary he’s be on today. Like him, I … Continue reading

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Popcorn pensions

I was sitting in Kentucky Fried Chicken with my friend Mr Peter Shellswell last week. We were eating the salad in case you are wondering. Popcorn chicken and gravy is my fave but we’d decided to be good. Continue reading

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In place of strife – some light in the tunnel?

Clearly things have not gone well in the summer long negotiations between public sector unions and those involved in the management of the large unfunded pensions (for firemen, teachers , police and civil servants). The battle lines appear to have been drawn for … Continue reading

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The Pension Playpen

It embraces dullness as a mother embraces her child’s dirty nappy- as something to be disposed of. Continue reading

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