Tag Archives: Con Keating

“What’s the purpose of a pension scheme?” – Con Keating

Posted on August 16, 2017 by

  Con Keating argues in this piece that pension schemes aspire to “self-sufficiency”, giving them the status of  insurance companies. His thinking centres on what claims we have on schemes if the covenant to fund these schemes is lost. His conclusions … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, pensions | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transfer values, discount rates and reality – some insight from Con Keating

Posted on August 15, 2017 by

The picture above shows Con holding forth at a lunch in Whitechapel, I think he was talking of this very subject. “What oft was thought but ne’er so well expressed” – thanks Con! Prompted by the publicity surrounding DB pension … Continue reading →

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

“He wouldn’t let it lie” – Con Keating returns to discount rates!

Posted on August 10, 2017 by

Earlier in the week, the Pension Play Pen had its monthly lunch, missing was Con Keating who was busy explaining to his daughters why they had nothing to fear from the supposed deficit in the USS pension scheme. Con’s voice … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Fancy finance or cheaper houses?

Posted on March 28, 2017 by

  I recently wrote a blog arguing that we could make more use of the  burgeoning financial education/wellbeing brigade to get youngsters saving for proper housing of their own. My thoughts focussed on finance but of course the Government want … Continue reading →

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

“So what’s the problem?” Con Keating on the PLSA’s consolidation paper.

Posted on March 19, 2017 by

    The PLSA paper “The case for consolidation” begs an important question; one far broader than it addresses. The Pensions Regulator and DWP have concluded that DB pensions do not suffer from a problem of systemic risk, but the … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Con Keating on integrated risk management-(@PensionPlayPen lunch).

Posted on March 7, 2017 by

If you attended the Pension PlayPen lunch on Monday March 6th, you may have wondered where I was- I was on a plane returning from India. I am told it was good fun and Con Keating called it the best … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Elements of Truth – and Complete Misunderstandings (Con Keating and the DB Green Paper).

Posted on February 20, 2017 by

    This is an era of fake news, half-truths and outright lies. Spin and distortion have become the fabric of a false DB pension narrative; their unjustified ruination. Some “fact checking” is appropriate. We hear again and again that … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Procrustination; Con Keating on JLT’s black hole.

Posted on February 4, 2017 by

Procrustination If that word does not exist, it should; it is far more appropriate than the current euphemism “consolidation”. This past week we saw the publication of JLT’s paper: How do we get out of this pensions ‘black hole’, and … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Diversity, Narratives* and Pensions (Con Keating)

Posted on January 20, 2017 by

This blog first appeared in Professional Pensions, if you’ve read it before, read it again. “What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.”    W. Heisenberg, Physics and Philosophy: The Revolution in Modern … Continue reading →

Posted in actuaries, advice gap, Bankers, pensions | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

“Sunspots” (Con Keating)

Posted on January 11, 2017 by

Although not at this week’s Pension PlayPen lunch, Con asked for an account of the conversation; I mentioned that those in the room were pleased that schemes owning large amounts of index-linked gilts, had enjoyed bumper returns last year. It … Continue reading →

Posted in pensions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment