Explore what’s next for pensions and financial education at a future-focused session led by the PMI’s Chief Learning Officer. Joined by key contributors to the sector’s upcoming educational reforms, the session will highlight how learning in pensions is evolving to reflect shifting regulations, societal expectations and workforce needs.

Together, we’ll look at new delivery models, curriculum developments and the practical changes shaping professional standards and financial literacy. Discover the challenges we face, and the opportunities we can lead, by building a sector that’s ready for tomorrow.

As global markets continue to evolve, 2025 offers new opportunities for growth and resilience. In this forward-looking session, we’ll explore the economic trends shaping investment decisions, from inflation and interest rate outlooks to geopolitical change and the energy transition.

Dan McLaughlin

Festina Finance

UK Country Head

Denmark and the Netherlands are home to some of Europe’s most highly regarded pension systems. This session examines how both countries have developed effective pension dashboards and tackled the challenge of retirement adequacy. We’ll explore how they’ve created integrated, user-friendly platforms that provide a consolidated view of retirement savings and how data and policy are working together to support better long-term outcomes. The session highlights practical insights in system design, user engagement, and regulation. Whether you work in policy, delivery, or technology, you’ll gain valuable perspectives on how these models can help inform the UK’s next steps.

Martyn Phillips

Spence & Partners

Risk Transfer Lead

For smaller DB schemes—those with up to £175m in assets or 1,000 members—the journey to an effective endgame strategy presents unique challenges and opportunities. Whether targeting buyout, low-dependency, or consolidation, trustees and sponsors must navigate a rapidly evolving landscape to secure members’ benefits while ensuring cost efficiency.

This session offers a taster of the PMI Endgame Solutions event in London on 17th September, providing key insights tailored specifically for smaller schemes. Experts will discuss the practical steps for de-risking, insurer and consolidator appetite for smaller transactions, and alternative strategies beyond buyout.

As pension schemes embrace digital transformation, they also face growing threats from cyberattacks and pension fraud. From data breaches to ransomware and sophisticated scams targeting members, the risks are evolving rapidly. Trustees, administrators, and sponsors must stay ahead of emerging threats while ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations. This breakout session will explore the latest cybersecurity risks facing pension schemes, practical steps for strengthening defences, and how to protect member data and assets from fraudsters.

Bruce D George, CFA, CAIA, Chartered MCSI, EPMI

P/E Investments LLC

Partner, Investor Solutions

In recent years, the dominance of the U.S. dollar in global currency reserves has been in decline, and the price of gold has surged to unprecedented levels, currently topping $3,000 per ounce. This dramatic shift raises critical questions for pension schemes: What is the future of safe haven assets, and how can schemes incorporate them into their investment strategies to diversify and better manage risk?

This session will explore the changing landscape of global reserves, focusing on the rise of gold and other alternative safe haven assets. Experts will discuss how these developments could offer pension schemes valuable opportunities for diversification, inflation protection, and stability in uncertain times. We’ll examine the practicalities of integrating gold into a portfolio, alongside other potential safe havens, and how these assets might align with long-term pension goals.

With the Pension Schemes Bill 2025 set to reshape the UK pensions landscape, this concise update session will provide a clear overview of the latest developments, key regulatory changes, and what they mean for pension schemes, trustees, and employers. A leading expert will break down the bill’s progress, including small pots consolidation, the Value for Money (VFM) framework, DB superfunds, and governance updates. Attendees will gain practical insights on upcoming compliance requirements and the steps they need to take to prepare. This session is ideal for trustees, scheme managers, HR professionals, and industry stakeholders looking for a timely and actionable update.

Dr Belinda Bell

The University of Cambridge

Co-Director of Finance for Systemic Change

Learn how the University of Cambridge and Bloomberg have collaborated on a new global corporate bond index that aims to discourage the expansion of fossil fuels. The session will show how instead of linear year-on-year reductions or blanket bans by business classification, the index methodology identifies companies that present the greatest systemic risks to investors, while ensuring that those companies that meet the criteria can rejoin the bond index. You'll hear about how this innovative index has been designed, with the support of several global pension funds, and how it aims to drive investment to reduce real-economy emissions.