Trustee Workbench (Edinburgh) 2025

Trustee Workbench (Edinburgh) 2025

04 November 2025 | 10:00 - 14:40

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Trustee Workbench (Edinburgh) 2025

PMI’s new and improved half-day workbench is designed exclusively for pension scheme trustees, offering a series of targeted training sessions on key topics relevant to their role. This focused program provides trustees valuable insights and practical knowledge to enhance their governance, compliance, and decision-making capabilities. By addressing critical areas that matter most to trustees, Trustee Workbench ensures they have the tools and understanding necessary to manage their pension schemes and fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

Places are extremely limited and reserved for PMI Trustees, we advise registering early to avoid disappointment.

If you are a non-member interested in attending, we kindly ask that you email the events team - events@pensions-pmi.org.uk. If any places remain nearer the time we will be in touch.

If you'd like to register to become a Trustee member and secure your space today, more details can be found here.

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    Fees

    PMI Trustees: Free
    Non-members: If you are interested in joining, please register your interest (details in the event description), we will contact you if any places are available. The non-member cost will be £375 (+VAT).
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    In-person

    event
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    5+

    trainers
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    CPD

    4

Event Details

THE BASICS

Topics of discussion:

Immersive program comprised of focused training style sessions. Each session is designed to deliver targeted material, fostering an action learning environment. Participants will engage in collaborative learning sets aimed at achieving specific objectives that enhance skills and knowledge.

Key features:
  • Concise and impactful: A structured morning session covering essential trustee responsibilities.
  • Expert-Led learning: Sessions facilitated by leading industry professionals, regulators, and investment specialists.
  • Interactive and practical: Real-world case studies, scenario-based learning, and decision-making exercises.
  • Live Q&A: Direct access to industry experts for tailored advice.
  • CPD-certified: Earn CPD credits to enhance your trustee knowledge.
Who should attend:
  • Professional Trustees
  • Lay Trustees
The venue

Lloyds Banking Group, Head Office, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH1 1YZ

Agenda

10:00 -10:30
Arrivals, registration and breakfast
10:30 - 10:40
Welcome from the PMI and objectives for the day
John Wilson
John Wilson
Aptia
Head of Pensions Technical
10:40 - 11:15
Governance in practice: strengthening trustee boards for 2025 and beyond
Brian Kinlan
Brian Kinlan
Aon
Senior Consultant

Strong governance underpins effective pension scheme management, and trustee boards have an important the opportunity to strengthen their impact in 2025 and beyond.

In this interactive session, you will explore practical ways to enhance governance approaches in response to evolving expectations from the Pensions Regulator, members, and sponsoring employers.

11:15 - 11:50
Navigating uncertainty: Top investment challenges for trustees in 2025

More information soon.

11:50 - 12:05
Refreshment break
12:05 - 12:40
Practical approaches to member engagement in the digital age
Sharon Bellingham
Sharon Bellingham
Scottish Widows
Master Trust & IGC Lead
Robert Cochran
Robert Cochran
Scottish Widows
Workplace Pensions Engagement and Innovation Specialist,

This session explores how innovative techniques, such as AI, gamification and new digital channels, can help trustees strengthen member engagement. Drawing on real-world examples from Scottish Widows, we will demonstrate how ideas move from concept to delivery and how they can generate measurable outcomes for members.
Trustees will gain practical insights into how these approaches could be adapted for their own schemes, with a focus on supporting better communication and engagement strategies.

12:40 - 13:15
Technology priorities for trustees by 2030
Graham Peacock
Graham Peacock
Lumera
Commercial Director for Workplace Solutions
Mark Adamson
Mark Adamson
Lumera
Commercial Director, UK

Trustees are expected to make faster, better-informed decisions in an increasingly complex pensions landscape. Using scheme data effectively can strengthen governance, highlight risks and uncover opportunities to improve outcomes for members. This session explores how advanced data analytics and AI can turn information into clear actions for trustees. Through practical examples, interactive discussion and live polling, you will gain a sharper perspective on how technology can support stronger decision-making today and in the run-up to 2030.

13:15 - 13:35
Panel discussion and Q&A: Key takeaways for Trustees
Brian Kinlan
Brian Kinlan
Aon
Senior Consultant
Robert Cochran
Robert Cochran
Scottish Widows
Workplace Pensions Engagement and Innovation Specialist,

This panel session will focus on key themes from the day's sessions and invite participants to consider what actions they will take from today into their next Trustee meeting.

 

13:35 - 14:35
Networking and lunch

Optional lunch for attendees to continue their discussions and networking if they would like.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners for their continued support

Scottish Widows
Scottish Widows
Insight Partner
-
Lumera
Lumera
Sponsor
-

Speakers

Hear from the experts...

Brian Kinlan
Brian Kinlan
Aon
- Senior Consultant

Brian is a Senior Consultant at Aon, and an Associate member of the PMI, providing governance, cyber governance, project management and scheme secretarial services to several pension schemes of varying sizes and complexity.


Brian is a key experienced member of Aon’s specialist Governance team and Cyber Governance team, specialising in areas such as trustee effectiveness, regulatory compliance, risk management, and incident response planning. Through this role, Brian reviews the effectiveness of Aon’s governance services, to ensure efficient delivery for all schemes.

Graham Peacock
Graham Peacock
Lumera
- Commercial Director for Workplace Solutions

Graham Peacock is Commercial Director for Workplace Solutions at Lumera. He is responsible for the development and delivery of innovative workplace solutions, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of clients and comply with ever-increasing regulatory standards.
With a career spanning over two decades in the financial services industry, Graham has extensive experience in pension administration, proposition development, and regulatory compliance. Before joining Lumera, he held several senior positions, including Head of Workplace at a large banking group and Workplace Lead at a global technology firm.
Graham is recognised as a thought leader in the retirement sector. He has authored numerous articles on topics such as technical debt in pension systems and the impact of regulatory changes on retirement planning. His insights have been featured in industry publications, and he is a sought-after speaker at conferences and seminars.
He is an active member of the Pension Management Institute and contributes to various industry working groups focused on improving pension administration and policy.
Graham is also an Adviser to the Pension Dashboard programme.

John Wilson
John Wilson
Aptia
- Head of Pensions Technical

John Wilson LLB (Hons), FPMI, ACII, Head of Pensions Technical at Aptia, has nearly 40 years’ experience in the pensions industry, spending 20 of them at JLT Employee Benefits where he led the in-house research function and authored a number of white papers on topics such as DB deficits and the adequacy of retirement.
He has also held roles at firms such as Dalriada Trustees, Standard Life, Aegon, Scottish Widows and Buck Consultants. He is currently the chair of the Society of Pension Professionals (SPP) and Pensions Management Institute (PMI) Scottish groups, and a member of the SPP’s Legislation Committee.

Mark Adamson
Mark Adamson
Lumera
- Commercial Director, UK

Mark leads Lumera’s UK sales team, driving long-term partnerships and delivering future-proof technology and data services. With a strong focus on end-customer service and digital experience, Mark collaborates closely with clients to create solutions that address the evolving needs of the life and pensions industry and its customers.

Mark has worked in the pensions industry for over 30 years, in a range of businesses specialising in outsourced administration, pensions systems and data, within all of which he held director-level roles. Mark was also a founding director of PASA and his innovative insights are built upon his wealth of experience.

Robert Cochran
Robert Cochran
Scottish Widows
- Workplace Pensions Engagement and Innovation Specialist,

Robert has led the Scottish Widows Employer and Employee engagement teams, dedicated to crafting impactful messages and materials for a variety of pension seminars and engagement events. His team's outreach touches thousands of employees annually, fuelling Robert's passion for demystifying pensions. His commitment to simplification is evident in his team's collaboration with LBG digital resources, aiming to integrate pensions into the broader context of Financial Wellness for employees. With the increasing role of digital engagement through APPs and AI Robert has focused on this area to really take understanding and interaction with pensions to the next level.
A recognized voice in the industry, Robert is a regular fixture in print and on the radio and hosts the Scottish Widows Workplace Pensions Podcast. His insights on pension engagement, technology, and data are sought after at industry conferences, and his interactions with policymakers over the years have been influential. As a founding partner in Pension Engagement Season and National Pension Tracing Day, Robert has been at the forefront of initiatives that strive to improve retirement outcomes for individuals.
In addition to his extensive professional experience, Robert holds a degree in Marketing and Finance, underscoring his expertise in the financial sector. His educational background complements his practical knowledge, making him a well-rounded specialist in his field.

Sharon Bellingham
Sharon Bellingham
Scottish Widows
- Master Trust & IGC Lead

An experienced pensions professional, Sharon comes with 30 years’ DC experience consulting across a wide range of disciplines. Sharon joined Scottish Widows in September 2020 and works closely with the Scottish Widows IGC and Master Trust Trustee Board – Sharon has unrivalled insight and well-rounded experience gained from her time in consultancy as well as from being on the provider “front line”.
Sharon is an Accredited Professional Pension Trustee and a member of the PLSA Master Trust Committee; she also Chairs the ABI Master Trust Working Group and is a member of the Scottish Widows Master Trust Scheme Strategist Committee.