Ben Lenihan
Aon
- Pensions Governance Consultant
Ben is a Pensions Governance Consultant who has worked at Aon for 4 years having previously worked in pension administration across a variety of roles.
Ben supports trustees of both UK Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution schemes with their operational and strategic risks and scheme governance with a focus on securing better outcomes for their members. Ben’s primary role within Aon is to provide secretarial support to pension schemes ranging in assets from £10M to £6B.
In addition, Ben also has a lead role within Aon’s Pensions Dashboard team assisting clients with their connection to Pensions Dashboards.
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
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
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.
Michelle Burgess
Michelle is a qualified Actuary, Client Manager and Pensions Governance specialist who has worked at Aon for 25 years. Michelle works in a variety of roles within the business supporting a diverse range of clients and is particularly experienced in working with trustees to manage governance and compliance issues and supporting clients to achieve their strategic objectives in the most effective way.
One of Michelle’s primary roles within Aon, alongside supporting her own clients, is leading the development of Aon’s governance tools, templates and solutions to support all clients with scheme governance with focus on evolving agendas, legislative change, risk management and board effectiveness for all schemes.
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
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.