“A Really Rewarding Experience”: Actuary Mustafa Bharmal on Supporting TAP’s First Cohort

Pensions actuary Mustafa Bharmal stepped into the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP) to teach, but also to witness a transformation. And what he saw surprised him. 

Mustafa, an actuarial consultant at WTW, met the first TAP trainee cohort online while delivering one of the programme’s training modules. But it was the final, in‑person mock trustee meeting that really showed him what TAP is capable of. 

“Seeing the trainee trustees in action was great” he said. “The questions they asked, the curiosity they showed - it absolutely proved the point that people from different backgrounds and industries can become amazing pension trustees.” 

Giving back — and getting something back too 

For Mustafa, joining TAP was about more than sharing technical expertise. With years of experience in the pensions world behind him, he wanted to help open the doors to a sector he describes as “really interesting” and “collegiate,” where people work together and new challenges appear all the time. 

Supporting new entrants, he said, has been “really rewarding,” especially as many trainees had never considered pensions before. 

A programme built for the future 

Mustafa is clear about the value of TAP. He praised the PMI for bringing fresh talent into trusteeship, especially from outside the traditional pipeline. TAP’s structure, he noted, gives learners the time and space to absorb complex topics while exposing them to the full breadth of trustee responsibilities. 

“Bringing people in from different walks of life, with different experiences, is really important. The programme is very well structured, and seeing everyone so engaged has been brilliant.” 

The mock meeting: a standout moment 

The mock trustee meeting - the finale of the pilot cohort’s training - left a strong impression. Mustafa, role‑playing as a sustainability investment consultant, watched the room come alive with sharp questions, confident challenges and thoughtful debate. 

It was, he said, the moment that confirmed TAP’s impact. 

Looking Ahead 

Mustafa remains supportive of TAP and wants to encourage others in the industry to get involved. “Being part of TAP has shown me what’s possible when real opportunity meets proper support. I’d love to continue to stay involved - and I want others to step forward too, because programmes like this can genuinely change careers and open doors.”