Breaking Barriers: Why Sophia Miller joined TAP to champion better retirement outcomes  

At 33, Sophia Miller is already an experienced insurance and pensions professional and charity worker. Based in Cardiff, she has built an impressive career spanning financial services, strategy and governance. 

But it is her determination to make a difference to people's long-term financial wellbeing that has led her to join the PMI's Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP). 

Turning concern into action 

Sophia's interest in pensions grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she observed two very different experiences emerging across society. Some people were able to build savings, while others faced financial uncertainty and hardship. 

"I could see a wealth divide happening that was only going to get bigger and bigger," she explains. That sparked a desire to understand how pensions and investments could help deliver better financial outcomes across society. 

Today, alongside her professional career as an Operational Strategy Lead at Lloyds Banking Group, Sophia serves as Chair of Age Cymru West Glamorgan, where she works to support older people across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, and Bridgend. Through that role, she has seen first-hand the challenges many people face later in life, particularly when financial pressures are added to health issues, isolation or caring responsibilities. 

Helping the next generation prepare for retirement 

Sophia's motivation is also deeply personal. Her self-employed parents only started saving into a pension four years ago and were surprised by the Government saving benefits they had missed over the years. 

She believes too many people, particularly younger workers and the self-employed, underestimate the importance of retirement saving until it is too late. 

"If finances are a problem in older age, it's just another challenge people have to face. If we can help people prepare earlier, we can make a real difference to their quality of life later on." 

Bringing new perspectives to trusteeship 

For Sophia, diversity is one of the most exciting aspects of TAP. As who is neurodiverse and has a long-term health condition, she wants to bring perspectives that are often missing from trustee boardrooms. 

She believes pension schemes need to better reflect the people they serve and be easier for everyone to engage with, particularly those who may find financial information overwhelming or inaccessible. 

"I'm hoping I can bring some new perspective in terms of how pensions serve different people and communities." 

The opportunity to gain real-world trustee experience, learn from industry experts and work alongside a diverse cohort made TAP an easy decision. 

For Sophia, trusteeship is about more than governance. It is an opportunity to help shape a pensions system that is more inclusive, more representative and better equipped to help future generations enjoy financial security in later life.