"My Eyes Were Opened” — How Joe Kowbel Found His Voice Through TAP

When Joe Kowbel first stepped into the pensions world, he wasn’t planning a future in trusteeship. In fact, coming from a hospitality background and starting out in customer service, he didn’t even know it was an option. “I would never have thought about a career as a pension trustee… or that it was even an option for me.” 

Fast‑forward to today, and Joe - now an employee engagement consultant at Royal London - has just completed the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP), which ended with a full mock trustee meeting, and is preparing for his PMI exams. His journey shows exactly why TAP exists: to bring new voices, new perspectives and new energy into a space that has traditionally felt closed off. 

A New Route into Trusteeship 

Joe joined TAP while working at Standard Life, applying as an internal candidate. What hooked him wasn’t technical pensions detail - it was the programme’s mission to diversify trustee boards and bring in people who think differently. 

He’d already been championing younger voices in his organisation, leading employee networks and pushing for more inclusive decision‑making. TAP felt like the natural next step. 

“We all bring very different opinions and perspectives… it actually helps your own knowledge and understanding.” 

Breaking the Myths About Pensions 

Joe is the first to admit that pensions can feel intimidating from the outside. His day job now focuses on employee engagement, helping members understand their benefits - and he sees the same barriers everywhere. 

TAP helped him challenge those perceptions head‑on. “Your eyes will be opened. It’s not something to shy away from - it can make a real difference to people.” 

From Theory to Practice 

The mock trustee meeting didn’t faze Joe at all. Thanks to the board shadowing and structured support he carried out during the programme, he walked in feeling ready. 

“Today has been great to put the theory into practice… it didn’t feel daunting.” 

He credits the mix of mentoring, buddy support, classroom learning and employer backing for giving him the confidence to step into the room and contribute. 

Finding His Trustee Voice 

One of Joe’s biggest realisations was that trusteeship isn’t just for senior executives, lawyers or technical specialists. TAP showed him that his background - member‑facing, communication‑driven, people‑focused - is valuable. 

“I’ve realised I don’t need huge technical knowledge in every area. I can lean into what I do know and bring that to the board.” 

Looking Ahead 

With exams on the horizon and his TAP training complete, Joe is excited for what comes next. He wants to keep building experience, gain accreditation and eventually take on trustee roles where he can represent younger voices and member perspectives. “I’m motivated by the chance to bring fresh perspectives into the trustee room. This is just the start — I’m ready to keep learning, keep stretching myself and become the kind of trustee who genuinely represents the voices and realities of members.”