Vidett joins Trustee Accelerator Programme as initiative goes from strength to strength 

Vidett, one of the UK’s largest professional trustee and pension governance firms, has joined the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP) as a supporter - strengthening the programme’s mission to develop trustee-ready talent and broaden diversity across the pensions industry.   

Run by the Pensions Management Institute (PMI), TAP is a fully funded, two-year initiative designed to equip professionals from outside the traditional pensions sector with the skills, confidence, and real-world exposure needed to contribute effectively to trustee boards.    

The programme combines structured learning, mentoring, and board shadowing to create a pathway into trusteeship for individuals with transferable skills in areas such as finance, risk, HR, technology, and governance.   

Vidett will support TAP by providing five experienced trustees, who will act as mentors for trainees in the next cohort. These mentors will give participants direct insight into how trustee boards operate in practice.   

As the programme progresses, TAP will also collaborate with Vidett to bring their expertise into a mid-programme conference, helping participants deepen their understanding of governance and trustee careers.   

Varsha Gicas, Chief Customer Officer at the Pensions Management Institute, said:    

“We are delighted to welcome Vidett as a supporter of the Trustee Accelerator Programme. Their involvement will provide invaluable access to experienced professional trustees, enabling trainees to gain first-hand insight into board dynamics, governance, and the realities of trusteeship.    

“This partnership exemplifies the collaborative spirit that drives TAP - connecting emerging talent with industry leaders to strengthen the future of pensions governance and ultimately protect savers.”   

Julia Yates, Chair of the Trustee Oversight Board and training lead at Vidett, said:    

“Vidett’s success is driven by our team and each individual within it. We know diversity is important – we encourage creativity, think differently and value everyone in our team. We’re committed to offering great careers in trusteeship – whether that’s college leavers starting out or individuals with wider skills and experience coming into pensions.”   

“The alignment between our approach to bringing new talent into the industry with the PMI’s TAP programme is clear and we’re keen to support this important initiative.”    

About the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP) 

The Trustee Accelerator Programme, led by the Pensions Management Institute (PMI), was originally developed as a pilot by Standard Life in partnership with the PMI. It has since expanded to become an industry-wide initiative, backed by Scottish Widows Master Trust, Aviva Master Trust, LifeSight, and Standard Life.    

The first cohort of TAP trainees has now graduated and are trustee-ready, equipped with PMI-recognised qualifications and practical experience to contribute effectively to pension scheme governance.    

At the PMI’s recent Annual Conference, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell congratulated the Trustee Accelerator Programme at the start of his keynote speech, saying: “The future diversity of trustees both in terms of the quality and volume is really important, so thank you for everything you are doing on that.”     

Vidett’s involvement marks another milestone in TAP’s growth, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to nurturing skilled, confident, and representative trustees for the future.