Trustee Accelerator Programme: empowering the next generation of pension leaders

Who the programme is for

• Non-pensions professionals who want to make an impact in people’s financial future
• Pensions professionals who would like to be involved as mentors
• Organisations and individuals who want to sponsor the programme

The Trustee Accelerator Programme is designed for people outside core pensions roles who want to contribute to pension governance and bring fresh thinking to trustee boards.

It is particularly suited to professionals from disciplines such as technology, data, finance, risk, HR, marketing, governance, legal, operations and strategy - including those working within pensions organisations but not in pensions-specialist roles.

This programme is not designed for individuals already working in core pensions, trustee or scheme governance roles. TAP focuses on developing new trustee talent, not upskilling existing pensions professionals.

TAP is right for you if you:

• bring strong professional judgement and transferable skills,
• are curious about governance and long-term decision-making,
• are comfortable questioning assumptions and engaging in balanced debate,
• care about fairness, accountability and acting in others’ best interests,
• want to use your experience to make a positive, long-term impact,
• believe trustee boards should better reflect the diversity of their membership,
• are willing to commit time, energy and curiosity to a two-year development journey.

Many trustees start without pensions knowledge. What matters most is perspective, integrity and the ability to think critically. TAP exists to provide the knowledge, confidence and exposure needed to step into trusteeship responsibly.

“I never thought this would be for me. I assumed trustees were older professionals at the end of their careers. The Trustee Accelerator Programme completely changed that perception. It gave me confidence that my perspective as a younger saver matters. Trustees represent all members – not just those nearing retirement.”

Tom Dibble, Phoenix Group

So, what is pension trusteeship?

Pension trusteeship is about looking after other people’s futures.

A pension trustee is part of a board that oversees how a pension scheme is run. Trustees don’t manage pensions day to day, and they are not expected to have all the answers. Instead, they work together to make sure the scheme is well governed, decisions are properly considered, and members’ interests come first.

In practice, trustees:

• take part in board discussions and decision-making,
• review information and advice from professional advisers,
• ask questions and challenge where needed,
• consider risks, long-term outcomes and fairness,
• and help ensure the scheme is run responsibly and in line with its purpose.

Trustees make decisions collectively and are supported by experts. What matters most is not technical pensions knowledge, but the ability to think critically, act responsibly and represent others’ interests.

What makes trusteeship especially exciting is the influence it gives you. As a trustee, you help shape decisions that affect people’s lives over decades, not just quarters. You sit at the point where values meet responsibility, balancing risk, fairness and long-term impact alongside others who care deeply about doing things well. For many trustees, it’s a rare opportunity to step back from day-to-day work, think strategically, and use their voice, judgement and experience to make a difference that genuinely matter.