Hymans Robertson strengthens CDC leadership

• Lauren Branney promoted to Head of CDC 

• Senior Partner, Jon Hatchett obtains CDC Scheme Actuary certificate

Hymans Robertson has appointed Lauren Branney as Head of CDC. In her new role, Lauren will lead the continued development of Hymans Robertson’s Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) proposition. She will work with clients to explore and implement CDC arrangements and other collective retirement savings. Alongside this, the firm’s Senior Partner, Jon Hatchett has obtained a CDC Scheme Actuary Practising Certificate. This makes him one of a small number of actuaries in the UK qualified to act as CDC Scheme Actuary, further strengthening the leading pensions and financial services firm’s Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) capabilities.

Lauren joined Hymans Robertson in 2020 as part of the firm’s DB actuarial team and is a Senior Actuarial Consultant, advising a range of scheme trustees and sponsors. She has played a key role in developing the firm’s CDC proposition, with strong thought leadership involvement and engagement with policymakers.

Commenting on Lauren's appointment and the continued growth of Hymans Robertson's CDC practice, Jon Hatchett, Senior Partner and CDC Scheme Actuary at Hymans Robertson, said:

“CDC has the potential to become an important new form of pension provision for UK savers. Lauren’s skills, energy and expertise make her the right person to lead its development within our firm.

“The next few years will be critical for the development of the UK CDC market. It's exactly the right time for us to be investing in our CDC capabilities. Policymakers, providers and employers are increasingly focussed on how to deliver sustainable retirement incomes. So, collective solutions are attracting significant interest. Our’ firm’s purpose is to deliver better futures. With the retirement adequacy and gender pension gap challenges facing the DC only generations of pension savers, I’m excited about the role Collective DC can play in improving these issues.

“Lauren's appointment and my CDC Scheme Actuary Practising Certificate strengthen our ability to help clients navigate this rapidly developing market and take advantage of the opportunities it creates.”

Commenting on her promotion and new role, Lauren said:

“This is an exciting time for CDC pensions in the UK. After many years of policy development, the first multi-employer whole-of-life CDC schemes will start applying for authorisation over the next few months. Work continues on the legislative framework required to enable retirement-only CDC arrangements.

“CDC has the potential to transform retirement outcomes by allowing members to benefit from scale, longevity pooling and smoothing investment risk over time. By managing key retirement risks collectively, CDC can provide a more efficient means of generating sustainable retirement incomes than many individuals can achieve on their own.

“I am enjoying working with our clients, supporting them as they navigate this evolving market, designing whole of life and retirement CDC schemes to meet the needs of UK pension savers. I’m also looking forward to continuing to contribute to industry policy discussions and further developing our talented team of CDC specialists as demand for these solutions grows.”

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