Independent Trustee

Select your next independent trustee

Your pension scheme needs an industrious individual who will:

  • Fit in with your existing trustee board culture
  • Maintain momentum between trustee meetings.
  • Offer an impartial voice free from conflicts of interest.
  • Act as a bridge between the employer and the trustee board
  • Provide a stable, reassuring presence to create continuity during periods of transition or uncertainty.

A LawDeb independent trustee is a trusted intermediary between the client and the board, allowing your executive team to focus on the business, assured the pension scheme is under professional stewardship.

Our pension specialists act as independent trustees or trustee directors for the following types of pension schemes:

  • All types of ongoing pension schemes, including
    • defined benefit (DB),
    • defined contribution (DC),
    • hybrid DB/DC,
    • open, closed and frozen
  • Funded public sector and statutory body schemes
  • Schemes being wound up
  • Schemes in PPF assessment  
  • Funded or secured Employer Financed Retirement Benefit Schemes (EFRBSs)
  • Master trusts
  • Governance committees of contract-based DC Arrangements

We can serve as a member of the trustee board, a member of the investment committee and other committees, and the chair of the trustee board and/or of committees.

Our responsibilities as independent professional trustees cover:

  • Setting scheme strategy and objectives
  • Pension scheme governance
  • Investment strategy
  • Selection and monitoring of professional advisers and service providers
  • Communicating with members
  • Liaising with employers
  • Reporting certain matters to regulators and authorities

DB and DC Schemes

There are differences to the specific focus of a trustee board based on the scheme type.

A trustee of a DB scheme is tasked with delivering benefits to members by ensuring there is enough money to pay benefits as they fall due. This is managed by making sound investment decisions, engaging with the sponsor and monitoring the assets and liabilities of the scheme.

For a scheme offering DC benefits, the trustee’s responsibility relates more to member engagement and communications, with the aim being to help members to make informed decisions where they choose to, while ensuring suitable default policies are available.

A LawDeb trustee for a DC scheme will:

  • Work with regulated advisors to assess the investment options available, ensure they are appropriate and provide a suitable default option for members who do not make their own choice
  • Communicate effectively with members on key decision points for example, that what they get out is linked to what they put into the scheme
  • Support members at all stages by providing information about their options and encouraging them to seek advice and/or guidance
  • Assess whether the scheme provides value for members

How can we help?

Get in touch to discuss how an independent trustee add value to your pension scheme.

Contact us or go directly to one of our team, listed below.

Our pensions team

Profile image for Sankar Mahalingham

Sankar Mahalingham

Managing Director, Pensions

London, UK

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Profile image for Jane Beverley

Jane Beverley

Head of Trusteeship

London, UK

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Profile image for Mark Ashworth

Mark Ashworth

Senior Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Alan Baker

Alan Baker

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Daniel Barlow

Daniel Barlow

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Hiren Bhardwa

Hiren Bhardwa

Pensions Executive

London, UK

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Sean Burnard

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Michael Chatterton

Michael Chatterton

Senior Director

London, UK

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Anna Eagles

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Elma Fox

Elma Fox

Trustee Director

Ireland

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Andrew Harrison

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Elizabeth Hartree

Elizabeth Hartree

Director

London, UK

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Mike Jaffe

Director

London, UK

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Edward Levy

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Lok Ma

Lok Ma

Trustee Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Sonel Mehta

Sonel Mehta

Professional Trustee

London, UK

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Profile image for Sally Minchella

Sally Minchella

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Rekha Owen

Rekha Owen

Professional Trustee

Manchester, UK

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Profile image for Samantha Pitt

Samantha Pitt

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Lynne Rawcliffe

Lynne Rawcliffe

Professional Trustee

Manchester, UK

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James Rickards

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Keith Scott

Keith Scott

Director

London, UK

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Robert Thomas

Director

London, UK

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Profile image for Paul Torsney

Paul Torsney

Director

Ireland

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Nicole Weiner

Business Development Director, Pensions

London, UK

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Profile image for Natalie Winterfrost

Natalie Winterfrost

Director

London, UK

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Peter White

Trustee Director

Manchester, UK

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