Jane Foley
Mike Thirlwell
Mike joined ProPensions in March 2023 after seven years in investment consultancy with Barnett Waddingham. He has experience advising a wide range of pension trustee boards, from small DB and DC schemes to large DB Schemes and DC master trusts. In doing so, Mike has enjoyed working with an equally wide range of employers, from family-owned businesses to charities to FTSE 100 companies.
Mike believes effective governance is the foundation for the success of a pension scheme. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities leads to clearer decision making and ensures trustee boards are able to address the most financially material matters appropriately.
He has extensive experience of helping trustee boards set and implement a variety of investment governance frameworks, from independent advisory arrangements to fiduciary management.
In addition to his comprehensive knowledge of pension scheme investment and governance, Mike has also been involved in negotiations of funding strategy, risk-transfer exercises and working with the Pensions Regulator.
Mike’s key experience includes:
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Advising trustee boards on all aspects of pension scheme investment, such as:
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Setting and operating bespoke investment governance models.
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Setting investment strategies in concert with the funding strategy and strength of employer covenant.
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Preparing investments for risk-transfer exercises.
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Monitoring investment strategies.
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Selecting investment managers.
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Successfully guiding schemes through the LDI crisis in 2022
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Guiding trustee boards through discussions with the Pensions Regulator.
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Helping trustee boards through PPF assessment periods
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Advising charities and insurance companies on the investment strategy of their non-pension assets.