Barnett Waddingham appoints new Policy and Strategy Lead
Actuarial consultancy Barnett Waddingham has made a major appointment with the arrival of pensions regulation expert Amanda Latham. Having spent almost nine years with The Pensions Regulator, where she was latterly Policy Lead, Latham will now lead Barnett Waddingham’s firm-wide policy development to meet key industry challenges head-on.
A range of challenges currently faces the pensions industry and the policy choices it could make to address them. Effective workplace pension provision in the expanding gig economy, the growth of Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) schemes, and pressures relating to Brexit and the coronavirus are among just some of the issues to be hurdled in the coming months.
As actuarial specialist firm Barnett Waddingham prepares to help clients through the challenging road ahead, the consultancy has appointed Amanda Latham as Policy and Strategy Lead for its development of firm-wide policy. Latham will now focus on delivering a programme of research to help clients to better understand and manage the complex challenges they face. She will oversee the production of a number of research reports, policy briefings and blogs, with the aim of ensuring that Barnett Waddingham continues to report on key policy and industry changes.
Latham said, “Barnett Waddingham has grown significantly over the last few years and I am thrilled to be joining a partnership that is extremely committed to delivering independent, bespoke services to their clients. Having firm-wide policies and strategy in place on the industry’s most topical issues ensures we operate in a representative environment and gives a platform to the many diverse perspectives we are fortunate to have across the business.”
She arrives after spending almost nine years with The Pensions Regulator (TPR), where she was most recently a Policy Lead for the organisation. During her time there, Latham’s focus was primarily on governance and investment, leading complex policy projects including defined benefit (DB) consolidation, building new regulatory frameworks for superfunds and CDC schemes, and setting standards for professional pension trustees. She also co-founded the Young Pension Trustee Network, a group for young and aspiring trustees to share experiences and develop skills to promote a more inclusive and diverse industry.
Commenting on Latham’s arrival, Paul Houghton, Partner and Head of Actuarial Consulting at Barnett Waddingham, said, “Amanda’s exceptional knowledge and experience of the industry and the key issues it faces is an invaluable asset to Barnett Waddingham and our growing client base. She will be instrumental in bringing together a wide range of our views on important topics that both trustees and employers are looking for improved clarity on, such as ESG and strategic journey planning.”
