Cartwright names Jonathan Seed as pension strategy lead

Pensions actuarial, consultancy and administration firm Cartwright has appointed Jonathan Seed as Head of Pension Strategy. The news comes as the consultancy prepares to help UK funds build effective investment strategies in the post-pandemic economy.

Seed commented, “I am delighted to be joining a truly independent company with such strength in depth, team ethos and clear vision for the future. I look forward to working with the team and helping our clients evolve their bespoke pension strategies over the next decade and beyond.”

Arriving at Cartwright, Seed brings more than two decades of experience to the firm. Throughout his career he has provided actuarial advice to trustees and companies, while he also has experience providing strategic advice on de-risking.

Founded in 1986, Cartwright Group provides actuarial advice, employee benefits consultancy and administration services to trustees and sponsors across the UK. The actuarial consultancy serves over 200 clients from offices in Godalming, Chelmsford and Farnborough, and specialises in medium-size schemes wanting access to expert services and solutions.

Most recently, Seed was a Partner with XPS Pensions – a company he spent the last 13 years with, eventually heading up the firm’s office in Stirling. Prior to that, Seed also worked for pensions consulting brand Buck, becoming a Business Development Actuary during his four-year stay.

Cartwright Chair Ian Cartwright stated, “Over recent years there has been increasing focus from trustees on receiving high quality strategic advice particularly as they enter the latter stages of their de-risking journey. To support this and underline our commitment to continuous improvement we are delighted to have appointed Jonathan. Jonathan’s significant experience in providing strategic advice combined with his energy will be an invaluable addition to the Cartwright team.”

The UK is the world's third largest pension market, with assets totalling £2.58 trillion, according to Willis Towers Watson. The study also estimates that the UK pension market recorded a compound growth rate of 4.6% over the last decade. The UK’s ratio of pension assets to gross domestic product (GDP) was shown to have increased to 135% during 2020, with the global ratio having climbed by 11.2% to a record high of 80% as the countries’ GDP was hit by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.