Barnett Waddingham appoints Nick Cooper to lead personal pension offering

Barnett Waddingham’s self-invested personal pension offering has appointed a new leader. Nick Cooper is promoted to CEO of BW SIPP, as the platform looks to build on a recent transformation under predecessor Simon Foster.

BW SIPP has undergone a major period of operational and technological change under Foster’s tenure. The platform now boasts “improved service levels, higher quality, and a stronger customer-focused culture aligned with Consumer Duty”, according to a release from Barnett Waddingham.

With these foundations in place, the business feels it is now well-positioned to accelerate its growth strategy. But while it is seeking continuity of strategy, BW SIPP is also looking for a fresh commercial focus – and so change at the top has followed. Foster has announced his plans to retire later in 2025, allowing for a planned leadership transition to supply both consistency, and new energy to the executive team.

Scott Eason, managing partner for wider areas at Barnett Waddingham, said, "We want to thank Simon for his contribution to BW SIPP’s transformation and strengthened operational performance. This planned transition reflects the broader strengthening of our leadership capabilities, with additional senior appointments in governance and compliance supporting our platform’s evolution from development to execution."

That transition will begin now, with the appointment of Nick Cooper as CEO of BW SIPP. Over the past year, he has played a pivotal role in the transformation of BW SIPP, as head of SIPP Proposition – but as the business enters its latest phase, focused on market growth, he also brings over three decades of experience across the SIPP and master trust markets, including international experience.

New phase

Prior to joining Barnett Waddingham, Cooper held senior roles at firms including Aviva, Zurich and Clerical Medical, developing retirement propositions and managing strategic partnerships. He also played a key role in the development of Embark Group’s SIPP proposition for digital wealth platforms and spent three years as Head of Master Trust Proposition for XPS and SEI, giving him comprehensive understanding of the evolving pensions landscape.

During his time at Barnett Waddingham, he has played a key role in developing the new SIPP360 platform; a cloud-based SIPP administration solution that delivers secure, reliable, and scalable results for clients. His involvement in the platform development ensures strategic continuity as the business moves into its growth phase.

Speaking on his promotion, Cooper added, "I’m excited to be leading BW SIPP at this pivotal moment as we transition from building our enhanced capabilities to driving market growth. Having helped shape strategy and delivery over the past year, I can clearly see how well placed the business is competitively with significant opportunities ahead.”

The 1,700-strong Barnett Waddingham, reported turnover of £158.1 million in its latest financial year, up from £145.8 million a year earlier – even as the wider consulting market endures a slowdown. In July, it acquired Risk Evolves as it continued to transform its offering across the UK.