People’s Pension completes pensions dashboards connection

People’s Pension1, the largest commercial master trust in the UK, has today announced its successful direct connection to the pensions dashboards ecosystem. 

The Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP)2, facilitated by the Money and Pensions Service3 (MaPS), is a UK government initiative aimed at improving planning for retirement and growing financial wellbeing by enabling individuals to easily and securely access all their pension information in one place, including State, workplace, and personal pensions. 

The connection will enable pension data to be available through the Government-backed MoneyHelper4 dashboard and in the future through private sector dashboards. Individuals will be able to see the total value of their pension savings and an estimate of what pension income they might receive at retirement, alongside details of who is managing their pension and where to go to find more information. 

Nigel Rodgers, Chief Information Officer of People’s Partnership, provider of People’s Pension said:

“Connection to the dashboards ecosystem is an important step in modernising pensions technology in the UK, which should help enhance data quality and data management processes across the sector. We’ve been working closely with the Money and Pensions Service to ensure we’re connected as early as possible.” 

Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive Officer of People’s Partnership, provider of People’s Pension added:

“This milestone reflects a major collaborative effort between industry, regulators, and government. We fully support the increased transparency that pensions dashboards will provide UK savers in the future. 

“As dashboards become the main way many people engage with their retirement savings, particularly when making decisions about drawing income, it is vital that pensions dashboards remain tightly regulated.” 

Mark Condron, Chair of The People’s Pension Trustee Limited, said:

“This is a very significant moment for the Scheme, because it is a crucial next step in the evolution of both this master trust and the wider workplace pension industry. It has been great to witness, up close, the teamwork that has gone into making this project a success and is something that will benefit our seven million members.”

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People’s Partnership appoints new Head of Bid Management

The provider of People’s Pension1, the UK’s largest commercial workplace pension scheme, has appointed Laura Ellis as its new Head of Bid Management.

With over a decade of working in sales and business development, Laura joins People’s Partnership at a time of real growth in the business. She’s supported successful teams across a range of industries, including law, insurance, fintech, real estate, as well as employee benefits, pensions, and financial wellbeing. Laura drives excellence in leadership, content writing and pitch coaching, while empowering and managing multiple stakeholders, and departments to create compelling submissions at every stage of the bid process.

Commenting on her appointment, Laura said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining People’s Partnership at such a pivotal point in its growth journey. The company’s clear sense of purpose is already opening doors with target clients, and I’m excited to support the distribution team in executing its growth strategy; defining our messaging to meet client needs; and ultimately driving successful outcomes to help get us the win!”

Stuart Reid, Distribution Director at People’s Partnership, said:

“I am delighted to welcome Laura Ellis to our ever-growing team at People’s Partnership.

“With a deep understanding of the Defined Contribution and workplace landscape, she will bring a wealth of experience and insight that will be critical as we continue to expand our presence in these key markets. Laura will be instrumental in driving forward our strategic priorities and her leadership will help shape the next phase of our growth journey, ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation, client engagement, and long-term value creation.

“We’re excited about the positive impact this will have on our seven million members as we build momentum and deliver on our ambitions in the years to come.”

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Good Things Foundation and People’s Partnership join forces to tackle digital and financial exclusion

Good Things Foundation1, the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, has joined forces with People’s Partnership, a not-for-profit pension provider serving 7 million members to help low-income and digitally excluded adults build the skills and confidence they need to manage their money online.

People’s Partnership2, which provides the People’s Pension scheme, will support Good Things Foundation’s free online learning platform, Learn My Way, by co-developing a new module. The collaboration also includes a digital journey audit and a series of webinars delivered through the National Digital Inclusion Network.

This announcement marks a significant step for People’s Partnership as it embarks on this new major charity collaboration, bringing its financial expertise into the social sector to reach those often excluded from both digital access and financial planning.

The initiative is timed to support communities ensuring more people can confidently manage their financial future online.

“This partnership is about breaking down the barriers that stop people from confidently engaging with their financial future,”

said Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation.

“By combining our skills in digital inclusion with People’s Partnership’s pensions expertise, we’re empowering low-income and vulnerable adults – many of whom are digitally excluded – to take control of their financial future.”

Nicola Sinclair, Head of Responsible Business of People’s Partnership, said:

“We’re proud to be working with Good Things Foundation on this major charity partnership. As a pension provider with purpose, we’re committed to helping our 7 million members build financial foundations for life, and financial wellbeing forms a central part of this. We passionately believe that everyone deserves access to tools and knowledge to enable them to plan for their future.

“At the heart of both organisations there is a clear commitment to inclusion, and that means making sure no one is left behind in the digital age.”

People’s Partnership CEO celebrates 40 years in the organisation

Colleagues were ‘joined’ by a World Cup winner for a surprise celebration for the chief executive of a leading Crawley employer to mark his 40 years with the business.

Patrick Heath-Lay, who has led the Manor Royal-based People’s Partnership for 12 years, was joined by scores of guests, including his family. During the celebration he received an array of tributes, including a video message from Sir Geoff Hurst, England’s 1966 hattrick hero who is also a West Ham United legend, where Patrick is a season ticketholder.

Patrick’s journey to CEO for People’s Pension, the biggest commercial defined contribution workplace pension providers in the UK is a remarkable one, having started at the not-for-profit organisation, which was previously known as B&CE, on August 5 1985, aged 16. His mother, who worked at Crawley Job Centre, secured him the interview which landed him a role in the post room. He began his rise through the ranks, which saw him train as an accountant and eventually run various departments such as finance and marketing.

In 2012, he established and oversaw the launch of People’s Pension, which has since grown to manage £35 billion of savings for more than seven million members. Since the launch of People’s Pension, the organisation, which was founded in 1942, has grown from approximately 200 colleagues to more than 1,000.

On reaching such a momentous milestone, Patrick said:

“It has been a privilege to build my career within this purpose led organisation over the past 40 years. For the last 12 years, as CEO, being able to drive the tremendous growth of the People’s Pension has been so fulfilling on many levels.

“I am immensely proud to get to lead something as special as this business, that has a long history of serving the underserved and which continues to be powered by fantastic people. I have been fortunate to work alongside so many incredible colleagues, too many to call out individually, that have made the last four decades such a special journey. In many ways, even after 40 years, this organisation is just getting started at this exciting time for the pensions industry. I’d just like to say a huge thank you to everyone I’ve worked with past and present and how lovely it is to stop for a moment and reflect upon this milestone.” 

David Meliveo, Chief Commercial Officer at People’s Partnership, attended the celebration and said: “It was great to see so many people come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements of a leader who has made a positive contribution to both the pensions industry as well as the local community in Crawley. The success behind our very special organisation comes from his relentless focus on making People’s Partnership a purpose-lead organisation, which focuses on the needs of its members rather than shareholders.”

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People’s Partnership appoints new Head of Business Development

People’s Partnership1, provider of the UK’s largest commercial workplace pension scheme, has appointed Max Gist as its new Head of Business Development.

Max has an impressive track record of developing strong relationships in financial services, and particularly the corporate pensions market, bringing a wealth of experience to his new role for People’s Pension. He joins from Aegon, where he was responsible for managing and growing strategic relationships with top employee benefit consultancy firms across the UK.

Throughout his career, Max has played a central role in client engagement, business growth, and relationship management within the corporate pensions market and banking, working at Scottish Widows and Lloyds Banking Group.

Commenting on his appointment, Max said:

“I’m proud to be joining People’s Partnership at such a pivotal time in its journey. Mine and my team’s role will be working closely with employee benefit consultants, employers and trustees to grow People’s Partnership’s workplace pension offering by attracting new, and developing existing, corporate client relationships.

“I look forward to building on the organisation’s strong foundations to support retirement outcomes for even more millions of savers across the UK.”

Stuart Reid, Distribution Director at People’s Partnership, said:

“As our distribution team continues to grow, Max’s appointment represents a significant milestone in strengthening our leadership capacity. He will play a central role in shaping and executing our long-term strategy for growth in the DC and workplace pensions market.

“We expect to continue attracting top-tier talent and major clients as the industry realigns under the new legislation outlined in the Pension Schemes Bill, including the consolidation of DC pension schemes. Max is a key part of the future of People’s Partnership, and it’s great he’s joining at a time when the Pension Schemes Bill will reshape the way the market works.”

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People’s Partnership appoints new Chief Risk Officer to support its continued growth

People’s Partnership1, which provides the People’s Pension, has appointed a Chief Risk Officer to help oversee its rapid growth and transformation.

José Morago joins one of the UK’s fastest growing asset owners from Allianz UK, where he led the risk function within the personal lines and speciality businesses. His career has also seen him hold senior risk executive positions at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Aviva Group and Ageas UK among others and has seen him work across Europe and the USA.

He joins People’s Partnership, which serves seven million pension savers and manages more than £30bn in assets, during a period of significant change for the industry following the launch of the Pensions Schemes Bill2, last month. The appointment means José will oversee the organisation’s risk and compliance functions, playing a pivotal role in guiding the business through a dynamic and evolving pension landscape.

José said of his appointment:

“I’m genuinely excited to be joining People’s Partnership because their strong social values and a commitment to putting customers first align perfectly with my own. In my experience, an organisation that truly focuses on delivering customer value and keeping its promises creates the right environment for effective risk management.

“I’m excited to be able to help continue the development of People’s Partnership’s risk framework and practices as a key enabler of sustainable growth for the business, positive customer outcomes, and stakeholder trust.”

Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive Officer of People’s Partnership, said:

“José’s appointment is fantastic news for the organisation and its members, due to his rich experience and expertise in risk management and regulation. He is joining us during a period of rapid growth for our organisation as well as significant change for the workplace pension sector and I look forward to working with him as we navigate the regulatory changes.”

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People’s Pension reaffirms private markets and UK investment target after signing the Mansion House Accord

People’s Pension1, the UK’s largest commercial workplace pension scheme, has today announced it has signed the Mansion House Accord2 (the Accord), a landmark industry-led initiative.

People’s Pension is one of 17 pension schemes to sign the Accord, which commits signatories to the ambition of allocating at least 10 per cent of assets in their main provider-designed DC default funds to private markets by 2030. Within this, at least 5 per cent is targeted specifically for investment in UK private markets—subject to four critical enablers3, including the availability of suitable investable assets for providers4.

“Signing the Mansion House Accord reinforces our long-standing commitment to becoming a world class asset owner, to help our 6.9 million members build financial foundations for life,”

said Mark Condron, Chair of People’s Pension Board of Trustees.

He continued:

“Providing value to our members remains the key principle behind all of our investment activity, including in this area. Our continued growth in members’ assets, coupled with our growing in-house investment team5 means People’s Pension is now well-positioned to broaden our reach into these asset classes. To meet this ambition, we welcome the long-term support from the government to ensure a strong and sustainable pipeline of private investment opportunities.”

Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive Officer of People’s Partnership, provider of People’s Pension, said:

“People’s Pension has a vital role to play in the exciting, shared vision for the future of the pensions’ industry, which will see bigger, stronger, value-driven schemes that will deliver better value to their members. By signing this Accord, we are reaffirming how seriously we take our commitment to delivering better outcomes, as well as helping to drive UK economic growth.”

Dan Mikulskis, Chief Investment Officer of People’s Partnership, added:

“As well as signing the Accord we have taken real, concrete steps to build the internal capability, and leverage our scale, to invest in private market assets in a way that leaves value in the hands of members and not asset managers.

“We look forward to continuing our philosophy of building deep partnerships with the right asset managers, alongside specialist internal capability to deliver the best outcomes for members. Current global risks highlight some of the benefits of UK assets which are also often cheaper to access than overseas alternatives leaving more value in the hands of members.”

The signing of the Accord follows the announcement earlier this year that People’s Pension would begin allocating a substantial portion of its assets under management to private markets, with a target of 10 per cent by 2030.

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People’s Partnership appoints new Co-Heads of Real Assets

The provider of the People’s Pension1 has today announced the forthcoming appointment of two new Co-Heads of Real Assets, to lead its drive into private markets, which will include significant investment in the UK.

The appointment of Marija Simpraga and Raymond Wright means People’s Partnership will have the in-house capability needed to build on the recently announced ambition to invest 10 per cent of its growth pool assets in private markets by 2030, with substantial proportion being UK assets2.

Marija brings extensive strategic infrastructure expertise to her new role, having previously led private infrastructure research at Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), where she focused on European clean energy and digital infrastructure, guiding more than £10 billion in real asset strategies. Previously, she led European utilities equity research at Bloomberg LP, where she integrated ESG factors into financial analysis and developed tools still used across its client network.

With 22 years in pension fund management, Raymond has worked with leading industry firms, including 16 years at British Airways Pensions, where he developed expertise in investment management and portfolio oversight. Throughout his career, he has managed diverse private market assets, focusing on innovative strategies that align with ESG principles, manage risk, and drive performance across various asset classes.

People’s Partnership’s Chief Investment Officer, Dan Mikulskis said of the appointments:

“We’re delighted to announce the appointments of two highly experienced fund managers, Marija and Raymond, to lead a key area of our growing investment portfolio.

“This marks an important milestone in the ongoing expansion of the investment team for The People’s Pension, which has nearly doubled in size in just over a year. Their expertise will enable us to ensure we get the best value for our seven million members in an area which presents an exciting opportunity.”

Commenting on her appointment, Marija said:

“I’m excited to co-lead the Real Assets brief for one of the UK’s fastest growing asset owners, focusing on delivering long-term value for our members through strategic investments in real assets.

“Our goal is to develop and implement a scalable private markets strategy that generates strong, risk-adjusted returns by deploying capital in private infrastructure and real estate. We’re committed to achieving positive real-world outcomes alongside financial performance, investing in assets vital to the UK’s economic growth and energy transition.”

Raymond added:

“This is a unique opportunity to not only expand our existing portfolio but also deliver real, tangible benefits to our members by building a strong and dynamic private markets platform from the ground up.

“The investments we make will aim to provide better returns for members, while integrating ESG principles that align with their values.

“I’m looking forward to working with the team to deliver on these ambitions and create a lasting positive impact in both our members’ financial futures and in the broader community.”

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People’s Partnership Staff Raise Over £12,000 for Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove through Remarkable Fundraising Efforts

Staff at People’s Partnership1 have collectively walked over 43 million steps, contributing to the impressive total of £12,181 raised for beloved charity, Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove2.

The 1,000 employees at the leading workplace provider, based in Crawley, selected Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove as their Charity of the Year for 2024/25, committing to a year of fundraising to support the charity’s vital work.

Throughout the year, teams from People’s Partnership organised a variety of fundraising events, from step challenges that collectively covered more than 21,457 miles to Tough Mudder 2024, where 25 determined staff members conquered 18 intense obstacles, including ice baths, monkey bars, dizzying heights, mud crawls, and electric shocks.

Staff also supported Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove by putting together hampers for 200 individuals as part of their Bags of Support scheme at Christmas, as well as knitting over 300 hats during Age UK’s Big Knit campaign.

Commenting, Nicola Sinclair, Head of Responsible Business at People’s Partnership, said:

“This has been another fantastic year of fundraising. We are proud to build our future around our people and our community, and we believe in the power of giving back. Our staff’s dedication to raising funds for Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove has been truly inspiring.”

Jenny Freeman, Fundraising Manager of Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to have been People’s Partnership’s Charity of the Year for the past 12 months. Staff have supported us in so many ways, from raising funds to donating their time. We are deeply thankful for their efforts, and the donation will make a real difference in providing support to older people and pushing for changes that will improve their lives.”

Looking ahead, staff at People’s Partnership, which provides The People’s Pension to nearly 7 million workers across the UK, have voted for St Catherine’s Hospice to be their charity partner for the next 12 months.

St Catherine’s Hospice provides expert hospice care to people in West Sussex and East Surrey, offering crucial support to families who may need to take time off work to care for loved ones. The charity is close to the hearts of many People’s Partnership employees, and with the charity currently facing financial challenges—including increasing bills and funding reductions—staff are eager to lend their support.

Nina Gopal, Strategic Partnerships Manager at St Catherine’s Hospice said:

“We’re thrilled to be chosen as Charity of the Year 2025/26 by the team at People’s Partnership. We all want the very best end of life care for our loved ones, friends and ourselves but it’s something that we don’t like to talk about. We’re extremely grateful for selection and are looking forward to working closely with People’s Partnership to deliver a fun and impactful year ahead.”

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The People’s Pension reappoints Chair of Trustee Board for extended five-year term

The People’s Pension1, the UK’s largest commercial master trust, today underlined its commitment to strong governance and stability by announcing that its Chair of Trustees, Mark Condron, will remain in post for a further five years.

The announcement of his new five-year term follows three years at the helm of the Board of Trustees, which he first joined in 2020. In Mark’s time as Chair, The People’s Pension, has become one of the country’s fastest growing asset owners and is projected to have reached £60 billion in assets under management by the end of 2030.

Mark’s reappointment comes at a pivotal time for workplace pension schemes which includes the Government focus on encouraging Funds to invest in private markets, including in the UK, and the impending introduction of Value for Money2 metrics. Earlier this year The People’s Pension announced that it planned to invest £4bn3, or 10 per cent of its growth pool assets, in private markets with substantial proportion focused on the UK, if assets are available that meet the return requirements.

In February, the Scheme also announced that it was appointing a further two asset managers, Amundi and Invesco4, to manage £28bn of its rapidly growing portfolio.

Commenting on his reappointment, Mark said:

“I’m delighted to be asked to Chair for an extended five-year term and am fully committed to helping the Scheme continue its remarkable journey as one of the fastest growing asset owners in the UK. It’s an exciting time for our seven million members as pension funds are continuing to play an increased role in the financial futures of both workers and the nation as a whole.”

Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive Officer of People’s Partnership, which provides The People’s Pension, said:

“It’s fantastic news that Mark has agreed to continue to serve as Chair of Trustees – he is exactly the right person to be chairing The People’s Pension into the next exciting stage of its journey. Strong governance lays at the heart of all good pension schemes, which is why it’s so important that Mark will lead the Trustees for the next five years, a period which promises to be hugely significant.”

During his career Mark has held a wide range of senior positions with responsibility for pensions advisory and administration businesses. He is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and an Accredited Professional Pension Trustee.

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