V-FM: The Pensions Podcast

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to SuperRatings' Kirby Rappell. SuperRatings has been conducting value for money assessments in Australia for 17 years, starting out as the first firm dedicated to super fund research. We hear from Kirby about how the Aussie's do V-FM and look at learnings and insights that could benefit UK thinking. And we discuss the Pound for Pound in...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Willis Towers Watson's Simon Eagle. Simon has been instrumental in the development of CDC in the UK, being the scheme actuary for the Royal Mail CDC scheme. We chatted through the evolution of CDC in the UK, the original ideas behind defined ambition, the introduction of the Royal Mail scheme, and what next for CDC, including retireme...

Happy New Year to all our listeners! In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren welcome 2026 in what will be (another) busy year for pensions. As well as chatting about the festive season (and Nico’s house fire - don’t worry all ended up ok!), we take a look at what to expect in 2026... and have an impromptu discussion about the Pensions Schemes Bill and Fiduciary duty among a host of...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions Nico and Darren (slightly croaky and end-of-year tired) chat glow-in-the-dark dog walks, North London derby emotions and the Pensions Expert Annual Conference at Pennyhill Park… before diving head-first into the Budget and the chaos that surrounded it. We unpack Darren’s recent comment piece in Pensions Expert, the OBR leak that turned out to be more cock-up than c...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Maurits van Joolingen, Managing Director Climate Scenarios and Sustainability, at Ortec Finance. This is part of a series of episodes recorded at the World Pensions Summit in early November. A proper climate and scenario analysis geek out! We also discuss the news covering: the Budget, the state pension triple lock, the FCA pension sc...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Nordea's Head of Responsible Investment, Eric Pedersen. This is part of a series of interviews recorded at the World Pensions Summit. The central tenet of Eric's argument is true decarbonisation requires investing in and engaging with high-emitting sectors rather than divesting from them. Nordea have a created a Climate Transition Eng...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions recorded at the Pensions and Investments World Pensions Summit, hosts Darren and Nico chat to economist and demographic expert, Dr Amlan Roy. We talk to Amlan about why demographics is really about how people live, work and spend across their whole lives, and what that means for pensions and markets right now, not just in 30 years’ time. We cover micro pensions for...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions recorded at the World Pension Summit, hosts Darren and Nico chat to L&G Asset Management CIO, Sonja Laud. Sonia reprises her opening keynote session giving insights into how the investment universe is evolving, picking up on the key theme of the Summit: Resilience in the age of uncertainty. Her key message... prepare, don't predict!   

Hot off the press from the Pensions and Investments' World Pension Summit in The Hague, hosts Darren and Nico chat to geopolitical strategist, Tina Fordham. It's an understatement to say there is a lot going on in the world right now that affects pension fund investors... but we hear the latest from Tina as to what's going on, including quick-fire reactions to the recent US local elections.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico take a deep dive into the Government's proposals for 'at retirement' only CDC. What is the Government proposing and will it become a new norm of pension provision?    We also discuss a few news items that have been on our list to cover, including: the sale of Cushon by Natwest, the consultation on professional trustee companies and recent ABI...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to defined contribution and financial wellbeing consultant, Hymans' James Smith. We spend a lot of the podcast focusing on James' blueprint for pensions reform - Retirement Reimagined - which is co-authored in a personal capacity with Alexandra Miles. We discuss and debate many of the ideas in the paper, including changes to the state pe...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren reflect on the Pensions UK's 2025 Annual Conference that took place in Manchester between the 14th-16th October. In a surprisingly short episode (it's amazing how a hard stop for a meeting focuses the minds), as well as reflecting on the nature of the conference we discuss a few of the themes that made the news, not least the Pensions Ministe...

In this episode of V-FM, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Pensions and Investments International News Editor, Sophie Baker. Sophie has had an amazing career in pensions journalism and also is Programme Director and Chair of the World Pensions Summit. In an investment heavy episode, we discuss PGGM's recent major portfolio overhaul, where they shifted from passive to active investing (reducing their i...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Broadstone's Dave Brooks. As well as having an illustrious career in pensions admin and consultancy, Dave talks about how it nearly 'made it' (or not) in the world of music.  We chat tax free cash and the upcoming Budget, consistency of language used in pensions communications and the Pension Commission. We also find out how Dave got...

After an unexpected break last week due to illness, this episode of V-FM Pensions restarts the new season of the podcast with hosts Darren and Nico talking about the Pension Scheme's Bill Committee Stage, productive finance and investing in the UK, Behind Login's app rating assessment, and LCP research highlighting the significant assets under control by 4 professional trustee companies.... We did...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico are back from an extended summer break when Nico became a father for the first time. As well as catching up and talking about the real reason Thomas is named Thomas (and Nico's most successful Linkedin post ever!), the duo talk about what's in store for V-FM this autumn and chew the cud on the Pensions Commission, the upcoming Budget and the Pensio...

In this bumper episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to former MP and Pensions Minister Guy Opperman. This is an episode that covers everything: horse racing, politics, Government, pensions and policy. And, of course, we ask Guy what value for money means to him!

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Smart Pension's Director of Investment Proposition, James Lawrence. We chat about: what's going on in the world and what it means for investment; Baroness Altmann's ideas for linking tax relief to investing in the UK; Smart's investment in green bonds and its approach to zero cost investing; the Pension Schemes Bill and the challenges...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Global Fund Search's Head of UK, Kris Shergold. Another wide-ranging episode, where, as well as discussing what value for money to Kris, we chat about: Electricity generation and the state of the grid Value for money from the Office of Value for Money... Scottish Widows reducing it's UK equity allocation, and Aviva CEO warning that ma...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to pensions goth and research guru, Daniela Silcock about all things pensions. As well as talking about what value for money means to Daniela, we discuss: politics, pensions and winter fuel payments; the politics of DC pension allocation building on research Daniela has just conducted on behalf the the DCIF; developments in the 'at retir...

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat to the CEO of the Money and Pensions Service, Oliver Morley, and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge. This is part two of the podcast recorded 'on the road' at the PMI Annual Conference.

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico interview some amazing speakers at the PMI's Annual Conference. Part one covers interviews with PMI CEO, Gareth Tancred, and the PPF's Michelle Osterman and Kate Jones. Part two covers interviews with MAPS' Oliver Morley and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge.

In this V-FM Pensions special, hosts Nico and Darren discuss the outcome of the Government's Pensions and Investment Review phase 1. Tune in to hear about what the review had to say and also hear the hosts' views on what's hot, what's not, and what's still just simply confusing....

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Guiide Founder and CEO Kevin Hollister. Not surprisingly, this is a decumulation-heavy episode with Kevin using the opportunity to talk about a new Guiide D2C proposition that has just been launched with the aim of helping people achieve sustainable retirement outcomes. We also chat a lot about how to help people manage their money in...

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Eversheds Sutherland's Partner and Head of DC, Michael Jones, about all things value for money. Michael has the honour(?) of being the first actively practicing pensions lawyer on the podcast and he timed his appearance perfectly being a Spurs fan (recording the morning after a lucky Europa Cup win...) As well as finding out how Michae...