Simon advises trustees, corporates, providers, insurers and investment and fund managers on all aspects of DB and DC pensions law and governance.
Simon has extensive experience of advising on de-risking and scheme end-game solutions, including buy-ins, buy-outs, longevity swaps and scheme run-on. He regularly advises on complex funding matters and solutions, including scheme funding agreements, contingent assets and security arrangements.
Simon has a particular interest in investment matters and advises trustees, fund and investment managers and insurers in relation illiquid investment solutions (including secondary sales of pooled fund investments, DC investment in illiquid assets and solutions for illiquid investments as part of buy-ins and buy-outs), pooled fund investments, discretionary and fiduciary management, custody arrangements, derivative transactions and all aspects of ESG and TCFD compliance.
He spends most of his spare time running after his young children and attempting DIY tasks around the house and garden.
Latest Insights
- podcasts and webcastsPensions in a Pod (UK) - UK Pensions unscripted
Simon’s experience includes:
- advising a broad range of DB pension schemes with assets ranging from £500million – £25 billion in relation to investment and end-game issues, including buy-ins, buy-outs and longevity swap transactions, including benefit issues and residual risk options
- advising the trustee of a large hybrid on the public takeover of its sponsoring employer, including liaising with the Pensions Regulator in relation to the impact on the scheme
- advising a corporate sponsor of one of the UK’s largest defined benefit schemes in relation to its complex scheme funding agreement and contingent asset structures
- advising on the sale of illiquid assets on the secondary markets and options for dealing with illiquid assets in connection with de-risking transactions, including putting in place deferred premium and employer loan structures with insurers and sponsors
- advising a large £3billion+ scheme on structuring a temporary run-on solution to permit the orderly release of surplus assets to the sponsoring employer
- Simon has spoken at most major industry conferences, including at conferences organised PensionsUK, The Pensions Management Institute and Professional Pensions
- Simon in a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and has sat on its DC and Investment Sub-Committee for many years
- Simon is also a member of the IFoA fiduciary duty working party and has contributed to PensionsUK Legal Advisory Group and the UK Private Capital DC investment working group