Building Tomorrow's Retirement Security Today
EVENT OVERVIEW
As defined contribution pension schemes increasingly become the primary vehicle for retirement security in the UK and across the globe, the need to optimise their design and investment strategies has never been more critical.
The DC Growth & Retirement Summit convenes leading pension providers, practitioners, and policymakers to tackle the fundamental challenge: how do we create high-performing retirement systems that deliver real value throughout members’ careers and into retirement?
We will examine the essential design of successful DC plans, from ensuring adequate contributions to maximising investment returns during the crucial accumulation phase and enabling seamless transitions into retirement, all ensuring that pension assets work harder for savers.
There will be a particular focus on the Government’s Mansion House agenda and the growing emphasis on private markets as a vehicle for boosting long-term returns while maintaining prudent risk management.
In the retirement phase, experts will discuss optimal default solutions which combine both growth and security while confronting the growing reality of extended lifespans and the longevity risks they present. Together, these building blocks form the foundation upon which millions of workers will depend for their financial security, making our deliberations not just timely, but essential for shaping a more prosperous retirement landscape for generations to come.
The conference will be highly interactive, with open, thought-provoking debate, encouraging participants to engage actively throughout.
EVENT INFO
VENUE
The DC Growth & Retirement Summit will be held at the Banking Hall in London.
Attendance to the event is FREE for pension funds, employers, government representatives.
There is a modest fee for asset managers and consultants. You can contact us if you have any queries.
CPD
This event qualifies for 6 hours and 40 minutes of CPD credit. You can request CPD credit for the event when you register.
AGENDA
09:00 - 09:30
Registration & Refreshments
Networking Activity | Foyer | 09:00 – 09:30
Devil’s Advocates Panel
Mark Tennant, Trustee, Country Landowners Pension Fund
Our morning Devil’s Advocates will challenge speakers with incisive questions throughout the sessions and present their key reflections and takeaways just before lunch.
09:30 - 09:45
Welcome & Introduction
Opening Remarks | Auditorium
Event Chair:
David Porter
Head of Investment Delivery
People's Pension
Programme Director:
Stephen Glover
Founder & Director
SG Pensions Enterprise
09:45 - 10:15
From Turner to Tomorrow – The Evolution & Future of DC Pensions
Keynote Presentation | Auditorium
Join Andy Cheseldine from Capital Cranfield, as he charts the evolution of DC pensions from the roots of the Turner Report to today’s fast-consolidating landscape. With sharp insights into regulatory shifts, market concentration, and future reform, this keynote will challenge seasoned DC professionals to rethink the next chapter of UK retirement provision.
10:15 - 10:55
Savings Adequacy - Confronting DC Pensions' Biggest Challenge
Panel Discussion | Auditorium
Panel Moderator:
David Porter
Head of Investment Delivery
People's Pension
This panel tackles the urgent challenge of savings adequacy in DC pensions, exploring realistic levers for improving outcomes and practical solutions to overcome the financial and behavioural barriers facing members.
10:55 - 11:20
Networking Break
Networking Activity | Foyer
11:20 - 11:55
The Psychology of Saving - What Stops People from Saving More?
Presentation | Auditorium
In this eye-opening session, Professor Adrian Furnham explores the psychological and practical barriers that stop people from saving, revealing how beliefs, demographics, and daily financial pressures shape savings behaviour in unexpected ways.
11:55 - 12:35
The Investment (R)evolution: From Safety-First to Growth-Focused DC Plans
Panel Discussion | Auditorium
This panel explores the shift from risk-averse to growth-oriented DC pension investment strategies, examining how providers are expanding fiduciary duties and reallocating assets into equities, private markets, and infrastructure—and whether this aligns with government growth agendas or introduces undue risk.
Sponsored by Future Growth Capital
12:35 - 13:00
DC Default Strategies – Rethinking Fixed Income for Value & Impact
Presentation | Auditorium
Lee Hollingworth
DC & Retirement Proposition Director
Royal London Asset Management
Ewan McAlpine
Investment Director – Fixed Income
Royal London Asset Management
In this sponsored session by Royal London Asset Management, experts will explore how actively managed fixed income can deliver better value in DC default strategies without significantly increasing costs—highlighting its potential as a foundational asset class that aligns with both performance and responsible investment goals under the new Value for Money regulations.
Sponsored by Royal London Asset Management
13:00 - 13:10
Devil’s Advocates Summary
The Devil’s Advocates will give their summary of the main debating points, conclusions and action points from the morning sessions.
13:10 - 14:00
Lunch
Devil’s Advocates Panel
John Chilman
Trustee
Nestlé UK Pension Fund
Marian D'Auria
Non-Executive Director
USS
Throughout the afternoon, our panel of Devil’s Advocates will challenge speakers with thought-provoking questions and close the day by sharing their key insights and takeaways from the discussions.
14:00 - 14:25
Rethinking Retirement Income
Presentation | Auditorium
This session explores how to rethink retirement income through a proposition-led framework that defines member needs and assesses solutions like annuity, drawdown, flex-first-fix-later, and CDC.
Sponsored by BlackRock
14:25 - 15:05
Solving the Retirement Puzzle - New Approaches to Old Challenges
Panel Discussion | Auditorium
Panel Moderator:
Mary McDougall
Pensions Correspondent
Financial Times
Adrian Boulding
Director
The CDC Forum CIC
This panel will explore innovative strategies for turning pension savings into sustainable retirement income, tackling key challenges like risk extension, income security, and member support, while showcasing practical solutions to improve outcomes in the decumulation phase.
15:05 - 15:30
Turning Your Savings into a Force of Nature
Earn it. Keep it. Grow it. Impact it – Retire into a World worth living in.
Presentation | Auditorium
Robert Gardner
CEO & Co-Founder
Rebalance Earth
Discover how DC savers can move from financial confidence to climate impact in this visionary session from Rebalance Earth, exploring how pensions can help restore nature — rewiggling rivers, rebuilding reefs, and retiring into a world members helped create.
Sponsored by Rebalance Earth
15:30 - 15:55
Networking Break
Networking Activity | Foyer
15:55 - 16:15
Will Pensions Dashboards be a Game Changer?
Presentation | Auditorium
Richard Smith
Member - Pensions Dashboard Working Group
PASA
This session examines whether Pensions Dashboards will transform member engagement or fall short due to data, governance, and usability challenges, with expert insights into their policy goals, tech readiness, and behavioural impact.
16:15 - 16:55
Best Governance Practice Across DC Pensions
Roundtable Discussions | Auditorium
Roundtable Facilitator:
Stephen Budge
Head of DC Investment Strategy
LCP
Ian MacRae
Head of Pensions
Jaguar Land Rover
This interactive roundtable session will explore practical initiatives pension providers, employers, and advisers can use to incentivise greater saving, with table discussions led by Moderators and key conclusions shared with the wider conference.
16:55 - 17:30
What in the world is happening?
Presentation | AUDITORIUM
Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles
Former British Ambassador
UK Foreign Office
In this concluding session, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles brings a seasoned diplomat’s perspective to the major geopolitical shifts reshaping global alliances, economic growth, and investment markets — and explores what they mean for pension managers navigating rising political risk and de-globalisation.
17:30 - 17:40
Devil’s Advocates Summary
The Devil’s Advocates will give their summary of the main debating points, conclusions and action points from the afternoon session.
17:40 - 17:45
Chair's Summary
Closing Remarks | AUDITORIUM
The Chair will conclude the day’s proceedings and reflect on the various opinions discussed throughout the day.
17:45 - 19:15
Drinks Reception
Networking Activity | Foyer
Following conclusion of the conference, delegates are invited to stay for drinks and network with fellow members of the industry.
Sponsors
Click on images for more information
Venue
Banking Hall
This event will be held at Banking Hall in London.
Plan your journey via Transport for London.
Travel & Access
Tube: Bank (Central, Northern, W&C, DLR) & Monument (Circle, District)
Nat Rail: Cannon Street (5 mins)