From buy-in to buy-out: why clearing hurdles early is essential
A buy-in is a significant milestone in a pension scheme’s journey for trustees, sponsors, and advisers. However, moving from buy-in to buy-out can be long and complex, involving multiple concurrent projects and for this reason, many stall. Professional trustees must ensure projects run to time and cost and, if not, be ready to have difficult […]
A smooth landing to wind-up
This case study looks at the way we helped this client’s pension trustees by leading pension scheme operations, looking after all day-to-day activities, effectively managing trustee priorities and ensuring the plans run smoothly.
It also looks at how our team ensures the pension trustees benefit from transparency and cost efficiency.
Vidett’s key themes for 2026
What is it about a new year that’s so exciting? For the first time, as we head into 2026, I asked AI – and that, perhaps, in itself demonstrates how rapidly our world is changing. So here at Vidett, we’re embracing the ‘fresh start effect’ and channelling our ‘collective energy’ to share with you our key themes for 2026. Our key themes reflect the principal areas where we make a difference for our clients, whether it’s helping […]
Congratulations to Becky Wood and Ben Salmons
It was a double celebration for Vidett this week, as Professional Pensions named two of our team winners at one of the pension industry’s most prestigious evenings! Becky Wood was named the Women in Pensions ‘Trustee of the Year’ after accolades including leading our Endgame Solutions team and helping set up the Endgame Perspectives Group, […]
F2 Chemicals secure £8m buy-in
As Trustee to F2 Chemicals Limited, we’re delighted to have successfully guided their scheme into an £8m buy-in, with the completion helping secure the benefits of all its scheme members. Acting as the Chair of the Trustees for the scheme, Mark Johnston was thrilled with the outcome: “Working with F2 Chemicals, we are delighted to […]
Micro schemes in maximum focus
At our Endgame Solutions Conference earlier this summer, one of the most insightful sessions turned the spotlight onto a part of the market often left in the shadows: micro schemes. I was pleased to chair the discussion and was joined by a panel of expert colleagues from across the industry, including Adam Davis (K3/Isio), Alma […]
Planning better journeys for buy-ins and buy-outs
Drawing on practical experience from real transactions, let’s take a look at the common pitfalls and key success factors that schemes must consider to deliver smooth, timely, and member-focused insurance transactions in the current market. Ready, set, go! At Vidett’s recent Endgame Solutions Conference at Silverstone, our third session, ‘Beyond Blame – Building Better Outcomes’, […]
The Consolidation Effect: The Evolution of Consolidators and the Industry Impact
As superfunds, insurer-led buyouts, and alternative structures reshape the risk transfer landscape, trustees and sponsors have more choice than ever, but also greater complexity. The market is evolving at pace, creating new opportunities and challenges for all stakeholders. At our recent Endgame Solutions Conference at Silverstone, I chaired the session ‘The Consolidation Effect – The […]
Rethinking the endgame: managing surplus in a new era
At our recent Endgame Solutions Conference the session, ‘Run-On in a Surplus Era – Opportunities, Considerations and Challenges’, explored the growing interest in running on schemes rather than pursuing a traditional buy-out. Chaired by Clare Routledge, the expert panel brought a range of perspectives. I was joined by Sara Chambers (Gowling), Jonathan Griffith (LCP), Ajeet […]
How insurers can support DB members at and through retirement
Earlier this month, Becky Wood (Client Director and Head of Endgame Solutions) was invited to represent Vidett at Just Defined Benefit Solutions’ webinar focussed on understanding how bulk purchase annuity insurers can support defined benefit members as they move through to buy-out and how the FCA Consumer Duty outcomes are achieved. Joining Becky on the […]
Finding a buy-in for a small scheme
Explaining how we eventually got the best outcome for our scheme through collaboration and a team effort, this case study details the ins and outs of small scheme navigation.
The buy-in journey – webinar series
Endgame solutions conference 2025
Shaping Tomorrow: Our podcast relaunches!
Newly renamed ‘Shaping Tomorrow’ – our podcast series is evolving. Come with us as we meet a range of pension industry experts who take a deeper dive into the relationships, ideas, discoveries and innovations that help us achieve great results. In episode one of our reimagined series, you’ll meet our new host, client director Clare […]
Avimo agrees £50m full buy-in
It was good news all round, with the recent announcement of Avimo and their £50 million full scheme buy-in, securing the benefits of all its 611 scheme members. Acting on the deal with Rothesay and Thales UK, client director Jim Robson was pleased with the outcome: “This outcome has been really positive. from a relative […]
Vidett aid £250m buy-in of five schemes
We were once again thrilled to play our part in another buy-in, this time to the value of £250m, that saw the benefits for members of five separate schemes secured in the combined transaction. On the completion of the deal, client director James Double was happy to reflect: “We’ve been working intensely on this project […]
Becky Wood guests for Excellence in Endgames
Our head of Endgame Solutions – Becky Wood – was a guest for Hymans Robertson’s ‘Excellence in Endgames’ series, joining host James Mullins as well as Iain Church and Baljit Khatra from Royal London. Together they explored tailored strategies and actionable insights designed to help smaller pension schemes stand out and succeed. Reflecting back on […]
Vidett help complete £20m buy-in
Our recent hand in the completion of a £20m transaction for a defined benefit scheme, was a welcome result for all involved, including client director Chris Halewood: “Working in collaboration ISIO and DLA Piper, the trustees and scheme sponsor, we were able to get comfortable with Utmost’s proposition very quickly. It became abundantly clear significant […]
Talking endgame: trustee insights and perspectives
As professional trustees, we bring essential skills to all defined benefit (DB) pension schemes and particularly during endgame transactions. This was a hot topic at our ‘Endgame Solutions Conference‘, where myself, Becky Wood, Ben Salmons and Mark Johnston discussed our experiences and insights, alongside the session’s chair, Joanna Carter from XPS. A busy year In […]
Trustee Talk: defined benefit endgame with Clare Routledge
This month, client director Clare Routledge caught up with Asset TV’s Sam Rossiter, ready to discuss defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, and their journey to endgame. Commenting on the latest episode, Clare said “With record levels of DB surpluses come decisions for trustees on how to use those surpluses. In this edition of Trustee Talk […]
Royal London announce £30m buy-in
We were delighted to see Rich Ingham, Phil Williams and Duncan Willsher recently assist Royal London with the successful completion of a £30 million full scheme buy-in for The Retreat York Pension Scheme. Working alongside K3 Advisory, First Actuarial and Wrigleys Solicitors; the transaction was a market first for Royal London, a new entrant to the […]
The bulk annuity market: a new wave
At our Endgame Solutions Conference in May, I chaired an engaging panel discussion titled ‘New insurers entering the market and future outlook’, where I was joined by: Adam Davis, Managing Director at K3 Advisory; Dweenisha Caleechurn, Pensions Director at PwC; Gurbani Swanni Leach, Director at M&G; and Gary Needham, Head of BPA Business Development at […]
Buy-in: a piece of cake
Learn how Mark Johnston and Ben Salmons collaborated at pace – alongside external parties – to help a client by achieve a quicker-than-normal buy-in for their pension scheme.
Getting ‘under the bonnet’ (of the insurer decision-making process)
Understanding the insurer decision-making process and what drives their triage is crucial for trustees and sponsors to secure the best deals for buy-in and buy-out transactions. At our ‘Endgame Solutions Conference,’ I chaired a discussion on how to do this alongside fellow industry experts: Pete Jennings (Just), Adrian Somerfield (L&G), Costas Yiasoumi (formally WTW, now […]
Vidett assists £100m buy-in
Client director Mark Johnston and associate director Ben Salmons were both happy to see their work help the recent completion of a £100m buy-in. The transaction for a client from the travel catering industry, saw the benefits secured for all of the scheme’s 2,100 members. On reflection of the deal, chair of the trustee, Mark Johnston commented: […]
Mullin’ over the buy-in market
Client director Becky Wood recently joined Hymans Robertson’s James Mullins for his podcast looking into how new insurers are shaking up the buy-in market. Areas of discussion included the impact these new insurance companies entrances are making to the buy-in market and the key considerations for smaller schemes looking to complete buy-in transactions. Watch the […]
Beyond traditional buy-outs: viewing alternatives through different lenses
Endgame continues to be one of the hottest topics in the pensions industry, with the conversation expanding beyond traditional buy-outs to a range of alternative solutions, such as the establishment of a public consolidator and a heightened focus on schemes running on indefinitely. We recently hosted our Endgame Solutions Conference, bringing together over 250 professionals […]
Gallagher webcast: finding a bulk purchase annuity for small schemes
Associate director Ben Salmons joined Mark van den Berghen (Head of Risk Transfer, Gallagher) and George Milligan (Origination Actuary, Pension Insurance Corporation plc), for Gallagher’s endgame related session on small schemes. Part of their pensions conference season, the online event looked to share insights into how the market is changing – and must continue evolving […]
Vidett help complete £880m buy-in
Client directors Kate Leigh and Mark Cliff were thrilled to be key members of our team, that helped complete an £880m buy-in for the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Pension Fund. The transaction demonstrated innovation, precision and sound engineering; securing the benefits for the pension scheme’s c.6,000 members. On reflection of the deal, Kate Leigh commented: “The completion […]
Speeding up a small scheme buy-in
In this case study we explore how James Duggan and Kevin Kenneally worked alongside our endgame solutions and small schemes teams to help a client by achieve a swift buy-in for their small pension scheme.
Trustee Talks with Becky Wood
Becky Wood, our head of the Endgame Solutions team, recently took some time out of her busy schedule, to talk to Asset TV; the specialist publication best known for creating cutting edge CE and CPD accredited content for the largest investment community in the world! In their latest episode of Trustee Talks, host Sam Rossiter […]
Vidett Endgame Solutions Conference 2024
We’re excited to be holding our Vidett Endgame Solutions Conference in Manchester this May. This year we’ll be hosted by the National Football Museum. This charitable organisation will be giving us the keys to their wonderful home – the iconic Urbis Building – in the heart of Manchester and just a short walk from Manchester […]
The journey to buy-in and buy-out
Watch our video explaining the typical journey a pension scheme will go through buy-in to buy-out, and eventually wind-up; something we have lots of success with, having taken many pension schemes through their end-to-end journey. If this sounds like something you’d like to hear more about, then please visit our ‘Endgame solutions’ webpage.
Vidett helps complete £400m buy-in for leading UK technology company
Acting as Chair of Trustees, Vidett helped secure the future benefits for 4,000 scheme members by supporting Just Group’s £400m buy-in. This transaction has removed any investment and longevity risks posed by the sponsoring employer. On completion of the deal, Mark Johnston commented: “We are delighted to have now achieved pension security for all members […]
Buyout – it’s not all about the price
Trustee Director James Chalk joined Mercer for the latest episode of their endgame series. Entitled ‘Buyout – it’s not all about the price’; this episode explored the considerations that trustees and sponsors are taking into account when selecting an insurer for a bulk annuity deal. With other factors such as an insurer’s financial strength and […]
Lessons learned from a £600m buy-in
In this case study we share the wisdom we gained during the buy-in for a client with £1.6bn in assets. These lessons allowed us to achieve the buy-in within the set time frame and secure £600mn for our client.
What do trustees need to consider with reinsurance?
Earlier this year we hosted our Vidett ‘Risk Transfer Conference’, bringing together industry experts from around the country. We were joined by Phoenix Group, Just and Hymans Robertson for a session on reinsurance to explore the latest trends and key things pension trustees need to know. The market is growing, with no signs of stopping! […]
Shoosmiths on TAP: the later stages of a risk transfer project
Trustee Director Becky Wood recently spoke to Shoosmiths on TAP for their latest episode on risk transfer. In episode two of the risk transfer series hosted by Suzanne Burrell (Partner, Shoosmiths), Becky joins Adam Davis (Managing Director, K3 Advisory) on the panel focusing on the later stages of a risk transfer project. They discuss what […]
Capturing investment opportunities
Our first ever Risk Transfer Conference bought over 200 professionals from the industry together at Villa Park. The day was made up of various panels, including one with representatives from Isio, Legal and General, Linklaters and Cardano. The session looked at how we can capture different investment opportunities in the run up to a transaction, […]
ExpertView EP15: small schemes and risk transfer
ExpertView is our series of discussions bringing together experts from different disciplines to share their specialist perspectives on key pension topics. In our latest episode, Trustee Director James Chalk hosts the panel, and is joined by Iain Church from Hymans Robertson, and Nick Flynn from Canada Life. In the discussion, James investigates several areas, including: […]
Securing a speedy £160m buy-in for Repsol Sinopec
Whilst acting as the sole trustee for the Repsol Sinopec Pension and Life Scheme, see what we did to help them capitalise on an improvement in scheme funding levels.
This case study is a great example of how we quickly secured members benefits through collaboration and teamwork.
Providing sponsors with certainty
Vidett’s inaugural ‘Risk Transfer Conference’ took place at Villa Park earlier this year; attracting over 200 attendees from across the pension industry. I hosted a fantastic session on ‘Providing sponsors with certainty’, where we discussed the vital role of sponsors in the risk transfer stage of a pension scheme’s life. On the day, I was […]
The human experience in risk transfer
Vidett recently held its inaugural ‘Risk Transfer Conference,’ which attracted over 200 attendees from across the pension industry. I hosted an interesting session focused on ’The Human Experience’ and was joined by speakers Joe Craig from Quietroom, Ariel Cecchi from Behavioural Finance and Jamie Dobbin from PIC. We discussed how people interact with the process […]
Sole trusteeship & a successful small scheme buy-in
We were appointed by the Brick Development Association (BDA) to succeed trustee directors who were retiring. Past trustee minutes going back down the years talked about aspirations of possibly winding the pension scheme up.
Vidett helps secure Thomas Cook pension benefits in £900m deal
As professional trustee to the Thomas Cook Pension Plan (the Plan), we’re very pleased to confirm we have completed a £900m buy-in with Aviva to secure the benefits for all (over 12,500) members. The Vidett team involved with the Plan are Mark Johnston, Steve Southern and Nikhil Patel. The deal, which completed on 4 May, […]
Working quickly to understand true buyout position
This case study looks at how, as pension trustee, we found we could advanced this pension scheme towards buy out much more quickly than originally anticipated. Having locked down investment risk and agreed reduced contributions from the pension scheme sponsor, we’re now moving towards a full insurance broking exercise. Sharing this ‘quick test’ approach across the Vidett team has enabled other pension trustee boards to check whether their funding position is stronger than they thought.
Vidett Risk Transfer Conference 2023
We hosted our first Risk Transfer Conference on Tuesday 28 February 2023 at one of England’s premier stadiums: Villa Park. The day saw over 200 guests from the pension risk transfer community join us for a day of topical conversations, with over 24 experts joining us in six separate panel discussions. Topics? The Human Experience […]