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Virtual Ideas Exchange

An interactive quarterly virtual event for pension and reward managers, and trustees.

The PwC Virtual Ideas Exchange is an interactive virtual forum for pension and reward managers, and trustees, to come together to hear about the latest developments in the pensions world and share experiences.

The Virtual Ideas Exchange was born in late 2020, and runs on a quarterly basis. Each session covers a current hot topic and considers how to apply these in a real world scenario.

“It was an excellent session”

Joanne FairbairnClient Director - Pension Trustee & Governance, Zedra

“Thanks very much for inviting me to this webinar, I thought it was a fascinating discussion and the presenters were very good. I look forward to joining the next event”

Paul JohnstoneGlobal Benefits & Wellbeing, Hiscox

Our Next Event

PwC Virtual Ideas Exchange - DB Surplus Release: Making It Happen in Practice

We are delighted to invite you to our next Virtual Ideas Exchange event which will be held on Tuesday 15 July from 3:30pm - 4:30pm.

Join us for a focused and interactive session exploring the evolving landscape of DB scheme surplus. Our panel will cover what we know so far from proposals in the new Pensions Bill, the potential impact on schemes and the UK economy, and key considerations for both trustees and corporates.

We’ll explore topics such as fiduciary duty, regulatory expectations, surplus use, and whether the industry is being too cautious. We’ll also share our view on the DWP’s impact assessment, and how much of the £160bn might really be accessible, before turning to practical next steps and strategic options for corporates and trustees.

Hiten Amin will be chairing an exciting panel featuring:

  • Rachel Croft, Chair of the Association of Professional Pension Trustees
  • Saye Mkangama, PwC Partner and lead on Funding and Investment
  • Katie Lightstone, PwC Partner in our Employer Covenant & Restructuring team

Secure your spot and register today.

Past Events

The Virtual Ideas Exchange - The Big Pensions Data Challenge (19 March 2025)

Our panel delved into the big challenge hitting the pensions industry - data! We focused on two key data challenges many schemes will be facing over 2025: pensions dashboards and buy-in to buyout.

Key insights from our panel and audience were:

  • Despite significant challenges with Pensions Dashboards, conducting thorough work and supplier reviews is helping our clients gain confidence in sorting their data and connecting to the pensions dashboard ecosystem by their guidance staging dates. In fact, over 80% of our audience said they are very confident / confident they will meet the staging date for dashboards.
  • However, we encourage our clients to keep up awareness of the user testing for pensions dashboards and plans for public launch and to work closely with their administrators to manage operational readiness. Our audience raised some interesting questions regarding the risks associated with potential delays in the pensions dashboard programme and how trustees can mitigate these risks. The most effective strategy is to prepare early and ensure progress is being made now.
  • We asked our audience, how would they rate the quality of their scheme’s data?, to which only 6% said poor. Data quality is often assumed to be good until a project begins, revealing deficiencies and challenges. In our experience, overconfidence or assumption of data quality is a major factor in the buy-in to buyout challenge. We are helping our clients unblock their journey and secure members’ future by addressing these hurdles with innovative solutions and strategic focus.

Watch a recording of this session

Contact us

Gareth Henty

Gareth Henty

Head of Pensions, PwC United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)7736 723924

Amelia Abbott

Amelia Abbott

Senior Associate (Pensions), PwC United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)7483 957810

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