UK - Lane Clark & Peacock has launched two specialist investment consulting practices.

The move aims to address the distinct needs of pension scheme trustees and corporate sponsors.

It said: "The launch of these separate practices recognises that, while trustees are looking to ensure adequate investment into their scheme and its long-term security, sponsors need to manage the impact of pension scheme risks on company finances. "

The firm launched separate corporate and trustee actuarial consulting practices in 2004.

Gavin Orpin will head LCP Trustee Investment Consulting while Ken Willis will head LCP Corporate Investment Consulting.

They will work closely with Aaron Punwani and Alex Waite, who lead LCP's actuarial trustee consulting and corporate consulting practices respectively.

Orpin said: "It's important that trustees receive independent advice and feel that they can meet their specific risk-reward objectives, often by adopting more innovative strategies that can achieve the required return but with reduced risk.
"We see this initiative as an important step in the continued development of LCP's overall services."

Willis added: "The pensions world is changing beyond recognition. Employers may know a lot about finance but keeping up to speed with new asset management products and strategies is a different issue, as is understanding when to negotiate - for example, before rather than after paying a special contribution.

"Where the directors have stepped down from the trustee board due to conflicts of interest, there's often a serious information gap. The separate corporate and trustee services aim to expand the directors' and trustees' understanding of the huge range of investment options now available."

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