UK – Alan Pickering, former chairman of the European Federation for Retirement Provision, has been invited to join the board of trustees of educational charity Pre-retirement Association.

PRA’s chief executive officer, Stuart Royston told IPE the appointment has come as “an informal refresher” of the eight-strong board.

Royston said board member Peter Brew had given up his position a few months ago, but explained that Watson Wyatt partner Pickering, the author of the report ‘A Simpler Way to Better Pensions’, does not directly replace him.

“People serve with the board and then decide they have had their stint and retire,” Royston explained.

The charity’s pension provisions are with the Pensions Trust for Charities and Voluntary Organisations, he also said. In 2000, the fund says membership exceeded 83,000, contributions were almost £115m (€163.8m) and assets were around £2bn.

PRA chairman Bob Bridges said: “He is joining the board at an opportune moment because the need for life and financial planning has never been greater.

“Individuals have to assume greater responsibility and the PRA is determined to extend its reach so that more individuals will benefit from the PRA expertise and high quality educational materials including our financial education materials ‘Learn About Money’.”

Pickering said: “It is a privilege to be invited to join the PRA Board at this exciting time and I am looking forward to playing a part in increasing the influence and reach of the PRA in order to ensure more individuals can benefit from the excellent work that it is doing.”

Pickering, former chairman of the National Association of Pension Funds, has also served as deputy chairman of the Occupational Pensions Board.

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