Barnett Waddingham boosts risk transfer team
Barnett Waddingham (BW) has strengthened its bulk annuities team with the appointment of Oliver Ward as principal and risk transfer actuary.
Ward brings with him over a decade of experience from PwC where he spent nearly twelve years in the pensions practice advising both sponsors and trustees of DB and DC pension schemes, most recently as head of the Leeds pension team.
During that time, Ward advised a diverse range of clients from FTSE 100 companies with schemes in excess of £10 billion to family-owned private businesses, across the full spectrum of pensions issues. Ward is also a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Ward will work closely with trustees and sponsors of defined benefit (DB) pension schemes of all sizes to identify and implement tailored risk transfer solutions. He brings with him experience of working with a number of schemes with an overseas parent, facilitating an effective and efficient decision-making process where key stakeholders are not familiar with the UK pensions landscape.
Commenting on his appointment, Ward said: "I'm incredibly excited to be joining such a great team at what is a pivotal time in the market. The solutions available (and market competition) from traditional insurers and third-party alternatives has continued to increase, and clients need our help more than ever to find the right outcome for their stakeholders. I'm really looking forward to helping the team continue to grow and build on BW's strong reputation.”
Nikhil Patel, partner at BW, added: “We’re welcoming Oliver to BW at an important juncture for the risk transfer team. Having already completed a record number of deals in the first half of this year, and many more in the pipeline, Oliver’s experience providing strategic and transaction advice will support us through the next stage of delivering the solutions our clients require.”
Ward’s arrival and the recent announcement of Nikhil’s promotion to partner come as part of a period of significant senior promotions and follow the recent news of BW’s acquisition by Howden, a global insurance and employee benefits intermediary group.
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