Aon Pensions Podcast
Business & Finance
About
Trustees and Defined Contribution pensions scheme managers have a duty to help deliver the best outcomes for members. So this year we focused our Defined Contribution survey on their concerns, their obstacles, and how they can best approach the future.Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.
Episodes
- Podcast Special: Pension Schemes Act 2026
Aon Pensions Podcast features John Harney, Jo Sharples, and Matthew Arends discussing the key provisions of the Pension Schemes Act 2026 for pension arrangements.
- Episode 77 – Aon Retirement Podcast – April 2026
Aon’s Louise Dale and Tim Lancaster host Fatema Dewji and Dana Weisner to discuss delivering pensions projects amid ongoing change. The episode also includes a summary of the past month's key pension news.
- Desert Island Risks: Endgame strategies
This Aon Pensions Podcast episode, featuring John Harney, Lucy Barron, and James Patten, explores endgame strategies for UK Defined Benefit schemes. It examines respondent attitudes toward legislative and investment risk, referencing the U…
- Episode 76 – Aon Retirement Podcast – March 2026
In the March 2026 Aon Retirement Podcast, specialists Fleur Iannazzo and Zoe Boothroyd discuss financial wellbeing and coaching. Louise Dale and Tim Lancaster provide pension news, and the UK results of Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey 202…
- Episode 75 – Aon Retirement Podcast – February 2026
The Aon Retirement Podcast episode discusses recent significant changes to Local Government Pension Scheme Governance, featuring Aon LGPS specialist colleagues Daniel Kanaris and Laura Caudwell. Host Louise Dale and Tim Lancaster also summ…
- Desert Island Risks: Defined Contribution 2025/26
Desert Island Risks: Defined Contribution aspects of the UK results of Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey 2025/26 John Harney is joined by Clare Freeman and Jenny Swift to discuss DC scheme risks, the member perspective and top tips for deve…
- Desert Island Risks: An overview of the UK results of Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey 2025/26
n the first of this year’s podcasts exploring our survey findings, John Harney is joined by Alastair McIntosh and Matthew Arends to discuss the key takeaways for both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes. Explore the UK Results…
- Episode 74 – Aon Retirement Podcast – January 2026
January 2026 – Investment Insights & Outlook for 2026 In this podcast, Aon’s John Harney and Tim Lancaster are joined by colleagues Derry Pickford (Head of Investment Strategy & Economics), Paul Carne (EMEA Delegated Chief Investment Offic…
- Podcast Special: 2025 Autumn Budget
In this Budget Special Podcast, Aon Wealth Solutions’ John Harney explores important takeaways from the Budget, with input from Aon experts on the implications for pensions and investment.
- Episode 73 – Aon Retirement Podcast – November 2025
November 2025 – Investing in credit In this podcast, Aon’s John Harney and Jennifer Michele are joined by colleagues Philippa Allen and Simon Rhodes to discuss investing in an asset class garnering more interest with pension schemes - cred…
- Episode 72 – Aon Retirement Podcast – October 2025
October 2025 – Effectively managing your pension scheme risks In this podcast, Aon’s John Harney and Jennifer Michel are joined by colleagues Vanessa Jaeger and Michelle Burgess to explore what effective risk management for pension schemes…
- Episode 71 – Aon Retirement Podcast – September 2025
September 2025 – The evolving landscape of the risk settlement market in 2025 In this podcast, Aon’s John Harney is joined by colleagues Lisa Varley and Sam Matto-Willey to discuss recent developments in the DB risk settlement provider mar…
- Episode 70 – Aon Retirement Podcast – august 2025
August 2025 – Discover, develop and deliver your endgame strategy In this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues James Patten and Josh Tipper to discuss how DB pension schemes can develop their endgame stra…
- Episode 69 – Aon Retirement Podcast – July 2025
July 2025 – Life at Aon In this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues Janet Pheasant, Luke Hammond and Naomi Wilson to discuss their careers, experiences and what life at Aon means to them. You will also h…
- Special episode – the UK Government’s response to the consultation on Options for DB Schemes
Special episode – June 2025 – the UK Government’s response to the consultation on Options for DB Schemes In this podcast, Aon’s Abbas Nazerali is joined by colleagues John Harvey and Alice Wilmot to discuss their initial reactions to the g…
- Episode 68 – Aon Retirement Podcast – June 2025
JIn this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues Jo Sharples and Louise Wheeler to discuss and celebrate ten years of DC investment innovation and success. You will also hear the key pension news from the la…
- Episode 67 – Aon Retirement Podcast – May 2025
May 2025 – Responsible Investment in 2025 & beyond In this podcast Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by Laasya Shekaran from Pensions for Purpose to discuss Responsible Investment in 2025 and beyond. You will also hear the k…
- Episode 66 – Aon Retirement Podcast – April 2025
April 2025 – Demographic trends 5 years after the first COVID lockdown In this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by Matthew Fletcher from Aon’s Demographic Horizon’s team to discuss demographic trends 5 years on fro…
- Episode 65 – Aon Retirement Podcast – March 2025
March 2025 – OCIO, what is it? In this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel is joined by colleague and Jennifer O’Neill to discuss OCIO and explain what exactly it is. You will also hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Jen…
- Investing in the Zone
Gareth Jones is joined by Daniel Peters, Head of Investment Policy and Strategy, and Shelley Fryer, Associate Partner, to discuss Aon’s Zone Framework - a new approach for setting investment strategies. This episode begins with a short qui…
- Episode 64 – Aon Retirement Podcast – February 2025
February 2025 – AI & Pensions In this podcast, Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues Dominic Makemson and Rebecca Peake to discuss AI and pensions. You will also hear the key pension news from the last month summar…
- Episode 63 – Aon Retirement Podcast – December 2024
December 2024 – Pensions: Present and Future In this podcast Aon’s John Harney and Jennifer Michel are joined by journalist Charlotte Moore (who chaired of a recent Aon-hosted discussion) to reflect on the present and future of pensions. Y…
- Retirement Update - 2024 Autumn Budget
2024 Autumn Budget In their Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) baseline projection had debt to GDP rising to over 270% of GDP within the next 50 years: a level higher than the World War II peak…
- Episode 62 – Aon Retirement Podcast – November 2024
November 2024 – Pensions Dashboards: The Member Perspective In this podcast Aon’s John Harney and Jennifer Michel are joined by colleague Paul McGlone a Partner within our retirement practice to discuss pensions dashboards and their impact…
- Episode 61 – Aon Retirement Podcast – October 2024
October 2024 – Learnings from our 2024 DC Survey In this podcast Aon’s John Harney and Jennifer Michele are joined by colleagues Clare Freeman and Joe Betts from Aon’s DC Pensions Team to discuss insights from our 2024 DC survey. You will…
- Investment Podcast - Investment Opportunities for Insurer and Not-For-Profit Portfolios
Insurers and non-profits, such as charities and endowments, are navigating a very different and uncertain economic and market environment than in previous years – and, a more active, diversified approach to managing portfolios is needed to…
- Investment Podcast - Opportunities for Growth, with Maria Johannessen and Paul Whelan
Institutional investors are working hard to navigate uncertainty in the economy, investment markets and, of course, government policy. In times like this, more sophisticated and confident approaches to risk management and embracing innovat…
- Investment Podcast - DC Investment with Joanna Sharples, Chief Investment Officer
DC Investment with Joanna Sharples Gareth Jones is joined by Joanna Sharples, Chief Investment Officer for DC Solutions, to discuss recent and expected developments in DC investment, following the King’s Speech. Joanna also reflects on her…
- Episode 60 – Aon Retirement Podcast – September 2024
September 2024 – Making better decisions In this podcast Aon’s John Harney is joined by colleagues Angela Maxwell and Hatty Goodwin from Aon’s Investment Team to discuss how pensions professionals can work together to make better decisions…
- Investment Podcast - Interview with Chief Economist Tapan Datta
The turbulence over the weekend is a reminder of how difficult it is to call the market and the importance of having portfolios which are resilient to shocks…themes which were explored when Gareth Jones interviewed former Chief Economist T…
- Episode 59 – Aon Retirement Podcast – August 2024
August 2024 – Buy-ins for smaller schemes In this podcast Aon’s John Harney is joined by colleagues Dyfan Jones, Joe Hathaway, (both Associate Partners), and Naureen Pasha, a Consultant, all members of Aon’s Risk-Settlement Team to discuss…
- Episode 58 – Aon Retirement Podcast – July 2024
In this podcast Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues Alice Wilmot, an Associate Partner, and Asif Yusuf, a Senior Consultant, both within Aon’s Covenant and Security Team to discuss how the DB pensions landscape h…
- Episode 57 – Aon Retirement Podcast – June 2024
June 2024 – An International Pensions Perspective In this podcast Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney are joined by colleagues Saffron Sweeney, Head of Aon’s Wealth Solutions for the Pacific Region and Colin Haines, Aon’s Chief Commercia…
- Episode 56 – Aon Retirement Podcast – May 2024
May 2024 – Responsible Investment Trends for Asset Owners In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney. This month Jennifer and John are joined by Eilidh Wagstaf…
- Desert Island Risks - Governance
Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is an important topic for many. John Harney talks to Sue Austen, Partner at Aon, to find out the key insights from Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey and understand the practical steps trustees and sponsors of p…
- Desert Island Risks - ESG
How much progress have schemes made with implementing ESG factors within their investments over the last two years? Jennifer Michel talks to Jennifer O’Neill, Partner at Aon, to find out the key insights from Aon’s Global Pension Risk Surv…
- Episode 55 – Aon Retirement Podcast – April 2024
April 2024 – Professional Trusteeship In this podcast, you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney. This month Jennifer and John are joined by Natalie Winterfrost from Law Debe…
- Desert Island Risks - GMP Equalisation
How much progress have schemes made with GMP equalisation projects over the last two years? John Harney talks to Lauren Ramsey, Associate Partner at Aon, to find out the key insights from Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey and understand how…
- Episode 54 – Aon Retirement Podcast – March 2024
March 2024 – The Revised PLSA Retirement Living Standards In this podcast, you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney. This month Jennifer and John are joined by Chloe Ludden…
- Desert Island Risks - Member Options and Support
Member Options and Support What are the latest trends in member options and member support? John Harney talks to Polly Cripps, Associate Partner at Aon, to find out the key insights from Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey and understand prac…
- Episode 53 – Aon Retirement Podcast – February 2024
February 2024 – Pensions risk settlement: reflecting on a record-breaking 2023 In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last two months summarised by Aon’s Jennifer Michel and John Harney. This month Jennifer and John ar…
- Desert Island Risks - Investment
How have UK pension schemes been impacted by rising interest rates and the subsequent impact on funding levels and deficits? Hear key insights from Aon’s Global Pension Risk Survey to how UK schemes are reacting to this from Rupert Kotowsk…
- Desert Island Risks - Long Term Targets
Long term targets In this podcast in our series on the Global Pension Risk Survey - UK results, Jennifer Michel speaks to Alastair McIntosh, partner and co-author of the survey, about the long-term targets of pension schemes. What are sche…
- Desert Island Risks - Highlights from the Global Pension Risk Survey
Highlights from the Global Pension Risk Survey – UK results. In this podcast in our series on the Global Pension Risk Survey - UK results, Jennifer Michel speaks to Aon's Head of UK retirement policy, Matthew Arends, and partner and co-aut…
- Episode 52 – Aon Retirement Podcast – December 2023
December 2023 – Focusing on DC and DB investment In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by Steven Leigh and Rupert Kotowski to discuss the investme…
- Episode 51 – Aon Retirement Podcast – November 2023
November 2023 – Focusing on the Risk Settlement market In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by Lisa Varley and Mike Edwards to discuss the latest…
- Episode 50 – Aon Retirement Podcast – August 2023
August 2023 – Focusing on trustee skills In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by Sarah Butlin and Shelley Fryer to discuss the DWP and HM Treasur…
- Episode 49 – Aon Retirement Podcast – July 2023
July 2023 – Focusing on the gender pensions gap In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by Karina Klimaszewski and Alex Hadonou to discuss the gende…
- Episode 48 – Aon Retirement Podcast – May 2023
May 2023 – Focusing on member options and support In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by Rebecca Peake to discuss the latest developments in mem…
- Episode 47 – Aon Retirement Podcast – March 2023
March 2023 – Focusing on cyber risk In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon’s Ricky Marsh. This month Ricky is joined by David Burwell and Vanessa Jaeger to discuss the latest developments o…