John Chilman to be appointed as PLSA Policy Board Chair

The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has today announced that John Chilman – Chief Executive of RPMI – will become its Policy Board Chair on Thursday 14 October 2021 at the PLSA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
John was selected by a sub-committee of the Board after an open and transparent process that included advertising the role to all PLSA members.

He will initially serve as PLSA Policy Board Chair for three years; but this can be extended by up to a further three years. John will also become a non-executive director on the PLSA Board.

The appointment will see John succeed outgoing chair Emma Douglas, who was recently named as the incoming Chair of the PLSA.

With a wealth of experience in the pensions industry, John has been in his role as Chief Executive at RPMI since June 2019 having previously served for 12 years as a Director of the Railways Pension Scheme Trustee Company, and Chair for the last five years. John is also an Independent Trustee of the Nestlé UK Pension Fund, a council member at the Pensions Policy Institute and has had a place on the PLSA’s Policy Board for the past eight months as well as being the Chair of DB Committee for just over six months.

As part of his new role as Policy Board Chair, John will help ensure that the PLSA can fulfil its mission to help everyone achieve a better income in retirement. The Policy Board’s has strategic oversight of the PLSA’s policy work programme, making sure it supports the PLSA’s purpose and strategic vision. As part of his role, John will represent the PLSA’s membership in policy-making and provide leadership in bringing a diverse range of members together behind common policy goals.

John Chilman, incoming Policy Board Chair of the PLSA, said: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to take on the important role as PLSA Policy Board Chair.

“Having been involved with pensions policy for a number of years, it has always been evident to me just how important it is that we shape policy discussions to ensure the best possible outcomes for PLSA members, and savers across the UK.

“Following Emma into this role will not be an easy one, but it is one that I relish. I’d like to thank Emma for all her hard work over the years and I hope that I can continue to steer the policy decisions of the PLSA forward as Emma has done in the past.”

Emma Douglas, outgoing Policy Board Chair of the PLSA, added: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as the PLSA’s Policy Board Chair and believe that the work we have done over the years has helped progress a number of important issues – such as the launch of the Retirement Living Standards – for PLSA members and, in turn, UK savers.

“I’m now very much looking forward to stepping into the role of PLSA Chair and wish John every success in taking on this extremely important role.”

Julian Mund, Chief Executive, PLSA concluded: “I’d like to thank Emma for all the hard work she’s put in during her time as the PLSA’s Policy Board Chair. Emma has been a superb Chair during her time in charge and her passion for ensuring the PLSA’s aim of helping everyone achieve a better income in retirement has been apparent thought-out.

“I welcome John to the role of PLSA Policy Board Chair. We know John very well already from his time on the Policy Board and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him in the years to come.”

About the PLSA Policy Board

The Policy Board meets four times a year. It is supported by four standing committees aligned to the current regulatory regimes: Defined Benefit, Local Authority, Defined Contribution and Master Trust pensions.

PLSA Policy Board appointments and membership are set out in our Rules.

About John Chilman

John joined as CEO of RPMI, and an Executive Director of Railpen, in June 2019, having previously served for 12 years as a Director of the Railways Pension Scheme Trustee Company, the last five of which were as Chair. John is also an Independent Trustee of the Nestlé UK Pension Fund.

John qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC, and prior to moving to RPMI was Group Head of Pensions at National Grid. Prior to that John held senior financial, commercial and pension positions at a number of large companies, including South Western Electricity, Shell, HBOS and FirstGroup.

Mark Smith, Senior PR Manager
020 7601 1726 | [email protected]

Steven Kennedy, Senior PR Manager
020 7601 1737 | 07713 073024 | [email protected]