What's it like to move into a Master Trust Trustee role? I'm joined by Sharon Bellingham as we talk to Mike Birch, ex of the Regulator and newest Trustee on the Scottish Widows Master Trust. He shares his view of the rigorous application process, his special superpower, and what he thinks are the biggest challenges facing the Master Trust Market. We dive into Decumulation, CDC and his experience of dealing with cybercrime at the TPR. He leaves us with his view of the future regulatory framework for pension schemes.

Welcome to 21 Years of the Scottish Widows Women in Retirement Report, a special series exploring women’s financial futures beyond the numbers.

Over two decades of insights have shown us that retirement isn’t just about savings and pensions; it’s about life stories, resilience, and change.

In this podcast, hosted by Debbie Sheffield, this special edition features Jill Henderson, Shevonne McLarnon, and Rachel McQuillan as they share their personal journeys through loss, rebuilding, and how we’re inspiring the next generation to take control of their financial wellbeing.

James Biggs reflects on 35 years of helping people with their finances. He's a brilliant storyteller, he loves people, and he's a nonstop innovator. Hear about how he launched EBC TV, being played on Radio 1, and what makes a great employer adviser provider relationship. It's a lot of fun.

With over 30 million UK users and the meteoric rise of #FINTOK revolutionising the world of finance comms, it's time to go deep. I'm joined by James Bowyer of TikTok and Scott Stevenson of Scottish Widows' Brand team for a fascinating look behind the TikTok success story and look at the role it's already playing in UK pensions planning.

We talk Dodgy Gardeners, what dog you need for retirement and 118 million pension searches in the last 12 months - and so much more!

Mithesh, Head of Investment Solutions at Scottish Widows, shares his fascinating journey from the world of investment start-ups to bringing his private markets expertise to Scottish Widows.

He walks us through how Scottish Widows is reshaping its default fund to better reflect evolving customer behaviours and offers insights into the latest ventures into private market solutions, including the development of new LTAFs.

Mithesh combines deep expertise with a clear, engaging communication style—making this a must-listen podcast.

The Scottish Widows' Retirement Report sent shockwaves through the media, with the startling revelation that 39%* of the UK population may fall short of a basic standard of living in retirement.

In this episode, Pete Glancy – the report’s author and friend of the podcast – joins Robert Cochran for an exclusive deep dive beyond the headlines. Together, they unravel the complexities of this year’s report, explore the implications for future retirees, and share practical actions that can be taken to help secure a more comfortable retirement. All the time trying to outdo the AI version of the podcast.

*2025 Scottish Widows' Retirement Report Read the full report here.

Scottish Widows' Chief Investment Officer is shaking up the way hundreds of billions of pounds of assets are managed, focusing on customer behaviour and a goal to get the UK thinking more like a nation of investors, each with a stake in society.

Kevin's path is nothing short of inspiring. From his beginnings as a math teacher to becoming a CIO, his story is filled with fascinating analogies and memorable anecdotes. He shares the four unique "super-powers" that excite him in his new role, making this episode a must-listen, at a time when Default Pension Funds across the board have never been more centre stage.

Join us as we explore the UK’s largest study of digital and financial lives. In this episode Robert Cochran is joined by special guests Jemma Waters, Head of Customer Inclusion for Lloyds Banking Group and sponsor of the report, alongside Lucinda Crowther from the Royal National Institute of Blind People, where we look at the report findings and support available for employers and individuals to help ensure digital inclusion for all.

You can read more about the report here Consumer digital index | Lloyds Bank