The Board
Joanne Segars OBE
Chair and Non Executive Director, Chair of the Nominations committee and member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance and Nominations Committees
Joanne Segars OBE
Chair and Non Executive Director, Chair of the Nominations committee and member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance and Nominations Committees
Joanne was the Chief Executive of the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) from 2006 – June 2017 having been its first Policy Director from 2005 – 2006.She joined the organisation from the Association of British Insurers where she was Head of Pensions and Savings from 2001 –2005. Joanne held the pensions brief at the Trades Union Congress for 13 years (1988 – 2001) and started her career as a pensions researcher and journalist at Incomes Data Services (1987 – 1988).
Joanne was appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency in March 2017 and is Chair of the Environment Agency Pension Fund (EAPF). She was appointed a Trustee Director of Now: Pensions in December 2017.In May 2017, she was appointed as the first Chair of LGPS Central Limited. From 2013 –2017 she was a Board member of the Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PIP) and Chair from 2013 – 2016. She was a Board member of Pensions Europe, the EU trade association for pensions, from 2010 – 2017 and its Chair from 2012 – 2015.Joanne has a degree in economics from John Moores University and an MA in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick. She was awarded the OBE for services to pensions in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Eithne McManus
Non Executive Director, Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Eithne McManus
Non Executive Director, Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees
Eithne has worked in regulated financial services companies for over 30 years. She is an experienced non executive director and currently sits on the board of Countrywide Assured and UIA (Insurance) Ltd which is a mutual insurer. Eithne is currently chair of the Audit Committee and a member of both the Risk Committee and the Nominations and Remuneration Committee at UIA Insurance. She is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Investment Committee at Countrywide Assured where she also sits on the Board Panel which provides advice on customer strategy. In her executive career she was a Director of Countrywide Assured and CEO of City of Westminster Assurance, having previously been its CFO. She is a qualified actuary.
John Nestor
Non Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit Risk and Compliance and Nominations Committees.
John Nestor
Non Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit Risk and Compliance and Nominations Committees.
John has worked in asset management for over 30 years. Over the course of his executive career, where he held FCA approved control functions, he was responsible for a large number of LGPS investment mandates. John was CEO and Director for the UK Institutional, Retail and Chair of the Life Company at UBS Global Asset Management, CEO at Citi Group Asset Management, and Director of Institutional Marketing and Client Service at Henderson Global Investors. He is currently an Independent Member of the Independent Governance Committee for Prudential and Chairman of the Prudential Corporate Pension Trustee Limited, and Chairman of the staff pension scheme for the Marylebone Cricket Club.
Mike Weston
Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer
Mike was appointed Chief Executive Officer of LGPS Central Limited in March 2019. He was previously Chief Executive of the Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PiP). Mike had been Chief Investment Officer for the DMGT pension schemes and worked as an Investment Director in the City managing institutional equity portfolios at asset management firms such as Hermes and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. In 2013 Mike was appointed as an Independent Trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research Pension Scheme. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of the NAPF and as Vice Chair of its Defined Benefit Council. Mike holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Natural Sciences.
John Burns
Executive Director, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating & Financial Officer (COFO)
John Burns
Executive Director, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating & Financial Officer (COFO)
John joined the Board of LGPS Central Limited in September 2017 where he is responsible for the oversight of the infrastructure functions and for the financial management of the Company.
John was previously Group Chief Operating Officer with Baring Asset Management, a London based global asset manager. He has extensive international COO experience in developed, emerging and frontier markets across both institutional and wholesale sectors. Prior to this John had various COO, finance and risk management positions with Schroders, Fidelity and Visor Capital in London and in Asia. His previous experience as an Executive Management Committee member encompasses leadership, strategic business development and oversight of many aspects of asset management, together with practical knowledge of global regulatory and governance regimes.
Executive Committee
Mike Weston
Chief Executive Officer
Mike was appointed Chief Executive Officer of LGPS Central Limited in March 2019. He was previously Chief Executive of the Pensions Infrastructure Platform (PiP). Mike had been Chief Investment Officer for the DMGT pension schemes and worked as an Investment Director in the City managing institutional equity portfolios at asset management firms such as Hermes and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. In 2013 Mike was appointed as an Independent Trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research Pension Scheme. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of the NAPF and as Vice Chair of its Defined Benefit Council. Mike holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Natural Sciences.
John Burns
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating & Financial Officer (COFO)
John joined the Board of LGPS Central Limited in September 2017 where he is responsible for the oversight of the infrastructure functions and for the financial management of the Company.
John was previously Group Chief Operating Officer with Baring Asset Management, a London based global asset manager. He has extensive international COO experience in developed, emerging and frontier markets across both institutional and wholesale sectors. Prior to this John had various COO, finance and risk management positions with Schroders, Fidelity and Visor Capital in London and in Asia. His previous experience as an Executive Management Committee member encompasses leadership, strategic business development and oversight of many aspects of asset management, together with practical knowledge of global regulatory and governance regimes.
Jason Fletcher
Chief Investment Officer
Jason is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at LGPS Central Limited, and he has responsibility for the investments managed on behalf of our Partner Funds. He manages the Investment Team, is Chair of the Investment Committee, and is a member of the Executive Committee, reporting into the LGPS Central Board on investment matters. His objectives are to deliver superior risk adjusted returns, after costs, to Partner Funds delivered through pooled investments and to beat the cost savings targets set out at the inception of LGPS Central whilst fully integrating RI and engagement into the investment process.
Andrea Abbott
General Counsel (Interim)
Andrea’s team is responsible for overseeing and identifying legal issues and delivering on the strategic plan for the firm specifically managing corporate, commercial and financial investment matters in the UK and other international jurisdictions. This includes communicating with a wide range of stakeholders in an engaging, clear and coherent manner.
The legal function provides strategic counsel to the ExCo and senior management team and provides key leadership and support for significant events such as product launches, expansion and other firm initiatives from end to end and regularly contributes to the firms strategy.
Mike Vinton
Chief Risk & Compliance Officer
Mike joined LGPS Central Limited in January 2018 where he is responsible for the design and implementation of the risk and compliance frameworks of the Company. He is also the Money Laundering Reporting Officer and the Data Protection Officer for the Company. Mike is a key member of various Committees including the Executive Committee and the Operations, Risk, Compliance & Administration Committee. He is responsible for the activities of the Compliance and Risk teams.
Senior Management Team
Callum Campbell
Head of Client Services & Stakeholder Relations
The Client Services function ensures that there is effective support, communication and engagement between the Company and its Partner Funds, Shareholders and Stakeholders. The role also involves identifying the need for the development of appropriate new investment products, ensuring they meet our Partner Funds’ requirements. Our aim is to provide the highest levels of service, underpinned by openness, transparency, fairness and trust.
David Evans
Investment Director, Passive Equities
The Passive Equity team manage a range of index strategies with the aim of meeting the specific needs of Partner Funds and achieving benchmark returns in the most cost-effective way. We are constantly looking to enhance existing funds whilst developing new strategies that take advantage of the range of smart beta and factor-based strategies that are now available.
Omar Ghafur
Investment Director, Private Equity
The Private Equity team provides a platform for the Partner Funds to underwrite investments into Direct and Private Equity Fund investments. The focus is to allocate an appropriate mix of Direct and Indirect investments in order to achieve high returns via a diversified portfolio, whilst reducing overall costs.
Mike Hardwick
Investment Director, Infrastructure and Property
Mike’s responsibilities include finding infrastructure investment opportunities, an asset class which our Partner Funds will have easier and more cost-effective access to due to the benefits of pooling. Mike is looking forward to building LGPS Central’s capability in the areas of Infrastructure and Property and provide Partner Funds with efficient access to quality, strong performing investments.
Harj Kaur
Head of HR and Business Services
Harj’s team is responsible for managing the HR initiatives across LGPS Central Limited. This includes supporting comprehensive training and development of staff and enhancing competence and performance. The team works closely with Managers to put into place good succession and talent management practices. The HR function provides strategic counsel on all people matters including oversight of the Company culture, values and behaviours. Specific focus is also given to managing company remuneration and staff well-being, embedding a good fair working environment for all employees.
David Kane
Head of Finance
The Finance team provides professional financial advice and support to the Company, including management accounting, statutory and regulatory reporting, financial control, operational finance, treasury management, tax, procurement and supporting strategic business developments. The Finance team aims to be a high-quality team which provides accurate, timely and meaningful advice to the Company whilst ensuring compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory and professional requirements, and putting in place a strong financial control framework.
Michael Marshall
Director, Responsible Investment & Engagement
Michael’s role is to work with the other Investment Directors, fund managers and members of the investment team to integrate RI&E into our investment processes, across all major asset classes. LGPS Central Limited aims to build an RI&E function that supports superior investment decision-making and that sets an example within our market.
Adam Nielsen
Head of IT
Adam is responsible for all aspects of LGPS Central Limited’s Information Technology.
Colin Pratt
Investment Director, Manager of Managers
Working closely with his colleagues, Colin’s role is to ensure that the Manager selection and Manager oversight activities of LGPS Central Limited are carried out in an efficient and transparent manner. He also manages the targeted return and special opportunity assets.
Gordon Ross
Deputy CIO,Investment Director, Fixed Income
The Fixed Income team focuses on providing investment solutions for the Partner Funds, identifying the most suitable mandates. Internal capability is mixed with external providers to achieve a diversified set of funds across the fixed income asset class targeted to achieve consistent, long term outperformance against chosen benchmarks.
