LGPS Central has seen Nemone Wynn-Evans step into the role of chair, following her appointment as chair elect in July.
She takes up the role at a pivotal time, as the pool surpasses £50bn in assets under management and the near doubling in the number of partner funds, with the arrival of six new funds.
Wynn-Evans, who has lived in the Midlands for more than twenty years and brings extensive financial services experience, said she was struck by the depth of talent and purpose within the organisation.
“Since stepping on to the board, I have found a fantastic team of investment management experts in Wolverhampton who are wholly dedicated to delivering sustainable investment performance for our partner funds,” she said.
A clear theme in Wynn-Evans’ early reflections is the centrality of partner funds. “We exist to provide outstanding service to our partner funds. That client-centred commitment must remain front and centre of every strategic decision we make,” she said.
Joining during a period of sector-wide change, Wynn-Evans sees significant opportunity.
“The government’s pooling mandate gives us the chance to build scale and impact while delivering efficiencies for our partner funds. We need to grasp that opportunity and show what we can achieve for funds, employers and pension scheme members.”
Over the coming months, Wynn-Evans will oversee a period of rapid development as LGPS Central brings further assets under management, expands its services, and prepares to welcome new partner funds.
With new funds confirming their intention to join, the pool is on track to reach £100 bn.
“In the short term, my focus is ensuring strong board oversight. In the longer term, I want us to realise the tangible benefits that scale can unlock, without ever losing sight of partner funds and the need for even more explicit client centricity, putting them clearly at the heart of every decision we make,” she said.
She emphasises the importance of governance, collaboration and trust. “Good governance is about transparency, clarity of roles and earning our Partner Funds’ confidence as professional stewards of their assets.”
Wynn-Evans also highlights the balance between performance and wider objectives.
“The call to build out our private markets offering to support local investment with active, on-the-ground impact is hugely exciting. Each partner fund has different needs, so we must stay close to them while leveraging our strengths in stewardship and responsible investment.”
Looking ahead, she sees significant opportunity. “Scale allows us to develop a fully client-centred fiduciary management service that responds directly to partner funds’ diverse requirements.”
She notes the increasing momentum behind collaboration across the sector. “With so many shared objectives, it’s essential we explore where pools, partner funds and government can work more closely together,” she said.
Wynn-Evans concludes: “We have a huge amount to deliver in the short term but must stay focused on the long-term prize that scale and impact can unlock. These are exciting times for LGPS Central and for the LGPS as a whole.”
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