Chris Hitchen has announced he is to leave his position of CEO at RPMI after 13 years service.

He will leave the Railways Pension Scheme's investment manager next year, having joined as investment director in 1998. He has helped build the reputation of the scheme and most recently, oversaw a comprehensive Investment Transformation Programme.

Commenting, Hitchen said: “ITP was a fantastically worthwhile and inspiring programme, which was necessary for us to meet our mission of paying members’ pensions securely, affordably and sustainably in a low-return world. It has been an honour to serve the needs of one-third of a million railway workers and their employers.”

During his time with RPMI, Hitchen has also served at various times as chair of the PLSA and of the Pensions Quality Mark, and, was the first chair of NEST’s Investment
Committee. He was part of a three-person advisory board for Professor John Kay’s 2012 study into short-termism and sits on the board of the Investor Forum, which was set up following that review.

“I have for some time been working with senior stakeholders on a succession plan for RPMI, and now is the right time to put it into effect. I am confident that I am leaving the organisation, and members’ pensions, in very safe hands,” he added.

Railways Pension Trustee Company Ltd chair John Chilman said: “I and my fellow trustee directors would like to thank Chris for the exceptional service he has given to the railways pension schemes over some nineteen years. We respect his desire for a fresh challenge and will be announcing our plans for the future leadership of the organisation shortly.”

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