Hymans Robertson has appointed Lauren Branney as head of collective defined contribution (CDC).

Branney joined Hymans Robertson in 2020 as part of the firm’s defined benefit (DB) actuarial team and is a senior actuarial consultant, advising a range of scheme trustees and sponsors. She has played a key role in developing the firm’s CDC proposition and, in her new role, will lead the continued development of this, work with clients to explore and implement CDC arrangements and other collective retirement savings. Alongside this, the firm’s senior partner, Jon Hatchett, has obtained a CDC scheme actuary Practising Certificate. This makes him one of a small number of actuaries in the UK qualified to act as a CDC scheme actuary.

Mobius has appointed Lee Nicholls as chief technology officer (CTO).

Before joining Mobius, Nicholls spent more than five years as CTO of InvestCloud, where he oversaw the development of its digital wealth technology. He also spent more than 18 years earlier in his career at Merrill Lynch and Bank of America, where he became chief investment officer of EMEA global markets technology. In his new role, he will lead Mobius’ technology strategy as the business continues to grow amid the announcement of its acquisition by Motive Partners (subject to regulatory approval). He will join the Executive Committee and report directly to Mobius CEO, James Finch.

Aon has appointed Alice Wilmot as leader of its employer covenant team within its UK Retirement practice.

Wilmot joined Aon's covenant team in 2024 and has advised trustees and corporates on covenant issues for more than 13 years. She has worked across a broad range of high-profile assignments, supporting clients through mergers and acquisitions, stressed funding scenarios and evolving regulatory expectations. Wilmot succeeds Alex Beecraft, who will continue to support his existing clients and work on more specialist covenant areas, while taking on wider responsibilities within the Retirement practice.

Independent Governance Group (IGG) has hired Andrew McIlhinney as trustee director.

McIlhinney joins from DLA Piper, where he was a partner in the firm's Leeds office and led DLA Piper’s Yorkshire pensions practice. He is a lawyer by background and has spent his career advising trustees and corporates on all aspects of pensions law. He is also a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and a longstanding member of the Association of Pension Lawyers. He is based in IGG's Manchester office.

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