The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has endorsed Emma Douglas for the role of chair of The Pensions Regulator (TPR).

Douglas is the government's preferred candidate for the role.

Douglas has worked in the pensions industry for her entire career, most recently as chair of the board of Pensions UK and as wealth policy director at Aviva since 2021.

In her time in pensions, she has been part of several industry initiatives, such as Pensions UK’s Retirement Living Standards, climate-focused investment funds, retirement planning tools and personalised video benefit statements.

The WPC said that, as well as having a good understanding of the issues facing pension schemes, she had considerable experience working as a non-executive chair, to build consensus, set strategy and direction, and manage risks.

The appointment follows TPR's previous chair, Sarah Smart's, request to stand down early on 31 July 2025.

Smart was appointed in April 2021, having served on the board since 2016, and her appointment was due to end on 31 May 2026.

In June 2025, Pensions Minister, Torsten Bell, wrote to the WPC explaining that officials had started to organise a recruitment campaign for a full-time chair.

Until this was completed, senior independent member of TPR Board, Kirsten Baker, would act as interim chair from the beginning of August.

The WPC explained that the draft timetable for a final decision on the role was to be made in the week commencing 3 November, and the new chair was to start in the role in early January.

The committee were notified that Emma Douglas was the preferred candidate on 18 December 2025 and held the pre-appointment hearing on 14 January 2026.

Douglas was questioned about her past experience and any gaps in her knowledge, her personal independence and arrangements to avoid any conflicts of interest; and her assessment of the current TPR’s effectiveness, the challenges she expected it to face over the next five years and how it should meet them.

Once appointed TPR chair, her responsibilities will include leading the board, ensuring its meetings are focused on the regulators current and future priorities and that the board’s views are communicated clearly to the executive team, and ensuring there is a constructive working relationship with ministers and officials in the sponsoring body, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

She would also be responsible for reviewing TPR’s strategic direction and ensuring alignment with DWP and wider government priorities, providing strong leadership to ensure TPR delivers on its plans in line with the statutory, administrative and financial frameworks that apply to it and supporting the chief executive and executive team whilst also holding them to account for delivering agreed objectives efficiently and effectively.

The WPC said that overall, it is satisfied that Douglas has the personal independence and professional competence to be chair of TPR and wished “her every success in her new role and look forward to working with her”.

---