Apita has appointed former Pensions Minister, Guy Opperman, as strategic adviser.

Opperman is the UK’s longest serving Pensions and Financial Inclusion Minister, having served for five years between 2017 and 2022. During this period, he was responsible for the expansion of auto-enrolment and master trusts, and collective defined contribution (CDC) pensions, as well as multiple other reforms to the UK pensions and retirement systems. He has also held roles in the UK government in the Home Office, HM Treasury, and transport departments. In his new role at Apita, he will support the firm’s growth plans in both administration and consulting, and aim to improve outcomes for members and policyholders. In particular, he will support Aptia in its focus on proposition, Local Government Pension Scheme, and ambitions to be at the forefront of CDC pensions as they develop.

Capital Cranfield has appointed Paul Couchman as a professional trustee.

Couchman, who joins Capital Cranfield from Ndapt, currently serves as a member of the Pensions Administration Standards Association’s Accreditation Committee. He has also previously held the roles of president at the Pensions Management Institute, managing director at Premier and was a worldwide partner at Mercer. Commenting on the appointment, Capital Cranfield managing director, Harus Rai, said: “Paul is another very high calibre addition to our team, and we are delighted that he has chosen to continue his trusteeship career with Capital Cranfield. His track record and credibility speak for itself and through his great trustee and wider pensions experience, he will bring immense value to his clients."

Linklaters has appointed Philip Goss as the head of its global pensions practice, effective immediately.

Goss succeeds Claire Petheram, who has recently completed her eight-year term leading the practice. He currently holds the role of pensions partner in the firm’s London office and has experience advising trustees, corporates and insurers on all areas of pensions law. He also has experience in various areas of pensions, including de-risking buy-in and buyout transactions, endgame planning, scheme mergers, liability mitigation, investment matters, scheme funding negotiations and arrangements, stressed schemes, and corporate transactions and restructurings. Goss has advised trustees and sponsors of major pension schemes and has led on many high-profile cases.

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