Just Group has announced that it will return to the Just Retirement trading name.

The change reflects a renewed focus on its core UK retirement businesses, including pension risk transfer and retail retirement solutions. The rebrand follows the company's acquisition by Brookfield Wealth Solutions, whose financial strength and investment expertise will support its long-term growth ambitions. Just Retirement interim chief executive officer, Pretty Sagoo, said: "Returning to Just Retirement says clearly who we are and where we are focused. Retirement is at the heart of our business and our purpose of helping people achieve a better later life." The company, which serves more than 700,000 customers, confirmed that it would introduce its refreshed identity gradually over the coming months.

BlackRock has launched its first protected equity fund on its UK retirement platform.

The fund is designed to help pension schemes retain exposure to global equity growth while managing downside investment risk. The ACS World ESG Insights Protective Strategies Fund combines global equities with an options-based strategy to mitigate the impact of significant market declines without capping potential gains. The fund is aimed particularly at defined contribution (DC) schemes with members approaching retirement, where market falls could have a significant impact on retirement outcomes. BlackRock head of UK DC platforms and retirement solutions, Tim Hodgson, said: "As members approach retirement, the challenge for pension schemes is not simply reducing investment risk, but ensuring members retain sufficient growth potential to support their retirement needs." He added that the fund would provide schemes with another tool to manage sequencing risk while maintaining access to long-term equity returns.

XPS Group has become the latest development partner of the Pensions Management Institute (PMI).

The move aims to strengthen its commitment to professional qualifications and staff development. The partnership will give XPS access to PMI's online dashboard, providing greater visibility of employees' progress towards qualifications and helping the business identify where additional learning support may be required. PMI chief customer officer, Varsha Gicas, said: "Employers play a vital role in developing the next generation of pensions professionals, and partnerships like this help create the supportive learning environments that enable individuals to thrive and progress in their careers." Meanwhile, XPS HR director and partner, Rachel Gillion, argued the arrangement would help the company provide more targeted support to colleagues, improve qualification completion rates and strengthen its internal talent pipeline.

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