The Thinking Forward podcast brought to you by Standard Life

The future of retirement income: what needs to change?

How can the pensions industry ensure people get the right guidance and advice when they retire? And are the right products available to provide both certainty and flexibility – and ultimately provide better outcomes?
Find out in our discussion with Claire Altman, Managing Director, Individual Retirement at Standard Life.

The year of elections: what it means for pensions and investments

This year national elections are being held in at least 64 countries – representing around half of the world’s population, and over 60% of global economic output. To understand what this could mean for pensions and investments, we speak to Anthony O'Brien, Head of Market Strategy at Phoenix Group.

UK political and economic trends: what they mean for pension reform

What’s changed economically since the general election? How do overseas investors perceive the UK? And what pension reforms would we like to see in October’s Budget? Find out in our discussion with Anthony O’Brien, Head of Market Strategy at Phoenix Group.

Saving habits: what can we learn from the US?

We chatted to David John, US pensions and retirement expert, about emergency savings, spending behaviours during retirement, and why some retirees really return to work.

What the US presidential election could mean for UK pensions

We chat about Biden vs. Trump, ESG, pension reform and financial planning with David John, US pensions and retirement expert.

What the UK can learn about auto-enrolment from New Zealand

Two leading experts on pension reform (Susan St John, Honorary Associate Professor, and Claire Dale, Research Fellow, both from the University of Auckland) discuss the merits of allowing pension withdrawals for home ownership, member engagement and financial education – and whether you really need tax incentives to encourage people to save for retirement. 

Financial wellness: what UK employers can learn from the US

Financial wellness has been a hot topic in recent years, but what does it actually mean? And how can employers be sure the support they provide to employees really makes a difference? The key lies in understanding people’s individual needs, says Blake Allison, founder and CEO at financial wellbeing consultancy LifeCents.

The cost-of-living crisis – what comes next?

Are we facing another lost decade in living standards? And, if so, what might this mean for interest rates, mortgage repayments and the labour market – and when might the UK return to economic growth? Find out in our discussion with Paul Johnson, Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Challenges facing the UK pension system: Is it time for a new review?

Sangita Chawla, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life, talked with Paul Johnson, Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, to discuss the recently launched Pensions Review report, insufficient pension contributions, the State Pension age – and why the UK pension system needs a review.

Pension dashboards - what are the opportunities and risks?

We speak to two world-leading experts on pension dashboards – from Sweden and Denmark – to understand how pension dashboards in the UK might affect engagement, and the importance of good data, robust controls, inclusivity, adopting a test-and-learn approach and managing expectations.