2019 Gatwick Conference Programme Those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future John F Kennedy 10 and 11 January 2019 Hilton London Gatwick Airport, South Terminal CPD ACCREDITATION Institute and Faculty of Actuaries or PMI: Member’s Discretion (Certificated) STOP PRESS: NORTHERN CONFERENCE Manchester September 2019 Our next Northern Conference will be in Manchester drawing on plenary and seminar topics from this 2019 Gatwick conference as well as fresh topical issues Chair’s Introduction: Looking to the future ... Our upcoming Gatwick conference is a little earlier in the year than usual, avoiding most of the disruption of a major update to the conference and hotel facilities at the Gatwick Hilton. It also comes just eleven weeks before we exit the EU which (at the time of writing) may either be very challenging by way of a hard Brexit or more measured if an agreed basis can be found. Inevitably, the challenges to employers as pension scheme sponsors, to trustees, employees and, of course, you our own members are likely to build as the economic impact emerges. Our opening plenary session this year will be particularly insightful and interesting. What is less clear is just where we will be in terms of further legislative changes in the pensions and savings area as inevitably reforms here may also have to make way for changes driven by economic circumstances. Later this year in the Chancellor’s Budget we may see announcements designed to raise tax revenues, with pension tax relief once again in the cross-wires. We may also see moves to address the cost of social care, although it’s difficult to see the Government being too radical here given the hiccups during the last General Election. We do expect progress will be made to implement some of the measures in the recent DB White Paper, particularly those extending tPR powers and maybe some steps to encourage more scheme consolidation. The ACA will continue to monitor and make representations in these important public policy areas. On the ‘domestic front’ we expect there will be initiatives driven by the IFoA in relation to the monitoring of actuarial work, with updates too to the education syllabus and CPD changes. We may also see changes to the overall oversight of the Profession flowing from the Kingman Review of the FRC. Turning to the conference, we look forward in our opening plenary to welcoming leading economist Stephen King, who is HSBC’s Senior Economic Adviser. He has been described as having a unique ability to explain how the world economy ‘adds up’ and skilfully placing economic developments in their rightful political and historical context. He is author of ‘Grave New World’, ‘When the Money Runs Out’ and ‘Losing Control’. For our afternoon plenary, we welcome back David Fairs, who is a former ACA Chair, and is now Executive Director, Regulatory Policy, Analysis and Advice at the Pensions Regulator. Thanks to the hard work of our organisers and the willingness of speakers, for which the Association is most grateful, the programme of seminars is as usual very varied covering many of the mounting challenges I have referred to in pensions, investment, professional and consulting issues and business skills and is designed to meet the needs of members from firms of all sizes. This year, we again have a special programme on the Thursday afternoon ahead of the main conference. Our Smaller Firms seminar, designed for firms with five or fewer members, has become an established part of the programme and is repeated this year. Alongside this there will be a seminar focusing on international issues and we will repeat the seminar organised by our Younger Members’ Group — more details on page 5 and to follow. We open the conference with our usual dinner, where our guest speaker is actor, writer and TV presenter Alexis Conran, who is best known as the co-host of the BBC Three Show, The Real Hustle. He has helped the OFT to show consumers how to avoid becoming the victims of a fraud. He is also a winner of Celebrity MasterChef and is a member of the Magic Circle. I am sure you will find this year’s programme of interest. I look forward to seeing you at the conference. Jenny Condron Chair Our guest speakers this year include... After dinner — Alexis Conran Morning plenary — Stephen King Afternoon plenary — David Fairs 2 Conference information and registration details Conference Fees The full conference fee of £640 + VAT (the same as last year) includes registration information and conference pack, Thursday evening champagne and beer reception, dinner (including wines) and overnight accommodation on Thursday 10 January 2019 at the Hilton London Gatwick Airport, including breakfast, lunch, coffee and tea breaks on Friday. Registration will be from 17.00 hours on Thursday in the Hotel Lobby. A limited number of Friday only places are available at a fee of £570 + VAT (the same as last year). If you wish to attend the conference, please complete the enclosed registration form and forward it with your cheque (or pay by BACS/electronically) for the main conference fee as soon as possible. Where your firm is making a ‘group’ booking, please ensure that this is sent in as quickly as possible. Please note that only ACA members and invited guests are entitled to attend the conference . Your booking will be acknowledged and a VAT receipt provided. Final registration details will be issued in late December 2018. Accommodation Included and special packages There is no need to make your own hotel accommodation reservation. This will be handled by the conference organisers on receipt of your registration form. The cost of your hotel room for the night of Thursday 10 January is included in the full conference fee. Any extras (telephones, laundry, room service etc) are the responsibility of the delegate. The Hilton London Gatwick Airport is within the Gatwick Airport (South Terminal) complex and is convenient for air, rail and road access. Ample car parking space is available in the multi-storey car park beside the hotel. Please note there are a limited number of places for those who wish to stay overnight at the hotel but not attend the Thursday night dinner. If this is your choice, please reserve a place by returning the completed registration form, as soon as possible. Thursday seminars: Smaller Firms, International and Younger Members If you wish to register an interest in attending one of the three Thursday afternoon seminars for Smaller Firms, the International seminaror the Younger Members’ Group seminar (further details, see page 5), please complete the registration form indicating your interest. Places may have to be restricted and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The Smaller Firms, Younger Members’ Group and International seminars are all free-of-charge. Friday Seminar Selections There are four sessions on the Friday where delegates can choose one from a number of seminars in each series. A summary of each seminar’s content is featured on the back pages of this Programme. Please ensure you indicate on the Registration Form which seminars you wish to attend (by marking one seminar number in each series). This information is needed to allocate suitable rooms. Seminar attendance is on a first come, first served basis. The seminar programme may change due to demand for individual seminars. Cancellations In order to offset fixed expenses, there will be a deduction from the registration fee if a place/places are cancelled for any reason after 12 November 2018. There will be no refunds for cancellations received after 10 December 2018 but, of course, firms can transfer a paid place to another member if they so wish after this date. No refunds shall be made for cancellations due to inclement weather. If the organisers must cancel the conference in its entirety due to circumstances beyond their control (including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, failure of transportation, weather, accidents, fires, electrical failures, strikes, postal delays, explosions and government orders or regulations) the organisers may, subject to the terms of the insurance cover for the conference, refund the appropriate registration fees to conference registrants; no refunds shall be made for travel expenses related to the conference. CPD Members should note that the main conference and Thursday seminars can count for CPD. Certificates of attendance will be issued after the conference. Your Conference Contact If you have any queries, contact Tracey Gleed on 020 3102 6761 or at [email protected] The organisers reserve the right to change the programme in the event of speakers becoming unavailable or in response to demand for certain sessions. 3 Main Conference Programme Thursday 10 January 17.00 Hrs Registration at the Hilton London Gatwick Airport 19.00 Hrs Champagne reception followed by dinner (19.30 Hrs) Guest after-dinner speaker: Alexis Conran, actor, writer and TV presenter, best known as the co-host of the BBC Three Show, The Real Hustle. Friday 11 January 07.00 Hrs Breakfast 08.50 Hrs Introduction and welcome by Jenny Condron, Chair 09.00 Hrs Plenary Session - UK and Global economic prospects as we approach Brexit Presentation by Stephen King, Senior Economic Adviser at HSBC Plenary Chair: Jenny Condron 09.50 Hrs Seminars—Series A Select one seminar to attend from Series A and mark the seminar number on your registration form. More details about each seminar can be found on the back pages of this programme. 1. “Please take a ticket number and sit patiently” - is insurance for pension schemes becoming a seller’s market? 2.