The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has appointed Lesley Williams its next chair.
She will succeed Ruston Smith, whose two-year tenure will end at the NAPF’s annual general meeting (AGM) in October 2015. Williams will assume her responsibilities after the AGM for a two-year term.
Williams is group pensions director at Whitbread, where she has responsibility for corporate pensions strategy and to the trustee company for the operation of the pension fund and its investments.
Prior to joining Whitbread, Williams held positions at Gateway Foodmarkets, Abbey National, the Pearl Group, as well as a head of pensions role with the Henderson Group.
She has also held a non-executive directorship/director role at the NAPF since 2011 and is currently chair of its defined contribution council.
Williams said: “I’m delighted to become the next chair of the NAPF and to succeed Ruston Smith. I would like to thank Ruston for his guidance, expertise and tenacity during a very busy time for pensions in the UK. I am also very pleased to be the first woman to chair the NAPF.
“We have seen an almost unprecedented amount of change in pensions in the past two years, but one thing remains sure, pensions will continue to be a hot topic, both socially and politically, for many years to come.
“The NAPF is in a unique position to inform that debate and to make sure the views and interests of schemes and their members are heard.”
Ruston Smith, added: “I’m delighted that Lesley will be the next chair. Lesley has an infectious passion for pensions and always has the interests of members at the heart of everything she does.
“She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be of considerable value, particularly at this important juncture of retirement savings in the UK, and will make sure that NAPF members’ views will continue to be heard in Whitehall, Westminster and Brussels.”