Dean will take on the role in the autumn, when Jones will step down. She was formerly policy and product development director at the Personal Accounts Development Authority, the body that preceded Nest. She had been seconded to Pada from the Department for Work and Pensions, as its interim director of policy and product development.
Prior to that she worked on pension policies in DWP where she had responsibility for the Informed Choice policy, and then for developing the policy on personal accounts.
Jones leaves after five years as Nest CEO, prior to which he was chief executive of Pada. He will now focus on a new digital money project
Nest chair Otto Thoresen says: “It’s fantastic news that we have been able to appoint somebody with Helen’s background and experience, and her knowledge of Nest, to take over. The next few years are going to be critical ones in terms of ensuring auto enrolment goes smoothly for small and micro businesses. Helen’s frontline experience of the challenges we face will be invaluable in helping Nest to navigate that journey.
“Of course, we will be sorry to see Tim go but we wish him well in his future endeavours in the digital money sector.”
Dean says: “I’m delighted to take on the role of CEO at Nest. Under Tim Jones’ leadership we’ve built very strong foundations so far and I’m looking forward to building on those to help Nest to tackle the next stages of auto enrolment.
“Nest has got an amazing team of people, all with a very clear sense of mission – helping millions more people save for retirement. With their support, I know we’ll continue to deliver what our members and employers need.’
Jones says: “I’m very proud to have played a part in establishing Nest, and bringing pension saving to millions. Whilst I’ll be sad to leave Nest I’m very pleased that Helen Dean will be taking over my role – I’ll be leaving Nest in very safe hands.’
Baroness Altmann CBE, minister of state for pensions says: “Automatic enrolment is designed to affect all UK employers and workers, resulting in up to nine million people newly saving towards their retirement. Over the next two years, Nest’s focus will be on the hundreds of thousands of small and micro employers that will begin to enrol their workers into pension schemes, many of whom will choose Nest.”
