Former pensions minister Guy Opperman will join pension administration and consultancy firm Aptia as a strategic adviser, as it looks to develop its CDC proposition.
Opperman was the longest serving pensions minister, holding the role from 2017 to 2022, and was instrumental in developing legislation that paved the way for multi-employer Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) schemes.
Opperman, was the Conservative MP for Hexham but lost his seat in the July 2024 General Election. He has since taken on a number of advisory roles, including senior adviser to Smart Pension in December 2024.
Aptia offers a range of administration, consultancy and actuarial services. It is a US-based company with a footprint in the UK, India and Portugal. It says that as a strategic adviser Opperman will support their growth plans in the UK, particularly in terms of its ambitions with LGPS and to be “at the forefront” of CDC pensions as they develop.
Aptia’s UK president Malcolm Reynolds says: “[Opperman] brings unparalleled expertise and credibility to the industry. His understanding of the challenges posed by an ageing population — and the solutions required to address this — enables him to inspire meaningful change.
“Opperman will play an integral part in helping Aptia lead the transformation of pensions administration, driving innovation and ensuring our services evolve to meet the future needs of our clients.”
Opperman says: “[Aptia] wants to do new things for clients, like CDC for example. This is a project dear to my heart, and I bear the scars of many years of persuasion, hard yards and statutory changes to take this project forward.”
He described Aptia Group as a “robust confident business” and added “the quality of people they have hired and are in the process of hiring to grow the business is impressive.”
Opperman adds: “I have done my own due diligence on the pension administration firm, and I have been impressed by the fact that Aptia has invested massively in new technology and an expanded team to drive better results and outcomes for trustees and members. They clearly have a plan to transform their position in this market.
“Throughout my 14 years in public service, I’ve seen how vital it is to ensure people feel confident about all aspects of their retirement. Aptia’s dedication to shaping a pensions system that is fair, adaptable, and forward-thinking makes this an exciting opportunity to help them drive meaningful change for millions of savers.”
