Vidett will partner with the Trustee Accelerator Programme (TAP) and will provide mentors to help support the next cohort of trainees.
Run by the Pensions Management Institute (PMI), TAP is a fully funded, two-year initiative designed to equip professionals from outside the sector with the skills and real-world exposure to contribute to pension trustee boards — broadening the depth of experience and diversity of boards.
The programme combines structured learning, mentoring, and board shadowing to create a pathway into trusteeship for individuals with transferable skills in areas such as finance, risk, HR, technology, and governance.
Professional trustee and governance company Vidett will support TAP by providing five experienced trustees, who will act as mentors, giving participants direct insight into how trustee boards operate in practice.
As the programme progresses, TAP will also collaborate with Vidett to bring their expertise into a mid-programme conference, helping participants deepen their understanding of governance and trustee careers.
This trustee programmes was originally developed as a pilot by Standard Life in partnership with the PMI. It has since expanded to become an industry-wide initiative, backed by Scottish Widows Master Trust, Aviva Master Trust, LifeSight, and Standard Life.
The first cohort of TAP trainees has now graduated and are trustee-ready, equipped with PMI-recognised qualifications and practical experience to contribute effectively to pension scheme governance.
At the PMI’s recent Annual Conference, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell congratulated the Trustee Accelerator Programme at the start of his keynote speech
Pensions Management Institute chief customer officer Varsha Gicas says: “[Vidett’s] involvement will provide invaluable access to experienced professional trustees, enabling trainees to gain first-hand insight into board dynamics, governance, and the realities of trusteeship.
“This partnership exemplifies the collaborative spirit that drives TAP – connecting emerging talent with industry leaders to strengthen the future of pensions governance and ultimately protect savers.”
Vidett chair of the trustee oversight board and training lead Julia Yates adds: We know diversity is important – we encourage creativity, think differently and value everyone in our team. We’re committed to offering great careers in trusteeship – whether that’s college leavers starting out or individuals with wider skills and experience coming into pensions.”
“The alignment between our approach to bringing new talent into the industry with the PMI’s TAP programme is clear and we’re keen to support this important initiative.”
