Rachel Brougham

Rachel Brougham has worked in the pensions industry for more than 30 years.

She joined BESTrustees in 2014 and currently works with a number of clients, covering both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes.

Since joining BESTrustees Rachel’s appointments have included two master trust boards and two Independent Governance Committees of major UK pension providers, and the chairmanship of a number of defined benefit schemes. Her experience includes the development of the trustee boards, their structures and processes, including committees and appropriate reporting, and the development of robust risk management frameworks.

Rachel is used to working with and managing a number of advisers on any one scheme, expecting a collaborative and respectful working relationship between them. She is also used to working with in-house teams, ensuring that the trustee board receives the support it needs in carrying out its duties. Working with the schemes’ advisers, she has implemented TPR’s integrated risk management (IRM) approach to funding, investment and covenant work in her DB schemes to good effect, and is used to working with an overseas parent.

Key areas of interest for Rachel include using member engagement to drive better member outcomes, and responsible investment, taking into account climate and broader ESG risks as they impact outcomes for both DB and DC schemes.

Rachel spent most of her career at Mercer providing actuarial, benefit, governance and DC consulting advice to clients.

Specialist areas: DC and Master Trusts; ESG (particularly climate).