Public sector expert Alison Murray joins Barnett Waddingham

Barnett Waddingham (BW) has announced the appointment of Alison Murray as Principal and Senior Consultant within the Public Sector team.

Alison joins from Aon where she worked for over 12 years, most recently as Head of Public Sector (Pensions). With a distinguished career spanning more than two decades, Alison has advised a wide range public service pension schemes including Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds (including the largest funds in all the nations within the UK), on all actuarial and funding issues.

Alison’s expertise includes developing market-leading governance advice following the 2015 governance changes, including the introduction of local pension boards and the Pensions Regulator’s oversight of public service pension schemes.

At BW, Alison will provide consultancy advice to public service pension scheme managers and employers across a wide range of areas, including governance and risk management solutions tailored specifically for the LGPS. She will advise officers, pension boards and committees on governance-related elements of pooling for LGPS funds in England and Wales.

Additionally, she will work closely with Melanie Durrant, Jeff Houston and Gavin Paul from the existing Public Sector team to further expand their growing remit, assisting clients in navigating legislative and emerging risks, such as developing cyber risk strategies and protocols for mitigating conflict of interest in local investment decisions.

Alison Murray, Principal and Senior Consultant at Barnett Waddingham said: “I am passionate about advising the LGPS and other public service pension schemes. Sharing the same definition of value as our clients allows us to secure the best possible outcomes together. I am excited to join Melanie and the rest of the Public Sector team at BW and look forward to working with everyone.”

Melanie Durrant, Public Sector Consulting Partner at Barnett Waddingham added: “Alison’s reputation in the public sector is well-deserved. Her passion, work ethic and values align perfectly with ours, focusing on doing the right thing. At a time when there is increased focus on the LGPS and its governance, Alison joins BW at a critical time to help funds navigate the legislative changes. I am thrilled to welcome her at this exciting time of expansion and growth at BW.”