Robert Thomas
Director
I bring deep trustee knowledge to my clients, acting as chair of trustees, as co-trustee and leading a large corporate sole trustee engagement. I have a commercial outlook and understand the corporate perspective. I was Tax Director for Xerox and a Corporate Finance Director for Pfizer before joining LawDeb in 2017.
I am well acquainted with the latest thinking on DC, working with the flagship Legal & General Workplace MasterTrust as well as leading LawDeb’s corporate sole trustee engagement on a large own-trust DC plan.
In the DB world I have guided fellow trustees to focus on long-term strategy and strong governance with member considerations at the centre. I observe that other matters frequently fall into place where there is a strong and considered framework. In 2021 I worked on completion of a full buy-in, meeting ambitious deadlines in an involved situation. I have brought trustees, advisers and sponsors together to find solutions to complex and challenging pension situations, using my practical, problem-solving approach. I consider clear and simple communications to be a key factor in all the work of trustees.
I am a member of LawDeb’s Pensions Management Group, focussing on business development and marketing. I sit on the Council of the Association of Professional Pensions Trustees and was heavily involved in the establishment of the accreditation framework that supports professional standards for trustees. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Bristol and am a Chartered Accountant.
Outside work I have been learning the ancient craft of hedge laying which I have been putting into practice.
