Room151’s LGPS Investment Forum 2026

Steven has had a long and distinguished career as an economist and macro portfolio manager. He was an Economic Adviser at the UK Treasury, and Head of Global Markets Research and Chief Economist of Deutsche’s investment Bank. He also has investment experience, having been head of Multi Asset at Morgan Grenfell after which he ran a successful global macro hedge fund which he continued on rejoining the asset management industry in a firm which became Columbia Threadneedle Asset Management, where he was also Chief Economist. Steven has economics degrees from the London School of Economics and Stanford University.

Paul leads the Schroders Capital’s UK Institutional Team, where he has a particular focus working with Local Authority Pension Pools and underlying Partner Funds.  

Prior to joining Schroders in April 2021, Paul worked at BMO Global Asset Management, Nordea Investment Management and Amundi Asset Management over the previous 20 years, where he was again responsible for the UK Institutional Business with a focus on LGPS and  UK Corporates. Paul has been involved in LGPS industry groups including the Investment Management Association LGPS Pool working group. 

Paul was awarded an MA in Economics and Politics from Aberdeen University, holds the Investment Management Certificate and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Gillian is Director of South Yorkshire Pensions Authority (SYPA), who administer the c.£12 billion South Yorkshire Pension Fund for around 180,000 members. With a commitment to collaboration, innovation and responsible investment, SYPA is one of the 18 Funds that make up the Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, working together to make a difference for the LGPS.

Gillian is a member of the Scheme Advisory Board’s Compliance and Reporting Committee and has 20 years’ experience in public sector finance and governance, including roles with the Audit Commission, Department for Education and Wealden District Council, prior to joining SYPA in 2019 initially as Assistant Director – Resources, then taking over as Director from December 2025.

Ben joined Thriving Investments in November 2024 to lead and grow affordable housing strategies including Gresham House Thriving Investments Residential Secure Income LP (ReSI LP) which he launched in 2021, whilst at Gresham House. Ben has been investing in affordable housing since launching Residential Secure Income plc in 2017, prior to which he led TradeRisks’ debt advisory services for housing associations, local authorities, and specialist residential accommodation. Ben has 19 years of experience in housing, local government and infrastructure and qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from Imperial College London.

Chris is one of the Fund Managers at Resonance, focussed on the funds that provide housing for people at risk of homelessness. He is responsible for investment raising, relationships with housing partners and the ongoing management of the homelessness funds.

Chris joined Resonance as he believes that social impact investing has the potential to make a material difference to people’s lives. He cares deeply about equality and hopes to use his finance skills to help create better life chances for everyone. In his early career, he spent 13 years as a financial markets’ trader, running currency option trading teams at JP Morgan and Barclays Capital. Chris is a CFA charterholder and he is interested in measuring social impact risk to drive better investment decision making.

In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and young children and plays hockey for his local club.

Mark Gayler is Head of Investments at Devon County Council. Mark heads up the investment team responsible for overseeing the £5 billion Devon Pension Fund, as well as undertaking treasury management for the council. Mark is a CIMA qualified accountant and has the CFA Certificate in Investment Management. Mark is also one of the Vice-Chairs of the Brunel Client Group.

Mark has over 30 years of experience within local government, working firstly for Essex County Council in an accountancy role until 2008 and subsequently for Devon County Council. Mark moved to the Investment Team in 2010, initially as Deputy Investment Manager, before taking up his current role in 2013.

Phil Triggs has been Tri-Borough Director of Treasury and Pensions for Westminster City Council, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham since December 2017, having worked in similar roles at Surrey County Council from 2012, Warwickshire County Council from 2003 and Buckinghamshire County Council from 1999.

He has worked in local government finance over his entire career, previously specialising in revenues collection and rating valuation at Havant Borough Council and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at Chichester District Council.

He is a keen cyclist and marathon runner (has completed the six World Majors).

Andrea DiCenso is a Co-Portfolio Manager in the Alpha Strategies Group at Loomis, Sayles & Company, where she co-manages the multi-asset credit and emerging markets debt blended total return strategies. She is also the Director of Multi-Asset Credit, responsible for leading the evolution of the firm’s multi-asset credit platform, focusing on delivering attractive outcomes for clients, developing differentiated investment solutions, identifying opportunities across an increasingly broad opportunity set, and fostering collaboration across investment teams. Andrea joined Loomis Sayles in 2006 as a Junior Analyst covering the investment grade and high yield commodity related sectors. In 2009, she became a Strategist in the Alpha Strategies Group, implementing emerging market and commodity related themes within the long-only and multi-asset products at the firm. Andrea began her investment industry career in 2003 at Fidelity Investments as a financial analyst. She earned a BS in finance from Bentley University and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Gaurav joined AllianzGI in July 2021 as a Portfolio Manager in Macro Unconstrained Fixed Income, focusing on shaping the team’s global macro views and developing unconstrained global macro strategies. In 2024, he joined the Global Macro team and became Lead Portfolio Manager for a number of the team’s funds. He has more than 20 years of investment experience.

Before joining AllianzGI, Gaurav was Head of Global Macro Strategy at Oxford Economics. He began his career managing absolute-return fixed income strategies at Union Bancaire Privée and holds a PhD in Economics from York University.

As part of the investment management team at Merseyside Pension Fund, now part of Northern LGPS, Adil is involved in asset allocation, risk management and portfolio construction decision making and developing investment strategies that align with long-term objectives of the Pension Fund focusing on generating stable returns while managing risk effectively. Adil is also member of the Fund’s Investment Committee.

Jean-Hugues is Portfolio Manager of the Redwheel Ecofin Listed Infrastructure Strategy. He joined Ecofin in early 2008 and brings over 30 years of experience in international equity markets, spanning equity research and strategy through to investment management.

Prior to joining Ecofin, Jean-Hugues co-founded UV Capital LLP, a utilities and infrastructure hedge fund. Before that, he held senior roles at Goldman Sachs, where he oversaw the European Utilities research team, and at Credit Suisse First Boston, where he served as Head of French Research & Strategy. His professional career began as a financial analyst at Enskilda Securities.

Mr. O’Brien is an executive vice president in the London office and head of asset-based origination in EMEA. He focuses on sourcing private investment opportunities and delivering solutions to PIMCO clients. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2025, he was a managing director and the head of Europe at ATLAS SP Partners. Previously, he spent more than a decade at Credit Suisse in a number of positions, including head of origination for the EMEA securitized products business. He has 21 years of investment experience and holds an MBA from Krannert Graduate School of Management and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

John has over 30 years’ experience in LGPS investment as a fund manager, independent adviser, investment consultant and LGPS pool officer. After a fund management career with UBS Global Asset Management, including five years as UK Chief Investment Officer from 2005 to 2010, since 2010 John has since embraced plurality. At various times he has been an adviser to five LGPS pension funds, a Partner at Aon Hewitt, a Director in the Henderson Multi-Asset team, head of the UK advisor network at MJ Hudson Allenbridge and a Visiting Professor at Cass Business School. His roles have also included acting as Interim Chief Investment Officer for the Border to Coast LGPS pool (2018 and again in 2022/23) and for the British Airways Pension Fund (2019/20). He is currently adviser to Border to Coast and independent investment adviser to Staffordshire Pension Fund.

Alex has worked for the Norfolk Pension Fund since 2004.  A chartered accountant by training, he qualified with Ernst & Young and gained client exposure to a diverse range of corporate pension schemes with the firm. 

He leads on Norfolk’s funding and investment activities and is an active participant in the work of the ACCESS Pool, which remains very much a collaborative effort between its member funds.

April joined Insight in September 2008 and leads the Investment Specialist Team. April joined Insight from F&C Investments where she was a portfolio manager responsible for managing UK, US and global government bond portfolios. Prior to this, she was in government bond and derivative sales at Lehman Brothers. April began her career as a government bond portfolio manager at Newton Investment Management. April graduated with a BA in Economics from Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, United States and an MBA from City University Business School in London. She is also an Associate of the CFA Society of the UK.

Steven serves on the Investment Committee and is responsible for developing and supporting the firm’s business development initiatives. With over 25 years of global timberland experience, Steven has broad experience developing timberland investment strategies, acquiring timberland, and managing portfolios. Prior to joining RMS, Steven was Managing Director, Global Strategies at Campbell Global, playing a key role in the successful launch of their first global timberland fund.  Prior to that he held positions at RMS, Rayonier, James W. Sewall Company, and Jaakko Pöyry Consulting.  Steven received his M.S. in forest resources from the University of Georgia and a B.S. in forest resources and conservation from the University of Florida.

In January 2026 Emiel was appointed Chief Investment Officer of L&G – Asset Management and a member of its Executive Committee. He manages the firm’s Public Market Research and Investment teams as well as the Private Markets Credit team. Together with the Investment Heads and senior experts in these teams he drives the firm’s investment, research, engagement and responsible investment strategies.  

Emiel joined L&G in August 2013 as Head of Asset Allocation with responsibility for asset allocation strategy and macro research. Emiel has crafted and developed the team for over a decade, while managing and overseeing the Multi-Asset team and is responsible for managing a range of multi-asset strategies including absolute return, diversified growth funds. Prior to joining L&G, Emiel was CIO of the Multi-Asset Solutions Group at BNP Paribas Investment Partners. Emiel graduated from Tilburg University with an MA in Economics and holds a postgraduate qualification from VBA/EFFAS (the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies).  

Richard is CIO at LPPI and has responsibility for management of all investment and client activity.

Richard has more than 20 years of investment experience. Prior to joining LPP in 2017, Richard was Head of Portfolio Advisory (EMEA) at Albourne Partners for six years where he advised European investors on alternative investments, portfolio construction and risk management. Earlier in his career, Richard was Head of Multi-Strategy at Old Mutual Asset Managers and prior to this an analyst at GNI Fund Management. Richard holds a degree and a master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.

Jenny Buck is Chief Investment Officer at London CIV. Previously CIO at Tesco Pension Investment, she leads investment strategy, product development and performance across the pool’s investment platform. Since joining in 2025, she has overseen a period of significant change, during which assets under management increased from £38.5bn to more than £64bn as both London CIV and its 33 Partner Funds completed asset transition under LGPS pooling reforms. She has also established the pool’s Strategic Asset Allocation advice and implementation capability, launched new investment solutions, including the Global Core Equity Fund, and developed the LGPS’ first Responsible Investment Exclusions Matrix for Partner Funds.

Joe joined Border to Coast in January 2023 and leads the investment team. He has extensive investment experience, formerly as Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Solutions at Neuberger Berman, where he focused on designing and overseeing multi-asset mandates, engaging with strategic partners, and identifying solutions for clients.  He has held several other investment leadership roles, including ten years at Morgan Stanley where he had several LGPS clients and, before that, managing the internal asset management businesses for Shell and IBM’s pension funds. 

Emmanuel is an experienced Investment professional who joins LPF from TPT Retirement Solutions, a pension fund consolidator where he has spent the past seven years as deputy CIO, managing multiple schemes across strategic portfolio construction, investment manager selection for all asset classes and reporting to stakeholders. Prior to TPT, Emmanuel spent over ten years at the in-house investment management arm of the National Grid UK pension scheme, latterly as head of alternative investments.

Emmanuel began his career in 1994 at Credit Lyonnais Securities with responsibilities for interest rate derivatives trading, moving on to similar roles at ANZ Investment Bank and subsequently HypoVereinsBank. Prior to joining the National Grid UK pension scheme Emmanuel worked at Gulf International Bank where he was responsible for managing a systematic investment programme.

Emmanuel holds a masters in engineering from École Centrale Paris and graduated from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He is also a CFA charterholder.

Steffen Bixby is an Executive Director on the ESG team within AQR’s Research department. In this role, he is responsible for proposing and executing ESG-related research projects, helping with thought leadership on the topic, and otherwise supporting AQR’s overall ESG effort. Prior to AQR, Steffen was a Vice President, Head of U.S. Climate Analytics with Institutional Shareholder Services. Steffen earned his B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from ETH Zurich; M.Sc. in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics; and Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A. in Sustainable Development from Columbia University. He is a CFA charterholder and earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing.

Bob heads Schroders European ABF and SRT teams managing portfolios of public and private securitisation assets. Prior to joining Schroders in June, Bob worked on the buyside at CQS for 5 years. Prior to this Bob spent 25 years in banking Heading ABS Syndication at Lloyds Bank and Morgan Stanley in London and New York.  Bob has a BA (Hons) in Business Law and Finance from Strathclyde University. 

Mark leads our vertically integrated platform in Europe overseeing investment, development and operations in eight markets. He works closely with our in-country leaders in in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, and the UK to deliver a superior product for consumers and drive returns for investors.

Since 2013, Greystar has grown exponentially delivering purpose-designed and thoughtfully amenitised buildings at scale for multifamily, young professional and student housing.

Prior to joining Greystar in 2014, Mark was the Group Executive Commercial Director of Thames Valley Housing (TVH) where he was responsible for originating and managing the company’s joint venture vehicles. He was also a founding Director of Fizzy Living, the sovereign wealth fund-backed multifamily subsidiary of TVH, subsequently acquired by Greystar in 2021.

Dan Batterton is the Head of Housing at L&G, with over 20 years of experience in the property sector. His expertise in portfolio strategy has shaped L&G’s long-term acquisition, development, sustainability, and operational plans for the residential sector. L&G’s residential platform has successfully implemented strategies across various tenures, including build-to-rent, single-family housing, student accommodation, later living, and affordable housing. Dan has launched several new strategies during his time at L&G, notably the Build-to-Rent platform in 2015, which has grown to over £4 billion and nearly 10,000 apartments across the UK. Additionally, Dan has been instrumental in securing co-investment opportunities from UK and international partners to enhance the UK’s housing supply.