Independent Governance Committee

The primary purpose of the Independent Governance Committee (IGC) is to act independently to assess the ongoing value for money provided to Royal London's Workplace Pension and Investment Pathway customers. This is done by reviewing;

  • Plan charges;
  • Transaction costs;
  • Investment strategy and performance; and
  • Customer service and communications.

The findings are collated in an annual report which is published on this web page.

The majority of members of the IGC are independent.

Read our full terms of reference [PDF, 245KB].

''I can report that, overall, we are satisfied Royal London is providing Value for Money to Workplace Pension and Investment Pathways customers.''

Peter Dorward, Chair of the Royal London Independent Governance Committee

IGC Annual Report 2022

To read our full 2022 IGC Annual Report, use the navigation bar at the top to skip to the section you’d like to read.

Short on time? Read our ‘at a glance’ summary of how Royal London has performed against our Value for Money and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.

Read the full report  Read the ‘at a glance’ summary

Archived reports

IGC members

Read more about each member of the IGC.

Peter has over 40 years’ experience in investment management and the broader financial services industry, both in the UK and overseas. For the last 25 years, he has held senior management and executive positions in investment management firms. Since 2014 Peter has been Managing Director of IC Select, a private limited company specialising in the provision of investment governance support, and the evaluation and oversight of investment service providers to UK pension funds.

Peter holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University, a FT Non-Executive Director Diploma and has completed executive education programmes at Henley Management College and Harvard Business School.

Rosie has worked in financial services since 1990, principally as a global equity investor and analyst at several blue-chip fund management firms with a focus on the consumer sector. Her role has involved considerable engagement with senior management and boards of investee companies over many years.

She now holds various board positions including as a Non-Executive Director of UBS Asset Management Funds Ltd.

Rosie is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has completed executive education programmes at London Business School and Harvard Business School, and gained the Competent Boards ESG Certificate Program in 2021.

Julie is a Chartered Insurer with over 39 years’ experience in financial services. She retired from abrdn in 2020 where she held several senior leadership and Board-level roles, latterly as Executive Director Advice, 1825 financial planning and advice.

During her career she has developed a breadth of knowledge and experience delivering services to and supporting customers. Key responsibilities and experience have included strategy, business and commercial planning, omni-channel customer and workplace member guidance, advice and service delivery, proposition design and delivery, firm acquisition and integration, as well as holding key positions on various boards and committees.

Louise is an actuary with over 30 years’ experience in the mutual sector. As Equitable Life’s With-Profits Actuary she advised management and the Board on the fair treatment of with-profits policyholders, playing a key role in designing and implementing the transformation of Equitable Life’s business in 2019 that distributed the Society’s surplus assets to with-profits policyholders.

She is currently an independent member of the With-Profits Committee of Scottish Widows, responsible for advising the Board on the Scottish Widows and Clerical Medical With-Profits Funds. Louise has worked in positions subject to significant regulatory oversight, requiring technical aptitude and commercial awareness.

Throughout her career Louise has focused on prioritising the needs of customers, with a particular interest in ensuring the complexities of policies and investments are explained in a clear and understandable way.

Ewan is an actuary with over 35 years’ experience in Financial Services. He is currently the CEO Office Director and joined the Royal London Group in 2001 when Scottish Life became part of Royal London. Ewan has filled several senior leadership roles in Royal London focusing on proposition strategy across both pensions and protection. Ewan is also a member of Royal London’s Investment Advisory Committee, a director of Royal London Asset Management and a Trustee of the Royal London Group Pension Scheme.

Jo Kite is Royal London’s Chief Customer Officer. She is a member of the Royal London Group’s Executive Committee and is responsible for devising and executing the strategy for UK customers.

Jo has extensive experience in financial services having started her career at Aviva in 1993, where she trained and qualified as an actuary and held a number of senior management positions in both the UK and Europe. Prior to joining Royal London she was Managing Director at Willis Towers Watson, leading their Master Trust business and Scottish Pensions Consulting practice. Jo spent 12 years at Standard Life where she led Marketing, Proposition, Operations and Finance functions at executive levels across wealth, platforms and workplace.

Contact the IGC

You can also contact the IGC direct via e-mail at royallondonIGC@royallondon.com

Please note that if you simply require information or work to be done by Royal London on your own policy, you can find the best way to Royal London on our get in touch page.