Scottish Widows Workplace Savings Podcast

Scottish Widows CEO Chira Barua joins the podcast like a whirlwind to share how he is driving forward the business - we dive into:Personal highlights of 2025 - including app numbers, trust pilot scores and earnings growth.We find about his most inspiring meeting of 2025 - a first glimpse of a Lloyds Investment AI Agent.How securing pension Lloyds scheme to Scottish Widows Master Trust delivers the biggest sandbox a CEO could hope for.Plans for 2026 - including a lot more from AI Agents, delivering more for families and closing the gender pensions and savings gap.We look at the difference between a public AI Agent versus an FCA Regulated agent and what it mean for savers.    
Oh and we kick the whole thing off with searching for Tigers in India - it's a blast at pace with inimitable Chira Barua.

Discover how 2,500 customer‑facing colleagues, powered by cutting‑edge AI, are delivering exceptional support at the moments that matter most. With soaring Trustpilot scores and personalised, multilingual experiences, Robert Cochran is joined by Niamh Whelan and Scott Gunderson to share inspiring stories of service transformed.

AI is changing how people engage with pensions - whether they’re seeking advice, researching pensions schemes, or making workplace decisions. In our latest podcast Robert Cochran is joined by award winning expert Thomas Joy who explains what this means for advisers, employers, and members, and how pension schemes can stay ahead in a fast-moving world.

In this Trustee Special we hear directly from long time Trustee and Chair of the Scottish Widows Master Trust Jonathan Reynolds. Along with Sharon Bellingham we talk about the excitement of changes to come with Targeted support, the power of annuities, how a month of food in a day isn't Freedom and Choice.
We also discuss the importance of being a strong commercial successful Master Trust and what this means to Trustees. It's a brilliant opportunity to hear from such an experienced Trustee who delights with analogies and above all care for scheme members.

What's it like to move into a Master Trust Trustee role?  I'm joined by Sharon Bellingham as we talk to Mike Birch, ex of the Regulator and newest Trustee on the Scottish Widows Master Trust. He shares his view of the rigorous application process, his special superpower, and what he thinks are the biggest challenges facing the Master Trust Market.  We dive into Decumulation, CDC and his experience of dealing with cybercrime at the TPR. He leaves us with his view of the future regulatory framework for pension schemes.

Welcome to 21 Years of the Scottish Widows Women in Retirement Report, a special series exploring women’s financial futures beyond the numbers.
Over two decades of insights have shown us that retirement isn’t just about savings and pensions; it’s about life stories, resilience, and change.
In this podcast, hosted by Debbie Sheffield, this special edition features Jill Henderson, Shevonne McLarnon, and Rachael McQuillan as they share their personal journeys through loss, rebuilding, and how we’re inspiring the next generation to take control of their financial wellbeing.

James Biggs reflects on 35 years of helping people with their finances. He's a brilliant storyteller, he loves people, and he's a nonstop innovator. Hear about how he launched EBC TV, being played on Radio 1, and what makes a great employer adviser provider relationship. It's a lot of fun.

With over 30 million UK users and the meteoric rise of #FINTOK revolutionising the world of finance comms, it's time to go deep. I'm joined by James Bowyer of TikTok and Scott Stevenson of Scottish Widows' Brand team for a fascinating look behind the TikTok success story and look at the role it's already playing in UK pensions planning.
We talk Dodgy Gardeners, what dog you need for retirement and 118 million pension searches in the last 12 months - and so much more!

Mithesh, Head of Investment Solutions at Scottish Widows, shares his fascinating journey from the world of investment start-ups to bringing his private markets expertise to Scottish Widows.
He walks us through how Scottish Widows is reshaping its default fund to better reflect evolving customer behaviours and offers insights into the latest ventures into private market solutions, including the development of new LTAFs.
Mithesh combines deep expertise with a clear, engaging communication style—making this a must-listen podcast.

The Scottish Widows' Retirement Report sent shockwaves through the media, with the startling revelation that 39%* of the UK population may fall short of a basic standard of living in retirement.
In this episode, Pete Glancy – the report’s author and friend of the podcast – joins Robert Cochran for an exclusive deep dive beyond the headlines. Together, they unravel the complexities of this year’s report, explore the implications for future retirees, and share practical actions that can be taken to help secure a more comfortable retirement. All the time trying to outdo the AI version of the podcast.
*2025 Scottish Widows' Retirement ReportRead the full report here.