Gavin Markham FIA
Gavin is our Head of Bulk Annuity consulting. He also provides advice to a range of corporate clients on defined benefit (DB) pension issues including scheme funding, benefit design, risk reduction exercises, M&A and accounting matters.
Gavin leads the specialist bulk annuity team, advising on all aspects of buy-outs and buy-ins, from initial feasibility assessment and scheme preparation, through to price negotiations and transaction execution.
His extensive experience includes advising a wide range of UK & multi-national businesses, both as a consultant and as the in-house actuary for a global FTSE100 company. This has helped him develop a clear, practical approach to delivering advice to his clients.
Significant experience:
- provided bulk annuity advice to both trustees and employers, with a number of transaction processes in excess of £100m and also involving both traditional and medically underwritten approaches
- ongoing advice to range of UK and multinational businesses on funding issues, including a FTSE100 on the financing of its £8bn pension scheme
- support in respect of M&A activity and corporate restructuring, for example, advising a syndicate of banks on the impact of pensions issues for a UK business in relation to the refinancing of a £500m loan
- advice on benefit design changes, in one case resulting in significant savings (>£20m pa) in regular pension costs
Comment & Insight
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Blog post Growing demand – how well are you positioned?
The final transaction figures for 2017 confirmed total buy-in and buy-out business volumes have exceeded £10bn, with a combined market figure of £12.2bn for the year. Head of bulk annuities, Gavin Markham explores.
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Webinar Webinar - Could a buy-in or buy-out be right for your scheme?
Are bulk annuities a potential option for your scheme? It could be the right time to consider a transaction.
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Video Your guide to bulk annuities
How can bulk annuities help your scheme? Watch Gavin Markham, Head of bulk annuities, provide insight on liability management, risk strategy and gilts.
Career
Gavin graduated from Bristol University with a PhD in Physical Chemistry and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in 1999. He has over 15 years of consulting experience, including as an in-house corporate actuary for the FTSE100 company BAE Systems (over £20bn pension liabilities), joining Barnett Waddingham in 2012.
Interests
Outside of the office Gavin is a keen footballer and cyclist, although any spare time now comes under competing pressure from his two young daughters!