Rachel Croft

Trustee Director | Chair of APPT

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Rachel brings over two decades of experience overseeing pension schemes for renowned brands. Her portfolio includes assets ranging from £50 million to £2.5 billion+, managing four schemes exceeding £1 billion as well as a notable DB Master Trust. Rachel is also Chair of the Association of Professional Pension Trustees (APPT).

She excels in setting strategic objectives, risk identification, and mitigation in collaboration with stakeholders. Rachel is dedicated to driving impactful change while fostering collaboration with sponsors.

Rachel works collaboratively as part of a team, helping to mentor trustees where needed – in particular where there are gaps in trustee knowledge and where specialist expertise is required such as end-game journey planning and investment strategy. She prioritises inclusivity for all stakeholders enabling “every voice around the table to be heard”.
Rachel is an enthusiastic and active contributor to pensions industry thought leadership and a regular speaker on webinar panels. She is also a member of the APPT Council, where she particularly focuses on external affairs and furthering the role of professional trustees, having regular interaction with TPR and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Rachel is a fully accredited trustee with the Association of Professional Pension Trustees (APPT) as well as the current Chair for the Association. On the APPT Council since 2021, she has particularly focused on external affairs and furthering the role of professional trustees, having regular interaction with TPR and the Department for Work and Pensions. Rachel represented the APPT Council in front of the Work & Pension Select Committee when it investigated the workings and future of fiduciary duties in the light of ESG challenges.

She is a qualified Solicitor and Fellow of the Pensions Management Institute (PMI).

  • Adviser review
  • Covenant review
  • Expertise in Investment Strategy
  • Mentoring lay trustees
  • Pensions Regulator involvement
  • Repairing/rebuilding trustee relationships
  • Risk transfer (buy in / buy out)
  • Scheme Closures
  • Valuation Exercises
  • Working to agree long term objectives
  • Achieved successful agreement of actuarial valuation, long-term funding target and review of contingent security, in the context of a Covid-impacted covenant and Pensions Regulator involvement.
  • Provided direction and guidance in all areas of activity including investment strategy review, recent corporate activity, funding negotiations, long-term funding target, current buy-in exercise, buy-out planning including data work, and GMP equalisation.
  • As Chair of the McColl’s DB pension schemes, Rachel led the trustee board through the well-publicised acquisition of McColl’s by Morrisons and subsequent post insolvency scheme rescue (one of the first of its kind)
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