Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, has announced the appointment of Andrew Davies as independent chair of its Independent Governance Committee (IGC) which oversees the interests of just over three million workplace and Investment Pathways personal pension scheme members.

A member of the Standard Life IGC since September 2023, Davies will take up his role as committee chair on January 1, 2025.

Davies also sits on the Standard Life Master Trust Company Board (SLMTC), a trustee director role he has held since January 2020, chairing its Administration and Governance sub-committee and sitting on its Communications and Engagement sub-committee.

Current IGC chair David Hare will step down on December 31, 2024, retiring after nearly 10 years, having chaired the IGCs of eight Phoenix Group companies during this tenure including the Standard Life IGC, since 2019, and the Phoenix Life IGC since 2015.

Davies said: “As pension savers face an environment that continues to place more pressures on their finances, the role of the IGC has never been more important. Having sat on the IGC with responsibility for the Communications and Engagement Value for Money (VfM) workstream, I’m acutely aware of the importance that value for money, sustainable investment and strong governance practices play in protecting the best interests of pension savers.

“I look forward to building on David’s excellent work and to continue scrutinising how Standard Life manages its customers’ savings and working on their behalf to secure good retirement outcomes.”

Davies has held a wide range of senior management positions. He was previously Director of Marketing Strategy & Customer Insight for AXA UK & Ireland during which he established their first customer centricity strategy. Whilst Head of Strategic Development for AXA Life, he created the initial strategy, and was one of the founder members of the Elevate investment platform (now Abrdn Elevate).

Davies currently runs his own management consultancy business specialising in strategic change and business transformation as well as training and coaching senior managers. He is also a board director for the Standard Life Master Trust Co. Ltd.