LCP |

My LCP career began as a graduate, alongside Lucy. As the firm grew, so did the opportunities and it has been great to be part of a thriving business. Our approach has always been to encourage innovation and let people put forward and run with new ideas.

I’ve been honoured to lead our approach to DEI, helping first establish the women’s network with Lucy and others and then in 2018 form a DEI Group which added a LGBT+ Network, followed by our Wellbeing and Multicultural Networks. A large number of passionate individuals help us develop new initiatives to constantly refine and improve our approach. Our aim is to create a diverse, supportive and inclusive environment where all can thrive.

My other passion is heading up LCP Trustee Consulting. This builds on the past work I did to establish our Chart Your Own Course series on strategic journey planning and our risk profiling tool LCP Sonar — ideas I was encouraged to develop and bring to life!

And of course, our client base has evolved too — I am now Scheme Actuary to three c£1bn+ pension schemes, whereas when I started, we worked with very few. But we care about delivering the best results for all schemes and are proud to have a large number who have been with us throughout.

I joined the Pensions Actuarial department in Winchester as a graduate in 2021. Coming from a background in Physics, I was completely unfamiliar with working in pensions. Thankfully, LCP was extremely welcoming to me. Everyone in the firm, from junior colleagues to partners were very friendly and always happy to help.

The graduate training program was very thorough and helped me build my confidence. It introduced me to some very technical topics as well as developing my soft skills. Throughout my time here, I have been involved in a variety of interesting work, for a range of clients, in both the corporate and trustee side of pensions. I am also involved with internal research projects.

Outside of client work, I have been involved in initiatives focused on supporting charities and helping improve Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the firm. There are also lots of social events to get involved with, ranging from the weekly team quiz to competing in the UK Kubb Championship.

Whilst LCP has grown a lot, our people-first approach has remained constant. I was the first Partner to return to LCP after maternity leave and I worked part-time, including some of that at home — which was ground-breaking at the time. I feel proud to work for a firm that listens to people’s requests and is flexible and adaptable in its approach.

Recognising the many women in our industry, but the lack at senior levels, I helped established the LCP Women’s Network back in 2014, which I now co-chair. 10 years ago, we had less than 10% female partners and now we’ve over 25% with 40% of promotions in the last five years female.

Some of my first clients when I joined as a graduate, such as 3i and Lincoln’s Inn, are still valued LCP clients.

After studying physics at university, I was looking for a career where I could problem solve and work with numbers. This led me to joining LCP as a graduate in the Winchester Pensions Actuarial department in 2021. I have been thoroughly enjoying my time working here.

There is a wide variety of work to get involved with, so no two days are the same. As my degree subject was completely unrelated to Actuarial, I have appreciated the comprehensive training LCP has provided. This training encompasses both technical and soft skills topics. This allows graduates to both grow their technical knowledge and develop professionally. LCP is also an incredibly sociable company and I have been able to get involved in charity initiatives and social events. This was important to me as I had relocated from Scotland to Winchester, so a friendly and social environment allowed me to settle into the area as well as working life.

Graduates also have regular opportunities to visit the other office to the one they usually work in, which has allowed me to meet a wide variety of people across the company.

After finishing my final year at university, I completed a 6-week internship at LCP. During the course of my internship, I had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of both client and research related projects. Much of this work was unfamiliar to me at the time; however, the people at LCP were very helpful and encouraging, which allowed me to gain good insight into what LCP was all about. LCP is an extremely sociable company and even in the short time I was here I managed to build good relationships with colleagues and staff. By the end of the internship, I decided LCP was somewhere I wanted to stay, and I was quick to accept when offered a permanent role soon after.

My day to day role at LCP is split between client related responsibilities and research. I help advise trustees of pension schemes: enabling them to make more informed decisions about their investment strategies and how to invest their pension scheme’s money. My regular responsibilities involve attending client meetings, advising on investment strategy, working with clients to appoint investment managers and helping with the day-to-day management of their schemes. I am also a member of the multi-asset research team, which involves meeting with managers of multi-asset funds and evaluating their processes and performance to establish a short-list of funds we would be happy to recommend to our clients.

LCP offers a culture and environment to help you develop your skills and grow your interests in new and different areas. There are always lots of opportunities to get involved with new projects to keep you on your toes.

I first heard about LCP when they attended a recruitment event at my university and gave a brief insight into the actuarial profession. Intrigued by their presentation and impressed by how friendly and helpful the people from LCP were, I immediately applied for the internship. Following a simple yet personal application process, I was offered a place on the eight-week internship at LCP during my penultimate year of university.

It was obvious from day one that LCP cares about its people – this was further reinforced by a week of thorough training, which focussed on both technical and soft skills. This helped me gain confidence before taking on client work. I was also assigned a buddy when I joined, who guided me throughout the eight weeks, answered any questions I had and provided on-the-job coaching whenever I needed it.

During the internship, I had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of jobs, giving me a clear insight into the day-to-day life of an actuary. From doing individual member calculations to more complex data work for scheme valuations, the breadth of work I took part in fully reflected the role of a graduate. One of my highlights during the internship was the opportunity to attend a client meeting with a senior consultant where I got to witness how the work we do is presented to our clients.

It was also clear that LCP promotes a very healthy work life balance. The team I joined were very friendly and welcoming, which made all of the team socials and weekly trips to the pub all the more enjoyable. Some of my favourite team socials included darts at Flight Club, mini golf and the post exam results celebration drinks!

LCP provided me with challenging but interesting work whilst allowing me to have a great social life. When I was offered a graduate job at the end of my internship, I happily accepted it.

Working as a summer intern in the Business Analytics and Financial Modelling department at LCP was an extremely rewarding experience. Before applying I had no clue what job would interest me, but after attending the assessment day and hearing about the kind of work they do, it was clear that this was where I wanted to work.

During my internship most of my work involved analysing the energy market, which I was initially apprehensive about due to my lack of knowledge in this area. However, I quickly settled in and grasped the fundamentals, due to the help of my assigned buddy and the rest of the team being very approachable and willing to answer lots of questions. Being surrounded by a capable and fun team made the transition to working life very easy and exciting.

I joined LCP with relatively little coding experience and was given a large and challenging project straight after completing my training: to develop a data visualisation tool for looking at UK energy data on a live map. Although daunting, by the end of the eight weeks, I had become more adept in coding than ever before and finished with a working product I was proud of. Since returning as a graduate, I have had the opportunity to implement my summer project into a tool which is now used by external clients.

Outside of work, our department and the company hosted regular social events - such as pub quizzes, meals, sporting activities and drinks. This was a great way to get to know the team in a less formal situation.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my summer internship, so I was really pleased to be offered a graduate position and since then I’ve continued to find LCP a great place to work.

I completed a summer internship in LCP’s Pensions Actuarial department during my penultimate year at university. I decided to spend my summer working at LCP because I was impressed by all the personal and professional development opportunities available and because it seemed like it would be a really great place to work. The interview process was much less stressful than other assessment days I attended (it was actually enjoyable!) and this meant that I had no hesitation in choosing LCP over their competitors.

The internship was structured very well and I thoroughly enjoyed my nine weeks in Winchester. We were provided with an introductory week of training that really helped me gain confidence before taking on work within the office.

The work was interesting and challenging and I felt as though I was contributing to the team from day one. I was able to work on a variety of different clients and learnt so much about the pensions industry and the services LCP offers its clients across all its departments; it was a real insight into the actuarial profession and confirmed that it was the career path that I wanted to pursue.

Alongside enjoying the work, I also really appreciated all the social opportunities available at LCP: I attended the LCP Summer Ball, a team trip to an escape room, and the office ‘sports day’, as well as other ad-hoc events.

I gained so much from my nine weeks in terms of technical skills and personal development; and also a graduate job offer which I happily accepted.

I joined LCP as a graduate in the London office having worked for a year in management consultancy. I was particularly drawn to LCP because of its young, vibrant atmosphere and excellent study package to help with completing professional exams.

Working in the DC (defined contribution) team, we provide investment and governance advice to a range of DC pension schemes. We design investment strategies for different schemes based on the profile of their members, advise on whether members are getting the best value or services available from providers, and we are at the forefront of developments within the pensions industry. As an analyst I use our in-house analysis software to measure performance of scheme assets and how changes in investments can affect a member’s projected retirement pot. I also help produce a range of advice for clients to facilitate decision-making that could affect thousands of members.

I am also involved in DC-focused investment research. Having spent time as a graduate rotating round several different asset class research teams, I settled in DC research. We meet and evaluate different asset managers and funds that are available for DC schemes, and research new, innovative investment solutions that might benefit the DC space. One of the best things about LCP is how much it cares about its people. As a member of the Women’s Network, which is just one part of the wider Diversity & Inclusion group, we run internal and external events to help increase awareness and create an equal, supportive environment at LCP.

My advice to future graduates… Don’t be put off applying if you don’t have prior knowledge or experience of finance or pensions. We have a broad range of backgrounds here from Engineering to Biology – not everybody studied maths/economics!

After my second year of university, I completed a summer internship in the Insurance department at LCP. Everyone was so friendly and approachable that I knew LCP’s culture was exactly the kind of environment I wanted to begin my career. I remember being shocked at how passionately everybody spoke about their work and the firm. One of the best things about LCP is how people you work with end up becoming some of your closest friends.

The support you receive at LCP is great, both in terms of study and wider training and development. Since day one, I have been working with people at all experience levels. Everybody has made sure that I really understand what I’m doing and why I am doing it, which is great for personal development. I was also able to attend client meetings from very early on in my first year at work. This was great in putting the work I do in the office into context and seeing how our clients use it.

One of the main pieces of work we do is reserving, which involves analysing insurance companies’ claims experience and advising them on how much money they need to hold to be able to pay their future claims. We also build and analyse actuarial models and combine this with expert judgement to advise our clients on their financial position. It’s really satisfying being able to use skills you have learnt from your degree in a real business environment.

My advice to future graduates… The actuarial industry is full of very technically strong people. What makes the people at LCP stand out is their communication skills, attitude and personality. This is important when building rapport with colleagues, clients and potential clients. It is so important to be approachable and willing to learn. LCP has taught me that you won’t know what you enjoy until you give it a go. Be open to new opportunities, question as much as you can and always be willing to learn something new.

I joined LCP as a graduate in September 2009, having done an internship in pensions actuarial during the previous summer. I enjoyed the complex nature of the job and as a respected and challenging profession I felt that training as an actuary would provide the right start to my career. I did not think I would still be in the same job ten years later though, and my promotion to Partner means that number is only going to grow!

I started by learning how to place a value on future pension promises (which are volatile and uncertain) to help our clients budget for their commitments and manage the associated risks. Over the next few years I had the opportunity to work on several different aspects of pensions from liability management exercises to long-term journey planning. More recently I have specialised in advising clients on the best strategy to insure these uncertain promises, which is the work that I find most interesting and challenging.

My advice to future graduates... starting at the right firm is more important than starting in the right role, and a firm like LCP where you get the opportunity to work with and learn from the most senior people can be invaluable.

I never expected to stay in my first job for 20+ years. Now, as LCP’s CEO, I look back on the achievements of those 20 years with great satisfaction. Especially as LCP recently won a special award for ‘20 years of Excellence in Consultancy’ at the prestigious UK Pensions Awards.

I joined LCP in 1996 as a graduate. What struck me most of all when I started my career here was that LCP was a nice place to work. Partners’ doors were always open. People helped one another. We worked as a team. And we had fantastic people who were developing great ideas and services that helped our growing client base. Everyone was totally committed to doing the best for the firm’s clients.

All this is all just as true today. The first piece of work I did as a graduate over 20 years ago was for a client that I still advise today. Now LCP is known as a firm that consistently innovates for the benefit of its clients, particularly in its use of technology.

My advice to future graduates... look for a role at a firm with high ethical standards, that cares passionately about its people and clients, and is market-leading in technology and innovation – LCP has all of these things!

While many of my friends at university knew exactly what they wanted to be, I simply wanted a job that would challenge me both personally and academically. For this reason, I sought out a highly technical consultancy role.

The Business Analytics and Financial Modelling team stood out to me due to its focus on mathematical modelling and its wide range of clients. New graduates are hands on with all our work from day one, which provides plenty of opportunity to seek out and follow your interests within the team.

After three years in the role, I lead the model development for the Government’s main electricity market forecasting tool. Our modelling is used widely across the industry from evaluating subsidies for renewable power, to assessing whether we are on track to meet our emissions targets. This puts me in regular contact with policy makers and challenges me to adapt our modelling to keep up with an extremely fast-paced industry.

My advice to future graduates... Apply for roles that feel like they’re beyond your comfort zone or where you don’t feel like you’re obviously the perfect fit. Many members of our team applied for a coding-heavy role without knowing how to code! So long as you show an eagerness and ability to learn, that’s all we’re after!

I was recently promoted to partner after joining LCP as a graduate eight and a half years ago. I had previously completed a summer internship in our Winchester office in my second year at university, and it had helped me decide that being an actuary was the career I wanted to pursue. I really enjoy being able to live in Winchester and travel to London regularly.

When I first joined LCP I never expected to become a partner so quickly, but the opportunities I have been given and the range of work and clients I have advised on meant that I was able to build up experience and confidence quickly.

The part of my job that I most enjoy is meeting with clients to discuss their pension challenges and help explain what actions they can take to manage their pensions risks. I recently attended my first trustee meeting as the LCP partner giving advice, which was a great feeling. I really enjoy the work-social balance at LCP. Moving to Winchester when I started at LCP, I didn’t know the area well but the number of social events ran by work meant that I quickly built up a network of friends. I have also been part of the social committee organising office-wide events, my favourite was the company party we planned at London Zoo.

My advice to future graduates... research the different areas (pensions, investment, insurance) to see what area fits your interests best. Or if you’re not sure, contact one of us!

After finishing my second year at University, I did a six week internship in the Investment Department at LCP. I applied to LCP after some people from the company came to my University to give a talk about what it’s like working here. I thought the people who came were very friendly and encouraging. Since joining as a graduate, I can say that the people who work here are still like that!

My day to day work at LCP is split between doing client work and research. Most of our clients are trustees of pension schemes and we advise them on how they should invest their money so that they have sufficient funds to pay their pensioners now and in the future. My regular client work involves producing reports that monitor how the Scheme’s assets are performing, as well as using LCP’s in-house modelling software to help to set investment strategies for our clients.

I was assigned to an asset class research team within LCP when I joined, so for the first six months I focussed on researching that asset class. I then rotated to a different asset class team for my next six months, which gave me the opportunity to learn something completely different. After the end of the second rotation, I was able to choose which asset class research team I wanted to stay on.

My advice to future graduates… Don’t be put off by the word ‘Investment’ and think that you have to be from a certain kind of background to work in this field. Encouraging a more diverse group of people to apply can only be a positive thing for LCP!

7 AM - The starting gun

The day's onset is crucial, a blank canvas awaiting its brush. The bed is made promptly—victory number one—followed by breakfast, consisting of three Weetabix if feeling wild (2 on a regular day), after which I'll take a morning stroll to the office.

8:30 AM - Getting stuck in

If not prepping for exams, I aim to arrive by 8:00 AM to get some early study in. If not, at 08:30 AM the day’s activities are laid out, gathering an overview of what will be relatively smooth and what work could hold a few hurdles. Emails are filed first thing, followed by working through tasks that can be completed promptly.

10:30 AM - Time for some caffeine

Once some good time is put down, it’s time for the first cup of Joe. Taking structured breaks is paramount for maintaining flow throughout the day. When suitably refreshed, I'll dive into the brunt of the day’s tasks.

12:30 PM - Lunch

A social lunch with colleagues, ideally on the terrace if the weather allows. Post-lunch, it’s not uncommon to indulge in a game or two of table tennis.

1:30 PM - The second '45 (/240)

This period is dedicated to completing the significant work job that's been on my mind. This piece could be a Performance Monitoring Report, a monthly spreadsheet, or another paper depending on the week's offerings. This portion of the day is usually when meetings take place too, ranging from client consultations and manager presentations to internal training sessions. I catch up with teams on expectations and deadlines for upcoming deliverables to ensure my timeline is structured appropriately.

5:30 PM - Closing Out

I fill in my timesheet, check off my workflow spreadsheet, and save documents before closing out for the day. Living close to the office is definitely a plus too, allowing time post-work to wind down, whether through a gym session to take the edge off or some post-Friday pool.

Pre-work

My morning starts with breakfast and a shower before I commute into work. To pass the time on the train, I tend to read a book as I travel to the Wigmore Street office.

9 AM – Starting the workday

I like to start my day by making sure I'm up to date with everything that's going on. I go through any Teams messages I've received and check the internal news for the latest developments in LCP and any action I need to take. I'll then go through my task board ahead of my first meeting and make a start on some work.

9:45 AM – Catch-up with team

Every morning, once everyone has arrived, the team will have a quick meeting to go through everyone's tasks and priorities for the day. This helps me to focus my attention on the most important bits of work and gives everyone an opportunity to flag where they might need help or are waiting on another bit of work being completed to keep the team productive.

10 AM – Getting down to (coding) business

After the catch-up, it's time to implement what has been discussed. Typically, my work involves coding to either develop a new feature on one of LCP's applications, or to fix bugs or vulnerabilities that have been identified in the code. I try to get other team members’ opinions on how to tackle problems and to review the work I do, so I keep in contact with them throughout the day.

1 PM - Lunch

I like to make sure I get a proper break at lunchtime to clear my head after a busy morning. I enjoy going for walks around the local area, where the shops on Oxford Street and not-too-distant Regent's and Hyde Park mean there is always something to see.

2 PM - Training

Often, there will be an afternoon training session where we might go through coding practices and techniques or more business-related concepts in the pensions and investment space. This helps everyone keep learning and developing, as well as providing a platform for the wider department to share work they have been doing and challenges they have faced.

3 PM – No time for an afternoon slump!

The rest of the day is spent focussing on my tasks, prioritising any work that could be holding anyone up.

5 PM – Finishing up

Once I have finished what I’m working on, I make sure to update my task board ahead of the next day, have a final check of any Teams messages, and fill in my timesheet before logging off.

Post work

I try to do something relaxing to unwind after work, whether that's heading off to one of London's many cinemas with friends or out to the gym for some exercise before going home for dinner and bed!

• What is your role and how long have you been at LCP?

I completed a summer internship with the team in 2022, between my second and third year at university, before joining as a graduate in September 2023.

During my internship, I got to experience what it was like to work as part of the team and completed tasks which had a real impact on our tech. I also got involved with a range of socials during the course of the 8 weeks I was a summer intern.

When I returned as a graduate, I went through the graduate training program, which was very helpful as it reminded me of the technical knowledge I had learned during my internship, developed this knowledge further and also improved my soft skills.

• Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I studied Maths, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics (MORSE) at Southampton University. As part of my university course, I studied some modules which granted exemptions from the IFoA exams and LCP have supported me to continue studying for and sitting the actuarial exams alongside my role.

Outside of work, I enjoy playing sport and regularly play 5 a side football with colleagues.

• What do you find most interesting with the sector/industry you’re in?

I enjoy the problem-solving nature of the work and that no two tasks are the same. As technology continually evolves and our tech needs to do more, being on the forefront of that makes the role very rewarding.

• What is your role and how long have you been at LCP?

I am an Analyst in the pensions actuarial department at LCP, having joined the firm in September of last year.

Over the past year, I have thoroughly enjoyed the diverse range of tasks involved in managing a pension scheme. For instance, last week, I worked on a triennial valuation for one of my clients. This comprehensive review, conducted every three years, assesses the financial health of the pension scheme by comparing its liabilities with its assets. My role in this process included verifying the accuracy and reliability of member data, ensuring that the details and corresponding pension amounts are sensible and accurate.

In addition to these tasks, I handle individual cases, such as calculating transfer values, which involves determining the amount a member is entitled to if they transfer their pension out of the scheme. I also engage in consulting-type work, such as drafting reports and creating dashboards that provide our clients with updates on the funding position of their pension schemes.

• What inspired you to apply for this role/this company?

I was inspired to apply for a role at LCP because of the firm’s strong reputation and commitment to personal and professional development. During my time at university, I attended an LCP masterclass where employees from various departments shared insights about their day-to-day work. It was evident that LCP cares deeply about its people and invests in their growth, offering extensive training programs for new joiners. This commitment to development resonated with me, as I wanted to start my career in a place that would help me nurture my skills and grow.

I also appreciate the size of LCP, a specialist firm that is large enough to offer a wide range of projects and experiences, yet able to maintain a personal touch. The opportunity to engage in diverse work, from consulting on pension schemes to attending client meetings early in my career, made LCP an exciting choice for me. This combination of a supportive culture and the chance to work on meaningful projects made LCP the perfect place to start my actuarial career.

• What is the company culture like?

The culture at LCP is incredibly supportive and nurturing. From Day One, new graduates are paired with a buddy – a colleague from a year or two ahead – who helps navigate the initial learning curve and offers guidance. This buddy system, combined with a strong emphasis on continuous feedback and learning, creates an environment geared towards professional development.

The Firm also covers the costs of professional exams and study materials, providing a study day each week where we can focus solely on studying without work distractions. Socially, LCP is active and engaging; for instance, we recently had a department sports day featuring fun activities like three-legged races and sack races. These departmental social events are important as they bring everyone together as a team, from the highest to the most junior levels, encouraging better open communication and camaraderie, and allowing us to get to know our colleagues better. The emphasis on both professional and personal growth makes LCP a fulfilling place to work.