Muir, thanks for finding the time to chat to me. So how have you found the role of being a Trustee of the Pension Fund?

Firstly, I would like to say what a great privilege it is to be a Trustee of the Pension Fund. With my fellow Trustee Directors I am responsible for the retirement savings of thousands of our friends and colleagues which is a huge responsibility.

I have been impressed with the passion and the professionalism that all the Trustees demonstrate. There is also an awful lot of information which as a Trustee you need to take in. It has therefore certainly been an interesting but demanding first six months for me.

Your background is in finance, is your responsibilities as a Trustee focused on the financial aspects of the Fund management?

Not entirely. Obviously as a Trustee Board we look at the financial aspects of the Fund as a whole. However, there are a number of sub committees to whom specific responsibilities are delegated. I am part of the Operations Sub Committee and as the title suggests, we focus on the administration of the Fund. To this end I have had the opportunity to meet our Administration Team and see them in action. They are clearly a very busy team and it is to their credit how well the Fund operates.

That’s great to hear. Is there anything you have learnt in your first few months as a Trustee that will help you in your day job?

Being a Trustee is very much like being a Non-Executive Director, whilst responsible for the management of the Fund we generally do not play an active role in the delivery of the strategy we set.

As part of my role as Director of Financial Planning & Stress Testing I am often working with the Society’s Directors. With my experience as a Trustee, I can view the matters we discuss from the perspective of the Directors who also set the strategy but may not subsequently be directly involved in its delivery.

It’s nice to hear you are getting something personal from your role as a Trustee. Clearly you have a busy work life. Do you have an equally busy home life?

The short answer is yes. I moved to Stroud with my wife Jo and our two children in 2008. Jo was originally from the area and I grew up in North Wales. Before we moved to Stroud we were living in London. As any parent will attest, two children can keep you pretty busy, however I also enjoy running and music.

Really, what sort of music?

My preference is rock music. In fact, for my 40th birthday a few friends and I formed a band to play at the party. I played the bass guitar and sang (very badly!), it was great fun.

Sounds like a great way to mark your 40th. We will have to bear you in mind if we are looking for an act at the Christmas party! Muir, thank you for your time to chat to us and perhaps we can catch up again in a few months.