Governance
The foundation of accelerating outcomes
FutureWise has a structured, multi-layered governance framework built in, to ensure the investment strategy remains aligned to its long-term objectives and is continuously delivering for members. It includes independent reviewers and peer benchmarking.
FutureWise brings our best investment philosophy to all our default members through a target dated fund strategy, built and maintained on a strong governance framework. Whilst many peer strategies believe members will choose an annuity or take cash at retirement, our experience shows this doesn’t reflect how most members behave - and may not deliver the best outcomes. Find out more in our Retirement Choices paper.
A single default approach
Our belief in having one default investment solution is embedded in the following
Flexibility
Members want the flexibility to adjust retirement timing and access options based on pot size and cost. This doesn’t require multiple defaults; a single, well‑designed strategy can preserve flexibility and remain outcome‑agnostic, while ensuring members can respond to changes in annuity pricing over time without being steered into or away from any one pathway.
Clear Objectives
Irrespective of the retirement products that members intend to purchase at retirement, members are focused on pot values rather than purchasing power of income. This is natural given the decision isn't made yet and the value of an annuity is uncertain. By focusing on an objective of maximising pots at retirement we support all retirement choices, improving flexibility through affordability.
Polarised Control
Engaged members overwhelmingly self-select investments, while alternative defaults see minimal use. Retirement choice is intrinsically linked with affordability and investment outcomes. A single, robust default simplifies governance, reduces cost and complexity, and better aligns with actual member behaviour.
Multi-Layered Governance Structure
Our quarterly review of FutureWise
Previous FutureWise Governance updates
In this update, James Monk reviews market shifts beyond the US, portfolio positioning, private asset progress and LTAF deployment, while Ayesha Akbar explores geopolitical risks and implications for long-term investors.
James Monk, Investment Director, reviews the performance of FutureWise against our benchmarks and celebrates the third anniversary of the FutureWise Target Date Funds. Vivian Liu, Portfolio Manager, provides an update on the progress of accessing private assets and shares some examples of the interesting investments.
James Monk, Investment Director, assesses the performance of FutureWise against our benchmarks and updates on the integration of private assets into the investment strategy. Jihad Younan, Client Solutions Director, provides insight on the asset allocation process and the findings from a recent review.