Best Ian Hawkins Podcasts (2025)

1
V-FM Pensions #126: Guy Opperman 1:46:54

12d ago1:46:54

1:46:54

In this bumper episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to former MP and Pensions Minister Guy Opperman. This is an episode that covers everything: horse racing, politics, Government, pensions and policy. And, of course, we ask Guy what value for money means to him!By vfmpensions

1
#84 (Stacey Rothwell) 36:42

16d ago36:42

36:42

Stacey Rothwell is the director of innovation action across seven police forces leading ERIN, the Eastern Region Innovation Network in the UK. After a career as a sworn officer, including as a detective in financial investigation, she returned in a civilian role, pioneering the innovative use of rapid video response in domestic violence cases. She …

1
V-FM Pensions #125: Smart Pension's James Lawrence 1:23:45

19d ago1:23:45

1:23:45

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Smart Pension's Director of Investment Proposition, James Lawrence. We chat about: what's going on in the world and what it means for investment; Baroness Altmann's ideas for linking tax relief to investing in the UK; Smart's investment in green bonds and its approach to zero cost inve…

1
V-FM Pensions #124: Kris Shergold from Global Fund Search 1:31:51

26d ago1:31:51

1:31:51

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Global Fund Search's Head of UK, Kris Shergold. Another wide-ranging episode, where, as well as discussing what value for money to Kris, we chat about: Electricity generation and the state of the grid Value for money from the Office of Value for Money... Scottish Widows reducing it's U…

1
V-FM Pensions #123: The pensions goth - Daniela Silcock 1:29:10

1M ago1:29:10

1:29:10

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to pensions goth and research guru, Daniela Silcock about all things pensions. As well as talking about what value for money means to Daniela, we discuss: politics, pensions and winter fuel payments; the politics of DC pension allocation building on research Daniela has just conducted on …

1
V-FM Pensions #122: VFM at the PMI (part 2) 1:32:42

1M ago1:32:42

1:32:42

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat to the CEO of the Money and Pensions Service, Oliver Morley, and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge. This is part two of the podcast recorded 'on the road' at the PMI Annual Conference.By vfmpensions

1
V-FM Pensions #121: VFM at the PMI (part 1) 1:29:33

1M ago1:29:33

1:29:33

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico interview some amazing speakers at the PMI's Annual Conference. Part one covers interviews with PMI CEO, Gareth Tancred, and the PPF's Michelle Osterman and Kate Jones. Part two covers interviews with MAPS' Oliver Morley and Ellen Quigley from the University of Cambridge.…

1
V-FM Pensions #120: Darren and Nico discuss the Pensions and Investment Review Phase 1 1:07:12

1M ago1:07:12

1:07:12

In this V-FM Pensions special, hosts Nico and Darren discuss the outcome of the Government's Pensions and Investment Review phase 1. Tune in to hear about what the review had to say and also hear the hosts' views on what's hot, what's not, and what's still just simply confusing....By vfmpensions

1
V-FM pensions #119: Guiide's Kevin Hollister 1:30:12

2M ago1:30:12

1:30:12

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Guiide Founder and CEO Kevin Hollister. Not surprisingly, this is a decumulation-heavy episode with Kevin using the opportunity to talk about a new Guiide D2C proposition that has just been launched with the aim of helping people achieve sustainable retirement outcomes. We also chat a …

1
#83 (David Décary-Hétu) 38:11

2M ago38:11

38:11

David Décary-Hétu is a professor at the University of Montreal and chair of the Darknet and Anonymity Research Centre. Décary-Hétu's research focuses on studying data from offenders who use anonymity technologies like the dark web, cryptocurrencies, and encryption. He reveals that the dark web was originally developed by the military to enable anon…

1
V-FM Pensions #118: Eversheds' Michael Jones 1:34:01

2M ago1:34:01

1:34:01

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Eversheds Sutherland's Partner and Head of DC, Michael Jones, about all things value for money. Michael has the honour(?) of being the first actively practicing pensions lawyer on the podcast and he timed his appearance perfectly being a Spurs fan (recording the morning after a lucky Eu…

1
V-FM Pensions #117: XPS' Mark Searle 1:13:43

2M ago1:13:43

1:13:43

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to XPS' Head of DC Investments Mark Searle. As well as finding out what value for money means to Mark and how he got into the pensions industry we, of course, kick off by talking about the gig news of the week, the Mansion House Accord. We also chat pensions adequacy, at retirement soluti…

1
V-FM Pensions #116: Fidelity International's James Monk 1:43:48

2M ago1:43:48

1:43:48

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Fidelity International's James Monk. As well as finding out what value for money means to James and how he got into pensions, the wide-ranging discussions covers: Mansion House and local investing, and a general discussion about UK economic developments; Trump's crypto play; TPT's anno…

1
V-FM Pensions #115: Looking forward, looking back - a Nico and Darren special 1:07:26

2M ago1:07:26

1:07:26

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico spend time reflecting on some of the key pension and investment topics of the moment, building on comments from guests over the last few episodes. We chat about Tony Blair's latest comments on climate change, the latest gossip about the next iteration of Mansion House and productive finance, a…

1
#82 (Loren Atherley) 35:54

3M ago35:54

35:54

Loren Atherley is the Senior Director of Performance Analytics & Research and the Senior Research Scientist for the Seattle Police Department. He emphasizes the importance of taking an incremental, gradual approach to implementing evidence-based policing. He focuses on building data curiosity and buy-in within the department by providing useful ana…

1
V-FM Pensions #114: Steve Delo, Chair of Pan Trustees 1:19:37

3M ago1:19:37

1:19:37

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat with the Chair of Pan Trustees, Steve Delo. Steve is a Trustee on many schemes and was chair of the People's Pension for 10 years from its inception (he had the pleasure of working closely with the podcast hosts for a good few years). We take a trip down memory lane discussing some histori…

1
V-FM Pensions #113: Fulcrum's Matt Roberts 1:23:02

3M ago1:23:02

1:23:02

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Fulcrum's Head of Alternative Solutions Matt Roberts. Matt takes the podcast by storm and rips up the usual podcast format by kicking off with his views on what value for money means to him... We also cover tariffs, consolidation, zero cost equity investing, British Steel and... would y…

1
V-FM Pensions #112 NEST's Phil Brown 1:25:49

3M ago1:25:49

1:25:49

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to NEST policy guru Philip Brown about all things pensions and all things policy. As well as talking about the 100th anniversary of the Great Gatsby and celebrating Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid, we chat pension freedoms, market volatility, the role of NEST, Hymans proposals for refo…

1
V-FM Pensions #111: The PMI's Helen Forrest Hall 1:18:05

3M ago1:18:05

1:18:05

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico Chat to the PMI's new Chief Strategy Officer, Helen Forrest Hall. Helen has been in the industry for 20 or so years and has just recently joined the PMI following a glittering career spanning time at The Pensions Regulator, the NAPF, and the DWP. Helen is a self-confessed pensions and policy g…

1
VFM Pensions #110: Nico and Darren discuss the Spring Statement and some of the themes emerging from recent podcasts 49:12

4M ago49:12

49:12

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico pick up on some of the key topics from the last few episodes. Our one-one 'specials' have often been based around responses to consultations, but, in an evolution of the podcast format, once a month we're going to explore in more depth some of the issues raised on the regular podcast. So tune …

1
#81 (Gina Hawkins) 36:07

4M ago36:07

36:07

Gina Hawkins, experienced police leader, former chief, and President of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, discusses the importance of support networks and mentorship for women in policing, especially at the executive level. She emphasizes the ‘sorority-like’ connections among women leaders that provide crucial emotional …

1
VFM Pensions #109: Drumming up support for pensions: Money Alive's Ian Beestin 1:22:51

4M ago1:22:51

1:22:51

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Nico and Darren chat to Money Alive co-founder Ian Beestin. Best known for his love of music and drumming - and his Thursday lunchtime drum quizzes during lockdown - Ian is helping to change the face of how pension schemes and providers communicate and engage with people in the digital age. As well as finding …

1
VFM Pensions #108: Every little helps - Ruston Smith 1:25:31

4M ago1:25:31

1:25:31

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren talk to Ruston Smith. Ruston was formerly Director of Pensions at Tesco and now holds several non-exec roles at pension funds, asset managers, private businesses and charities, and is the Chair of the Pensions Management Institute. We, of course, talk about how Ruston got into pensions and wha…

1
V-FM Pensions #107: Dalriada's Paul Tinslay 1:35:08

4M ago1:35:08

1:35:08

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat with accredited professional trustee, Paul Tinslay. Paul was previously a financial adviser before being a trustee and this comes through loud and clear in the podcast. As well as chatting about Paul's career and finding out what value for money means to him, we discuss Make My Money Matt…

1
VFM Pensions #106: ABI Annual Conference 2025 - Yvonne Braun and Michele Golunska 1:15:49

5M ago1:15:49

1:15:49

In this week's episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico chat to the ABI's Yvonne Braun and Aviva's Michele Golunska on the fringe of the ABI's 2025 Annual Conference. We spoke to Michele and Yvonne straight after an excellent panel session looking at savings adequacy and longevity, continuing a wide ranging and in depth discussion building on the …

1
#80 (Cliff Stott) 36:39

5M ago36:39

36:39

Jerry Ratcliffe talks to Professor Cliff Stott, a distinguished social psychologist specializing in crowd behavior, group identity, and public order policing. Stott discusses his background and early life experiences, and how this led him to study crowd psychology and develop the Elaborated Social Identity Model as an alternative to outdated mob ps…

1
VFM Pensions #105: Benefits consulting leader Mark Pemberthy 1:17:47

5M ago1:17:47

1:17:47

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Benefits Consulting Leader at Gallagher, Mark Pemberthy. A self confessed 'regular' listener to the podcast, we've been trying to get Mark on to the pod for a little while and it was great to have a chat about all things pensions. As well as the staple topic of value for money, and, of…

1
V-FM Pensions #104: BESTrustee's Alan Pickering 1:19:30

5M ago1:19:30

1:19:30

In this episode of V-FM, hosts Darren and Nico chat to trustee extraordinaire and President of BESTrustees Alan Pickering. As well as Alan giving the podcast a scoop about the renaming of Yorkshire, we discuss: the importance of balancing the interaction between regulation, growth and consumer protection; the thorny questions of governance and conf…

1
V-FM Pensions #103: LCP's David Fairs 1:23:11

5M ago1:23:11

1:23:11

In this episode of VFM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to LCP partner and PASA Board member David Fairs. David has had a long and distinguished career in the pension industry, including a 5-year stint at The Pensions Regulator as Executive Director responsible for Regulatory Policy, Analysis and Advice. The pensions chat covers DB surplus extr…

1
VFM Pensions #102: TPR's Sarah Smart 1:32:53

6M ago1:32:53

1:32:53

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Chair of the Pensions Regulator Sarah Smart. In a wide-ranging episode we chat about a lot of things including diversity (spoiler: Trump was mentioned...), climate change and climate investing, the doomsday clock ticking ever closer to midnight, surplus extraction for defined benefit s…

1
#79 (Kassy Alia Ray) 38:24

6M ago38:24

38:24

A line-of-duty death is the ultimate tragedy for a police department. Nobody likes to tempt fate, but planning ahead can make a significant difference should a catastrophe occur. After her police officer husband Greg was killed in the line of duty, Kassy Alia Ray founded the non-profit organization Serve & Connect and in this episode discusses how …

1
V-FM Pensions #101: Smart chat with a smart fella - Jamie Fiveash UK CEO of Smart Pension 1:19:22

6M ago1:19:22

1:19:22

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to CEO of Smart UK, Jamie Fiveash. Jamie is a DC and master trust expert, is on the PLSA Board, and has had the pleasure of being Darren's boss, not once, but twice.... As it's our 101st episode (finally we've got a new numbering system...) we play a little game of Room 101... what will o…

1
V-FM Pensions #100 (#94): Robin Ellison 1:24:09

6M ago1:24:09

1:24:09

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to pensions lawyer extraordinaire, Robin Ellison. Robin is not shy with his views on policy and regulation and the podcast takes a whistle stop tour through many of the issues the pensions industry is grappling with currently. As well as welcoming the new pensions minister, we talk about …

1
EP 184 - Ana Kresina - Kids Ain’t Cheap: Parenthood, Personal Finance, and Financial Independence 42:11

6M ago42:11

42:11

Hailing from Canada, Ana Kresina is the parent of two small children and a financial educator who works in the financial technology sector. Her love of personal finance, parenthood and technology is apparent in both the content she creates, documenting her journey to financial independence. She is the co-host of two of Australia’s leading podcasts,…

1
EP 183 - Andrea Johnson - Intentional Optimism: Andrea’s Journey to Health, Motherhood, and Empowerment 1:01:34

6M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

This week’s Guest Andrea was raised on the mission field of Seoul, South Korea, and as a Third Culture Kid, she’s familiar with navigating cultural diversity to find her own place of belonging. A family history of obesity showed up early, along with bulimia and depression. Her determination to become healthy, however, led to gastric bypass surgery …

1
V-FM Pensions #93: The podcast's response to the Government's Consultation on its proposed reforms to the DC pensions market 1:37:55

6M ago1:37:55

1:37:55

A Happy New Year to all our listeners!! In this episode of V-FM Pensions, Darren and Nico kick off the year with an in depth discussion of the UK Government's consultation on reforms to the Defined Contribution pension market. This consultation is part of the Mansion House package of measures published on 14 November 2024. We chat through the main …

1
EP 182 - Eric McHugh - The Future of Dating: An AI-Driven Connections 31:03

7M ago31:03

31:03

This week’s Guest Eric McHugh is a 30-year-old entrepreneur whose philosophy emphasizes the importance of simplicity, adaptability, and a clear mind, which has translated well into the world of web3 entrepreneurship. Eric specializes in leveraging his strategic thinking and adaptability to create innovative and effective solutions to the challenges…

1
EP 181 - Jason Lange - Transforming Masculinity: Jason’s Framework for Love and Leadership 1:00:47

7M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Jason is a men’s embodiment coach, group facilitator, and evolutionary guide. He helps men drop in and wake up to deeper clarity in their life’s purpose and relationships. He believes every man should be in a men’s group for the growth and support opportunities they provide. Jason applies an integral framework to all his work, drawing on many disci…

1
V-FM Pensions #92: A Merry Mansion House Christmas from Darren and Nico 1:06:11

7M ago1:06:11

1:06:11

After a few weeks break due to illness, V-FM Pensions is back for a Christmas special where Darren and Nico chat about Pensions and the Mansions House reforms and look forward to 2025. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our listeners. Here's to a fantastic 2025!By vfmpensions

1
#78 (Adrian Raine) 40:24

7M ago40:24

40:24

Adrian Raine is the Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Raine's pioneering work has used brain imaging and psychophysiological techniques to study the biological factors underlying antisocial and violent behavior, including in violent offenders and psychopaths. We have a f…

1
EP 180 - Dr. Mort Orman - Eliminating Anger at Its Root: A Guide to Emotional Mastery 50:21

7M ago50:21

50:21

This week's guest Dr. Mort Orman, M.D. is an internal medicine physician and a 40-year anger elimination and stress elimination expert. He has written 23 books on how to eliminate anger and stress without using drugs, relaxation exercises, or other traditional management techniques. He is the creator of the 10-session Angry No More anger eliminatio…

1
EP 179 - Rahz Slaughter - Vision for Teens: Turning Challenges into Opportunities 48:51

7M ago48:51

48:51

Rahz Slaughter, once a teenager with a 1.62 GPA, faced abandonment and grew up under the shadows of labels and limitations. Raised by a single mother grappling with addiction, Rahz's early life seemed destined for struggle. However, Rahz was no ordinary teen; he embarked on a hero's journey. His turning point came when he transformed his challenges…

1
EP 178 - Rob Rohde - Mastering Fatherhood: Rob's Journey from Tragedy to Triumph 59:31

8M ago59:31

59:31

This week's guest Rob Rohde is the driving force behind The Business of Being Dad, a transformative podcast for growth-minded fathers who aspire to be extraordinary. Drawing on 25 years of experience in pediatric healthcare and an MS in Management and Leadership, Rob, a single father of five daughters who tragically lost their mom to suicide, overc…

1
V-FM Pensions #91: Richard Sweetman 1:00:17

8M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

In this episode of V-FM pensions, hosts Nico and Darren chat to Broadstone's Richard Sweetman. Due to illness, publication of this episode has been delayed, but not to worry as you can see how Richard's Mansion House predictions match up to what Rachel Reeve's announced during her maiden Mansion House speech. We also discuss a Private Eye Article o…

1
#77 (Jason Potts) 35:28

8M ago35:28

35:28

Jason Potts is the chief of the Las Vegas Department of Public Safety, and the president of the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing. Potts discusses the challenges of implementing evidence-based policing practices as a police leader, including getting buy-in from frontline officers, middle managers, and elected officials. In this chat, he e…

1
EP 177 - Gwenyth Jackaway - Beyond Limits: Enhancing Screen Time for Happier Kids and Families 52:53

8M ago52:53

52:53

This week’s guest has 2 daughters and when they started using screens during the pandemic, they were torn in wanting them to be tech-savvy, but also wanted them to be well-rounded. They set screen time limits, but their kids threw tantrums and rebelled when their time was up. Life turned into a negotiation. As parents, they found that fighting agai…

1
EP 176 - Ian Hawkins - Unlocking The Grief Code: Transforming Loss into Personal Freedom 53:34

8M ago53:34

53:34

Ian Hawkins is the Founder and Host of The Grief Code. Dealing with grief first hand with the passing of his father back in 2005 planted the seed in Ian to discover what personal freedom and legacy truly are. This experience was the start of his journey to heal the unresolved and unknown grief that was negatively impacting every area of his life. T…

1
V-FM Pensions #90: Žiga Vižintin from Slovenia's Pension Fund A 1:35:41

8M ago1:35:41

1:35:41

In this episode of V-FM Pensions hosts Darren and Nico chat to Žiga Vižintin, Director of Retirement Solutions at 'Pokojninska družba A pension fund' ('Pension Fund A') and author of the Irrational Retirement Blog. We chat the US election, a news story about Nordic regulators sending a joint letter to European regulators urging simpler pension regu…

1
EP 175 - John Brewer - Fight For Your Best Life 56:47

8M ago56:47

56:47

This week's guest John Brewer is a multifaceted individual and the author of the forthcoming book, "Fight For Your Best Life." With over a decade of specialized training and hands-on experience alongside indigenous forces in war-torn regions, John's journey has been defined by combating terrorism and oppression. He’s now on a mission to channel thi…

1
V-FM Pensions #89: Tan Suee Chieh 1:15:22

9M ago1:15:22

1:15:22

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Tan Suee Chieh, former CEO of Prudential Singapore, former CEO of Singapore's NTUC (National Trade Union Congress), and past President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. As well as chatting to Suee Chieh about how he got into pensions and value for money, we spend some time foc…

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