Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce the hire of new Senior Counsel Harriet Sayer to the firm's award-winning Pensions Sector Group.
Harriet Sayer advises trustees, employers and financial institutions on a broad range of transactional, advisory and contentious matters in relation to occupational and personal pension schemes. She has a particular focus on pensions investment and insurance.
Her experience includes advising trustees and insurers on buy-ins, buy-outs and longevity swaps and insurers on funded and longevity reinsurance agreements; and trustees and in-house investment managers on a wide range of investment matters, including IMAs, investment-linked insurance policies, updating statements of investment principles and preparing implementation statements, TCFD reporting, stewardship and investment governance. Harriet also has experience in advising on general pensions issues, scheme funding and governance, bespoke funding structures, asset backed contributions, reservoir trusts, guarantees and security arrangements. Harriet has also advised corporates, banks and trustees on public and private M&A, joint ventures, capital reductions, finance transactions and restructurings, including the application of the Pensions Regulator's moral hazard powers. On the contentious side Harriet has advised on disputes with members and the Pensions Regulator, and High Court litigation.
Harriet is a member of the Investment Committee of the Society of Pension Professionals and has a Certificate in ESG Investing from the CFA Institute. She has previously been seconded as Legal Assistant to the Financial Markets Law Committee.
Prior to joining Travers Smith, Harriet was a senior lawyer at another leading law firm.
This new addition to the team will further bolster the Pensions Sector Group as it goes from strength to strength, occupying a market leading position within the Pensions industry. This is reflected in the host of industry awards the group won in 2021 including Pensions Lawyers of the Year and Diversity & Inclusion Excellence at the Professional Pensions UK Pensions Awards, Pensions Law Firm of the year at the FT's Pension Expert Pension and Investment Provider Awards, the Diversity Award at the Pensions Age Awards and Partner and Head of Pensions, Daniel Gerring, won Mentor of the Year at the Law.com British Legal Awards and at the Professional Pensions Rising Star Awards.
Travers Smith's Partner and Head of Pensions Sector Group, Daniel Gerring said: "Harriet's very impressive experience and expertise in pensions, including in investment and insurance, will play an important role in the continued development of our market-leading Pensions Sector Group and our client offering, building on a number of significant hires and promotions in recent years coupled with strong internal growth. I am delighted that Harriet has decided to join our firm and we are all looking forward to working with her."
New Senior Counsel Harriet Sayer said: “I am really excited to be joining the Travers Smith Pensions Sector Group. I’ve enjoyed working with the team over the years and have great respect for their contributions to the pensions industry on key issues from Diversity and Inclusion to GMP Equalisation. It’s a busy and fascinating time for the pensions sector and I’m looking forward to supporting clients in achieving their investment, funding, strategic, risk management and governance goals.”
