Hymans Robertson, the leading pensions and financial services consultancy, has promoted risk transfer specialist Claire O’Neill to Operations Lead of its Risk Transfer team.

Claire will have operational responsibility for the team which, following six experienced recruits since the end of 2022, has grown to 30 risk transfer specialists. Claire will take ownership of everything from resourcing client projects through to knowledge sharing and people development, whilst continuing to advise trustees and sponsors on their own risk transfer projects.

Claire joined Hymans Robertson in October 2021 from Mercer’s Risk Transfer team where she focused on helping clients reduce the risk in their defined benefit pension schemes through a range of de-risking strategies, including both risk transfer transactions and member options exercises. Since joining, she has worked and advised on risk transfer projects for pension schemes ranging in size from c£6m up to several £billion.

Commenting on her promotion and new role, Claire O’Neill said:

"Over my career, I’ve enjoyed supporting many clients effectively and efficiently plan for, and achieve, their risk transfer objectives, delivering fantastic outcomes for their members.

"I’m excited to expand my reach by ensuring our 30-strong team of market-leading risk transfer specialists continue to have the tools, processes and capacity it needs to lead our clients and prospective clients through an exceptionally busy risk transfer market."

Commenting on Claire’s promotion, James Mullins, Partner and Head of Risk Transfer, Hymans Robertson, said:

"Since Claire joined us nearly two years ago, she’s consistently received excellent feedback from clients and colleagues on her risk transfer work. I know she’ll step brilliantly into the role as Operations Lead for our award-winning Risk Transfer team. This role is more important than ever given the continued growth of our team and the number of transactions on which we lead.

"In this role Claire will ensure that the right combination of risk transfer specialists are brought together to meet the specific needs of our clients, working together to deliver great transaction outcomes."

Claire succeeds Iain Church, who was recently promoted to Head of Core Transactions.