PASA Conference - Edinburgh 2025: The Whole of the Moon

Pensions administration is often described as the backbone of the industry, essential, but too often overlooked. PASA believes administration is far more than a process, it's central to delivering value, building trust and driving the strategic success of schemes.

This belief sits at the heart of our first ever PASA Edinburgh Conference. Under the theme 'The Whole of the Moon' — inspired by The Waterboys’ iconic song about seeing the bigger picture. This event invites delegates to step back from the day-to-day and explore the wider landscape of pensions administration.

The half-day programme brings together administrators, trustees, regulators and innovators to share insights and debate the future direction of the sector. We’ll hear directly from The Pensions Regulator, take a fast-paced tour of the Scottish pensions landscape, and dive into panels exploring how administration is being reframed as a strategic driver, what delivering on the General Code means in practice, and what early lessons we can learn from the first wave of dashboards connections.

Alongside thought-provoking sessions, the conference offers a chance to connect with peers and industry leaders in an informal setting. With a networking drinks reception rounding off the day, delegates will leave with new perspectives, practical insights and stronger professional connections.

Whether you’re based in Scotland or further afield, this is an opportunity to see pensions administration differently, not in fragments, but in full. To see not just the crescent, but the whole of the moon.

Info: David Walmsley, TPR's Director of Trusteeship, Administration & DB Supervision, will provide a keynote update on administration, regulatory pressures and governance. This session will set the tone for the afternoon, giving delegates essential context on the regulator’s current focus and expectations for schemes and their administrators.

Info: Opening with a first glimpse – the crescent of our pensions picture.

We open the conference by looking through a distinctly Scottish lens, a view which reveals both the unique contours of Scotland’s pensions administration landscape and the shared challenges faced across the UK.

From public sector scale and influence, to demographic and economic dynamics, to the interplay between devolved and UK-wide policy, Scotland’s perspective offers a valuable starting point for our day. It gives us a clear crescent of the picture, one shaped by history, geography, and policy, while also highlighting the universal themes which will recur in later discussions.

This session will help frame the conversations to come, setting the context for how regional strengths, challenges, and innovations can connect to the bigger, UK wide pensions story. By beginning here, we start to map the outlines of the full moon we’ll uncover together throughout the day.

Info: Seeing the whole picture of pensions success starts with administration at its core.

Administration has long been viewed as the ‘crescent’ – vital but partial, a back-office process quietly keeping the lights on. This panel brings it into the full moonlight, showing how forward-thinking schemes and providers are transforming administration into a strategic driver of success.

We’ll explore how admin teams can secure investment, lead innovation, and influence trustees and sponsors – shifting the conversation from cost centre to value creator. The discussion will cover the talent and skills needed for the next decade, the measurable return on smarter working and better technology, and the cultural change required to give admin a genuine seat at the strategy table.

This is administration as leadership. Influencing governance, shaping saver outcomes, and giving schemes the complete picture they need to thrive.

Info: Shining a light on governance until every detail is visible

The General Code makes it explicit – robust, consistent, and measurable administration isn’t just part of good governance, it’s the foundation. But to meet this standard, administrators and trustees need to see every facet clearly, from data controls to audit trails, and from reporting schedules to resource planning.

This session will cut through the compliance noise, showing how administrators can turn regulatory requirements into an opportunity to illuminate and strengthen scheme governance. We’ll focus on the operational realities, the support and clarity needed from trustees, and how a shared understanding between all parties can transform the Code from a tick-box exercise into a catalyst for better outcomes.

It’s about moving beyond partial visibility to a full, clear view of what good administration looks like in practice.

Info: From a sliver of insight to a complete picture of member data.

With the first wave of connections live, we’re moving from theory to reality, and starting to see more than just a crescent of the dashboards picture. Early adopters are revealing where matching conventions are working, where they’re cracking under real-world data, and what’s needed to bring the whole view into focus.

This panel will examine progress, problems, and what’s required from administrators and ISPs to meet expectations. We’ll explore how collaboration is refining data responses, what the early signs mean for future connections, and how reporting obligations are shaping trustee oversight.

Even for schemes not yet connected, the lessons are clear: preparation isn’t only about data readiness — it’s about role clarity, system alignment, and communication, so that when your turn comes, you’re ready to see the whole picture.

Host or Publisher Pensions Administration Standards Association (PASA)