Exploratory group considers REBA lobbying

An initial group of 12 people gathered in Westminster, London, to start exploring the options around creating a lobby group representing UK reward and benefits professionals promoting the societal and policy benefits of using salary sacrifice benefits.

The group was hosted by the Reward & Employee Benefits Association (REBA) and the public affairs firm Westminster Advisers.

The group, which met on 12 November, was deliberately kept small in order to encourage discussion and elicit initial reactions to the idea of a lobby group. However, the next aim is to extend it to all interested parties once a potential workable strategy has been outlined.

It was clear from these very early conversations that there is a big appetite for lobbying and good support from the advisers and consultants attending.

However, if it were to progress, the core REBA members of reward and employee benefits professionals would need to be the voice of the industry.

Participants attending the first meeting included:

Philip Curtis, managing director at Fair Care
Simon Darby, account director at Westminster Advisers
David Dolding, director of consulting at Portus Consulting
Andrew Drake, head of rewards and benefits consulting at JLT Employee Benefits
Sophie Faulkner, reward and policy manager at Grant Thornton
Stephen Gambles, HR/reward director at Royal London
Martha How, partner at Aon Employee Benefits
Phil Hayne, partner of REBA
Dipa Mistry-Kandola, head of flexible benefits services at LCP
Debi O’Donovan, founder of REBA
Emily O’Rourke, flex and online director, employee benefits at Arthur J Gallagher
Chris Wakely, senior VP EMEA sales at Thomsons Online Benefits
Marc Woolfson, director at Westminster Advisers