Joanne Segars, Chair of the Pension Protection Fund
Joanne has nearly 40 years of experience in the pensions and investment sectors. She is an experienced chair and non-executive director. She chairs now:pensions, a DC master trust responsible for 2.5 million savers, and the independent governance committee at Legal & General, also responsible for 2.5 million savers.She is also a member of the pension fund governing board at CERN in Switzerland and is a trustee and deputy chair of the Royal Photographic Society.
Until October 2025 Joanne chaired LGPS Central Limited, the £50 billion asset manager for eight local authority pension funds. Joanne chaired the joint expert panel on the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and was the pensions expert to the review of Transport for London’s pension arrangements.
She was the chief executive of the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, and has held public policy roles on pensions at the Association of British Insurers and Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Joanne was awarded an OBE for services to pensions in 2003.
Chris Cheetham, Non-executive Director
During his executive career, Chris Cheetham spent 41 years working in the investment management industry, most recently as global chief investment officer for HSBC’s global asset management business. Previous roles include global CIO for AXA Investment Managers, CEO at AXA Sun Life Asset Management and director of investment strategy and research at Prudential Portfolio Managers (now M&G).
He now holds a number of non-executive roles, including trustee of the BT Pension Scheme and roles with The Peoples Pension and the Science Museum Foundation.
David Atkinson, Non-executive Director
David has held a variety of senior international roles in finance and risk management during his 23-year career at Goldman Sachs, most recently as a senior managing director of the risk division.A chartered accountant by training, David is also a non-executive director at Mizuho International plc, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, and Credit Suisse UK Limited.
In his spare time David is a lifeboat volunteer for the RNLI in Wales and an independent humanist funeral celebrant.
David Sproul, Non-executive Director
David Sproul is a chartered accountant by background and brings more than 30 years’ experience in leadership roles across the financial and professional services sector, with a strong consumer and service focus.
He previously served as Global Deputy Chief Executive of Deloitte, following eight years as Chief Executive and Senior Partner of Deloitte UK and North West Europe, where he led the organisation’s globalisation and transformation initiatives.
David is currently Chair of Pennon Group and Starling Bank, a Non-executive Director of Safanad, Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of Hertfordshire, and a Senior Adviser to Bridgepoint Group.
Jim Gallagher, Non-executive Director
Jim Gallagher is an experienced non-executive director, having been a board member for some of the country’s largest pension and life assurance companies. Prior to joining the PPF Board he held non-executive roles at Phoenix Life, Standard Life, Reassure UK, Legal & General, Police Mutual, Royal London Assurance, Scottish Mutual and others.
In addition to his extensive board experience, Jim has held a fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford, and is an honorary professor in the School of Law at Glasgow and in the Centre for Constitutional and Legal Research at St Andrews. He is a trustee of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's National Academy, and chairs the Think Tank Our Scottish Future. He has been a member of the council and then the regulatory committee of the Law Society of Scotland and held other charity directorships.
During his senior executive career in public service Jim held a number of civil service positions in Number 10, the Cabinet Office and the Scottish Office, including as senior advisor on devolution to both Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, head of the Scottish Justice Department and as private secretary to successive Secretaries of State for Scotland.
Liz Woolman, Non-executive Director
Liz Woolman is an accredited associate executive coach and non-executive director with over 25 years’ experience in the technology and financial services sectors.
Liz is currently a non-executive director at both the Local Pensions Partnership Administration Limited and Anglo Saxons Friendly Society. Liz is also a trustee of Friends of High Weald Churches, a charity.
During her executive career Liz managed an extensive technology portfolio for BT Group leading a successful digital transformation, launching innovative new products and services, increasing efficiency and implementing new systems and technology platforms.
Prior to joining the PPF Board she was also a non-executive director at the Places for People Group.
Richard Beaven, Acting Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer
Richard is responsible for overseeing our corporate functions, ensuring they support the seamless operation of our organisation.
Before joining us, Richard was the managing director of an insurance broking business running day-to-day operations and accountable for a programme of acquisitions.
Prior to this, he held several senior positions at firms in the financial services sector, including global head of change at Thomson Reuters, operations director at Lloyds Banking Group and chief operating officer at Brightside Insurance.
Richard previously served on the board of LGBTQ+ rights charity, Stonewall.
Sara Protheroe, Chief Customer Officer
Sara is responsible for overseeing the assessment and transfer of pension schemes to the PPF, the processing of Fraud Compensation Fund claims, and looking after more than 400,000 PPF and FAS members. She was previously PPF’s director of strategy and policy, where she had responsibility for developing strategy and policy in relation to all aspects of the PPF, including the levy.
Before joining the PPF as a founding employee in 2005, Sara undertook a number of roles in the DWP, including private secretary to a former Pensions Minister, the late Malcolm Wicks and was a pivotal member of the DWP team who designed the PPF.
Sara was awarded an OBE in October 2020 for services to pensioners.
Simon Gadd, Non-executive Director
Simon brings over 35 years executive and non-executive financial services experience gained through a variety of roles at L&G, where he now acts as an advisor to the executive team, divisional and subsidiary boards, and is a non-executive director on the boards of Legal & General Home Finance and Legal & General Affordable Homes. Simon is an active mentor to future leaders.
Simon’s most recent executive role was as group climate change director, developing the group strategy and managing the risks from climate change. He was previously group chief risk officer across both UK and overseas operations. Earlier in his career Simon led several different businesses within the Legal & General Group, including the retail protection business, group protection business and as managing director of annuities.
Sonia Gogna, Non-executive Director
Sonia brings extensive financial, actuarial, pensions and investment experience gained from her 20-year executive career in fund management and consulting, with particular expertise in bespoke multi-asset investment solutions and LDI hedging. Her most recent role was as global head of investment solutions at aberdeen where she was responsible for leading their solutions business across DB and DC pensions, wealth, and insurance globally. Prior to joining aberdeen, she was head of OCIO for large clients at Aon and a key member of its investment leadership team, having joined from State Street Global Advisors.
Sonia has served on the board of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) since 2020 and earlier this year became board chair for a $6 billion subsidiary of CIFF focussed on children and climate change.