Beyond Curious with LCP

Mary Spencer, Steve Webb and Helen Shackelford are joined by Dan Mikulskis, Chief Investment Officer at People’s Partnership, for a live episode recorded at the Pensions UK 2025 conference in Manchester.

At the start of the event, Dan shares what he’s hoping to see – from real momentum on value for money to clearer thinking on UK investment and adequacy. We then catch up again at the end of the conference to hear what stood out, what surprised him, and how the debates evolved.

This week, Stuart McDonald is joined by Ben Franklin from the International Longevity Centre to explore the fiscal and societal implications of ageing, the opportunities hidden within demographic shifts, and how policy and workplace reform can unlock a longevity dividend for the UK.

This week, Stuart McDonald is joined by Alexandra Miles from Legal & General to talk about pension inequality, retirement behaviours, and the need to think holistically to ensure better retirement outcomes for today's workers.

This week, Stuart McDonald is joined by LCP longevity experts Ben Rees and Chris Tavener to unpack one of humanity’s biggest success stories – rising life expectancy and the real challenges we now face.

This week, we talk to Steve Webb, former UK Pensions Minister and Partner at LCP, about how demographic change is reshaping pensions and retirement. From the sustainability of the state pension to the challenges of auto-enrolment, Steve shares his insights on what today’s workers and future generations can expect from their retirement years.

This week, host Stuart McDonald sits down with Heidi Allan, Head of Financial Wellbeing at LCP, to talk about ageing workforces, financial stress and what employers need to do to today to support employees at every stage of life.

This week, Stuart McDonald is joined by Dr Amlan Roy, Partner at LCP and global macro-finance researcher, to discuss how demographics shape economies, markets, and policy — and why age alone doesn’t tell the full story.

This week, Stuart McDonald is joined by Dr Ben Bray, Partner in LCP’s Health Analytics team and a medical doctor. Together, they discuss where AI is making a real impact today, and what’s coming next. They also examine how AI could help tackle rising demand from an ageing population and growing multimorbidity.

For this week’s conversation, Stuart McDonald is joined by Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, Head of Health Analytics at LCP, to explore growing economic case for better health.

From the rise of multimorbidity to the promise of anti-obesity medications, they unpack the complex relationship between health, inequality, and national prosperity.

Demography is destiny – and that’s never been more apparent than today.

In Season 4, we explore the demographic forces shaping our future – from population health and life expectancy to migration and fertility.

In this episode, Jill Ampleford, Partner and Head of Trustee Consulting at LCP, chats to season 4 host Stuart McDonald, Partner and Head of Longevity and Demographic Insights, about the upcoming season and the important questions we’ll be asking around what an ageing population means for society, the economy, and the sustainability of our healthcare and pensions systems.