Chris Hitchen to leave RPMI

After 13 years as CEO of RPMI, Chris Hitchen has announced that he plans to leave the organisation within the next year.

Chris joined as Investment Director in 1998 and over nearly two decades he has helped to build the reputation of the £25 billion Railways Pension Scheme as an internationally regarded investing institution. Most recently, Chris oversaw a comprehensive Investment Transformation Programme (ITP), which led to the insourcing of investment management, significantly lower costs and a sharp focus on drivers of real returns.

Chris said “ITP was a fantastically worthwhile and inspiring programme, which was necessary for us to meet our mission of paying members’ pensions securely, affordably and sustainably in a low-return world. It has been an honour to serve the needs of one-third of a million railway workers and their employers.”

During his time with RPMI, Chris has also served at various times as Chair of the PLSA and of the Pensions Quality Mark, and, was the first Chair of NEST’s Investment Committee. He was part of a three-person advisory board for Professor John Kay’s 2012 study into short-termism and sits on the board of the Investor Forum, which was set up following that review.

Chris added “I have for some time been working with senior stakeholders on a succession plan for RPMI, and now is the right time to put it into effect. I am confident that I am leaving the organisation, and members’ pensions, in very safe hands.”

John Chilman, Chair of the Railways Pension Trustee Company Ltd, said “I and my fellow Trustee Directors would like to thank Chris for the exceptional service he has given to the railways pension schemes over some nineteen years. We respect his desire for a fresh challenge and will be announcing our plans for the future leadership of the organisation shortly.”