David Hilton is currently council member at Sunninghill & Ascot Parish Council. He was previously an elected representative for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead representing Ascot, where he was Lead Member.  He was lead member for finance on the council and involved in the pension fund panel, which he sat on for 16 years. Prior to his role in local government he worked in industry.

Our conversation traces David’s early years and what drove his decision to enter politics. He describes how he used his skills gained in industry to take a more active role in finance functions and he also became an expert in planning and development. We discuss his lessons learned from politics including setting expectations around what was realistic, the time that certain actions would take, the importance of patience and persistence.

Moving then to finance and pensions we discuss the strain on budgets and contributions and the importance of the pension fund delivering returns on the investment side. We trace the somewhat bumpy road to LGPS pooling and the ultimate benefits that it has brought to date.

Finally David reflects on a life that spanned both the private sector and years of public service and leaves us with words of wisdom that are actionable no matter our path.

This podcast is part of a special collaboration with Crispin Derby Limited, which is focused on earning from experts, discussion and challenge in the quest for investment wisdom for LGPS pools and funds. See: https://crispinderbyltd.co.uk