USS announces new senior appointments
Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited (USS) – the trustee of one of the largest pension schemes in the UK – is delighted to announce the appointment of Claire Bowyer as Group General Counsel, sitting on the Group Executive Team.
This appointment represents a planned transition with Claire taking over from the scheme’s current Group General Counsel, Jeremy Hill. Jeremy who first joined USS in 2009, before rejoining in 2014, will retire from USS at the end of April 2026 and embark on a portfolio career focusing on financial services and pensions.
Claire will join USS from 1 March 2026. She is currently Group General Counsel of Cardano Group and Deputy CEO of NOW: Pensions. Her time at Cardano, and before that in private practice, has given Claire significant experience of pensions, investment, governance and related legal issues.
USS has also announced that Andrew Kyle will join as the new Group Finance Director from 12 January 2026. He is currently CFO at Brown Shipley & Co, having previously held various senior finance roles at NatWest Group giving him extensive experience in financial services.
Carol Young, USSL Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Doing the right thing for our members and employers to deliver promised pensions means robust governance and properly considering the legal frameworks within which the scheme operates. These frameworks impact how we interact with our members and stakeholders, manage our procurement processes, and invest the scheme’s assets. I look forward to Claire joining us and the perspective that her experience will bring across USS.
“Strong financial governance and ensuring value for members sit alongside this. I’m therefore delighted to also welcome Andrew to the USS team. His experience will be invaluable in ensuring that our costs continue to benchmark strongly against our peers.
“I’m grateful for Jeremy’s huge contribution to the scheme and wish him well for the future. I’m looking forward to seeing others benefit from the skills and experience that have been so invaluable to us.”
Claire Bowyer said: “I am very much looking forward to joining USS. My time at Cardano, including over the last six years as Group General Counsel, has given me a breadth of experience which will be invaluable to the role. Working in the pensions and investment sector I’ve seen many of the legal opportunities and challenges that USS also faces close up; I’m delighted I can now play a part in the scheme navigating them.”
Andrew Kyle commented: “I’m delighted to be joining USS, as Group Finance Director. I am committed to ensuring we deliver real value for money for both pension scheme members and employers. By maintaining a strong focus on financial discipline and efficiency, I look forward to helping secure the long-term sustainability of the scheme while supporting the best possible outcomes for its members and employers.”