UK/FRANCE - Ray Martin, the former vice chairman of the European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) and former chairman of the UK National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) benefits committee, is to return to a senior UK pensions position on February 1 next year, as group head of pensions and benefits at the £1.6bn Scottish and Newcastle brewery group pension fund - a position which will include responsibility for the international pensions operations of the firm.

Martin returns to the UK after a stint in France as vice president of compensation and benefits at Airbus Industrie in Toulouse.
The Airbus job took Martin away from the pension industry, but his return to Edinburgh with Scottish & Newcastle, sees him return to the fold.

Commenting on the move, Martin said: “My wife’s from Edinburgh and the opportunity came up so I decided to go for it. It’s a good job and I want to get back to the UK.
He joked: “I can’t leave UK pensions alone! I’m looking forward to coming back.”
Martin replaces Peter Hurcombe, who left the Scottish & Newcastle group to be head of pensions at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Scottish & Newcastle recently bought French brewer Brasseries Kronenbourg, and Alken Maes, Belgium's second biggest beer company, giving what Martin terms a bit more of an “international remit” to the company and his position.

Prior to joining Airbus, Martin was head of compensation and benefits at Rexam in the UK and a former head of group benefits at UK chemical firm, Zeneca.