Meet your Trustees
Your Scheme is looked after by 8 Trustees Directors. 4 of them are elected by members, and the other 4 are appointed by the Trustees themselves.
Elected Pensioner Representative Trustee Directors
Elected Trustees are chosen by members. Click on the constituency to see which Trustee represents that area.
BCSSS constituencies
Scotland and North East England
Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire
North West England, West Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland
East Midlands, Southern England and Overseas
BCSSS Appointed Trustees
Appointed Trustee Directors are appointed by the trustees themselves for the skills and experience they bring to the Scheme. Your appointed Trustees are:
Cheryl Agius
Cheryl is Chair of the Trustee Board and a member of the CPT Board, having been appointed on 21 September 2023. Cheryl has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry in both consulting and insurance companies as well as having Plc Board and Regulatory experience. Cheryl has more recently been CEO of General Insurance at Saga and Legal & General. Prior to working in retail insurance, Cheryl previously led the strategic Pension Risk Transfer business at Legal & General and has spent part of her career in pensions and investment consulting at Willis Towers Watson and AON. Cheryl is a Non-Executive Director of Aviva Life Holdings and Chair of Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd. Cheryl is also an actuary and in her spare time can be found on a tennis court or on long walks with her dog.
Eve Finn
Eve is Chair of the Investment Sub-committee, having been appointed on 1 June 2024. Eve has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry across asset management, banking and investment consulting. Most recently, she was CEO of Legal & General Investment Management’s (LGIM) European Investment Management company. Before that she held various leadership roles in LGIM’s Investment division in London. She was also trustee to both the Legal & General Pension Scheme and Legal & General Pension Fund and held pensions investment roles in both Deutsche Bank and Willis Towers Watson during her career. Eve is an actuary and is Non-Executive Director on various asset management, fund company and not-for-profit boards. Eve spends her free time with her family and likes to travel.
Jim Shearer
Jim is Chairman of Administration and Benefits Sub-committee and the Discretions and Appeals Sub-committee. Jim was Commercial Services Director in British Coal having worked in several coalfields, as a Deputy Area Director and Staff Manager. He served as a Trustee of The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO) for 25 years. He has been committed to public service for many years and has been a Trustee of several organisations including a 12 year spell as Chair of the Legal Services Commission Pension Scheme. He became a Trustee of BCSSS so he could continue to serve and support people of the industry. Jim plays golf and tennis and is a Season Ticket holder at Leicester City.
Michael (Mike) Eakins
Mike is Chair of the Risk and Assurance Sub-committee, having been appointed on 1 September 2024. Mike has over 25 years experience in the financial services sector, including asset management, banking and insurance. Mike is currently the Chief Investment Officer of the Phoenix Group plc, the UK’s largest long term savings and retirement provider, managing over £270bn of assets, on behalf of 12 million customers. Prior to joining Phoenix, Mike was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he spent over 14 years undertaking a variety of client facing roles, including M&A, running UK Fixed Income and responsible for Goldman Sachs Pension and Insurance business across Europe. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mike qualified as an Actuary with EY. Mike is married with 3 children. Mike enjoys all sports, particularly golf, football, where he is a season ticket holder at Fulham FC.
BCSSS Elected Trustees
James Grant
James Grant is the Pensioner Representative for Scotland and North East England. James is a member of the Administration and Benefits Sub-committee, the Risk and Assurance Sub-committee, and the Discretions and Appeals Sub-committee. James started in Bedlay Colliery at age 16, worked on the coalface from age 18 and later became a full-time Mines Rescue Brigadesman. After leaving the industry, he gained a Master of Science degree in IT, was an IT Manager for 15 years and ran his own IT business for 8 years. Now that he can no longer walk the long-distance trails, climb Munros or play football, his time is spent reading, cooking, and doing what he promised when elected - serving members to the best of his ability.
Bleddyn Hancock
Bleddyn Hancock has been the Pensioner Representative Trustee for North West England, West Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland since 1995. Bleddyn is a member of the Investment Sub-committee. Bleddyn became a Trustee so he could use his experience as a Scheme member and trade union official for the benefit of Scheme members. Bleddyn enjoys reading, history, walking and war gaming.
John Owen
John Owen was elected as the Pensioner Representative Trustee for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in July 2022 and is a member of the Administration and Benefits Sub-committee and the Discretions and Appeals Sub-committee. John worked in the mining industry for 32 years, serving as a trade union official during that time, and was a Trustee of the Scheme previously from 1992 to 1994. John became a Trustee for a second time to use his previous experience to try and achieve the best for members. John enjoys spending time with his family and is kept busy by his seven grandsons.
David Griffiths
David Griffiths was elected as the Pensioner Representative Trustee for the East Midlands, Southern England and Overseas constituency in October 2022 and is a member of the Investment Sub-committee and the Risk and Assurance Sub-committee. David worked at Hucknall, Pye Hill, Moorgreen and Thoresby Collieries during his time in the mining industry. Upon leaving the mining industry, David qualified and practised as a Barrister, Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator, practising mainly in commercial law. David’s legal background will be advantageous in helping to ensure that the Trustees remain compliant with the increasing amounts of legislation and regulation which impact the Scheme. David enjoys walking and renovating classic cars.
