60 second interview with John Paino

We caught up with John Paino, our newly elected Pensioner Nominated Trustee, to talk to him about his career with the Prudential and how he fills his time now he’s retired.

John congratulations on your appointment as Trustee Director, how have you found the first few weeks in the role?

JP: So far very enjoyable, I have an operational HR background and some pensions knowledge, having worked with PSPS over the last few years, but being a pension scheme Trustee requires a vast amount of knowledge, I am certainly at the start of a steep learning curve.

Great to hear you’re settling in to the role. Before you retired you worked for Prudential for around 36 years, I am sure a lot of our members already know you, however for the benefit of those that don’t can you tell us a little about your Prudential career.

JP: Of course, my background is in operational management with a focus on business transformation.  I managed the transition of services from the UK to Belfast and the creation of our Indian offshore operations in 2002. I was also a member of board of PPMS prior to my retirement. My involvement with HR started in 2007. I was asked to help stabilise the operational aspects of Prudential’s HR functions, this was sold to me as a six week assignment however once the transformation was complete I was asked to remain within HR to oversee delivery. That’s where I then stayed until the last year of my career where I had a commercial role overseeing Prudential UK’s property and procurement portfolios.     

Sounds like you had a fulfilling and varied career. Now you’re retired how do you fill your days?

JP: I have always enjoyed sport; football and boxing especially, however in recent years horse racing and golf are major hobbies of mine.

Horseracing, is this as a spectator or are you more involved, for example in ownership?

JP: Very much a spectator and a contributor to the bookies holiday fund. My other passion is travel, I have always had my annual golf and sailing trips, however retirement has allowed me to plan to see the world, this year we went to India and we also plan to visit South East Asia and South Africa.

You really are travelling the world! I understand you are involved in a London charity, can you tell us a little more about that?

JP: Yes of course, through the Pilotlight programme I became involved with the Castlehaven Community Association. Castlehaven is a charity focused on the needs of disadvantaged people in the Camden area of London.  I am a Trustee, sitting on two of their committees, one focused on HR issues and the other on business development.  I feel very lucky having spent the majority of my working career at Prudential, working with Castlehaven has given me the chance to really understand what life is like for those who are less advantaged.

John, thank you for finding the time to talk to us today, I look forward to catching up with you again in the near future.