Equip brings together the Dutch pension sector

Looking Back at Our Utrecht Event

On Friday, 31 October, Equip hosted its first gathering for key players in the Dutch pension sector, held in the Sky Lounge of Van der Valk Utrecht. After many successful events for the HR community, this was an exciting moment for us: would the pension world be open to a fresh perspective on decision guidance and financial planning?

The answer became clear as soon as the room filled with representatives from insurers, pension funds, advisors, and the AFM: yes - very much so.

The Growing Need for Financial Guidance

The central theme of the morning was unmistakable: employees today have more choices than ever, yet less clarity than ever. With the introduction of the Future of Pensions Act (Wtp), more responsibility is shifting to the individual participant. That creates opportunities, but it also requires clear and accessible guidance.

Chris Baelemans (former CEO of Welten Group, founder of Dukers & Baelemans) kicked off the morning by sharing his vision for the future of the pension advisory profession. He outlined how intermediaries and pension advisors have a crucial role in helping employees navigate financial decisions that are becoming increasingly complex - and increasingly impactful.

Practical Insights: Equip’s Role

We then demonstrated how Equip helps organizations make pension guidance and communication scalable, understandable, and ready for the future.

For intermediaries working with employers, this offers a practical way to answer common questions and truly help employees move forward.

During the presentation, many attendees immediately recognized the challenges. Nearly every advisor noted a growing demand for financial planning and clear explanations - especially now that employees must make their own decisions about investment risk, phasing in and out, fixed vs. variable benefits, and topics such as survivor’s pensions.

The Impact of the New Pension Legislation

The Wtp does more than change the pension system; it changes what employees expect. These shifts require a new approach:

• Clear communication that everyone can understand

• Personal guidance, not just generic explanations

• A link between pension and the broader financial situation - from savings to housing to insurance

• Ongoing support, not a one-off presentation

Intermediaries and advisors therefore play a more critical role than ever. And that is exactly where Equip supports them: we ensure that employees have access to financial knowledge and expertise in a way that is understandable, accessible, and directly applicable.

Networking with Impact

After the presentation, there was plenty of time to exchange experiences. Many advisors shared that they want to expand their services into financial planning but are looking for a scalable and professional way to do so - one that also makes sense from a business perspective.

It was inspiring to see how many organizations share the same ambition: helping employees make better financial decisions, not just for their pension, but for their entire financial life.