Rothesay completes £20m scheme buy-in with ABC Cinemas

Written by Michael Griffiths

24/06/2025

Rothesay has completed a £20m full scheme buy-in with the ABC Cinemas Limited Pension Scheme, securing the benefits of all scheme members.

The scheme is sponsored by ABC Cinemas, a subsidiary of Odeon Cinemas Group.

Rothesay revealed that the transaction completed in March this year, and that the trustee board included Vidett, with Mercer as lead risk transfer transaction adviser on the deal, and Pinsent Masons providing legal advice to the trustees.

Business development at Rothesay, Simon Bramwell, described the pension risk transfer market as “vibrant” and suggested Rothesay’s latest successful transaction demonstrates that “schemes of all sizes” can secure the future for their members with an insurer.

“Rothesay is committed to providing innovative and bespoke de-risking solutions, delivering on our purpose of protecting pensions and investing in award-winning levels of customer service,” Bramwell said.

Chair of the trustees, Kate Leigh, commented: “I am delighted to have been involved in this successful transaction which achieved such a positive result for the members of this scheme.

“The speed at which we were able to transact with Rothesay is testament to the dedication of my co-trustees, the collaborative and engaged support from the sponsoring company and the hard work of all our advisers – Mercer, Aon and Pinsent Masons. It has been a real team effort.”

Partner at Mercer, Maurice Speer, added: “The risk transfer market for schemes of this size is continually evolving, with more choice available in the market.

“Insurers are looking to differentiate their offering for all schemes, providing trustees and sponsors more choice, better pricing and more favourable terms. This £20m transaction demonstrates that wider choice can lead to strong outcomes for scheme members.”

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