Ben has advised on pension and employee benefits since 2000 (and in the Isle of Man since 2003). He has extensive experience in occupational and personal pension schemes, both domestic and international. Ben advises upon the establishment, maintenance, restructuring, insolvency and winding-up of pension schemes (domestic and international) as well as providing pensions support for corporate transactions. He advises the Island’s larger defined benefit occupational schemes and acts for major multinationals, publicly listed corporations, banks, insurers, pension providers, and the Isle of Man Government.
Ben works closely with leading UK and American law firms and has assisted the Isle of Man in the drafting of pension and tax legislation. In addition to pension law, Ben advises upon employee share and performance plans, as well as wider trust matters.
Ben is a member of the Association of Pensions Lawyers and an associate member of the Association of Pension Scheme Providers.
Expertise
- Pensions
- Insurance
- Employee incentives
- Trusts
Experience
- Principal Isle of Man adviser on an application to the Isle of Man High Court under section 61 of the Trustee Act 1961 to obtain directions regarding the distribution of assets of an insolvent scheme subject to the statutory priority order.
- Principal adviser in the re-domiciling of a US$6 billion pension scheme fund from Bermuda into the Isle of Man.
- Principal adviser in respect of the winding-up of an insolvent bank’s defined benefit pension scheme (effecting the Isle of Man’s first insured buy-out for 20 years).
- Principal Isle of Man adviser on the solvent winding-up and buy-out of a number of banks and building societies.
- Principal Isle of Man adviser in a multiple scheme and multi-jurisdictional merger that resulted in a £1 billion fund.
- Advised upon multiple rewrites of governing scheme documentation and booklets.
- Advised on various technical regulatory matters including employer debt, sectionalisation, ring-fencing, and priority order issues.
- Drafted and established multiple international retirement benefit schemes.
- Currently appointed as Isle of Man counsel for the trustee boards of the largest non-public-sector defined benefit schemes in the Isle of Man.
- Acts for the Public Sector Pensions Authority in respect of the Isle of Man Government Unified Pension Scheme as well as other statutory boards.
- Advised Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited (Aviva) with regard to its engagement with the Financial Services Authority in the context of managing the commercial impact upon Aviva of proposed changes to the Manx regulatory regimes affecting Aviva’s offerings in the Isle of Man.
- Advised Four Seasons in respect of legacy benefit issues relating to potential claims in respect of the International Four Seasons Hotels Retirement Benefit Plan
- Advised the trustees of the Iloman Engineering Pension Scheme with regard to all Isle of Man tax, regulatory, and data protection aspects of the administration of the Scheme.
- Appointed as legal adviser to assist Qatar Airways in the redomiciling of its Qatar Airways International Trust Plan from Guernsey to the Isle of Man. Following the plan’s redomiciling, Keystone act as legal adviser to the trustee in respect of its ongoing administration of the plan.
- Provided Isle of Man advice relating to the sectionalisation of The Royal Bank of Scotland International Pension Trust. This is a joint instruction from RBSI and National Westminster Bank PLC. It will effect a sectionalisation as between active members employed by RBSI and active members employed by NatWest.
- Advised the trustee of the SAL Pension Scheme on all Isle of Man aspects of the RSA Group’s £4 billion buyout of this occupational scheme. We are also advising upon various remedial regulatory and tax work required to enable the buyout to proceed.
- Acted as Isle of Man legal adviser to the NatWest Group Pension Fund and provided advice on all aspects of Isle of Man pensions law as they apply to the UK Scheme. The Fund is a UK defined benefit scheme constituted by £52 billion of assets under management.
- Appointed legal adviser to the $1bn+ Emirates Group Pension Scheme in order to advise the professional trustee on all aspects of the scheme’s administration and provision of end of service benefits.
- Appointed by RIGPS Pension Trustee Limited to advise the trustee on all Isle of Man aspects of the £2.7 billion buy-out being effected with Pension Insurance Corporation plc in order to secure the benefit liabilities of the Royal Insurance Group Pension Scheme.
- Advised one of the largest multinational benefit consultancies with regard to the establishment of an international savings plan in the Middle East for the consultancy’s international staff.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by the Legal 500 2025 for Pensions
Recognised in Best Lawyers (UK) for Employee Share Schemes and Offshore (2014-2025)
Recognised in the Hall of Fame by The Legal 500 for Isle of Man: Insurance and Pensions (2021-2025)
“Ben Hughes is very professional in his manner, thorough in his opinions and calm in his delivery. The reason we deal with Keystone has been due to the relationship and experience of Ben.” The Legal 500 2022
“Ben Hughes knowledge of pensions legislation, related tax laws and ability to apply his knowledge in a practical and understandable way is second to none.” The Legal 500 2022
“The key advocate is Ben Hughes who is the leading pension adviser on the Isle of Man. He has an in-depth knowledge of Manx pension law and regulations and can call on support for UK matters as required. He is pragmatic in his advice.” The Legal 500 2022
“Ben Hughes has been invaluable in our recent pension merger transaction. His engagement with the opposite parties has been excellent and he has met all scheduled deadlines, even where these have been extremely demanding.” The Legal 500 2022
“Ben Hughes is used extensively for pensions advice. Widely regarded as THE pensions expert in the Isle of Man, he provides practical advice in a very responsive manner and is always approachable.” Legal 500 2021
‘Detailed and practical knowledge of Isle of Man pensions legislation, trusteeship and employee benefits. Ben Hughes is an acknowledged expert in this field and is readily available for support and advice. Professional experience. In-depth knowledge.’ Legal 500 2021
Listed as a Recognised Practitioner in Chambers UK 2020 for Offshore: Employment
Recognised as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 2020 for Isle of Man: Insurance and Pensions
“Ben Hughes is a pleasure to work with.” Legal 500 2020
“Ben Hughes is a renowned specialist in the pensions sector- always available, extremely knowledgeable and able to explain complex matters comprehensively.” Legal 500 2020
Recognised Practitioner for Offshore: Employment in Chambers UK 2019
Recognised as a Leading Individual by the Legal 500 2018 for Isle of Man: Insurance and Pensions
Recognised by the Legal 500 2018 for Isle of Man: Employment
“Pensions law expert” Legal 500 2018
Ben is named as a Leading Individual by the Legal 500 2017 for Insurance & Pensions.
Ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 Insurance and Pensions (2016)
Head of Cains’ Insurance and Pensions Department Isle of Man (Ranked Tier 1, Legal 500)
Who’s Who Legal 100 (leading practitioner for the Isle of Man)
Corporate International’s Magazine’s Global Award: Pensions Law Firm of the Year (Isle of Man) 2014, 2015 and 2016
Global Law Experts: Pensions Law Firm of the Year (Isle of Man) 2014 and 2015
ACQ Global Awards: Pensions Law Firm of the Year (Isle of Man) 2014
Publications
- Money Media, ‘Employee Benefits and the John Lewis Economy’
- Isle of Man Portfolio, ‘”Robespierre” Osborne and the Pensions Revolution: its implications for Isle of Man pensions’
Professional associations/memberships
- Member of the UK’s Association of Pension Lawyers
- Associate Member and Adviser to the Isle of Man’s Association of Pension Scheme Administrators
Career
Ben qualified as a solicitor in 2000. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2016, he worked at the following firms:
- Cains
- Denton Wilde Sapte