Russell Picot became a Director of Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited on 1 February 2021 and became Deputy Chair on 1 September 2021. Russell is also the Chair of the Investment Committee and a member of the Group Audit & Risk Committee.
Russell is a former HSBC Group Chief Accounting Officer with deep experience in pensions and broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) knowledge. He left HSBC in 2016 after more than two decades with the bank. He was appointed as a Trustee of the HSBC pension scheme in 1999, becoming Investment Committee Chair in 2013 and Chair of the Board in 2017. He has since also held a number of significant external appointments including roles with several accounting bodies, Special Adviser to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and a trustee on the Master Trust LifeSight.
He is a chartered accountant and Accredited Professional Pension Trustee.