The Universities Superannuation Scheme has recruited a pensions consumer champion and former Fidelity director as its strategy chief, as it moves to put greater emphasis on its new defined contribution scheme for academics.

Alan Higham, a former PwC partner and UK government adviser, is a pensions and annuity expert who has founded two business: Higham Group, an actuarial firm that was sold to Capita in 2007, and Retirement Angels, which he set up in 2010 and sold to Fidelity International in 2014.