The Association of Member-Directed Pension Schemes (AMPS), the trade body for SSAS and SIPP providers, today announced Andrew Roberts of Barnett Waddingham LLP as its new chairman.

Mr Roberts said: “I am pleased to be given the opportunity to represent the members of AMPS and to continue the good work of my predecessors.  Our focus this year will be to continue to work closely with HMRC and the FSA so that the underlying pension investors can have confidence in the self invested pensions industry.

“The economy depends on the success of small to medium businesses and many of these rely on the support of their directors’ pension schemes, no more so than during such tough economic times.

“AMPS lobbied the previous Government to allow more use of SSAS and SIPP funds to support SMEs and we will be looking at this again as the current Chancellor seems to acknowledge that smaller companies are not getting the support they need from commercial lenders.”

Neil MacGillivray, of James Hay, has taken up the role of Honorary Secretary, with Elaine Turtle of DP Pensions and Geoff Buck of Killik & Co acting as Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary respectively.

AMPS is holding a compliance conference on the 19th November 2011 in London and plans are well under way for the annual members’ conference in May 2012.

Those involved in the self invested pensions industry who are not members can join the Association for £200 per year.

AMPS is the trade body that looks solely after self-invested pensions, or member-directed pension schemes to give them their proper title, such as Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPS) and Small Self Administered Schemes (SSASs).

AMPS has in excess of 200 member firms representing all parts of the industry: SIPP providers, SSAS practitioners, pension lawyers, software developers, banks and investment houses. Amongst are our members are some of the largest pension providers but also some boutique firms. AMPS is run by a committee elected from representatives of member firms by the membership.