Standard Life chief executive David Nish today described its auto-enrolment business as “a central plank” in the future development of the customer base, but refused to be drawn on further departures at new acquisition Ignis.

Nish was speaking after announcing the Edinburgh-based company's first-half operating profit. The group revealed it had won 1,018 new corporate schemes through its auto-enrolment services "Good to Go" and "Good to Go Express". Its UK business is now responsible for 1.5 million workplace customers.