When I opened the IRFA Conference 2026 in Cape Town earlier in September, I did so with a profound sense of responsibility. It was my first official engagement as Chairperson of the Institute of Retirement Funds Africa, and a reminder that leadership in our sector is never an individual undertaking. It is shared: strengthened by experience, a willingness to listen and a common commitment to doing the right thing.
The conference theme, “A New World – A New Normal,” captures the reality facing retirement funds today. Funds stand at the meeting point of people’s hopes for a secure future and the economic, social and policy realities of the present. Markets are shifting, regulation is evolving, technology is changing how work and communication happens, and members’ expectations are rising. These forces make our work more demanding – but they also give us an opportunity to renew our focus on what matters most: sound judgement, responsible stewardship and better retirement outcomes.
Better decisions in a changing environment
The central task for trustees, principal officers, administrators, service providers and all those involved in the retirement fund ecosystem is not to find one simple answer to a complex environment. Rather, it is to ask the right questions, weigh evidence carefully and act with members’ long-term interests in mind.
The future of our industry will be shaped by the conversations we have today and the actions we take tomorrow. Uncertainty can tempt us to react to the latest development or to focus only on immediate pressures, but good stewardship requires a long terms perspective. By challenging our assumptions and staying focused on member outcomes, we can make sound decisions in governance, investments and operations that safeguard the savings entrusted to us and help shape a stronger future for our industry.
Robust processes matter, but process alone is not enough. Sound decisions depend on capable people exercising judgement with integrity and accountability. They depend on governance that does more than comply with requirements: governance that creates the conditions for informed debate, constructive challenge and clear responsibility for the consequences of our choices.
That is why industry forums such as the IRFA Conference remain so valuable. They create space to learn from experience, challenge our thinking and build the confidence needed to lead well.
Keeping members at the centre
Keeping members at the centre means ensuring that the member experience remains firmly in view as we respond to change. Technology, service and communication are reshaping how easily people can understand their choices and engage with their retirement savings.
Technology may change how we serve members, but it should never change why we serve them. This question is relevant whether we are considering a new digital service, reviewing member communications, designing governance practices or assessing the way in which benefits are administered. Technical sophistication is valuable only when it helps people make more informed decisions, improves access or strengthens trust.
This calls on us to communicate clearly. Retirement saving can feel remote or difficult to navigate, particularly when members are trying to balance present-day financial pressures with their long-term needs.
An African industry voice
The African perspective is central to this conversation. Countries across our continent face different circumstances, but we share an ambition to build retirement systems that inspire confidence and extend opportunity. There is significant value in connecting ideas and experience across borders, exchanging practical knowledge and ensuring that the industry’s voice is heard in the discussions that shape its future.
The IRFA has an important role to play in that work. As an association that represents and promotes the interests of the retirement industry in South Africa and across the continent, the Institute can help bring stakeholders together around the issues that matter most to funds and their members.
The principles I bring to the role of Chairperson are advocacy, education and service. Advocacy means representing the industry thoughtfully and speaking up for approaches that serve members’ best interests. Education means helping to build the capability of trustees and others entrusted with significant responsibilities, while also supporting members to understand the choices that affect their futures. Service means leading with integrity and accountability, while remembering that the expertise we hold carries a responsibility to those who place their trust in us.
These principles will guide the IRFA as we continue to create opportunities for dialogue, learning and collaboration.
Confidence for the future
The measure of our success will not be the quality of our discussions alone. It will be whether those discussions help us to make better decisions, improve the way we serve members and build greater confidence in the future.
The challenges ahead are real. But so too is the collective capability within our industry. By acting with sound judgement, embracing constructive challenges and keeping members at the centre of every decision, we can meet a new world and a new normal in a way that honours the trust placed in us.