It has been almost a decade since the Paris Accords were adopted by over 190 countries. The global agreement to a climate risk transition, to be actioned through various policies, including in some cases, bans on the sales of petrol and diesel fueled...
I. The spark that lit the fire Much like Apple's iconic iPhone revolutionised mobile computing by making sophisticated technology intuitive and easily accessible, the public unveiling of ChatGPT in November 2022 introduced the power of generative artificial...
In the world of finance, risk is often portrayed as a mathematical beast, tamed by sophisticated metrics like volatility, beta, or Value at Risk (VaR). These tools measure how much an investment's price swings or the potential for extreme losses in a...
As we celebrate Savings Month in South Africa this July 2025, I am thrilled to announce the launch of EBnet's innovative Kids Menu – a dedicated online resource designed to foster a culture of saving among families. This new initiative, accessible at...
We have recently seen a series of impactful legal and regulatory developments that reflect a continued shift toward greater accountability, legal clarity, and modernised regulatory oversight. This update outlines several of the most significant changes...
We are living through great transformation in the financial planning profession. Technology, once a back-office tool, has now moved to the forefront, reshaping how financial planners communicate, analyse, and serve their clients. From AI advice engines to...
The Institute of Retirement Funds Africa (IRFA) has accomplished a great deal over its years of service to the retirement sector, through extensive strategy and operational development fully aligned with the South African (and to some extent the continental)...
Background The case concerned a funeral policy with Liberty Life (“the insurer”). The complainant was the beneficiary and premium payer. Ms R was both the policyholder and the life assured. Ms R (“the deceased”) died some 12 months after the policy was...
In the first part of this article around annuitisation (“Let's talk about annuitisation – Part I” featured in Pensions World Q4 2024), we discussed the need for trustees to review the annuity strategies and products available to members in light of the...
Umbrella trusts and beneficiary funds house the assets left to minor dependents; the source of the assets can be retirement fund death benefits in the case of beneficiary funds or testamentary and other non-retirement fund payouts in the case of trusts....