Editor's Thoughts.

It’s no secret that I enjoy the work I do so very much. And when I get to spend time with the people in our community it just amplifies that feeling for me by reminding me just how important what we do is.

Nancy Andrews’, newly elected Chair of IRFA, made a comment in her opening address at the IRFA Conference yesterday that struck a chord: retirement funds sit where people’s hopes for the future meet the realities of the present. Just let that sit with you for a moment.

And can we just admit that, in a world of never been seen before geopolitical shocks, market volatility and changing member (human?) expectations, we simply don’t have all the answers? But maybe it’s not about having the answers, maybe the next phase is about asking the right questions. I’ll go first: What is normal anyway?

You can read my highlights from Day 1 under Top Picks.

While you’re mulling over the right questions to ask, watch today’s episode of Beyond Benefits, kindly sponsored by Alexforbes. Financial literacy is the latest buzzword, right? And the standard response is “targeted communication using AI”. In this conversation, Matla Titi (Alexforbes) challenges my thinking: perhaps financial literacy isn’t the actual problem. And Jeremy Chetty (Welltec) talks about the importance of what we do in the real lives of South Africans - making decisions, navigating trade-offs, asking for help and building confidence over time.

Damian McHugh (Momentum Health) makes a similar point about wellbeing. Prevention is not indulgence; it is practical risk management. As he puts it, “burnout has a balance sheet”: looking after your health protects the energy and resilience you need to pursue every other goal. The latest thinking and data insights that we’re starting to see is: your health sets the foundation for your wealth – but more about that another time!

See you at Day 2.

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