Principal Officers Association announces nominees and judges for awards for top service providers to pension fund industry

The Principal Officers Association, which represents principal officers of retirement funds around the country, has announced 61 nominees for its upcoming “Imbasa Yegolide” (Golden Trophy) awards to be presented to the top service providers to the retirement fund industry.

In addition, it has announced 10 local and seven international judges for the awards.

The awards, which are to be presented for the first time in South Africa in a joint venture with UK-based publisher Global Pensions, recognise service excellence in 16 different categories, as listed below. Nominees feature several of the best known names in the South Africa retirement and financial services industries.

Local judges include: Allan Greenblo, editorial director of Today’s Trustee; Rob Rusconi, a well-known actuarial consultant; Isaac Ramputa, Assistant General Secretary of the South African Society of Banking Officials; Jan Mahlangu, co-ordinator of pension and provident fund policy at Cosatu; Andries Wahl, President of the Retirement Fund Institute of Namibia; Rhonda Stewart, an independent trustee at Stratfund; Angela Weinstein, a consultant at The Advisory Group; Eugene Modiha, a director of the African Institute of Chartered Accountants; Shantha Padayachee, curator of the Command Provident Fund; and Stephen Cranston, a senior journalist at the Financial Mail.

The international judges comprise several experienced professionals involved in the UK pension fund industry.

“We believe we have an excellent spread of judges who will ensure that the awards are well deserved in each category,” says Anne-Marie D’Alton, CEO of the Principal Officers Association.

“We have received 61 nominations spread across the various categories, indicating that there is a keen industry interest in these inaugural awards.”

While service providers will be lauded through these awards, a major aim of the awards is to highlight the vital role that principal officers play in the pensions industry as they are the main facilitators of everything that takes place involving the board of trustees and service providers.

Established in 2001, the Principal Officers Association has had a full-time staff since 2007, providing services to more than 400 principal officers, some of them running the day-to-day affairs of the biggest pension and retirement funds in South Africa.

The awards will be presented at the Principal Officers Association’s annual conference which takes place on June 8.

List of Nominees

Principal Officers Association

Nominees: 2009 Imbasa Yegolide Awards