Principal Officers Association presents awards for top service providers to pension fund industry

Lucretia Mosing (POA),Wanjiru Kirima (Chairperson of POA), Anne-Marie D'Alton (CEO of POA), Alan Committie (MC), Amanda Louw (Old Mutual Corporate Events Manager) and Christo Snyman (POA)

Rachel Tambo, Allan Committie (MC), Dali Tambo, Wanjiru Kirima (Chairperson of the POA) and Fil Concado (Venues Online)

The Principal Officers Association, which represents principal officers of pension and retirement funds around the country, has presented the inaugural “Imbasa Yegolide” (Golden Trophy) awards to the best service providers to the retirement fund industry.

In a joint venture with UK-based Global Pensions, the awards recognise service excellence across 15 different categories with the winners being selected from the nominees.

“While service providers are 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,” says Anne-Marie D’Alton, chief executive officer of the Principal Officers Association, stressing that by law, every pension or retirement fund has to have a principal officer.

“Essentially, we see these awards, which are based on an online survey questionnaire sent to retirement and pension funds, as accolades for professional excellence and to strengthen relationships between pension funds and service providers.”

Seelan Gobalsamy, managing director of Old Mutual Corporate, which co-sponsored the event, says: “The awards will serve as a motivator for industry service providers todo everything possible toensure retirement fund members continuously receive enhancements in value. This will provide the much needed comforts for our members and their loved ones during their times of need. Congratulations to all the winners.”

Keynote speaker at the event, Alex Beveridge from Global Pensions, highlighted the need for pension funds to have top quality principal officers, trustees and service providers that always put the interests of pension fund members first.

Winners: 2009 Imbasa Yegolide Awards