EasyRetire has been recognised as one of the Top 3 entries in the Innovation category at the 2026 Institute of Retirement Funds Africa (IRFA) Awards, placing the business among some of the leading innovators in South Africa’s retirement fund industry.
In a sector managing around R6 trillion in retirement assets, innovation that makes retirement savings easier to understand, access and engage with has never been more important. The recognition comes as the industry navigates a rapidly changing environment shaped by new regulations, technology, and evolving member expectations.
The recognition formed part of IRFA’s The New Normal Challenge, which invited retirement funds and administrators to demonstrate how they are adapting to change and rethinking the way they communicate with and educate members.
For EasyRetire, the introduction of the Two-Pot Retirement System provided an opportunity to do more than simply explain a significant legislative change. The focus was on helping members understand the consequences of their choices and giving them the tools and information to make more informed decisions about their retirement savings.
EasyRetire’s approach rests on a key distinction: communication informs, but education helps people act on that information. This shaped how EasyRetire supported members through Two-Pot, meeting decision moments with accessible digital content, in-portal guidance, automated updates, and support channels, continuously refined based on member behaviour and questions.
The results speak for themselves: across the first three tax years after Two-Pot’s introduction, member preservation rates rose from 58.4% to 81.4%, disinvestment exposure declined significantly, and the initial rush to withdraw gave way to more considered decisions.
These learnings now inform EasyRetire’s platform development, aimed at giving members clearer visibility of their savings, a better understanding of future outcomes, and easier ways to act
Nicola Comninos, CEO of EasyRetire, says the recognition reflects the team’s commitment to changing the way people experience retirement planning: “I’m incredibly proud of the EasyRetire team and the innovative solutions we’ve built for the retirement fund industry since launching as an EasyEquities business in 2019. To echo our Group CEO Charles Savage: at Easy, we build for everyday South Africans, and members of retirement funds are exactly that. That’s why we’re committed to creating user-friendly tools that make preparing for retirement more accessible, engaging and empowering.
“We want to help move the needle from only 6% of South Africans retiring comfortably towards a future where financial freedom is within reach for all of us. This recognition reinforces our belief that retirement planning can be simpler, more engaging and, dare I say, even fun.”
The achievement adds to a strong track record of recognition across the Group, including EasyRetire being awarded the Golden Arrow Award in PMR.africa’s 2026 National Survey on Employee Benefit Administrators and Consultants, rated Outstanding – 1st Overall in Investment Products. Other recent accolades include our Head of Risk & Compliance at Purple Group being named Compliance Officer of the Year, our Head of Legal being selected for The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: South Africa 2026, and being named Finest General Counsel of the Year: Financial Services at the Legal Era Africa Legal Awards 2025–2026.
For our clients, this reflects the depth of capability behind the solutions and services we deliver - combining innovation with specialist expertise and a continued focus on finding better ways to serve their members.
“These achievements reflect the depth of expertise and commitment across our business. Ultimately, that benefits our clients too - giving them confidence that they are partnering with teams that are continually raising the bar, challenging the status quo and finding better ways to serve their members,” Nicola added.
EasyRetire is the retirement business of EasyEquities and Purple Group, providing regulated retirement fund administration and investment management. It operates under a Section 13B licence and holds CAT I and CAT II FAIS licences, supporting the administration and professional management of members’ retirement investments.
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