Are umbrella funds truly delivering on their promises, or are they falling short of providing the value members deser

Loading player...
For many employers, umbrella funds promise simplicity, cost-effectiveness and the benefits of scale. But beneath the surface, there are pressing concerns.
Critics have pointed out issues ranging from hidden costs to limited transparency. Employers often focus solely on administration fees, overlooking other significant expenses like investment fees, which can leave their staff worse off financially.

There’s also the question of who truly benefits from economies of scale. Is it the member, or is it the fund sponsor and service providers? And, as the market grows more complex, advisers and consultants face challenges in being able to see through the marketing to provide sound, impartial advice.

To help us unpack these issues, we’re joined by Andrew Crawford, CEO of Seshego Benefit Consulting, an expert in retirement fund solutions and a thought leader who’s been very vocal about the need for greater transparency and accountability in the umbrella fund space.
6 Dec 2024 English South Africa Investing

Other recent episodes

Retiring in Africa: Cross-border lessons on building inclusive pension systems

In this special Money, Markets, and Masterminds roundtable, we take retirement planning beyond South Africa’s borders. Host Ruan Jooste is joined by Mtho Ncube, wealth manager and employee benefits consultant at GTC in Johannesburg; LeRoy Otenyo, employee and retirement benefits consultant at Zamara Group in Kenya; and Edmond Ade, certified…
14 Aug 46 min

How South Africa can fast-track growth

In the latest Money, Markets, and Masterminds Long Game episode, economist and investment strategist Adrian Saville shares an evidence-based blueprint for transforming South Africa’s economy. Drawing on six decades of global data, he argues that high savings and investment rates, greater economic openness, and targeted sector development could halve unemployment…
13 Aug 22 min

Mind Over Markets: Is the tide turning for US dominance?

Emerging markets are making waves — and South Africa is riding high. In the latest Money, Markets, and Masterminds podcast, Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste is joined by Sean Neethling, Head of Investments at Morningstar South Africa, to unpack why the MSCI EM Index is booming, how global capital…
4 Aug 20 min

What does it really cost to deliver financial advice?

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste is joined by Theoniel McDonald, Head of Financial Planning at Carmel Wealth, senior adviser at Wealth Associates, and a director at the Financial Intermediaries Association. McDonald recently spent eight months building a full cost-to-service model for…
25 Jul 15 min

When doing nothing is the smartest move

In a market obsessed with momentum and noise, standing still can feel like failure. But what if that’s the smartest move? In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, investment strategist and GIBS professor Adrian Saville returns to unpack the behavioural traps investors fall into, the global macro shifts reshaping…
21 Jul 23 min