A DIFFERENT CONFERENCE EXEPRIENCE

Our conference registration is now open, we encourage you to book as early as possible because we have had to limit the number of in-person attendees.  For the registration please click here.

Acknowledging that we will in all likelihood still be living with the Covid pandemic and taking into account the stricter health protocols we need to adhere to, we are hosting a single day conference for 200 in-person delegates per day, over 4 days. We also have a virtual attendance option for those who prefer to attend online. The same conference programme will be presented on each of the 4 conference days. All delegates will have online access to all four days of the conference to allow them to view any session they miss.

The conference will run on Monday 8 November and Tuesday 9 November 2021 at Emperors’ Palace in Johannesburg. And then again on Wednesday 10 November and Thursday 11 November 2021 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

More information about the conference can be found on the conference website, please click here to access the site.

THEME: THE RETIREMENT INDUSTRY BEYOND COVID – LESSONS FOR A NEW WORLD

A long time ago a philosopher called Heraclitus said: “The Only Constant in Life Is Change.” Over the last two years we have learnt that some changes are beyond our wildest imaginings. “Covid-19 has thrown out all of our maps. But far too many of us are still committed, consciously or not, to use the old map. We can’t make the map we had for the old world magically work for this new world through some form of wish fulfilment” (Jon Foster-Pedley).

As leaders we need to “see” a new world based on the circumstances created by the Covid pandemic. The pandemic has made the world even more difficult for those most in need. At this conference we aim to provide a forum for leaders to learn how to adapt to change and take up the opportunities presented in a time of crisis. In our June 2021 Imbizo we looked at some of the investment opportunities that are aimed at elevating poverty, inequality and in particular gender-based inequality, the climate crisis and other issues impacting on our daily lives. We want to continue looking at how investing can generate the returns needed by retirement funds and also create a better world for all. Especially for members and their communities.

The South Africa Government has done a great deal to try and address the problems of poverty and inequality and has been successful in providing a buffer, however this has not led to creating a prosperous and entrepreneurial society. For this reason, we also want to consider how retirement funds can invest in social infrastructure, e.g. healthcare, schooling, childcare. Including these investment opportunities in the universe of infrastructure investing will enable members and their communities to see and experience the impact of their investments in their daily lives and hopefully also create an environment that leads to economic growth.

We need to be aware of our need to develop new perspectives and skills to be effective leaders. Allowing us to navigate an ever changing world and recognise new opportunities for investing for a better world will ensure that we can become more deserving leaders for the people we serve.

ENSURING QUALITY CONTENT: CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) ACCREDICATION

Many delegates and sponsors want some form of assurance of the quality of the conference content. The IRFA is not a professional association and as such we have partnered with the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) to accredit our events for FAIS based CPD. For this reason we are requesting all our speakers to adhere to the FPI guidelines when developing their content.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

Our recent experience has taught us to take health issues seriously. The venues where we are hosting the face-to-face delegates, exhibitors and speakers have developed world class health protocols. For more information on the protocols for the Johannesburg and Cape Town venues please click here.

We are constantly reviewing the conference health protocols to ensure that we can welcome all attendees safely.

Virtual attendance is FREE for SAVCA members.