CEO Update, November 2025

By Kate Farrar, Chief Executive Officer, Brighter Super

3 November 2025

It’s been a positive and rewarding start to the financial year for Brighter Super members. Our long-term diversified investment approach continues to serve us well – managing risk, finding opportunities and helping members grow their super steadily over time.

This approach has helped us navigate last year’s volatility and turn recent improving conditions into strong results for members. It’s a strategy that keeps delivering, with our Growth option ranked #1 in its SuperRatings index for rolling seven years, for Accumulation and Pension accounts¹.

I encourage you to stay informed with our regular investment updates.

As we move further into the financial year, I’m proud of the results we’ve achieved and the progress we’re making across the fund.

In this update, I want to share some of the new services and initiatives that are supporting our members’ super growth and retirement outcomes. I’ll also reflect on the farewells of two leaders who have made outstanding contributions to Brighter Super’s success.

Brighter Super awarded the Epic Retirement Tick 2025

Brighter Super is proud to be one of only six super funds in Australia to receive the new Epic Retirement Tick in 2025/26².

The Epic Retirement Tick was created by retirement expert and bestselling author Bec Wilson, in partnership with research firm Chant West. It’s an independent benchmark that recognises funds that are well prepared to support members as they approach and move into retirement.

The assessment covers key factors such as fair fees, strong retirement income products, quality advice and guidance, and tailored investment options.

We’re delighted to be recognised as one of only six funds that meet Bec Wilson’s retirement-ready benchmark. Earning the Epic Retirement Tick reflects our commitment to helping members retire with confidence through the right products, tools and support.

This recognition reinforces that Brighter Super is built for retirement – and ready to support members through every stage of life.

Looking ahead to the Annual Members’ Meeting

I look forward to presenting a review of the last financial year and the future direction of the fund at the 2025 Annual Members’ Meeting. The event will be held on Thursday 20 November, 12.00 pm at Brisbane City Hall and broadcast live online.

My team and I always appreciate spending this time with our members, sharing ideas and listening to feedback.

Invitations have been sent to all Brighter Super members. For further information and registrations, visit brightersuper.com.au/AMM.

As usual, the Annual Members’ Report 2024/25 and Annual Financial Report 2024/25 have been published ahead of the meeting. Both documents are available to download at brightersuper.com.au/annual report.

Growing our fund, sharing our story

I’m proud to share that for the first time, you’ll see Brighter Super on TV as part of our new advertising campaign – a celebration of who we are as a fund and the value we deliver to our members every day.

This campaign is about showing that Brighter Super is right by your side at every stage of life – from growing your super to enjoying your retirement. It reflects our commitment to helping you see your future with greater clarity and confidence.

Set to the uplifting anthem I Can See Clearly Now, the ad features people relaxing in red hammocks gliding across Queensland’s beautiful landscapes. It’s a simple but powerful symbol of stability, optimism and the confidence that comes from knowing your super is in good hands.

While we take great pride in sharing our story more widely, we’re doing so responsibly. Brighter Super’s marketing and advertising spending remains at just 0.01% of our funds under management – well below the industry average – so you can be confident we’re promoting the fund carefully while continuing to deliver strong value.

As we grow, our focus remains on what matters most: keeping fees low, expanding investment opportunities, and maintaining the personal service and advice that sets Brighter Super apart.

Improving how we deliver financial advice

We believe every member should retire with the help of financial advice, because it can make a real difference to retirement outcomes. That’s why we’re making our advice services even more accessible, affordable and easier to navigate.

Over the coming months, you will see a number of improvements introduced, including simpler service names.

• Super Advice – previously called Single Issue or Intrafund Advice.
• Retirement Advice – previously Scaled or Comprehensive Advice.

These updates make it easier for members to understand their options and find the right support when they need it.

We’ve also introduced a new Advice Coordinator team to help connect members with the right type of advice. They’ll help collect information, book appointments and guide members as they prepare for their advice sessions.

In great news, the $330 fee for the Retirement Health Check has been removed, making it available at no additional cost – just like our Super Health Check.

We’ve also introduced a new fee structure that will reduce the average cost of Retirement Advice by around 47%³, with fees still payable directly from your super account.

These changes are the first steps in making our advice services more flexible, so you can feel confident and informed when planning your financial future.

More information about our new advice services will be available on our website soon.

Improving how you connect with your super

We’ve updated our Brighter Super mobile app to make it easier for you to access your account information. You can now open Member Online directly within the app and stay signed in – no need to log in again each time.

We’ve also added performance and feature enhancements based on member feedback and usage data, to make your experience even smoother.

The latest version of the app is now available in the Google Play and Apple App Store. If you already use the app, you’ll be prompted to update it through the usual process.

Partnering with SuperChoice to prepare for Payday Super

Australians will soon receive their super more regularly, thanks to new Payday Super rules coming in 2026. These changes will require employers to pay super at the same time as wages, helping members grow their savings faster and keep track of their super more easily.

Many of our members already have their contributions paid at the same time as their wages, so there’ll be no change for them. But for those who don’t, the Government’s new measures will be welcome news – receiving contributions earlier means more potential for investment growth.

Brighter Super is well prepared for these changes and has partnered with SuperChoice, a provider of secure clearing house services. This partnership will help employers make the shift smoothly and ensure payments reach members quickly and safely.

SuperChoice’s platform offers strong security and automated features that simplify payroll processes. We’ll work closely with employers to make the transition seamless, so members receive their super quickly and securely.

Payday Super is a big step forward for Australia’s super system – and we’re ready to help our employers, and our members, make the most of it.

A fond farewell to our Chair, John Smith

This will be the final year for John Smith as Chair of Brighter Super’s Board of Directors. After 12 years of outstanding service and many significant achievements, John will retire on 1 December 2025.

Appointed Chair in 2016 after three years as an independent director, John brought deep expertise from his 40-year career as a respected actuary and adviser to large super funds and corporations. His extraordinary leadership and steady hand were vital as we completed three strategic mergers, growing Brighter Super into one of Australia’s leading member-owned super funds and Queensland’s fourth largest non-government financial institution.

John has been a driving force behind Brighter Super’s success, guiding the fund through a decade of growth, transformation and strong performance for our members. His focus has always been on members – improving efficiency, reducing fees and strengthening our services and governance. He leaves a lasting legacy of resilience, growth and unwavering care for members.

John is now overseeing a smooth transition as we prepare to welcome the appointment of a new Chair – our current Deputy Chair, Ron Dewhurst, as the new Chair in December 2025.

On behalf of our entire team, I sincerely thank John for his wisdom, partnership, leadership and outstanding contribution to Brighter Super.

Strong foundations for the future as CIO Mark Rider retires

After almost four decades in finance, our Chief Investment Officer, Mark Rider, will retire in December 2025.

Mark has made an outstanding contribution to Brighter Super over the past four years, strengthening our $36 billion investment portfolio⁴ and building a high-performing team that deliver strong results for members.

Under his leadership, most of our major investment options have ranked in the top quartile of their SuperRatings categories compared with other super funds. His disciplined approach has strengthened our governance, reporting and decision-making processes.

We are deeply grateful for Mark’s leadership and the legacy he leaves. He has built a strong foundation that will support our members for many years to come. Our experienced investment team, supported by risk and operations specialists, is well placed to continue striving for strong, long-term returns into the future.

A warm welcome to more Zurich members

Brighter Super welcomed around 68,000 new members from Zurich’s OneCare Super product on 1 October 2025, bringing total membership to about 348,000. Brighter Super also became the trustee for the OneCare Super products following the transfer from OnePath Custodians.

The arrival of these new members followed last year’s addition of 61,000 Zurich insurance-only members. It further strengthens our partnership with one of Australia’s leading insurers.

Our support for insurance-only members began with the acquisition of the Suncorp superannuation business in 2022 and the transfer of SPSL in 2023. These products allow us to offer tailored insurance solutions that aren’t typically available through standard group insurance arrangements.

While insurance-only members don’t bring investment funds into the scheme, their inclusion helps us spread costs across a larger membership base – keeping the fund efficient and delivering better value for everyone.

Looking ahead to a brighter 2026

As we look ahead to 2026, Brighter Super remains focused on supporting you through every stage of life – with strong investment performance, trusted advice and genuine care.

Thank you to all our members for your continued confidence in us. It’s a privilege to help you build a brighter future and support you on your journey to retirement.