#21. Co-hosts Sarah Penn and Neil Benson host David Bell, Executive Director at Conexus Institute.

• Industry growth: Superannuation assets grew by 12% last year, mostly from strong investment returns. Four funds are now “mega funds” with over $200 billion AUM.
• Mergers and consolidation: Fund mergers continue to shape the sector. Aware’s merger with TelstraSuper tipped it into mega fund status.
• Flow dynamics: Natural flows (member contributions) are steady, but competitive flows are increasingly advisor-led with platforms gaining pace.
• Advisor-driven switching: More than half of asset switches are now influenced by advisers, with platforms offering efficiency and adviser-friendly features.
• Marketing spend: Funds increased marketing by 10%, but there's little evidence it’s driving competitive inflows. Most spend is defensive—trying to stem outflows.
• Retirement focus: Demographics highlight 40% of assets held by members 55+. Funds are investing in retirement products and guidance, but competitive barriers remain for retaining members approaching retirement.
• SMSF trends: SMSFs are seeing net growth and most are established without a formal adviser. But there’s also a flow back as members tire of administration.
• Future landscape: The sector is heading for more mega funds and continued consolidation. Launching new funds is possible, but achieving scale remains a decades-long effort.
• Key takeaway: Sector priorities are shifting towards retirement, adviser functionality, and efficiency—but core flows, consolidation, and operational differentiation remain fundamental for fund leaders.

Bonus: Blame marketing? Absolutely!

00:41 - Introduction to Dr. David Bell and the Connexus Institute

07:32 - Exploring Competitive Flows in the Superannuation Industry

11:41 - The Dynamics of Advisor Portals and Fund Competition

20:16 - The Impact of Marketing on Member Retention

28:50 - Shifting Focus: From Marketing to Retirement Strategies

37:21 - The Changing Landscape of Superannuation

42:52 - Reflections on Future Trends in Superannuation

• Connect with David Bell on LinkedIn
• Follow The Conexus Institute on LinkedIn
• Visit The Conexus Institute website

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#20. Sarah flies solo! And discusses death benefit claims and deceased estates with Ben Darlow and Sarah Poole from EstateXchange.

• The death benefit challenge: Processing death benefit claims is often complex, manual, and paper-heavy, despite the growing need for efficiency as $5.4 trillion in wealth transfers between generations.
• Executors’ reality: Families face interacting with up to 37 organisations after a death, making estate administration overwhelming and inefficient.
• Why processes haven’t modernised: Death claims processes have seen historic underinvestment, lack of regulation, and minimal focus compared to other fund interactions.
• Reframing the process: Super funds should consider their role as just one of many organisations grieving families deal with, adjusting expectations around paperwork and timelines accordingly.
• Triage and risk: Funds can streamline basic claims by adopting triage methods, applying more rigour only where needed, and embracing technology to reduce repetitive low-value tasks.
• Reporting pitfalls: Many organisations’ reporting paints an overly optimistic picture; meaningful reporting requires standardised data and clear lead/lag indicators, plus a culture that welcomes surfacing issues.
• Fraud as an emerging risk: As more processes move online, the risk of fraud in deceased estates is rising, with up to 9% of consumers encountering actual fraud and 17% experiencing near misses.
• Looking forward: The future may include digital vaults, seamless handover to executors, faster probate, and platforms that free up locked assets, helping families and the economy.

• Connect with Sarah Poole on LinkedIn
• Connect with Ben Darlo on LinkedIn
• Follow EstateExchange on LinkedIn
• Visit EstateXchange website

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. We work with product teams across super funds, fund managers, and platforms to move faster. Faster PDS updates, faster decisions, and less friction. If governance is slowing you down, we can fix that.

Mayflower Consulting

#19. Co-hosts Neil Benson and Sarah Penn unpack the latest trends and news impacting the superannuation industry.

• Super brand recognition: Surprising results from a Conjointly brand tracker highlight low public awareness of major super brands, including only 57% recognition for AussieSuper and 49% for Hostplus, challenging industry assumptions.
• The complexity and cost of rebranding: Rebrands are frequent but often more about internal politics than member benefit, and establishing a new name remains a major challenge.
• The effectiveness of marketing: Despite significant marketing spend, switching rates and member engagement appear largely unchanged, raising questions about return on investment.
• Member churn and fund flows: Recent reports show industry fund outflows to adviser-led platforms are modest compared to overall inflows, with most money still coming in via default arrangements rather than active switching.
• Retention dilemmas: As members with larger balances approach retirement, funds struggle to retain them, particularly when financial advisers commonly recommend rolling over to retail platforms.
• Regulatory challenges and innovation barriers: Uncertainty around advice laws is inhibiting proactive member communications and innovation, especially in retirement products.
• Fraud and scam protection: ASIC urges funds to strengthen member communications to prevent fraud, but losses remain minor (at $22 million), and tougher controls could erode member experience.
• Confidence and legislative change: Frequent government tinkering causes member concern, yet most changes aim to improve fairness, and fears of losing all super are unfounded.
• New superannuation legislation: Discussion around the Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System bill, with support for balancing changes to both high and low-balance accounts.
• Industry news: Notable updates include Commonwealth Super’s major tech upgrade, HESTA CEO Debbie Blakey’s retirement, and the release of a new AFCA complaints guide.
• Personal achievement: Neil celebrates passing the RG 146 superannuation qualification after a challenging process.

1. Super brand tracker confirms golden status of AustralianSuper | Financial Standard - Brand Tracker by Conjointly based on 1344 individuals. 57% recognised AustralianSuper, 49% Hostplus, 48% AMP, 47% Rest, 45% CBUS. Survey also ranked consideration, performance perception, and customer support.
2. Superannuation customer churn hits First Super, NGS Super and Hostplus hardest. 6% churn on average, based on APRA data analysed by Elula. Lots of funds claiming the switches were inactive, low balance accounts being swept up by ATO. APRA has noticed that member accounts and flows into accounts outside the top 10 had declined.
3. Industry super funds are losing business to retail wealth platforms such as HUB24 and Netwealth at an accelerating pace. Members seeking more holistic retirement advice. One analyst reckoned that a 10% uplift in advisor capacity could see $100B in flows to retail platforms to which my financial advisor responded, "I've got more chance of captaining the Australian Cricket Team & marrying Heidi Klum in the same year than a 10% increase in advisers resulting in $100bn of flows."
4. Commonwealth Super Corp to consolidate legacy IT systems | Financial Standard. CSC to consolidate a number of systems. It manages several schemes and it sounds like they are bringing them all together. Mercer is the admin partner and Novigi is the data partner. Limited service period. Imagine they watched HESTA's experience closely.
5. Super trustees told to up fraud protection game | Financial Standard ASIC compared super sector's fraud prevention to banks and found significant gaps, mostly in documentation and member communications. $22m in super-related scams in 2025.
6. AFCA's new superannuation complaints guide (for funds and members)
7. Treasury Laws Amendment (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Bill 2026 – Parliament of Australia - second reading today. Boost to LISTO and changes to tax concessions on balances over $3m and 10.

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#18. Co-hosts Sarah Penn and Neil Benson discuss ASIC’s 2026 priorities and what they mean for super funds.

05:37 - A Focus on Operational Failures and Cyber Resilience. Private credit risks: ASIC flags concerns about retail exposure to private market credit products. Experience of fund managers and transparency are under the spotlight. Operational failures: Claims delays, cyber resilience, fraud and poor IT get a special mention - 'nuf said really!

08:52 - The Risks of Aggressive Marketing in Financial Products. Aggressive product marketing: will be stopping. We hope.

20:00 - Navigating the Complexities of AI in Financial Services. Audit and valuation standards: Poor quality sustainability reporting and inconsistent unlisted asset valuations—ASIC wants more evidence and comparability between funds.

24:15 - Regulatory Perspectives on Cryptocurrency. Plus a cooks tour of the ASIC priorities that are 'super adjacent'.

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#17. Co-hosts Sarah Penn and Neil Benson chat with Adrian Gervasoni, Executive Manager Advice Services at Industry Fund Services.

• Member engagement challenges
• Rethinking the member journey
• Super as 'your future wage'
• Super portals try to present too much info
• The power of nudges
• The new class of advisers - what this means in practise
• What we can learn from banks closing branches and moving customers online
• Webinars and events are fun but only reach a small number of people
• The future of portals

• Connect with Adrian Gervasoni on LinkedIn
• Follow Industry Fund Services on LinkedIn
• Visit Industry Fund Services website

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. We work with product teams across super funds, fund managers, and platforms to move faster. Faster PDS updates, faster decisions, and less friction. If governance is slowing you down, we can fix that.

Mayflower Consulting

#16. Co-hosts Neil Benson and Sarah Penn return for the first episode of 2026 with a roundup of big news and trends in the superannuation industry.

• Holiday updates: Neil did some DIY renovations and Sarah struggled to find a builder, opting for travel instead.
• CSLR debate: Misha Schubert from the Super Members Council suggests SMSFs should pay for the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, not industry fund members; both hosts agree she has a fair point.
• Managed investment schemes: Discussion of how APRA-regulated funds often use managed schemes and why strong investment governance is critical, especially in light of recent investment failures.
• Investment performance tests: Schubert’s call for performance tests on every super investment option prompts debate about the practicality versus potential benefits, with both hosts questioning the cost-benefit of such extensive reforms.
• Member engagement survey: SMC data shows younger, more educated members are much more engaged, but Neil and Sarah note the correlation is likely skewed by survey respondent bias and income/balance factors.
• Super fund branding and advertising: The hosts discuss the pros and cons of memorable ad campaigns, from hairy mascots to high-profile sports sponsorships, and examine their impact on fund awareness and acquisition.
• Third party administrator shakeup: Upcoming acquisition of Mercer’s admin business by Apex signals increased consolidation; the hosts express concerns over whether this will drive real improvements in service quality.
• Outsourcing vs. insourcing: Large funds may increasingly bring admin back in-house to manage cost and service quality, leading to more hybrid operating models.
• The “mechanistic vs. ecosystem” mindset: Sarah introduces insights from another podcast advocating for treating businesses and the super industry as living systems rather than machines—emphasizing test-and-learn approaches and accounting for human complexity rather than blaming process participants.
• Claims management complexity: Discussion on why systemic, ecosystem-level solutions are needed for claim delays rather than blaming individuals.

The Problem of Mechanistic Thinking

• Favourite: Sarah's new Owala waterbottle
• Least favourite: An 'avocado knife'. With apologies to Neil's wife!

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#15. Neil Benson and Sarah Penn dive into a lively year-end review of Australia’s superannuation industry.

• From legislative wins and regulatory challenges to industry shakeups and innovative tech trends, they unpack the major highlights and low points that shaped 2025. You’ll hear their candid takes on big topics like Division 296 reforms, the SG rate increase, the impact of Payday Super, and ongoing compensation scheme debates. Plus, hear all about the headaches of system migrations—as well as the opportunities AI is unlocking for super funds.
• 2025 Highlights: Div296 was fixed, LISTO was increased, Pay Day Super legislation passed, and of course, That Super Show was launched too!
• 2025 Lowlights: investigation into collapse of Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Trust widens, shortcomings in death benefits and insurance claim handling have been papered-over.
• Daniel Mulino taps super funds to prop up Compensation Scheme of Last Resort. Mulino taps super sector to help pay CSLR special levy | Financial Standard
• HESTA has extra license conditions imposed by APRA. 7 weeks' downtime switching from MUFG to GROW. Irony of being slapped by the regulator who wants funds to innovate and improve productivity. APRA imposes additional licence conditions on HESTA | APRA
• Irony of rumours that MUFG may acquire GROW! Administration technology is old, never designed for payday super or decumulation, and has to be the same across as many funds as possible. What MUFG's bid for Grow says about the state of super admin - Investment Magazine
• Governing the Invisible: by Ash Priest and Alex Monynihan at Novigi, about governing AI from a super fund trustee's perspective using ISO 42001 for AI management systems. Governing the invisible: Why super funds need to get real about AI | FS Super

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#14. Cohosts Neil Benson and Sarah Penn are joined by Victoria Butt, CEO and founder of Parity Consulting, to unpack the latest trends shaping the talent market as we head toward 2026.

Drawing on fresh insights from nearly 5,000 industry professionals, they discuss the shifting priorities of Australia's financial services workforce, the surprising dynamics around return-to-office mandates, and the ongoing impacts of mergers and acquisitions in superannuation.

From the rise of exciting projects as a top motivator to the persistent importance of remuneration, Victoria sheds light on how macroeconomic factors, AI, and company culture are redefining careers in the sector.

The conversation also touches on the growing demand for adaptable leaders, the under-recognised power of mentorship in data roles, and the critical need for organisations to address burnout and investment in career development.

Whether you’re interested in the future of work, looking to progress your career, or simply wanting to stay ahead in the world of super, this episode is packed with valuable insights you won’t want to miss.

• Victoria Butt on LinkedIn
• Parity Consulting on LinkedIn
• Download Parity Consulting's FY2025 Salary Guide

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. We work with product teams across super funds, fund managers, and platforms to move faster. Faster PDS updates, faster decisions, and less friction. If governance is slowing you down, we can fix that.

Mayflower Consulting

#13. Hosts Neil Benson and Sarah Penn dive deep into the world of Australian superannuation. This week, they're joined by an insightful panel of guests—including Emma Jonceski (Aware Super), Cathy Duncan (TCS), Alana Devitt (CoreData), Dan McKean (Chandler), and Zoe Sheehan (TAL)—as they unpack all the highlights from the IBRC Engage 2025 Future of Member Engagement, Comms, and Experience Forum.

From industry stats that’ll make you rethink member engagement, to personal stories and clever ideas buzzing around the conference, you’ll hear the latest on how funds are transforming their communications, the role of technology and AI, and the untapped opportunities to enhance member experience. Get ready for candid conversations, practical examples, and future-focused thinking—all designed to help you, your fund, and your members stay ahead in a rapidly evolving super landscape. Let’s get into it!

Thanks to our special guests from Engage 2025:

1. Emma Jonceski on LinkedIn
2. Cathy Duncan on LinkedIn
3. Alana Devitt on LinkedIn
4. Daniel McKean on LinkedIn
5. Zoe Sheehan on LinkedIn

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting

#12. Neil and Sarah have just wrapped up at the ASFA conference, and they reconnect with industry leaders and discuss the latest trends shaping super, from digital innovation and regulatory challenges to the future of retirement.

This episode features expert insights from guests like Jane Couchman from Aware Super, Zein el Hassan from Mills Oakley, and Shaun Bransdon from TAL Australia, covering everything from the rapid rise of AI in compliance to the changing expectations of retirement for future generations.

00:34 Exciting exhibitors at ASFA Conference

03:01 Zen el Hassan, Partner at Mills Oakley, on AI in advice and super

06:03 Sarah's top picks of ASFA Conference sessions

10:00 Sarah's big idea: Separating accumulation funds from retirement funds

12:41 Retirement Funds: Accumulation vs. Drawdown

16:08 Shaun Bransdon, GM of Retirement and Wealth at TAL Australia, on retirement in 2040

16:40 "Future of Retirement in Australia"

18:14 Australia's aging population challenges

23:02 Jane Couchman, Chief Risk Officer and Group Executive, Sustainability at Aware Super, on balancing risk and compliance with innovation

26:12 Future of retirement the super system in 2050

28:08 Reflections on ASFA Con 2025 and looking forward to 2026

NEW! You can now find That Super Show on YouTube

• Zein El Hassan, Partner at Mills Oakley, on LinkedIn
• Shaun Bransdon, Retirement, Wealth and Superannuation Leader at TAL Life on LinkedIn
• Jane Couchman, Chief Risk Officer at Aware Super

That Super Show is the most downloaded podcast for Australian superannuation professionals. Sarah and Neil cover the issues, debates and decisions shaping the industry - without the spin.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

• Visit That Super Show website and become a newsletter subscriber
• Email [email protected] if you've got a topic you'd like us to cover or a guest proposal or suggestion
• Follow That Super Show on LinkedIn
• Follow That Super Show on YouTube

Sarah Penn

Sarah Penn is the CEO and founder of Mayflower Consulting, an Australian financial services consultancy specialising in product governance, PDS management, and product operating model design. Her team works with super funds, fund managers, and investment platforms across Australia.

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Follow Mayflower Consulting on LinkedIn
• Visit Mayflower Consulting website

Neil Benson

Neil Benson is the global chief product officer at ChandlerCX, where he leads a team focused on intelligent customer messaging for regulated organisations, including superannuation funds, banks, insurers, utilities and public sector organisations. His AI startup, Novagentic, was acquired by ChandlerCX in February 2026.

• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
• Follow ChandlerCX on LinkedIn
• Visit ChandlerCX website

Mentioned in this episode:

Mayflower Consulting

 This episode is brought to you by Mayflower Consulting. If your product team is capable, stretched, and the important structural work keeps getting pushed, that's where we come in. We embed with your team, get the work done, and leave you more capable.

Mayflower Consulting