NGS Super won’t pursue growth for growth’s sake, says CEO

The fund has appointed Fotine Kotsilas as its new chief risk officer, continuing a series of executive changes aimed at driving growth, but NGS Super’s CEO has assured the fund won’t pursue growth for growth’s sake.

Kotsilas’ appointment to NGS Super marks the latest in a series of strategic leadership changes aimed to align the fund’s executive team with its next phase of growth.

She joins from NobleOak Life, bringing over 25 years’ experience in insurance, superannuation, and workers’ compensation, with prior senior roles at Suncorp, AMP, Resolution Life, and icare.

Kotsilas’ appointment follows a slew of recent changes to the fund’s executive committee, including the appointment of Ben Facer as chief member officer and deputy CEO, Philippa Minney as chief financial officer, and Luke Jansson as chief people officer.

CEO Natalie Previtera said the reshaping of the leadership team reflected the fund’s focus on delivering long-term value for members and positioning NGS Super for continued growth in a competitive and complex superannuation environment.

“We’ve brought together a refreshed, forward-looking executive team with the right capability mix to guide NGS through its next chapter,” Previtera said.

“Fotine’s appointment strengthens our leadership bench at a time when strong risk oversight is more important than ever.

“Her broad industry experience and track record in building resilient, member-first risk frameworks make her an excellent fit for NGS and the future we’re building.” 

Elaborating further on changes within the fund, Previtera told Super Review that while the fund has spent the last few years refurbishing its operations – building capacity and bench strength –  it won’t “pursue growth for growth’s sake”.

“One thing we know is that delivering personalised service is highly valued by our members, and our high trust scores reflect that,” the CEO said.  

“We won’t compromise on the service promise we make to our members. Pursuing the right kind of growth and strategic opportunities is what makes sense to us.”

NGS Super’s strength lies in its “independent education heartland”, an area the CEO said it intends to continue to focus on.

“We’ll keep working to grow our footprint with community-based professionals. Both sectors are characterised by strong values and purpose, and as a fund, we’re strongly aligned,” she said. 

Moreover, she revealed the fund is not opposed to partnering with “like-minded organisations” that have a strong member focus and a commitment to exceptional service and outcomes.

“When it comes to thinking differently and pursuing scale in new ways, NGS provides a compelling alternative,” Previtera said.

“Our recent partnership with Challenger and the launch of a simple longevity product is another example of how we’re thinking differently about the future.”

Looking ahead to the fund’s strategic priorities, the CEO emphasised the need to reframe the conversation around retirement security.

“Guaranteed income in retirement is an area that’s long needed a fresh perspective – and without doubt, it’s something we need to speak about differently too,” she said.

“We’re not just in the business of delivering products; we’re in the business of partnering with our members to deliver confidence. 

“For us, that means helping members feel secure not just at the point of retirement but through retirement, with solutions that are easy to understand and genuinely designed to meet their long-term needs.”