Michael Curran
Head of Institutional Business, Amundi Ireland.
Building a pension fund involves smart investing, practical advice and policies that scale innovative ideas.
When Mary, a 34-year-old nurse in Cork, checks her pension app, she only wants one thing: confidence that the small sums she saves today will buy a steady income decades from now. Across Ireland, millions of savers share Mary’s quiet hope.
Long term investing that works towards a more sustainable future
Low-cost index strategies give savers broad exposure to markets, but they do more than mirror returns. Responsible asset managers engage with the companies they own, pushing for better governance, better sustainability targets and business plans that look decades ahead.
Is bigger better for Ireland’s growing pension market?
Once reserved for institutions like endowments or large overseas pension funds, the larger Irish pension schemes can now also access investments such as toll roads, wind farms, even local housing projects. Those assets can provide returns for members and visible benefits to communities — jobs, cleaner energy and safer homes.
Scale matters for savers. Bigger pension pools can spread fees, access a wider range of investments and back larger local projects. That gives ordinary pension members a stake in the local economy and a chance to benefit from long-term growth.
Advice and technology — the human and the digital
Most Irish savers are in defined contribution pensions, which means we are all responsible for understanding our own pensions. That’s why advice matters now more than ever. Modern retirement advice blends digital tools with human expertise: automated platforms and apps manage routine tasks and rebalancing, while qualified advisers translate big economic themes into personalised plans that consider tax, risk tolerance and family circumstances. Good advice uses cashflow modelling and scenario planning so savers can see “what if” outcomes, not just charts. It’s also becoming more scalable: advisers combine periodic face-to-face strategy reviews with automated rebalancing and digital communication to serve many more individuals without diluting quality.
Industry, advisers and policymakers should work together now to align incentives, scale innovations
Policy matters for your pension
Policymakers can accelerate progress by making default pension options affordable and diversified, encouraging stewardship practices and supporting accessible advice models. Practical steps like these turn broad ideas into measurable improvements for Irish savers. Ireland has a real opportunity: as workplace pensions and digital platforms expand, more people will gain access to durable, professionally managed savings vehicles.
“Auto-enrolment is just one vital part of the pension conundrum in Ireland, and the Department of Social Protection need to be applauded as we get closer to launch. Next on the agenda will be looking in more detail at post-retirement decumulation options and the role investment managers like Amundi can look to play in that space as it evolves.” Michael Curran, Head of Institutional Business, Amundi Ireland.
Trusted retirement partner
Amundi brings a global perspective and local experience to this moment — from managing funds in markets such as Italy and France to working with schemes across Europe and Asia. That scale and expertise can help deliver “retirementready” toolkits: diversified investments, stewardship that matters and advice technology that reaches more people.
A call to partnership
The retirement challenge is large and personal, but we’re excited about the landscape. Industry, advisers and policymakers should work together now to align incentives, scale innovations and make affordable quality advice the norm. Do that, and savers like Mary will be more likely to enjoy a secure, comfortable retirement — and communities across Ireland will feel the benefits. To find out more on how Amundi can support you on your savings journey, please reach out to your financial advisor.
Disclaimer: For retail clients only. The value of your investment may go up and down and may result in the loss of the amount originally invested. Past performance is not a guarantee or indicative of future results. The content of this editorial is for information purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell. Views are those of Amundi as of 9.12.25 and are subject to change. Amundi Ireland Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and is part of the Amundi Group.
