Meet our partners: James Gyton

The TAL group insurance partner community brings together leaders from across the superannuation sector. We’re fortunate to be able to draw from the vast experience and diverse perspectives of our partners. This month we sat down with James Gyton, Chief Operating Officer at Brighter Super, to hear about his journey into superannuation, the lessons from merging three funds, and how Brighter Super is evolving to deliver personalised service and innovative retirement solutions for its members.  

Can you share a bit about your career journey and what brought you into the super space?  

I fell into the super space by accident. I studied political science and international relations, but I knew early on that it wasn’t going to be my career. My first job was at Perpetual in their trust and estate business. My degree gave me just enough grounding in legal principles to qualify, and it turned out to be an extraordinary foundation. I learnt how trusts worked, the origins of trustee responsibilities, and how deep that history runs. I stayed at Perpetual for eight years in nine different roles, which exposed me to a wide mix of assets and business functions. I joined the world of super after that, moving across Asteron, Suncorp, MetLife, and an advice software business, before returning to Suncorp and eventually transitioning fully into Brighter Super. Every step has been about learning more about how the system works, understanding trustee duties, and focusing on delivering the best outcomes for members. 

What have been some of the biggest learnings from merging three very different funds into Brighter Super?  

One of the biggest learnings was that member activity and expectations vary so widely that a single approach can’t work. We had to scale our capabilities quickly and uplift our service model for needs of the different cohorts. Bringing everything onto one platform helped us see what mattered most and where members needed us to act. Another key lesson was the value of taking the best ideas from each predecessor fund, instead of assuming any one fund had all the right answers. We still find things in our archives that help us improve. The merger reinforced that success comes from flexibility, clear priorities, and always focusing on the decisions that deliver the strongest outcomes for members.      

What sort of cultural DNA from each of those funds did you keep and bring together into Brighter Super? 

Each fund came in with its own culture, and there were some early hurdles as teams from Energy and Suncorp settled in. Many people expected the hardest part to be integrating Suncorp’s retail culture with the not-for-profit ethos of LGIA and Energy, but aligning everyone around doing the right thing for our members turned out to be the easiest part. That focus became our anchor through the integration. We kept the practices that helped us deliver, and we stayed open about where change was needed. The cultural DNA that carried through was collaboration, transparency, and a strong commitment to members. Those values helped us build a unified Brighter Super. 

What sets Brighter Super apart in terms of member experience and how do you see your role evolving to meet members’ growing advice needs?

Our personal connection with members is what sets us apart. Members tell us the face-to-face service matters, especially across Queensland where most of our membership sits. Our field staff are on the road, running seminars and meeting members in person, including regional communities that don't always see other funds show up. We use digital channels where they make sense, but we prioritise being there when members need more support. As the fund grows, my role is shifting to make sure our service and advice models scale with us. The priority is keeping that personal touch while making sure members can get service and advice in the way that suits them. 

What are the biggest opportunities and challenges you foresee in the retirement income space and the broader super industry?

Retirement products are a major opportunity, but also a challenge because trustees have so much flexibility and so many new options emerging. We need to be agile and ready to adapt as legislation and member needs change. A test-and-learn mindset will help us build products that evolve over time. At an industry level, we’re also seeing some diseconomies of scale too, where larger funds can lose the personal connection that members value. That creates a clear opportunity for funds like ours to stand out for more personal service and giving members choice about the level of support they want. Our aim is to develop innovative retirement solutions and make sure members can access the products and advice that set them up well for retirement.

In your view, what makes a strong partnership like the one with TAL successful, and how can our partnerships be further enhanced? 

Strong partnerships rely on open communication, mutual understanding, and a shared focus on delivering value for members. What works for us with TAL is how easy it is to navigate both organisations and maintain the personal relationships that keep us aligned. As regulatory expectations increase, we need to continue learning from each other and applying best practices. Sharing insights and solutions that already work, rather than reinventing them, helps strengthen the partnership and ensures we continue delivering strong outcomes for members.