Hostplus signs five-year IT services deal with Interactive

Hostplus has signed a five-year IT managed services agreement with Interactive covering service desk, cloud and end-user support for one of Australia's largest super funds.

The arrangement gives Hostplus an Australian-based service desk backed by cloud and end-user services as the fund continues to reshape its technology environment. The service model is intended to strengthen operational resilience and support more responsive service delivery.

The deal highlights broader pressures on superannuation funds as they review technology operations, member service expectations and risk controls. For funds managing retirement savings at scale, outages, slow response times and weak internal support can quickly become operational issues with consequences for members.

Automation and artificial intelligence will form part of the operating model for day-to-day work. Interactive will also provide incident response and proactive cloud support under the agreement.

Hostplus did not disclose the contract's financial terms. The announcement also did not say whether the agreement replaces an incumbent supplier or expands an existing outsourcing arrangement.

Sector pressure

Super funds are under growing pressure to show they can manage operational risk while improving digital services for staff and members. That has pushed technology teams beyond one-off transformation projects and towards service continuity, internal support and resilience across core systems.

Locally delivered support has become an area of interest for organisations seeking tighter oversight of service levels and incident management. In highly regulated sectors such as financial services, the location of support teams and the speed of operational response carry added weight when institutions assess risk and accountability.

Hostplus framed the partnership as part of a broader technology strategy rather than a narrow procurement decision. The fund said the work is tied to strengthening systems and processes while improving the experience for its workforce.

"We are pleased to partner with Interactive as we continue to strengthen our technology systems and processes. Enhancing the user experience for our people is central to this work and forms part of a deliberate, forward‐looking technology strategy," said Jo Dutton, Chief Technology Officer at Hostplus.

Interactive, which provides managed and professional IT services in Australia, said the agreement reflects demand from major organisations for more integrated support across service desk, cloud operations and end-user services. It positioned the Hostplus contract around reliability and trust in day-to-day operations.

"This partnership is about consistency, reliability and trust. By combining an Australian-based service desk with disciplined incident response and proactive cloud support, we are helping Hostplus elevate the experience for its people and members, safely and at scale. It is where our customer's strategy becomes IT reality," said Sparks.

Operational focus

Technology resilience has become more visible for super funds as administration platforms, mobile services, member communications and internal systems grow more interconnected. While investment performance remains central to competition, the quality and reliability of administration and service infrastructure increasingly shape how funds are judged by members and regulators.

That has led many institutions to re-examine whether traditional outsourcing structures are enough for current operating demands. More targeted managed service agreements can give funds access to specialist support without fully handing over strategic control of core technology planning.

Interactive said its support for Hostplus will sit within the fund's broader technology evolution. The reference to automation and AI suggests these tools will be used in routine service management and support workflows rather than limited to experimental projects.

Interactive is one of several Australian providers seeking larger roles in sectors where local service delivery, compliance and operational continuity are closely scrutinised. It said it serves more than 2,000 customers across industries including finance, healthcare, manufacturing and entertainment.

Hostplus is among Australia's larger industry funds, making the contract notable in a market where scale brings both bargaining power and operational complexity. The agreement underlines how technology support arrangements are becoming a more visible part of how large super funds manage resilience, staff experience and member service.