A Seat at the Table

Matthews Asia Funds board: Have passport, will travel

By Hillary Jackson

For the independent directors overseeing Matthews Asia Funds, understanding the countries and regions in which shareholder dollars are invested goes hand in hand with understanding the structure and other mechanics of the funds themselves. There is a lot of necessary reading, portfolio managers are given time at each board meeting ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Voya Funds board poised to recruit ahead of yearly retirements

By Hillary Jackson

The board overseeing Voya Funds is preparing to begin a years-long recruitment effort in the face of four retirements in as many years. The first independent director to age out will step off at the end of this year and won't be replaced, but Voya Funds plans to hire three ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

'Thoughtful' recruitment yields diversity on Invesco board

By Hillary Jackson

The Invesco Funds board has spent a lot of time on recruitment over the past few years, taking a deliberate approach designed to get the best directors and an array of perspectives into the boardroom. "We were facing a dilemma from a board standpoint in that we had so many ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Q&A: OppFunds' Freedman, NB's Colish look back, forward

By Hillary Jackson

When Bob Dylan made history last week by becoming the first musician to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, it was heralded with his own words: Times, they are a-changin’. The same could be said in reference to mutual fund boards. A generation of directors that has helped shaped ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Advance Capital Funds board manages liquidation

By Hillary Jackson

The board overseeing Advance Capital Funds has spent the last several months grappling with how to handle a years-long steady decrease in assets and finally voted in July to liquidate the four funds, ideally by the end of this calendar year. Independent Chairman Joseph Ahern said the decision was a ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Janus board back up to strength, focusing on education

By Hillary Jackson

The board of Janus Funds is poised to return to full strength with the nominations of two new independent directors. The two nominees—Raudline Etienne and Gary "Skip" Poliner—will bump the board up to eight independents, a size Chairman Bill McCalpin believes is right for its oversight responsibilities. Chief among those ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<