Top of the Agenda - Governance

Q&A: Women on mutual fund boards

It's Women's History Month and in honor of that, we gathered together independent mutual fund directors Janice Case from Thrivent Mutual Funds and Theresa Hamacher from Morningstar Funds and executive recruiter George Wilbanks to discuss women on fund boards. There are more women than ever serving in the country's mutual ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Fund boards urged to stay current amidst coronavirus concerns

By Hillary Jackson

Mutual fund boards may decide to conduct their meetings telephonically over the next few months rather than risk directors being exposed to the fast-spreading coronavirus, or COVID-19, but they aren't likely to avoid talking about the global outbreak and potential impacts on the funds they oversee. It will be important ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

BNY Mellon assembles new ETF board

By Hillary Jackson

BNY Mellon has put together a new all-independent board to oversee the exchange-traded funds it plans to launch in the coming weeks. The eight broad-indexed equity and fixed-income ETFs are expected to start trading before the end of the first quarter, and a BNY Mellon spokesman told Fund Board Views ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Transparency, disclosure can ease board concerns over defining ESG

By Mike Schnitzel

Environmental, social and governance investments have garnered increasing interest over the past few years, from investors and advisers alike, as climate change increasingly comes into focus for governments and big business. One potential obstacle to ESG’s success, however, could be the fact that there doesn’t seem to be a standard ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Colorado firms to merge funds, eliminate one board

By Hillary Jackson

Colorado mutual fund firms Shelton Capital Management and ICON Advisers this week announced a restructuring deal that will involve ICON's 17 funds being transferred into a Shelton Capital trust or merged into similar funds in the trust and overseen by the Shelton Funds board. The ICON Funds board will cease ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

AB Funds adds independent

By Hillary Jackson

The board overseeing Alliance Bernstein Funds has added a new independent director to its ranks, part of its regular practice of "periodic refreshment" designed to maintain the right mix of age and experience in the boardroom, according to Chairman Marshall Turner. The addition of Jorge Bermudez bumps the size of ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<