Viewpoints

Articles written by industry professionals for Fund Board Views, may be opinion, commentary, educational/instructional.

OpEd: Monitoring fund governance over 40 years

By Meyrick Payne, Management Practice Inc.

Meyrick Payne of management consultant and data provider Management Practice Inc. retired this year from the firm he founded more than 40 years ago. While Stamford, Conn.-based MPI’s work initially focused on the contract renewal process, it grew to include consultation concerning the dynamics of the board itself, fee negotiation, ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Director dilemma: Navigating small-fund challenges

By Dianne Descoteaux, MFDF

Directors of small funds have always faced challenges with respect to the level of resources and economies of scale these funds have compared to their larger counterparts, but an onslaught of additional complexities has been compounding the challenges in recent years. With these evolving market trends placing the dilemma for ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Op-Ed: For better or worse, 15(c) process may suffer from SEC’s rulemakings

By Sara Yerkey and Paul Ellenbogen, Management Practice LLC

The impact of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s tailored shareholder reports rule, effective Jan. 24, 2023, is being felt by not only the adviser but also is entering the mutual fund boardroom and has the potential to hinder the annual contract renewal process when the new report formats begin to ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Fund Boards: AI oversight of third-party vendors is key

By Joyce Li, CFA

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the financial services landscape, mutual fund boards face a growing imperative to ensure that third-party service providers' AI practices align with the funds' standards and investors' best interests. With vendors increasingly leveraging AI for critical functions such as data management, investment technology, and customer service, ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

OpEd: Why fund boards should discuss, promote financial literacy

By Linda Davis Taylor, Morningstar Funds Trust

April is Financial Literacy Month. At first blush, the connection between financial literacy and the work of independent mutual fund directors may not be evident. But the common element between the two is the investing public—specifically, those individuals whose financial welfare is impacted by their experiences as owners of mutual ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Oversight of distribution: M&A, the importance of sales teams, and more

By John Krieg, CFA, CAIA, CIFD

The investment management distribution landscape is intricate and ever evolving, reflecting the maturity of the industry. Investment managers recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to distribution, leading to the adoption of diverse distribution strategies. In the first two of a series of three articles, we provided an overview of ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<