Viewpoints

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

What will second Trump Administration mean for fund directors?

By Jay Baris and Nathan Greene, Sidley Austin LLP

The bottom line: In the near term, it’s not likely that the roles and activities of mutual fund directors will change much. There will be no pulling back from directors’ fiduciary duties and core oversight responsibilities.

But we can expect to see a number of incremental changes that, when taken together ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

As 2024 closes out, it’s time to prepare for Names Rule compliance

By Rachael Schwartz, Sullivan & Worcester

As we head into the fourth quarter of 2024, investment advisers to registered funds are beginning to look ahead to the compliance dates for amendments to the Names Rule that were adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023. As a reminder, the compliance dates are Dec. 10, 2025, ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

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 <<<