From the Editor...

It's definitely news when one of the largest asset managers in the country steps away from its well-worn path and changes things up a bit. So, when Vanguard announced a few weeks ago that it had hired an outsider to run the company for the first time in its history—he'll be the first to have not worked directly with famed founder Jack Bogle—there was, understandably, a bit a fuss. What we were most interested in, here at FBV, was the fact that an independent chairman is poised to take over in the boardroom, also a first for Vanguard. We spoke to some Vanguard watchers about why the firm has split the CEO and chair roles and what the board looks like now. Given the firm's and the board's unique structures, it's an interesting read—and will be an interesting situation to watch. We already were peering into the Vanguard boardroom a few weeks ago, just before the announcements were made, so have a look at that story as well.

In other news, our latest A Seat at the Table features WisdomTree Digital Trust Chairman Joseph Keenan. The suite of funds that Keenan's board oversees are among the first tokenized funds available, and the development is fascinating. Read our exclusive interview to discover how Keenan ended up in the WisdomTree digital funds boardroom, who's in there with him, and what might be coming down the pike in this space.  

We've also recently brought readers early results of Management Practice Inc.'s latest survey of independent fund director compensation and governance practice. This data is both interesting and useful in helping boards determine where to set their own directors' comp.

Finally, don't miss other news on WisdomTree Trust's newest director (he's an SEC alum and a well known '40 Act lawyer), our latest issue of FBV Monthly (which you can download here), an in-depth look at how directors might consider viewing the industry's enchantment with private markets, and more. 

Oh, one more thing: We're taking recommendations for our annual summer book list, which will be published on the summer solstice, June 20. Novels, historical fiction, biographies and autobiographies, non-fiction, self-help, etc, are all welcome. And we love to include books written by independent directors and fund governance pros. Send your suggestions to me at hillary.jackson@fundboardviews.com.

For now,

Hillary Jackson