Trusted Insight for Independent Oversight

MFDF is an independent association for independent directors of mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, and other registered investment companies.

MFDF helps independent directors navigate an evolving regulatory environment and steward shareholders’ investments. MFDF provides tailored educational resources and facilitates peer-to-peer networking, with offerings that include webinars, white papers, and interactive conferences. As an independent association, MFDF’s membership includes a wide range of fund boards and represents a diverse community of directors.

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Educational Offerings

MFDF provides comprehensive and high-quality educational resources tailored to independent directors. Explore upcoming programs, including webinars, single-day in-person seminars, multi-day conferences, and informal networking discussions.

Insights for the Field

The nature of the work of independent directors is ever-evolving. Read the latest news, practical guidance, comment letters to regulators, and other viewpoints.

Become a Member

Your goal is to steward your investors’ resources. We promise to steward yours. We take our role as your trusted partner seriously. And we pride ourselves on accessible membership dues and meaningful opportunities to learn and connect.

October 17, 2024 Gensler Delivers Remarks at Treasury Market Conference

Chair Gensler noted that the U.S. transition to T+1 for equities, corporate bonds, and municipal securities was a “win” for investors. He noted that industry participants “worked, along with SEC staff, to make the transition happen smoothly.”

October 16, 2024 McKinsey Report Highlights Key Aspects of Private Credit

The report emphasizes that while private credit is here to stay, “careful monitoring of short-term risks is still necessary, particularly in the event of an economic downturn in which a range of loans may become stressed or distressed.”

October 15, 2024 Banking Ranking Member Scott Releases Priorities for 118th Congress

Included under the stated “Regulatory Oversight” bullet point are priorities that reduce the burden of agency action and ensure that each agency the Committee has oversight of is acting within the bounds of their statutory authority.

October 10, 2024 SEC Charges Independent Director for Proxy Disclosure Rule Violations

The complaint highlighted that Mr. Craigie had a personal relationship with a member of the Church & Dwight executive team including frequent vacations which the executive paid for, as well as attempts to conceal the personal nature of the relationship from other board members. Mark Cave, Associate Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement stated, “By concealing his relationship with a company executive, Mr. Craigie undermined the board’s director independence process and compromised the company’s disclosures.”

October 9, 2024 SEC Chair Gensler, Commissioners Venture to Capitol Hill to Testify

The hearing covered a variety of topics including closed-end funds, crypto assets and custody, the pace of rulemaking, Treasury clearing rules, short selling, access to capital, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, among other issues. In his opening remarks, House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry (R-NC) noted, “It’s not just the courts that have taken issue with Chair Gensler’s reckless agenda. More than 250 Members of Congress from both parties have signed dozens of letters opposing actions taken by the SEC.”

Upcoming Events

Full calendar

October 30, 2024
In Focus - Election Preview and Implications for 2025 and Beyond
Speakers from Fierce Government Relations will discuss 2024 election preview and what that entails for the financial sector for 2025 and beyond. This virtual event will take place on Zoom at 2 pm (ET).
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Denver November 6, 2024
Director Discussion Series - Open Forum (Denver)
MFDF will host an in-person Director Discussion Series breakfast in Denver to facilitate discussions for independent directors and CCOs to discuss timely issues brought up by participants. The event will be in-person from 7:30 am to 9:30 am at the offices of Morrison Foerster LLP in Denver.
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November 7, 2024
Digital Assets in the Fund Space (Part 2 of 2)
Leaders from EY will provide an update from part 1 of this 2-part series on digital asset trends in the fund industry and highlight what directors should know about these offerings. The webinar will broadcast live from 2 pm - 3 pm (ET).
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Newest Resources

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MFDF Member Series - Leveraging MFDF Membership to Locate Future Directors

Leslie Beckbridge, MFDF's Operations and Member Services Manager, highlighted MFDF's Director Candidate Database, a service that provides curated candidate lists in response to member boards' requirements. The webinar provided an overview of the Database, discussed how members can use it as part of succession planning efforts, and shared insights to get the best results from your inquiry.

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DEI Resources for Fund Boards

Explore news and resources relating to diversity, equity and inclusion on fund boards.

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