MFDF News Feed
The MFDF News Feed is an electronic journal, or "blog," of alerts, analysis, news and tools focused on the needs of independent directors. Click here to subscribe to the MFDF News Feed and have it delivered electronically to your e-mail inbox.
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October 18, 2022
Board Recruitment Series: Alternative Candidate Search Tools (Part 3 of 4)The third installment of the Forum's four-part series on board recruitment discusses additional tools boards have to identify qualified candidates. Especially for boards that want to reach candidates with less traditional board backgrounds or from under-represented groups, there are numerous services and organizations that work with board candidates and can function as a resource for boards during their candidate search.
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October 17, 2022
Event of Interest: Dechert to Host Investment Management SymposiaDechert plans to host two “California Investment Management Symposia” events covering developments in digital assets, ESG, compliance policies, and enforcement, among other topics. Each program will examine the evolving legal and regulatory environments for investment advisers, as well as registered and private investment managers and funds.
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October 13, 2022
Treasury and Department of Justice Release Recommendations on Digital Asset RegulationThe Department of the Treasury and the Justice Department (DOJ) released reports outlining the agencies’ respective legislative, regulatory, and policy recommendations with a focus on mitigating illicit finance and national security risks posed by the misuse of digital assets.
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October 12, 2022
Event of Interest: The Role Audit Committees Can Play in Cybersecurity, Crisis Preparedness, and Corporate GovernanceErnst & Young plans to host a webinar titled, “How audit committees can strengthen cyber resiliency, crisis preparedness and corporate governance" to discuss the latest perspectives on how audit committees can help enhance cyber resiliency and mitigate cybercrime.
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October 11, 2022
Board Recruitment Series: Executive Search Firms (Part 2 of 4)In Part Two of the Forum's board recruitment series we touch on executive search firms. Search firms can be useful resources for boards, particularly if the board does not have an existing “short list of candidates” when the board begins the search.
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October 6, 2022
Event of Interest: Issues with Access to Reliable ESG DataOn Tuesday, October 25, the law firm Ropes & Gray plans to host a webinar entitled, “The quest for reliable ESG data: Finding credible sources in the market today – and an agenda to produce common data standards.”
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October 5, 2022
Study Details Payment for Order Flow Impact on Equity Purchase PricesA study highlights the impact payment for order flow has on the execution price and quality for retail investors with brokerage accounts. The study found “very large variations in “actual retail price” execution across brokers” but noted that PFOF is “not the primary driver of differences in price execution.”
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October 4, 2022
Board Recruitment Series: Questions to Consider (Part 1 of 4)Welcome to the Forum's four-part series covering board recruitment including key considerations and common approaches. The series will be featured each Tuesday in October. This installment outlines important questions for boards to consider before beginning a candidate search.
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October 3, 2022
U.S. and Chinese Regulators Reach Agreement on Oversight of Audit Firms Based in ChinaAfter months of negotiations, the PCAOB, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and the Ministry of Finance of China reached an agreement that provides the PCAOB with the sole discretion to select the subject of its accounting firm inspections and investigations without involvement from Chinese authorities.
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September 29, 2022
Event of Interest: Morgan Lewis, SEC Historical Society Program on the Evolution of the Division of ExaminationsMorgan Lewis and the SEC Historical Society plan to hold an event titled “From OCIE to the Division of Examinations: A Leadership Perspective on the Past and Future of the SEC Examinations Program.” The program will cover the evolution of the Division of Examinations from its beginning in 1995.
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September 28, 2022
Considerations for Fund Boards that Oversee ESG ProductsGwen Williamson, Partner at Perkins Coie in Washington, DC, sets forth a series of questions directors should consider if the fund complex they oversee has an ESG product. The post notes that “fund boards should work with the chief compliance officer (CCO) and the fund adviser to understand the overall approach to ESG investing in the fund complex.”
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September 27, 2022
Harvard Law Blog Post Details Concerns Surrounding ESG DataIn recent years, the demand for ESG data has exploded, including demand from investors, companies, and regulators. This demand, the authors state, “has in many ways outstripped the ability of suppliers to supply the depth, detail, and accuracy of data required.”
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September 26, 2022
Event of Interest: Deloitte Webinar on Risk Management for Fund DirectorsOn Wednesday, Deloitte plans to host a webinar highlighting the fund manager’s role in risk management oversight.
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September 22, 2022
Conference Board Report Highlights Issues Surrounding Board Refreshment and EvaluationsA report released by The Conference Board highlights insights about board refreshment policies and practices as well as director evaluations at S&P 500 and Russell 3000 companies. The report “Board Refreshment and Evaluations” focuses on how corporate boards can achieve member refreshment (while turnover remains low) as well as how evaluations can be used to promote diversity and refreshment.
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September 21, 2022
MFDF Webinar Tomorrow: What the Mutual Fund Industry Should Understand About Digital AssetsThe Forum will host a webinar with Perkins Coie to discuss investment and regulatory updates regarding blockchain, fintech, and digital assets.
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September 20, 2022
Delaware Enacts Protections for Closed-End Fund and Business Development Company InvestorsAt the end of July, Delaware Governor John Carney signed into law amendments (Control Share Statute) to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (DSTA) which apply to all registered closed-end funds (CEFs) and business development companies (BDCs) that are organized as Delaware statutory trusts and have a class of equity securities listed on a national securities exchange.
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September 19, 2022
Report Details How Boards Can Be Impactful During Volatile TimesErnst & Young recently released a report on corporate board issues entitled, “How to Increase the Board’s Impact in Volatile Times” which analyzes how corporate boards view, measure, and can improve their strategic value.
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September 15, 2022
MFDF Webinar Tomorrow: The Impact of Volatility on Financial MarketsPaul Reisz of PIMCO will discuss the impacts of rising rates, inflation, global volatility and other market volatility issues that affects fund investment strategies.
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September 14, 2022
SEC Releases Draft Strategic Plan for FY22-26The SEC published a draft Strategic Plan spanning FY2022-2026 that establishes three primary goals for the agency. Those goals include: 1) investor protection; 2) a regulatory framework that keeps pace with evolving markets; and 3) building out a skilled SEC workforce that is diverse and able to advance the SEC’s mission.
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September 13, 2022
MFDF Webinar Tomorrow: Performance, Perception and Manager SelectionDuring this webinar, Professor Stewart will dive in to the key findings from his latest research Performance, Perception, and Manager Selection.
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