Dear Board Doc: Where Do Directors Find Industry News?

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Q: Where can newer directors obtain news and information on the fund industry and governance thought leadership?

A: Information on the asset management industry and governance is widely available, however you may wish to be diligent in assessing the reliability of materials that are in public circulation. You may also wish to discuss with your board its policy on providing paid subscriptions for educational resources that are not currently available to you. Most law firms that represent fund boards as clients regularly publish client memos and articles on topics of interest to boards. In addition, accounting and audit firms and other consultants regularly publish white papers, articles and surveys that are of interest to fund boards. Further, trade and industry associations typically have daily news updates on regulation, policy and industry matters that can be educational for fund directors. The following is a short list of outlets (most require subscription) that provide such information.

  • BoardIQ – a publication for mutual fund boards, providing insights from the trustee's perspective. https://www.boardiq.com/
  • Fund Directions – Regulatory, legal and industry insights that directly impact fund directors. https://funddirections.com/
  • Fund Board Views – News articles, feature stories, analysis pieces, one-on-one interviews, and contributed content from industry experts.  http://fundboardviews.com/
  • Harvard Law School Corporate Governance Forum –The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance provides a forum for different views and is a top resource for discourse on corporate governance. https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/
  • Ignites – Mutual fund industry news published daily. https://www.ignites.com
  • Institutional Investor – Editorials, news, articles for decision makers in global asset management and banking. https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/
  • NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) – News and ideas from the public company governance sector. https://www.nacdonline.org/insights
  • Pensions & Investments –News, research, and analysis mainly for executives who manage the flow of funds in the institutional investment market.  https://www.pionline.com/