Forum News Feed

October 27, 2022

SEC Chair Gary Gensler testified in front of the Senate Banking Committee covering issues such as digital assets, ESG, China-based entities, and market structure generally. On ESG disclosure, Gensler stated the SEC is focused on increasing transparency and disclosures related to investor decision-making. Gensler added, “climate-related factors and risks as well as cybersecurity risks both can affect a company’s bottom line and its future, and therefore an investor’s decision to buy, hold or sell a security or how to vote a proxy.”

October 26, 2022

BoardIQ plans to host a webinar entitled, "Audit Committee Succession Planning for All Boards” to discuss the approaches and nuances to audit committee composition and audit chair succession planning. The cost to attend the virtual event is free for BoardIQ subscribers.

October 25, 2022

In our fourth and final post in the Board Recruitment Series, we explore general succession planning. Whether your board has an impending vacancy or not, building a network of potential candidates to tap into improves the likelihood of locating the right people when you need them.

October 24, 2022

Stradley outlines four potential retail fund structures through which a crypto fund might be offered by investment complexes. The guide discusses the regulatory challenges to each option as well as the current landscape.

October 20, 2022

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the “Private Markets Transparency and Accountability Act” which would require privately held companies to register with the SEC when they surpass a $700 million valuation or when they exceed $5 billion in revenue with at least 5,000 employees.

October 19, 2022

The SEC’s Office of the Investor Advocate released an independent research study examining the impact fund benchmarks have on investor decision-making. The study found “investors prioritize information on investment performance,” and therefore, investor education covering performance information and comparative benchmark information is critical.

October 18, 2022

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.

October 17, 2022

Dechert 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.

October 13, 2022

The 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.

October 12, 2022

Ernst & 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.

October 11, 2022

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.

October 6, 2022

On 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.”

October 5, 2022

A 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.”

October 4, 2022

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.

October 3, 2022

After 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.

September 29, 2022

Morgan 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.

September 28, 2022

Gwen 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.”

September 27, 2022

In 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.”

September 26, 2022

On Wednesday, Deloitte plans to host a webinar highlighting the fund manager’s role in risk management oversight.

September 22, 2022

A 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.