IDC Update: December 3, 2020

IDC Webinars: Insurance Considerations, Industry Trends, and the Post-Election Environment

IDC’s webinars continue to inform the director community on a variety of topics. Upcoming webinars will address insurance considerations for fund directors and research perspectives on fund industry trends.

Earlier this week, a webinar on what directors should expect in the post-election environment featured a discussion on the outlook for the administration and Congress and the implications for the fund industry, including with respect to retirement savings and tax policy. Members will be able to access the recording on IDC’s website soon.

SEC AMAC Holds Public Meeting

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Asset Management Advisory Committee (AMAC) held a public meeting on Tuesday, December 1. The meeting included a discussion of private investments, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, and diversity and inclusion in the industry. AMAC—which was formed to provide the Commission with diverse perspectives on asset management—consists of a group of non-SEC experts, including individuals representing the views of retail and institutional investors, small and large funds, intermediaries, and other market participants.

Chairman Clayton Speech Reviews Tenure, Suggests Areas for Further Commission Attention

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, who will conclude his tenure at the end of this year, offered in recent remarks his observations (login required for memo) on his three-year chairmanship and his views on areas warranting further Commission attention. In particular, he highlighted money market funds, securitizations, and proxy voting as being “in need of imminent attention.” To that end, he expressed hope that “the Commission will continue work around modernizing our proxy system and in particular exploring ways to modernize our rules on shareholder communications so that issuers can engage with their shareholders more directly and efficiently.”

IDC to Resume Virtual Roundtable Series in Early 2021

IDC launched a series of regionally based virtual roundtables in the spring to provide peer-to-peer exchange opportunities during the pandemic period, hosting 14 of these meetings in 2020. The virtual roundtables will resume in early 2021. The goal of the series is to foster director engagement and community during the ongoing pandemic among independent directors in various regions. Please stay tuned for these meeting dates.

Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events

All times are shown in eastern time (ET).

Webinars

• Insurance Considerations for Fund Boards: Thursday, December 17, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• Fund Industry Trends: Research Perspectives: Thursday, February 4, 2:00­–3:00 p.m.

Industry Segment Calls

• Board Leaders: January 27, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• Audit Committee Chairs: January 28, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• Governance Committee Chairs: February 3, 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Please contact Paul Mussoni for additional information. A complete list of IDC events can be found on IDC’s website.