Tag Archives: CCO

Open Letter to CEOs of SEC-Registered Firms (SEC Release)

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Open Letter to CEOs of SEC-Registered Firms
December 2, 2008

Dear CEO of SEC-Registered Firm:

During this time of financial and market turmoil, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations of the Securities and Exchange Commission reminds leaders of SEC-registered firms, including broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies and transfer agents, of the critical role played by your firm’s compliance programs in helping to meet your obligations under the securities laws. Your firm’s compliance function is critical to assure that your operations comply with the law and rules for industry participation and to ensure that the interests of your customers, clients and shareholders are protected. Moreover, compliance is a vital control function that helps to protect the firm from conduct that could negatively impact the firm’s business and its reputation. Continue reading →

SEC Staff Reminds CEOs Of Registered Firms of Importance of Compliance Programs (SEC Release)

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SEC Staff Reminds CEOs Of Registered Firms of Importance of Compliance Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2008-283

Washington, D.C., Dec. 2, 2008 — The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations today issued an open letter to chief executives of SEC-registered firms, including broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies and transfer agents, to remind them of the critical role played by their firms’ compliance programs in assuring that their operations comply with the law and rules for industry participation and to ensure that the interests of customers or clients are protected. Continue reading →

SEC Chairman Cox Notes Importance of Investment Advisor CCOs

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At a recent speech at the 2008 CCOutreach National Seminar, a seminar for the Chief Compliance Officers of registered investment advisors, SEC Chairman Christopher Cox noted the importance of compliance offices during these volatile times.  Cox noted that CCOs are partners with the SEC to ensure that investment advisory firms remain compliant and follow all investment advisory rules and regulations.  The speech is reprinted below.  Continue reading →

SEC and Registered Hedge Fund Investment Advisors: Report by the GAO

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This article is part of a series examining the statements in a report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in February 2008.  The items in this report are important because they provide insight into how the government views the hedge fund industry and how that might influence the future regulatory environment for hedge funds.  The excerpt below is part of a larger report issued by the GAO; a PDF of the entire report can be found here.

There are many important items in the except below.  While many hedge fund investment advisors are no longer registered with the SEC because the hedge fund registration rule was vacated by a circuit court judge, many hedge fund managers are registered.  As I have done with certain previous articles (see SEC Emphasizes IA Compliance for Hedge Funds), I believe that the following excerpt should be required reading for all investment advisor chief compliance officers (CCOs). The article discusses, the areas which the SEC examiners are likely to emphasize during an examination.  Such areas include: soft dollars, prime brokerage, calculation of the performance fee, valuation of hedge fund assets, and custody of hedge fund assets.

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