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Coffee and Regs

Private Funds 101 – From SEC Registration to Compliance Rules

Private Funds 101 – From SEC Registration to Compliance Rules

 
In this episode, CSS’s Director of Private Funds and a former SEC regulator, John Gentile sits down with Senior Vice President of Ultimus LeverPoint Private Fund Solutions, Andrew Jones to discuss the world of private fund managers. The round-robin discussion covers SEC registration to identifying as an Exempt Reporting Adviser, the impact of the new Marketing Rule on private funds and compliance best practices for fund admins.
 

 

About Our Guest Speakers:

John Gentile is responsible for overseeing various types of broker-dealer and investment adviser consulting engagements, including conducting SEC/FINRA internal control reviews, anti-money laundering testing, written supervisory policy and procedures testing, and other consultation services. John is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on various compliance topics, including “Effective Supervision,” “Large Firm Testing,” FINRA Supervisory Control Rules” and “Anti Money Laundering Requirements for Broker Dealers under the PATRIOT Act.” In 1987 John joined the SEC as a Securities Compliance Examiner, becoming a Branch Chief in 1991. He became Assistant Regional Director in 1993, supervising a team of 20 broker-dealer managers and examiners. He also planned and conducted financial, operational, and sales practice examinations of the largest broker dealers and was among those responsible for a review of hedge funds’ impact on broker dealer internal controls. Before joining the SEC, John was a Financial Damage Analyst with PaineWebber Inc. Most recently from 2000-2007 John was an Executive Consultant, Broker-Dealer Services, at National Regulatory Services. John has an MBA from Fordham University and a BS in Finance from Central Connecticut State University. From 1995 to 2002, John was also a member of the Securities Industry Continuing Education East Coast Content Committee.
 


 

Andrew Jones is the Senior Vice President for Ultimus LeverPoint Private Fund Solutions. He joined Ultimus in April 2018, and is responsible for overseeing the promotion and sales for private fund services. Andrew works closely with the executive team to provide a client-focused approach and collaborates with other industry professionals to provide a diverse network of solutions for Ultimus clients. He works in the Chicago, Illinois office. Before joining Ultimus, Andrew worked as Senior Vice President at Woodfield Fund Administration, LLC, where he was responsible for the development of new business, marketing, client relations, and implementations. He also served as head of Investor Services, overseeing the day-to-day operational functions for hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, real estate, and other clients. Andrew earned a bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, and Marketing from the University of Iowa, and has been working in the financial services industry since 2007.

 
 

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Coffee and Regs

The Facts on FINRA & Capital Acquisition Brokers

The Facts on FINRA & Capital Acquisition Brokers

 
In this episode, CSS’s Director of Broker-Dealer Services and a former regulator, John Gentile and Executive Director, Jackie Hallihan sit down to discuss FINRA’s rule book regarding capital acquisition brokers. These are broker-dealers that limit their business to certain capital raising, mergers and acquisitions and corporate financing activities, so before you go down that regulatory path, it’s important to understand the rules and the benefits of CAB registration.

 

About Our Guest Speakers:

John Gentile is responsible for overseeing various types of broker-dealer and investment adviser consulting engagements, including conducting SEC/FINRA internal control reviews, anti-money laundering testing, written supervisory policy and procedures testing, and other consultation services. John is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on various compliance topics, including “Effective Supervision,” “Large Firm Testing,” FINRA Supervisory Control Rules” and “Anti Money Laundering Requirements for Broker Dealers under the PATRIOT Act.” In 1987 John joined the SEC as a Securities Compliance Examiner, becoming a Branch Chief in 1991. He became Assistant Regional Director in 1993, supervising a team of 20 broker-dealer managers and examiners. He also planned and conducted financial, operational, and sales practice examinations of the largest broker dealers and was among those responsible for a review of hedge funds’ impact on broker dealer internal controls. Before joining the SEC, John was a Financial Damage Analyst with PaineWebber Inc. Most recently from 2000-2007 John was an Executive Consultant, Broker-Dealer Services, at National Regulatory Services. John has an MBA from Fordham University and a BS in Finance from Central Connecticut State University. From 1995 to 2002, John was also a member of the Securities Industry Continuing Education East Coast Content Committee.
 


 

Jackie Hallihan is the Co-Executive Director of CSS’s Compliance Services team and has over 25 years’ regulatory and risk management experience. She was the founder of National Regulatory Services (NRS) which started the compliance resource business and served as its President for over 20 years. She also founded the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP), a non-profit organization for compliance officers, staff and lawyers serving the compliance industry. It now boasts over 2000 memberships. Jackie has been a leading speaker to compliance professionals, including in-house training programs and various other industry association conferences, and has received numerous industry awards. Jackie also serves as Director, Clerk of the New England Broker Dealer Investment Adviser Association (NEBDIAA), a non-profit organization, incorporated in 1997. The purpose of NEBDIAA is to provide a forum for the professional exchange of information among investment advisers, broker dealers, and persons who provide services to investment advisers and broker dealers, and to direct communication among its members which will improve their ability to serve the needs of their respective clients. The forum will help NEBDIAA’s members meet the increased regulatory demands placed on investment advisers, broker dealers, and persons who provide services to investment advisers and broker-dealers.

 
 

Categories
Coffee and Regs

New Rule Roadmap: Navigating and Implementing the Marketing Rule

New Rule Roadmap: Navigating and Implementing the Marketing Rule

 

In this episode, former CCOs and CSS’s compliance services experts in retail and institutional wealth manager services, Korrine Kohm and Matt Calabro discuss a roadmap on navigating the new Marketing Rule, building an action plan and leveraging managed services and technology to help remove compliance complexities from the rule.

 

 

About Our Guest Speakers:

Korrine Kohm is CSS’s Director of Retail Wealth Manager Services. Prior to CSS, Korrine was the Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Operations at Estabrook Capital Management where she was responsible for all compliance functions of this SEC-registered, $2.1B investment advisory firm. Korrine began her regulatory career while working at Allied Irish Bank (NY) in the Operations Department where she was a key member of AIB’s Compliance Committee, responsible for ensuring compliance with Federal and State regulations. An active member of the National Society of Compliance Professionals for over 10 years, Korrine earned her Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCPTM ) designation in 2006, is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and obtained her Certified Fraud Examiner designation. In addition to her experience in compliance and banking, Korrine began the 16-week intensive training course in Quantico, Virginia, to become a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She has particular experience in crafting customized policies and procedures, developing and implementing compliance programs, conducting on-site compliance reviews, acquisition due diligence reviews, risk assessments and mock SEC examinations. She routinely counsels clients on various regulatory matters, including SEC registration issues, social media and advertising, policies related to diminished financial capacity, disclosures and the annual review process.

 


 

Matt Calabro is an experienced Chief Compliance Officer, having served as CCO for registered mutual funds, investment advisers and a family of UCITS funds. Before joining CSS, Matt was Deputy CCO at Delaware Investments, where he led the daily activities of the firm’s compliance department covering advisory, fund and distribution activity. Under his leadership, Delaware implemented specific improvements in its guideline compliance, advertising review and Code of Ethics programs. Prior to Delaware, Matt spent 20 years in Raymond James’ investment advisory business, where he led mutual fund operations. While there, Matt implemented and upgraded controls, processes and technology and also served as the first full-time CCO to the mutual funds following the adoption of the Compliance Rule. Matt leverages his compliance and operations experience in the investment management industry to assist advisers and investment companies in advancing the effectiveness of their compliance programs.

 
 

Categories
Coffee and Regs

Mastering the Marketing Rule

Mastering the Marketing Rule

 

In this episode, CSS’s Co-Executive Directors of Compliance Services Keith Marks and Jackie Hallihan sit down to discuss actionable takeaways on implementing the SEC’s new Marketing Rule for registered investment advisers within the next 18 months.

 

 

About Our Guest Speakers:

 

Keith Marks is involved in the management and distribution of Compliance Solutions Strategies’ (CSS) products and services. He works across CSS to find regulatory data and reporting solutions that investment managers need. Keith manages a team of Directors, Consultants and Compliance Managers in CSS’s Compliance Services team who provide consulting, annual compliance program reviews, risk assessments, on-site mock examinations, registration services, and cybersecurity services to institutional wealth managers, private fund managers, retail wealth advisers, and registered investment companies. He also helps coordinate educational conference agendas and speakers. Keith is an author, product contributor, and thought leader. His product contributions have included the design of the Form ADV Part 2 Template distributed to over 6,000 advisers in 2010-12, and his vision of compliance program management built into CSS’s Compliance Management solution. With his colleagues, Keith’s most recent significant publication is “Big Data, Using Data Analytics”, Modern Compliance vol. 2, ch. 23 (2017). Keith joined Ascendant in 2007, and became a part of CSS in 2016. Prior to Ascendant, Keith was an instructor for the Center for Compliance Professionals and Director of Investment Adviser Services at National Regulatory Services (NRS). Keith practiced law previously as an Associate with Day, Berry & Howard LLP (now Day Pitney LLP), a Hartford, Connecticut law firm in 1996-98. Keith served as a law clerk for two years in Connecticut’s Supreme Court and Appellate Court after earning his Juris Doctor degree Magna Cum Laude from Western New England University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude from the University of Connecticut. He is a member of the State Bar of Connecticut, and is actively involved in raising funds for the Polycystic Kidney Foundation (www.pkdcure.org). Keith served as President of the New England Broker Dealer Investment Adviser Association (NEBDIAA), a non-profit organization, incorporated in 1997, from 2012-17. He has been on the Board of Directors of SOAR Educational Enrichment, Inc. since 2013, and Board Chair since 2015. SOAR is a privately funded 501(c)(3) providing educational enrichment programs to Keith’s local elementary school.


 
Jackie Hallihan is the Co-Executive Director of CSS’s Compliance Services team and has over 25 years’ regulatory and risk management experience. She was the founder of National Regulatory Services (NRS) which started the compliance resource business and served as its President for over 20 years. She also founded the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP), a non-profit organization for compliance officers, staff and lawyers serving the compliance industry. It now boasts over 2000 memberships. Jackie has been a leading speaker to compliance professionals, including in-house training programs and various other industry association conferences, and has received numerous industry awards. Jackie also serves as Director, Clerk of the New England Broker Dealer Investment Adviser Association (NEBDIAA), a non-profit organization, incorporated in 1997. The purpose of NEBDIAA is to provide a forum for the professional exchange of information among investment advisers, broker dealers, and persons who provide services to investment advisers and broker dealers, and to direct communication among its members which will improve their ability to serve the needs of their respective clients. The forum will help NEBDIAA’s members meet the increased regulatory demands placed on investment advisers, broker dealers, and persons who provide services to investment advisers and broker dealers.

Categories
Daily Compliance News

March 23, 2021 the Reputational Damage edition


In today’s edition of Daily Compliance News:

  • Toxic workplaces cost you customers. (NYT)
  • FirstEnergy hires CCO. (WSJ)
  • Fox Corp. hires CCO. (WSJ)
  • Two Americans charged in Japan over Ghosn escape. (NYT)
Categories
The Compliance Life

Natalia Shehadeh- Key Lessons learned and where the CCO chair headed in 2025 and beyond


The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Natalia Shehadeh, Chief Compliance Officer at ABB. In this fourth and final episode with Natalia we look at some of the key lessons she has learned and where the CCO chair may be headed in 2025 and beyond.
Natalia felt they were all unique experiences, joining corporate families at different times of opportunity and challenge.  She identified culture, behavior and inclusion as key and need to be the guiding lights for our field.  The greater sense of community and common purpose within and cross industries we can bring to the criticality of integrity the better.  The more inclusive we can make our enterprise cultures the stronger they will be.

Categories
The Compliance Life

Natalia Shehadeh – Into the CCO Chair


The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Natalia Shehadeh, Chief Compliance Officer at ABB. In this Episode 3, we review Natalia’s moving into the CCO Chair.
Natalia went into the corporate world and immediately landed jobs at not only high-profile firms but those going through significant FCPA journeys, investigations and enforcement actions. Her roles provided the beauty of travel and connection across dozens of countries, experience in areas well beyond traditional compliance including:   high-stakes enforcement and litigation provoking brand risks, devastating security challenges provoking human risk, and yet opportunity for synergy as we recognized the impact organization culture and inclusion can have on our integrity mission.

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31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

Day 25 | CCO authority and independence


The role of the CCO has steadily grown in stature and prestige over the years. In the 2020 FCPA Resource Guide, under the Hallmarks of an Effective Compliance Program, it focused on the whether the CCO held senior management status and had a direct reporting line to the Board.
This Hallmark was significantly expanded in both the 2020 Update and the FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy. And in so doing, the DOJ has increased the prestige, authority and role of both the CCO and corporate compliance function. The 2020 Update has five general areas of inquiry around the CCO and corporate compliance function. (1) How does the CCO salary and stature within the organization compare to other senior executives within the company. (2) What are the experience and stature of the CCO with an organization? Does the CCO have appropriate training for the role? (3) How much autonomy does the CCO have to report to the Board of Directors? How often do the CCO meet with directors? Are members of the senior management present for these meetings with the Board of Directors or of the Audit Committee? (4) What is your structure? Is the compliance function run by a designated chief compliance officer, or another executive within the company, and does that person have other roles within the company? (5) Is data in your organization so siloed that the CCO does not have access to it? If so, what are you doing about it?
Once again for the compliance professional, the FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy and 2020 Update make the importance of a best practices compliance program even more critical. The DOJ is focusing more on the role, expertise and how the compliance function is treated within an organization. Pay your CCO considerably less than your GC? You may now better be able to justify that discrepancy. If you have a legal department budget of $3 million and a compliance department budget of $500,000; you may be starting behind the eight-ball.
Three key takeaways:

  1. How can you show the CCO really has a seat at the senior executive table?
  2. What are the professional qualifications of your CCO?
  3. Does your CCO have true independence to report directly to the Board of Directors?
Categories
The Compliance Life

Kim Yapchai, In the CCO Chair


The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Kim Yapchai, the Chief Counsel – Environmental, Social & Governance at Tenneco Inc.  This encompasses both compliance and sustainability.
Kim calls herself a “businessperson with a law degree” and she has had a distinguished career in the in-house world. She held in-house positions at Ford Motor Credit Company and Masco before moving to Whirlpool to become the company’s first Chief Compliance Officer. From there she moved to Tenneco to the CCO chair and then into her current role. Further, she is the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. In this role, she is working to improve transparency of information shared with stakeholders, set goals, and promote the use of that information by investors, customers, and others. Kim has received numerous awards include the prestigious Top Minds in Compliance Award from Compliance Week.
In this third episode, Kim discusses her move to the CCO chair at Whirlpool and then Tenneco. In the CCO role she had her first interactions with the Board of Directors and found they understood that compliance is a journey it is extremely hard to be perfect. She also worked to change the impression of the CCO as ‘Dr. No from the Land of No.’ Have you thought about a Candy Station in your Compliance Department? Kim explains how she used this simple idea to help foster breaking through silos.

Categories
The Compliance Life

Kim Yapchai, Journey to the CCO Chair


The Compliance Life details the journey to and in the role of a Chief Compliance Officer. How does one come to sit in the CCO chair? What are some of the skills a CCO needs to success navigate the compliance waters in any company? What are some of the top challenges CCOs have faced and how did they meet them? These questions and many others will be explored in this new podcast series. Over four episodes each month on The Compliance Life, I visit with one current or former CCO to explore their journey to the CCO chair. This month, my guest is Kim Yapchai, the Chief Counsel – Environmental, Social & Governance at Tenneco Inc. This encompasses both compliance and sustainability.
Kim calls herself a “businessperson with a law degree” and she has had a distinguished career in the in-house world. She held in-house positions at Ford Motor Credit Company and Masco before moving to Whirlpool to become the company’s first Chief Compliance Officer. From there she moved to Tenneco to the CCO chair and then into her current role. Further, she is the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. In this role, she is working to improve transparency of information shared with stakeholders, set goals, and promote the use of that information by investors, customers, and others. Kim has received numerous awards include the prestigious Top Minds in Compliance Award from Compliance Week.
In this second episode, we take up the in-house roles In Kim held on her road towards the CCO chair. At Masco she was given the compliance portfolio and this was her first exposure to corp compliance. She was determined to “take the grown out of compliance” and did so by using humor and storytelling in compliance training. Kim said that employees that are engaged by and with compliance become ambassadors for compliance. At Masco as her first exposure to compliance on the international stage as well, learning you need to leave room to tailor compliance to local culture.