Hours: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm each day; Registration/Breakfast begins at 8:30 am
Delivery Method: Group Live (Classroom)

If you have appointed agents, this class will help you to develop a more robust compliance program and manage a more insightful due diligence review on your securities and cash agents (custodians, transfer agents, depositories, investment managers etc.).   At course end you’ll have the tools and knowledge base to gain a better understanding of your agents' operations.  You’ll also be better able to discern their quality and soundness.  From planning to execution, follow-up and even ongoing management, we’ll cover operations, compliance, legal and credit issues.  This course can be particularly helpful for remote or foreign agents. You’ll take away review tools, timelines and key questions.  You’ll learn why you need to take your review beyond the board room and how to leverage competitors, compliance officers and your CSO; all to develop a better service and more robust compliance program.  You’ll also learn how to make fine distinctions between competing services. We’ll also discuss pricing and why you may be paying more than you need to! Course Outline

·   Introduction

  o   Review the day’s organization / topics / key areas of participant concern

  o   Discuss Guiding Principles / Key Assertions

  o   Commoditization and the 99/1 Rule

·   Goals/ Methods

  o   Developing and targeting your agenda / raising the bar

·   Due Diligence Preparation:

  o   Timeline: 6 weeks before / 4 weeks before / 1 week before /

  o   Tools: Questionnaires / SLA / Service or Relationship Review Document / Assertion
                Statements / KPIs / Audit Statements / Approvals and More

  o   Evidentiary Trails (and how to avoid surprises from your colleagues)

  o   Homework / Research

·   Co-opting additional resources:

  o   Internal SMEs & Committees

  o   Regulators

  o   Enlisting an alternative provider

·   Sub Agents and Sub-Contractors

·   On-site Review

  o   Agenda setting (who, what, time, location)

  o   Operations (Review and Walkthrough), Credit, Legal, Compliance

  o   Key Questions

  o   Confidential matters

  o   Documentation

·   Follow-up

  o   Documentation

  o   Open issues

  o   Assertions

  o   Record keeping

·   Techniques/Approach

  o   Leveraging your CSO or RM (can you?) and an alternative agent.

  o   Positive Feedback.

  o   Your agent’s first question to you.

  o   Commoditization and the 99/1 rule.

·   Fee Management

  o   Competitive pricing info

  o   Average and Marginal Costs

  o   Your agent’s pricing process

  o   OOPs and why you need to watch these closely                               

·   Special Issues

  o   FX

  o   Securities Lending

  o   Cash Management Omnibus Accounts

  o   International Tax Reclaim