AIMA Australia Education Forum

Presented by: AIMA Australia

Thursday 14th August 2014 from 12:15 - 2:00pm, Sydney, NSW

Topic

The next AIMA Australia education forum will be held on Thursday 14th August. The forum will discuss regulatory, tax and other issues, as well as current observations and insights associated with a range of hedge fund investment products, including Australian unit trusts, Cayman funds, UCITS and listed investment companies.

It is a "must attend" event for hedge fund managers reviewing their current products or considering development of new products.

Date and Time

Thursday 14th August, a light lunch will be available from 12.15 - 12.45pm, with the forum to commence at 12.45pm and finish before 2pm. Please note that food and drink cannot be taken into the theatre, so please arrive early if you wish to eat.

Speakers

Nikki Bentley, Partner, Henry Davis York

Nikki has extensive experience advising fund managers, product issuers and service providers on all aspects of their businesses. She specialises in business establishment and structuring, product development, Australian financial services licences, funds management business acquisitions, wholesale and retail product disclosure, distribution and compliance.

With more than a decade's funds management experience in private practice, government and as an in-house lawyer, Nikki's practice spans the range of funds management products, advising on alternative investment products, Australian and international equities trusts, property trusts, debentures and cash management trusts.

Nikki recently advised on the establishment and offering of capital guaranteed offshore alternate investment vehicles to Australian and New Zealand retail investments raising in excess of AUD$1.4 billion; the formation of an Australian subsidiary of a large UK financial services group and advising a group of institutional investors on range of structures that would allow them to access private equity and illiquid investments costs effectively.

She is the Honorary Legal Counsel and Chair of the Regulatory Committee for the Australian branch of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) and is a member of the Investment and Financial Services Council (FSC) Regulatory Issues and Product Rationalisation working groups.

Nikki is recognised as a leading lawyer in the areas of Financial Services Regulation and Investment Funds by Chambers Asia Pacific 2014, 2013 and 2012. She has also been listed as an expert in Funds Management in Best Lawyers since 2013.

Allan Mortel, Director, Taxation, Moore Stephens

Allan has over 15 years? experience providing tax advice on a wide range of corporate tax, international tax, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) matters to privately owned businesses, multinationals and listed companies.

He is an industry expert in the financial services and not-for-profit sectors, writing articles on tax issues and making submissions on taxation reform for both these sectors. He has also presented the annual tax updates at the Property Funds Association (PFA) Research and Compliance Roadshows and the Hedge Fund Operations Forums in Sydney.

Allan is the Chairman of the Moore Stephens Australia Tax Group and a member of the Moore Stephens Australia Asian Markets Group.

Host

UBS AG, Theatre, Level 4 Chifley Tower, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney

(please note - entrance is via the Bent Street lifts, not the main foyer)

RSVP deadline

Tuesday 12th August. There is a limit of two attendees per organisation.

If you would like to attend this education event, please click here to register. If you have any specific regulatory issues you would like Nikki to cover if time allows, please include them in the box provided on the registration form.

AARIA ROUND TABLE 2014

12 August 2014 in Sydney

We operate in the area of "real returns" and are eager to help our network of IFA's that operate outside the traditional static buy and hold methodology. This has led me to meeting the Association of Real Return Investment Advisers (ARRIA).

The Group has been established as a not-for-profit entity run by advisers for advisers. ARRIA is an initiative based on feedback and insights from advisers regarding the challenges that they face in using Real Return investment strategies, which they believe are able to deliver tangible solutions to meet their client's objectives.

ARRIA is hosting a round table discussion on Tuesday 12^th August, from 12pm to 4.30pm, in Sydney and offers a valuable opportunity to meet with likeminded advisers. The agenda for the round table is as follows:

Round Table 1: Agenda

• What are the implications of developing Real Return outcomes for PI and the regulators?
• Panel discussion - which alternative "strategies" work when?
• Panel discussion - what are the new investment opportunities, "access" methods (e.g. LICs), strategies, asset classes and investment flavours?
• Tool time
• Open Forum

Click here to register for the Round Table event, or if you would like more information please contact:

Philip Reid   |   General Manager
Association of Real Return Investment Advisers Limited (ARRIA)
ABN 82 99 168 267 623
GPO Box 5025, Sydney NSW 2001
T 0411-828 097   E [email protected]

The next Round Table event to be held in Sydney will be on Tuesday 11 November 2014.

As an association ARRIA aims to:

• assist in setting and maintaining a higher level of professional standards for all Real Return Investment Advisers and all relevant Stakeholders in the real return investment industry.
• create an environment where all Real Return Investment Advisers and all relevant Stakeholders can network in appropriate forums to advance the exchange of information, best-practice and compliance issues;
• create an environment where all Real Return Investment Advisers and all relevant Stakeholders can leverage industry resources;
• assist with the gathering and dissemination of resources in order to help facilitate:
• the collation and provision of information of interest or relevance;
• the development and / or access of appropriate tools;
• access to and sourcing of relevant and appropriate expertise;
• liaise and co-ordinate communications with government, regulatory bodies, other relevant industry associations and general service providers in the real return investment industry;
• whether undertaken with or without other participants; to promote, organise, conduct and/or participate in meetings, lectures, seminars, study groups, conferences, education, training and counselling courses for the purposes of increasing and advancing the knowledge and understanding of all facets and issues affecting or related to Real Return Investment Advisers and all relevant Stakeholders in the real return investment industry;

The operations of ARRIA are overseen by a Board, under the direction of the associations' corporate constitution and guidance of the directors. Both Directors and the Board are elected by the members on a rotation policy.

ATTACHED FILESARRIA Round Table (pdf format)

Financial System Inquiry - Public Forum

Presented by: The Committee of the Financial System Inquiry

The Committee of the Financial System Inquiry invites members of the public to attend a Public Forum to discuss the Inquiry.

The Chair of the Inquiry, Mr David Murray AO will attend each forum with members of the Committee. The forums are open for anyone to attend and provide an opportunity for members of the public to hear about the Inquiry, ask questions of the Committee, and raise issues for examination by the Inquiry.

Forums will be held in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney during August, with venues to be advised shortly.

Interested persons can register online.

Dates

• Perth: Wednesday 13 August, 6pm - 8pm - venue tba
• Melbourne: Thursday 14 August, 6pm - 8pm - venue tba
• Brisbane: Tuesday 19 August, 6pm - 8pm - venue tba
• Sydney: Wednesday 20 August, 6pm- 8pm - venue tba

If you would like to attend this education event, please click here to register.

Continuing Professional Development

AFM have been accredited by the Financial Planning Association of Australia to issue CPD points.

What you need to do:

Read the most recent Fund Review for any of our research clients, and then answer 5 straightforward questions, these are presented in multiple choice format. An 80% or more success score will provide 0.5 CPD points, with a certificate provided as proof of completion.  There is no cost for this service.

>> Read the Fund Review

>> Complete the Test

Reading the review and answering the questions will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professional members are required to keep up to date with industry knowledge to maintain their professional proficiency and status. This continuing professional development translates to CPD points which are to be maintained and recorded over a three year period (triennium).  The current triennium runs from 1 July 2012 - 30 June 2015. CFP professionals must achieve a total of 120 CPD points during each three year period. The breakdown of these points needs to be as follows: 

• at least 50% accredited,

• 50% non-accredited 

• including 3 ethics points.

CFP professionals must accumulate a minimum 35 points each year. 

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS CONFERENCE

14-15 August 2014 at the Grace Hotel, Sydney

Investigating the rise and rise of non-traditional high yield and low risk investment products, strategies and allocation in an era of prolonged volatility and low returns.  Conference topics include:

• Global Economic Trends and Future Outlook
• Asset Allocation portfolio strategies
• Institutional Investors perspectives on alternative investment
• A retail perspective in allocating to alternatives
• Partnership alignment and manager selection
• Regulatory, compliance and reporting requirements
• Hedge fund investment options and opportunities
• Investment timing indexes
• Alternative fixed interest as a ?better source of risk premium?
• Strategic allocation of commodities
• Infrastructure asset portfolio design and global opportunity
• The rise and rise of Impact Investing
• Understanding the True Scope of Private Equity Investing
• Tapping into the world of Niche Alternatives

Dates: 14^th-15^th August 2014
Time: 8:30am - 5:30pm
Location: Grace Hotel, Sydney

Click here to view the Agenda and for more information on the event.

To register for the conference please download the brochure and fax the form to us or you can email us on [email protected] or give us a call:

Registrations Manager
IBR Conferences Pty Ltd
Tel: +61 (0) 2 9896 0776 | Fax: +61 (0) 2 9896 0796 | [email protected] | http://www.ibrc.com.au

In this Switzer TV interview on Monday 28 July 2014, Chris discusses:

• 6-12 month performance of Australian hedge funds.

• New product release - Prism Select portal.

• Prism Select has launched with comprehensive information and performance on a range of 14 boutique funds, enabling investors to compare and research each one, while also providing a new online application tool that revolutionises the currently confusing and time consuming paper based process of applying for managed funds.

• Prism Select also provides access to each fund's offer documents and application forms through OLIVIA123, an online application service developed by AFM which provides a customised and interactive application form for each fund, reducing the time and frustration often experienced by investors when completing paper based application forms, and cutting the errors and omissions which often delay the processing of their applications.

• OLIVIA123 consists of three modules - Data Collection, Identity Verification (AML&KYC), and Online Execution - assisting fund managers and their administrators by reducing the time and costs of processing paper based applications, including compliance with new anti-money laundering legislation.

• OLIVIA123's online, interactive system is estimated to cut the time taken to complete and process a paper based application by up to 70 per cent.

Click here to view the TV Interview.

Chris Gosselin has been in the financial markets since 1986, initially in equities broking in Sydney and Melbourne prior to focussing on information distribution. He has been in the hedge fund sector since 2003, and established Australian Fund Monitors in 2006. Australian Fund Monitors provides a range of research services including due diligence, analytics and fund rankings, servicing both local and offshore investors. 

Hedge Fund Marketing and Fund Raising in 2014 and beyond

AIMA Australia is pleased to invite you to AIMAs next education event - Hedge Fund Marketing and Fund Raising in 2014 and beyond.

Date and Time: Wednesday 28 May 2014, 12:30 - 2pm.

Session Overview:

The panel will explore topics such as:

• Marketing and fund raising for Australian hedge funds & boutiques;
• Maintaining independence vs aligning with fund incubators / investment partners; and
• What investors are looking for?

Speakers:

Jarrod Brown - CEO, Bennelong Funds Management

John Corr - CIO, Aurora Funds

Nelson Lam - Director, Chase Corporate Advisory 

Moderator:

Zarmeen Pavri, Pengana Capital  

Speaker biographies:

Jarrod Brown - Jarrod joined Bennelong in September 2007 and has over 20 years experience in banking and funds management. He has worked across all elements of the funds management value chain in various executive positions with Standard & Poor's, IOOF Investment Management Limited and ING Australia. As Chief Executive Officer, Bennelong Funds Management, Jarrod is charged with developing Bennelong Group's asset management capability and is both the Responsible Manager and Director of various Bennelong Group companies. Jarrod holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Graduate Diploma (Banking & Finance), Master of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

John Corr - John is Chief Investment Officer of Aurora and sits on the Board of the listed Aurora Funds Limited. He has over 27 years experience in financial markets.  Prior to establishing Fortitude Capital (now part of Aurora Funds Limited), John was a Director at Citigroup Global Markets Australia. He worked in proprietary trading for eight years, trading local and overseas equities and equity derivatives, and was responsible for the management and development of a team of equity proprietary traders. From 1986 to 1995 John worked on the derivatives sales desk as a senior institutional dealer for a number of major investment banks, advising and executing for local and offshore institutions, corporates and trading houses. John is responsible for the investment management team at Aurora. He determines the appropriate portfolio structure and investment process for the investment strategies that Aurora manages. John works closely with all portfolio managers, providing direction and assessment of optimal risk opportunities. John has and continues to conduct a risk management program in Market Neutral and Derivative Strategies.  The objective is to educate and implement a systematic, repeatable process for disciplined trading strategies and portfolio management. The Aurora Fortitude Absolute Return Fund, which John established in 2005, was awarded hedge fund of the year in 2008 and 2009 by AIMA. John holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Wollongong.

Nelson Lam  - Nelson Lam is a Director at Chase Corporate Advisory, an independent financial services specialist advisory firm, and heads up the funds management advisory practice in Chase. Prior to Chase, Nelson was Head of Investments for Ascalon Capital Managers Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Westpac Banking Group and more recently held the position of Chief Operating Officer for H3 Global Advisors, a successful Australian based hedge fund. At Ascalon, Nelson completed numerous investments and divestments of funds management business and funds and was the Chief Investment Officer for the Ascalon Seed Pool between 2006 and 2012. Nelson has held numerous Directorships on various funds management businesses and has been a member of the Australia Institute of Company Directors since 2006.

RSVP procedures

Space is limited so we recommend that you register early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are open to AIMA members and non member managers only and will be intially limited to 2 per organisation. 

Please follow the link to register.

Asset Allocation 2014 Forum: 28th-30th May, Grace Hotel, Sydney

A timely landmark event designed to uncover the best approaches to asset portfolio management in an industry treading cautiously through uncertain and increasingly constrained times. This event has been designed to both update and educate investors by taking an in-depth look at these more adaptive asset allocation strategies and practices and where the best opportunities for high return lay in the current climate.

• Current and forecasted macro and micro economic outlook
• Investment opportunities in emerging markets
• Investigation of new theories and drivers in asset allocation
• Adapting to the industry's "new normal" in living with and managing risk
• Trustees perspectives in managing diversified asset portfolios
• Post-retirement portfolio development
• Reassessing the allocation mix for endowment and not-for-profit organisations
• Influence of a changing demographic landscape and how money, wealth and investment is perceived
• Fail proof guide to building and retaining investors through effective relationship management
• A close-up examination of individual asset classes and where opportunities lay and how challenges can be overcome
• General law, statute, regulation and prudential standards impacting on a superannuation funds investing in unlisted assets

Dates: 28th - 30th May 2014
Time: 8:30am - 5:30pm
Location: Grace Hotel, Sydney

Click here to download the brochure for more details.

To register for the conference please download the brochure and fax the form to us or you can email us on [email protected] or give us a call:

Registrations Manager
IBR Conferences Pty Ltd
Tel: +61 (0) 2 9896 0776 | Fax: +61 (0) 2 9896 0796 | [email protected] | http://www.ibrc.com.au

HFA Symposium

Sydney - Wednesday 21 May 2014; 12:00 - 2:00 pm

The Hedge Fund Association, in conjunction with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, is pleased to present an update on key regulatory matters currently affecting the alternative investment industry. A panel of Pricewaterhouse Coopers senior executives will provide a detailed overview of the following topics, as well as allowing for questions and commentary from attendees:

• Introduction: Ken Woo
• Market trends and insights: Joe Sheeran
• Hot topics - Regulatory framework for an inbound hedge fund manager in Australia: Andrew Wheeler
• Other regulatory updates, including IMR, FATCA and GATCA: Darren Mack/Jodie Bosler

Attendees will enjoy a light lunch, an informative and interactive panel discussion on important regulatory matters, as well as being provided with the opportunity share experiences with industry peers.

Space is limited, please select a link below and RSVP now:

Please direct any questions regarding this event to Adriana Kostov, Australian Regional Director, HFA

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

• 12:00pm-12:30pm Registration, Light Lunch and Introduction
• 12:30pm-1:30pm Panel Discussion
• 1:30pm-2:00pm Q&A/Concluding Remarks

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Darling Park 201 Sussex Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

HFA Contacts:

Global Executive Director - Lara Block
[email protected]

Global President - Mitch Ackles
[email protected]

Australia Chapter Director - Adriana Kostov
[email protected]