Bermuda Financial Services Conference - Fund Administration ...
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B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private EquityModerator: Craig Bridgewater, KPMG30 September 2008
Jason BibbFounder and Managing Director
T: +1 441 279 2082jasonb@isisfunds.bm
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
How Is The Hedge Fund Market Serviced
Hedge Fund Hot Topics
The Bermuda Value Proposition
Is Perception The Reality?1
2
3
4
1 Is Perception The Reality?1 Is Perception The Reality?1 Is Perception The Reality?1
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
PERCEPTION VERSUS REALITY
“…Bermuda seems to be closed for business…”
“…Bermuda is too regulated…”
“…Bermuda takes too long to establish an hedge fund, other jurisdictions are easier…”
“…between all the third party service providers, Bermuda is too expensive…”
“…cannot find quality good people in Bermuda…”
“…I can do everything in Cayman, which is easier for my business…”
The ‘Bermuda’ Perception
Aggressive Offshore Jurisdictions seeking
business
US & Offshore Lawyers
Investment Managers seeking less
onerous regulatory environments
Global service providers adopting
the same mindset
How was the ‘Bermuda’ Perception Born?
The ‘Bermuda’ comparison
British Virgin Island
Tax Neutral environment
Politically and economically stable
Simple and flexible system of regulation and control
No regulatory restrictions on investment policy or fees
No requirement to appoint directors
Need to incorporate in BVI
Set up and maintenance costs are low
Fast track set up
Bermuda
Tax Neutral environment
Politically and economically stable
Reputation for robust effective regulation
No regulatory restrictions on investment policy or fees
Flexibility over the appointment of directors, secretaries and resident
representatives
Need to incorporate and register in Bermuda
Set up and maintenance costs are low
Fast track set up, if required
Robust AML policies
Cayman Islands
Tax Neutral environment
Politically and economically stable
Reputation for lighter regulation
No regulatory restrictions on investment policy or fees
Requirement to appoint directors, but not local
Apart from an auditor there is no mandatory local service provision
Set up and maintenance costs are low
Fast track set up
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
SERVICING THE HEDGE FUND MARKET
Incorporation & Formation
Services
Domestic & OffshoreFund, Portfolio and Partnership
Accounting Services
Investor & Treasury Services
Corporate Governance &
Company Secretarial
Services
What can your Hedge Fund Administrator offer
Risk & Compliance platform
Banking /CreditSolutions
Trading Solutions Custody Solutions
Extended services solutions (Large Administrators)
Fiduciary & Directorial Services
Fund, Portfolio and Partnership Accounting
Services
Investor ServicesCompany Secretarial
Services
A Fully Integrated Technology Platform
Fund Administrators
Banks, PBs & Custodians
Onshore & Offshore Lawyers
Auditors
The collaborative approach?
Aggressive Growth
Distressed Securities
IncomePrivate Equity
Macroeconomic
Market Neutral
Opportunistic
Special Situations
Emerging Markets
OTCMethodologi
es
Hedge Funds √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Fund of Funds √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Mutual Funds √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Pension Funds √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Servicing every type of Investment Mandate
Administration Challenges in Bermuda
Bermuda
Cost Containment
Managing internal
expansion
Offshoring
Staff Retention
Immigration
IT Systems
The Administration Challenges?
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
BERMUDA / INDUSTRY HOT TOPICS
Bermuda introduces new Investment Funds Act
The Companies Amendment Act 2006
Fair Value Measurement
Guidelines for the valuation of hedge fund investments
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics
• The Investment Funds Act 2006 came into effect on 7 March 2007
• Covers the regulation and supervision of mutual fund companies, unit trusts and limited partnerships established in Bermuda
• The new legislation represents risk-based regulation that is a key character of the Bermuda jurisdiction
• No person shall operate a fund in or from Bermuda unless the fund has been authorised under the Act or is exempt
• The Act also provides a new licensing regime for fund administrators
• It is now an offense to carry on administration in or from Bermuda without being licensed under the Act
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics - Investment Funds Act-
• Changes in minimum share capital– There is no longer a minimum share capital requirement– Bermuda companies can now hold Treasury shares
• Unrestricted corporate objectives– The Act allows a company to have unrestricted objects and powers within its Memorandum
of Association
• Change in requirements for execution of documents– The ‘unanimous’ requirement of written resolutions has now been cancelled and an
effective resolution can now be passed by the same majority of voting shareholders as would be required had a physical meeting been held
• Executing deeds and documents under witnessed corporate seal is now optional as opposed to mandatory
• E-friendly initiatives – The Act has ‘e-enabled’ certain filing, notice and voting requirements helping to improve the
speed and effectiveness of corporate compliance– The voting process has been modernized whereby the Act allows for a show of hands to be
supplemented by the communication and counting of votes received
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics – The Companies Amendment Act-
• Effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007• FAS 157 establishes a single authoritative definition of fair value, sets out a framework for
measuring fair value and requires additional disclosures about fair value measurements
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics – Fair Value Measurement-
Hierarchy of Inputs to Valuation TechniquesReliability Level Input
Level 1 Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 Observable prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities. Prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Directly observable market inputs for substantially the full term of the asset or liability, e.g. interest rates and yield curves are commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, prepayment spreads, default rates and credit spreads.
Market inputs that are not directly observable but are derived from or corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3 Unobservable inputs based on the reporting entity's own assumptions
A chief concern for investment managers of hedge funds and those charged with the governance is the process for valuation of complex, illiquid financial instruments such as distressed securities, OTC structured noted and private equity investments.
The valuation policies and practices of hedge funds should be documented and approved by the board of Directors.
The Valuation Policy should include a hierarchy of pricing sources that are to be used.
The Valuation Policy should be regularly reviewed and updated, as required, taking account of different scenarios.
The Board of Directors should appoint an independent Valuation Service Provider to mitigate any conflicts of interest and to segregate the responsibility of the valuation process with the investment process.
Where the investment manager is involved in the valuation process controls should be established to address conflicts of interest and the managers involvement should be disclosed to shareholders.
The valuation of the fund’s portfolio should be based on multiple pricing sources and, where broker quotations are used, such quotations should be sourced by the independent Valuation Service Provider
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics – Valuation of investments-
Hedge Fund ‘Hot’ Topics – Convergence-
Gating restrictions, strategy diversification, institutionalization, side pockets, blurring of the lines between hedge funds, private equity and long only funds are just a subset of the issues arising from this transformation.
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
THE BERMUDA VALUE PROPOSITION
Why Bermuda ?
Thank you
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
Peter HughesGroup Managing Director
T: +1 441 292 2739Peter@apex.bm
Fund Structures
• Classic Master-Feeder Structure
• Usually a Master Fund based offshore or as a Delaware LP
• Advantage of one portfolio managed by the Investment Manager
• A Bermuda (or other offshore domicile) fund and a Delaware LP feeder
• Set up costs range from $40-100k depending on fund complexity and lawyers used
• Administration fees are usually charged on the feeders and not the master
• Audit fees range from $50k-100k (incl. tax work) depending on fund complexity and auditors
• Mini Master-Feeder Structure
• Usually a Delaware LP as a Master Fund with a Bermuda (or other offshore domicile) feeder
• Advantage of one portfolio managed by the Investment Manager
• US Investors invest directly into the LP and the offshore feeder will be a partner in the master
• Set up costs lower than Classic structure as one less fund to set up so saving $10-20k
• Administration fees will be similar to the Classic structure but there are annual cost savings
• Audit fees will be lower as there will be audit and tax savings of $15-30k from one less fund
Fund Structures - continued
• Side by Side Structure
• Usually a Delaware LP for US Investors
• A Bermuda (or other offshore domicile) fund for offshore investors
• The funds have separate portfolios
• The funds will often have different returns which can be difficult to explain to investors
• Set up costs range from $40-100k depending on fund complexity and lawyers used (both funds)
• Administration fees would be similar to a Classic Master-Feeder or Mini Master structure
• Audit fees range from $40k-80k (incl. tax work) depending on fund complexity and auditors
• Segregated Account Companies (SAC)
• Sometimes referred to as segregated cell companies
• Assets are legally separated from the assets in other segregated accounts (cells) – ring-fenced
• Segregated accounts used as different strategies creating sub-funds under one umbrella
• Segregated accounts used to tailor portfolios for larger clients
• Bermuda segregated accounts can invest in each other – Cayman cells cannot
• Flexible and cost effective solution for growing an asset management business
• Administration fees vary depending on whether each account is a strategy or tailored portfolio
• Audit fees vary depending on whether each account is a strategy or tailored portfolio
Private Equity Funds in Bermuda
• Private Equity is becoming more mainstream – hedge funds are holding more PE positions usually in side-pockets.
• With a poor 2008 and a possible recession in the US and Europe where will Western institutional investors and pension funds find the returns they need to satisfy their investors or pay out their pension plans?
• The emerging markets still represent high growth opportunities at better value from their highs at the end of 2007. Western investors will be looking at accessing these opportunities and some will be in the form of Emerging Markets PE funds.
• Private Equity funds are usually closed ended funds or partnerships. Guernsey is the domicile that is currently being used. Guernsey is close to capacity and a Bermuda set up would be several times cheaper and more efficient given its locality to US managers.
• With more institutions and pensions investing in PE funds there is a move away from the traditional in-house accounting and valuation process. The use of specialist independent administrators is becoming more common. Independent valuations and administration are required for investors in hedge funds and this will become a requirement for PE funds too.
• Institutional investors are reluctant to invest in PE funds due to the long lock in periods. A new market in London has opened similar to AIM called the Specialist Funds Market which can give daily liquidity to investors in the PE funds listed there which may make these funds more marketable to institutional investors.
Contact Peter Hughes (peter@apex.bm) or see www.apexfundservices.com for more information
Thank you
B I B A BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL BERMUDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCEFund Administration and Private Equity
Phillip GeeVice President, Head of Sales &
MarketingT: +1 (441) 295-8617
pgee@dundeeleeds.bm
FAS 157 – Fair Value
Aims to increase consistency and transparency
Exit price not entry price
• Exit price – what you would get if sold today• Entry price – replacement cost• Discount for restricted securities• No blockage factors for Level 1• Additional reporting disclosures
Establishes 3-tier classification for valuing instruments
• Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets. Mark to market.• Level 2 –observable information. Mark to model.
• Level 3 – Unobservable inputs. Make it up!
Valuation
Pricing methodologies
• Straight forward for Level 1 & 2• Structured and transparent valuation methodologies and tools• Milestone points used to trigger change in valuation policy• Agreement between valuation parties (including auditors)• Valuation committee
Potential issues with implementation and ongoing compliance
• Conflicts with offering documents - NAV divergence• Existing practices and standards• Side pockets and segregation• Illiquid positions - value now or value to maturity• No International Accounting Standard equivalent (yet)
Centre of Main Interests
Do you know where your funds centre of main interests are?
• Country of incorporation may not be the country of liquidation.
Consideration for offshore funds
• US Bankruptcy code: Chapter 15 verses Chapter 7 or 11• Recent case study: Bear Stearns offshore funds• “Foreign main proceedings”
“Linking criteria” - Where are the following located:
• Directors (& Employees) • Investment Manager• Books and records• Administrator• Liquid assets• Investor registry• Creditors
Thank you
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