The SEC has opened registration for its compliance outreach seminars for investment companies and investment advisers. Seminars are being held in four different cities around the country in May and June.

The compliance outreach program is jointly sponsored by the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE), Division of Investment Management, and the Asset Management Unit of the Division of Enforcement. The seminars are intended to aid Chief Compliance Officers and other compliance managers of investment management companies and investment advisory firms improve their compliance programs. This year, OCIE’s priorities include protecting retail investors, focusing on risks specific to elderly and retiring investors and assessing market-wide risks.

In addition to providing information about these overarching priorities, each regional seminar will feature additional panel discussions on current topics in investment management regulation as follows: 

• Portland, Oregon – May 17 (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.): Key examination program initiatives, examination procedures and selection process, and recent trends and issues in the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit.


• New York – June 7 (12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.): Staff examinations and observations, and topics of interest to advisers to private funds.


• Boston – June 13 (8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.): Key examination program initiatives, typical examination process, and topics of interest to advisers to private funds.


• Chicago – June 13 (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): Key examination program initiatives, examination procedures and selection process, common examination deficiencies, data analytics, and several hot topic panels generally applicable to both small and large firms.

The Chicago seminar will also be webcast.

Register at the SEC’s website to attend one of the compliance outreach seminars. Registration for individual events will be closed at least two weeks before the event. Seating is limited. If registrations exceed capacity, investment company and investment adviser CCOs will be given priority on a first-registered basis.

Sources

SEC Announces 2017 Compliance Outreach Program Seminars for Investment Companies and Investment Advisers (www.sec.gov)

Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, Examination Priorities for 2017 (www.sec.gov)

Compliance Outreach Program for Investment Adviser and Investment Company Chief Compliance Officers (www.sec.gov)