ICI Viewpoints

IDC’s Fund Directors Conference is always an important event for the fund director community, but this year’s gathering will take on special meaning. On October 21–23 in Chicago, we’ll mark 15 years of supporting fund directors’ work on behalf of fund shareholders—by taking stock of how fund governance has evolved, surveying today’s industry and regulatory landscape, and contemplating the road ahead.

ICI President and CEO Paul Schott Stevens will sit down with Dawn-Marie Driscoll, an independent director at DWS Funds and one of IDC’s founders, and Dawn Vroegop, IDC Governing Council chair, to reflect on the big changes they’ve seen in the fund industry and boardroom, as well as the many opportunities and challenges ahead for directors.

Keynote speaker Dalia Blass, director of the SEC’s Division of Investment Management, will update us on her group’s board outreach initiative and regulatory agenda, while luncheon speaker Robert Doll, chief equity strategist and senior portfolio manager at Nuveen, will provide market commentary and insights.

Other highlights include panels exploring fund investor trends and the implications in the boardroom, how fund boards can navigate changes in technology, enhancing diversity and inclusion on fund boards, and more. Through these sessions and others, both newer and seasoned directors can stay on top of the issues of the day—and learn to fulfill their oversight role even more effectively.

As I look back on my service as IDC managing director, I am most proud of the top-notch educational programs we have developed for directors, as well as the vigorous policy advocacy work we have undertaken with the SEC. I hope that with these and other initiatives, I’ve been able to take IDC to a level where it is now widely respected as a leading organization assisting directors in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility.  

Looking forward to the upcoming Fund Directors Conference, my last as IDC’s managing director, I am also reminded that the conference brings together the best of IDC all in one place every year, reflecting our focus on education and advocacy, from the quality of the speakers we attract to the richness of the discussions on policy advances, industry changes, and much more.

Of course, this year’s conference signals the beginning of a new era—with my successor, Thomas Kim, primed to build on IDC’s 15 years of success. I hope fund directors will join us next month as we welcome Tom, celebrate this special anniversary, and look ahead to another 15 years of strong fund governance.