On September 20 and 21, NQR was excited to gather our clients virtually for a series of webinars. Whether virtually or in-person, NQR provides these opportunities as a way for clients to share best practices and build relationships within the user community.
Our signature IM INSIGHT Client Panel on September 20 provided an opportunity for speakers from three client firms to share their success stories and challenges related to intermediary oversight. NQR’s IM INSIGHT product has evolved greatly since its inception in 2013, and NQR’s panel showcased both long-term and relatively newer users of the service. Each panelist provided a different perspective on the key elements of an effective intermediary oversight program.
One of the earliest users of IM INSIGHT discussed their initial approach to intermediary oversight, how they incorporated NQR’s tools into that approach, and the current effort focused on rethinking their overall intermediary oversight program (with the goal of keeping it current and maximizing opportunities). A relatively new participant in the U.S. mutual fund market discussed their firm’s approach to building an intermediary oversight program as part of onboarding distribution partners and how the IM INSIGHT tool was leveraged. A third panelist discussed how they have leveraged all elements of the IM INSIGHT portal to consolidate, organize, and enhance their oversight program. They also highlighted effective follow-up with distribution partners.
On September 21, NQR hosted an Intermediary Panel with speakers from two firms. The Intermediary Panel was designed to provide additional insight from an intermediary’s perspective into the relationship with their distribution partners, how the relationship has evolved in the past few years, and how to maximize the efficiency of oversight activities for both funds and intermediaries. The panelists spoke to the fund families about the FICCA, the audit report process, and relationships with fund families. They also discussed how on-site visits have changed since COVID-19 and what they have experienced with on-site versus virtual visits.
NQR also hosted our first gathering of users of the Service Provider (SP) INSIGHT product. This interactive roundtable provided participants an opportunity to compare overall vendor oversight programs and responsibilities as well as to share emerging best practices regarding the integration of the SP INSIGHT tool.
Thank you to our clients for such a great turnout. And an even bigger thank you to our amazing panelists for their engaging and informative sessions!