Enhanced Focus on Private Funds, ESG, and Operational Resiliency
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Examinations today announced its 2022 examination priorities. The Division will focus on private funds, environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, retail investor protections, information security and operational resiliency, emerging technologies, and crypto-assets.
The Division will focus on registered investment advisers (RIAs) who manage private funds. Examinations will review issues under the Advisers Act, including an adviser’s fiduciary duty, and will assess risks, including a focus on compliance programs, fees and expenses, custody, fund audits, valuation, conflicts of interest, disclosures of investment risks, and controls around material nonpublic information. The Division will also review private fund advisers’ portfolio strategies, risk management, and investment recommendations and allocations, focusing on conflicts and disclosures around these areas. In addition, the Division will review the practices, controls, and investor reporting around risk management and trading for private funds with indicia or signs of systemic importance.
The SEC press release is here. The full priorities memorandum is here.