Two Important Upcoming Events

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As we wind down towards the end of the securities lending world’s annus horribilis we look into the future.  There are two conference events that merit serious attention.

IMN US Conference

I will first look at the IMN Beneficial Owners’ International Securities Lending & Repo Summit.  This is the 15th anniversary of the conference, to be held in Phoenix on  February 1 – 4.  I was there at the first one, in fact I have attended most, but not all of the events.   This is always one of the best conferences because of the large attendance of Beneficial Owners, however I think this event has the potential to be the best conference ever.

The turmoil of the past 18 months has brought a focus and spotlight on securities lending that has never been matched before.  The European version of this event was held in September, not long after the Lehman default.  The discussion and debate in Edinburgh, both publicly and privately was open and honest to a degree that is rarely seen.  I think that is the key to moving forward – better and more communication.  That is one of the reasons I started this blog in the first place.

As usual, the upcoming Summit will cover a spectrum of  subjects across the industry, but this year specifically looks at the most important issues:

•    Risks – Counterparty, Collateral, Indemnifications and Operational issues;
•    Revenue – Risk/reward analysis, Revenue generators;
•    Case Studies and Beneficial Owners actions

This conference is always notable as it brings together a much wider range of market participants than any other conference.  A huge number of Beneficial Owners are speaking.  These are the people that have had to answer the questions within their own organisations and decide whether changes to their lending programs were needed and if so, which steps needed to be taken.  Market participants – lenders and borrowers – both sides have been put under a microscope as to their attitudes, approaches and actions under fire.  You won’t get a better opportunity to get into the discussion and debate.

These are the key challenges facing everyone in the business for the coming year and will set the tone for the business for the future.   I hope to be there myself, and I expect the temperatures will be raised (and I am not talking about the weather).  There is a lot of emotion in the business at the moment, so take this opportunity to get in the mix! 

You can see the conference details and register here

GSL Summit

The people at GSL, the new journal focusing on securities lending, are hosting a conference on Thursday January 15th.  You might recognise that this is the day before the existing short selling restrictions are due to expire in the UK.

It seems to me to be a timely event and opportunity to examine the landscape for securities lending after the lifting of the ban. 

After an initial address from Spitalfileds Advisors that will set the scene for the state of the market, panellists and speakers will address a number of different topics in this half day session.

The broad topic of risk in all its component elements is discussed, with further sessions zeroing in on technology, followed by an examination of practical issues and answers.  The session will be wrapped up with a discussion entitled “What’s Next?”  You can see the full agenda details here: Download GSL Summit VIP Invite .

I’m impressed by a few aspects of the Summit.  First, it has been put together quickly and is well timed – it’s a great idea to start the year with some solid interaction.  Second, the speaker list is impressive.  Many leading industry participants will be speaking, and no doubt more will be in the audience.  (Don’t know how I managed to slip in as a speaker on the Risk Panel, but I am looking forward to it!).  Finally, the event is FREE of charge, but subject to invitation only!  What an excellent way to get started for 2009. 

If you are interested in attending, please email vipdelegate@2ipartners.com.  I hope to see you there!