National Futures Association Director of Compliance, Patricia L. Cushing, Discusses the Chief Regulatory Obstacles Faced by Hedge Fund Managers When Marketing Commodity Funds

Following repeal of the CFTC Rule 4.13(a)(4) commodity pool operator (CPO) registration exemption, numerous hedge fund managers with strategies involving commodities or derivatives registered as CPOs with the CFTC and became members of the National Futures Association (NFA).  See “Do You Need to Be a Registered Commodity Pool Operator Now and What Does It Mean If You Do? (Part One of Two),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 5, No. 8 (Feb. 23, 2012).  Such managers face at least two broad challenges in marketing fund interests.  First, CFTC rules governing commodity pool marketing differ in important ways from SEC rules governing hedge fund marketing.  On CFTC marketing rules, see “CPO Compliance Series: Marketing and Promotional Materials (Part Two of Three),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 5, No. 38 (Oct. 4, 2012); on hedge fund marketing, see “How Can Hedge Fund Managers Structure Their In-House Marketing Activities to Avoid a Broker Registration Requirement? (Part Three of Three),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 6, No. 37 (Sep. 26, 2013).  Second, effectively negotiating CFTC marketing and other rules requires a thorough and continuously updated understanding of the views of relevant compliance and enforcement officials.  As an adjunct to the efforts of hedge fund managers on the latter point, the Hedge Fund Law Report recently interviewed Patricia L. Cushing, Director of Compliance at the NFA, which is charged with regulating and examining CPOs.  Our interview with Cushing addressed, among other topics, whether the NFA will increase its scrutiny of marketing by CPOs now that the JOBS Act rules have become effective; the NFA’s emerging enforcement focus areas; most common deficiencies uncovered during reviews of CPO marketing materials; the NFA’s views on the use of past specific recommendations in performance presentations; the NFA’s approach to marketing issues raised by use of social media; best practices for review and approval of marketing materials; best practices for retention of promotional materials disseminated through website, radio and television; the role of the CCO or other supervisors in the marketing review process; and supervisory liability of CCOs.  See “Recent SEC Settlement Clarifies the Scope of Supervisory Liability for Chief Compliance Officers of Hedge Fund Managers,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 6, No. 33 (Aug. 22, 2013).  This interview was conducted in connection with the Regulatory Compliance Association’s upcoming Compliance, Regulation and Enforcement 2013 Symposium, to be held at the Pierre Hotel in New York City on October 31, 2013.  Subscribers to the Hedge Fund Law Report are eligible for a registration discount.

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