The 2004
The obvious topics that will be discussed at this years gala will include rising expenses for mutual funds, the inadequacy of fund boards and the inherent conflict that exists between fund owners and investors in the fund management company. While these issues are nothing new in the fund business, they have garnered much more attention in the wake of the trading scandal that unfolded last September.
Attendees will also hear from large-cap portfolio managers Bill Nygren of
Another are of focus is how funds are sold and the complexity of expense structures. With distribution costs on the rise, not to mention hidden, investors have become confused as to what services theyre paying for, Kupoor said. Many investors also own inappropriate share classes because brokers receive fatter commissions for pushing them on their clients.
Keynote speakers Christopher Davis, portfolio manager and CEO of Davis Advisors, and John Montgomery, founder of
FPAs Bob Rodriguez and GMOs Jeremy Grantham are expected to argue that investors must pare their expectations and better position their portfolios in such a tough environment. Another panel will discuss whether funds invest in commodities and real estate are more volatile than theyve been in the past and if investors should limit their exposure to those asset classes.
Other high-profile names that will appear as part of a panel discussion include investor advocate Mercer Bullard and Bob Pozen, independent chairman of
