It’s hard to think of a time since the immediate aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis when we were in such a state of regulatory flux. During such times, resources such as the AIMA Journal are even more valuable. Look too long in one direction, and you’ll miss something in the other. Today, many are rightly focused on the seismic rule changes emanating from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

However, as this edition will demonstrate, readers cannot ignore the substantial imminent reforms in the UK and EU. 

Specifically, this edition offers a timely review of the environment, social, and governance (ESG) rules coming down the pike. In tackling accusations of many sustainability being too woolly, with opaque terminology, regulators are raising the standards fund managers must live by. This edition will help readers tackle compliance with the FCA’s anti-greenwashing rule and understand how to improve their sustainability metrics without changing investment strategies. 

Other contributors remind us of the perils of the greater scrutiny facing those who present themselves as leaders in sustainable investment. According to one contributor, legal action against banks and asset managers is on the rise, but there are clear steps readers can take to avoid such challenges. 

Compliance is a primary theme of this edition, going well beyond ESG issues to tackle AIFMD and other major rules frameworks currently being developed or updated.

Elsewhere, the topic du jour – private credit – is not neglected. As the asset class grows, regulators and tax authorities are taking notice. Policymakers in several major jurisdictions are discussing withholding tax treatment among the rule changes.  

Finally, the AIMA Journal’s credentials as a publication relevant to all of AIMA’s global membership remain strong. The persistent macroeconomic headwinds in Asia Pacific are detailed in an insightful report, while the developments in the British Virgin Islands are also crucial for those managing international businesses.

As always, there is too much high-quality content to preview in this note, so readers must venture further into this Journal to ensure they do not miss out. 

My thanks go to all the contributors to the AIMA Journal this year, who ensure it will
continue to be one of our most popular and widely read resources going forward.