As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2020
Securities Act File No. 333-[●]
Investment Company Act File No. 811-23583
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER |
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THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | ☒ | |||
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER |
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THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | ☒ |
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
205 Detroit Street, Suite 200
Denver, Colorado 80206
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(212) 802-8500
(Registrants Telephone Number)
Michael Bell
Primark Advisors LLC
205 Detroit Street, Suite 200
Denver, Colorado 80206
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Gregory C. Davis
Paulita A. Pike
Ropes & Gray LLP
Three Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111-4006
413-315-6300
APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING:
AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. ☒
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
☐ |
when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c) |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
TITLE OF SECURITIES BEING REGISTERED(1) |
PROPOSED MAXIMUM
PRICE(1) |
AMOUNT OF REGISTRATION FEE(2) |
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Shares of Beneficial Interest |
$1,000,000 | $129.80 | ||
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(1) |
The Registrant intends to file an application for exemptive relief with the Securities and Exchange Commission that would permit the Registrant to offer multiple classes of shares of beneficial interest (Shares). This registration statement relates to the maximum aggregate offering of $1,000,000 of Shares of the Registrant. The offering currently includes Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares. |
(2) |
Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date (i) until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, or (ii) until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this Prospectus is incomplete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
Class I Shares
Class II Shares
Class III Shares
Preliminary Prospectus (Subject to Completion) Dated [●], 2020
Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund operates as an interval fund pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act. The Funds investment objective is to generate long-term capital appreciation, consistent with prudent investment management.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a globally diversified portfolio of private equity and other investments that provide attractive risk-adjusted return potential, including: (i) direct equity investments in private operating companies; (ii) primary and secondary investments in private equity funds; (iii) publicly traded private equity investments; and (iv) short-term investments. The Fund will also seek diversification through portfolio company exposure across multiple industry sectors, geographies, size, vintage years and private equity sponsors. The Fund aims to achieve a stable return profile with low to moderate volatility.
The Fund cannot guarantee that it will meet its investment objective. Investing in the Fund involves a high degree of risk. See General Risks and Limits of Risk Disclosure beginning on page 17.
Class I Shares |
Class II Shares |
Class III Shares |
Total |
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Public Offering Price(1) |
Current NAV | Current NAV | Current NAV | Up to $1,000,000 | ||||
Proceeds to the Fund (Before Expenses)(2) |
Amount Invested at Current NAV | Amount Invested at Current NAV | Amount Invested at Current NAV | Up to $1,000,000 |
(1) |
Foreside Financial Services, LLC acts as the principal underwriter of the Funds shares on a best-efforts basis. Generally, the stated minimum investment by an investor in the Fund is $25,000,000 for Class I Shares, $1,000,000 for Class II Shares and $50,000 for Class III Shares, which stated minimum may be reduced for certain investors. |
(2) |
Assumes all shares currently registered are sold in the offering. Shares will be offered in a continuous offering at the Funds then-current net asset value (NAV) per Share. The Funds initial offering expenses are described under Fund Expenses. |
This prospectus (the Prospectus) applies to the offering of three separate classes of shares of beneficial interests (Shares) in the Fund, designated as Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares. The Fund has applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an exemptive order that would permit the Fund to offer more than one class of Shares. Class II Shares and Class III Shares will not be offered to investors until the Fund has received an exemptive order permitting the multi-class structure. The Funds Shares will generally be offered at the net asset value (NAV) per Share on each regular business day. The Fund has registered $1,000,000 of Shares for sale under the registration statement to which this Prospectus relates. The Fund reserves the right to reject a purchase order for any reason.
Shareholders of the Fund (Shareholders) will not have the right to redeem their Shares. However, as described below, in order to provide some liquidity to Shareholders, the Fund will conduct periodic repurchase offers for a portion of its outstanding Shares. This Prospectus is not an offer to sell Shares and is not soliciting an offer to buy Shares in any state or jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.
Shares are speculative and illiquid securities involving substantial risk of loss. An investment in the Fund is subject to, among others, the following risks:
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Shares are not listed on any securities exchange and it is not anticipated that a secondary market for Shares will develop. |
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You should generally not expect to be able to sell your Shares (other than through the repurchase process), regardless of how the Fund performs. |
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Although the Fund is required to implement a Share repurchase program, only a limited number of Shares will be eligible for repurchase by the Fund. |
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Although the Fund will offer to repurchase Shares from time to time, Shares will not be redeemable at a Shareholders option nor will they be exchangeable for shares of any other fund. As a result, an investor may not be able to sell or otherwise liquidate his or her Shares. |
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Shares are appropriate only for those investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk and do not require a liquid investment and for whom an investment in the Fund does not constitute a complete investment program. |
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Because you will be unable to sell your Shares or have them repurchased immediately, you will find it difficult to reduce your exposure on a timely basis during a market downturn. |
This Prospectus provides important information that you should know about the Fund before investing. You should read this Prospectus carefully and retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including the Funds statement of additional information (the SAI), dated [●], 2020, has been filed with the SEC. You can request a copy of the SAI and annual and semi-annual reports of the Fund (when available) without charge by writing to the Fund at PO Box 541150, Omaha, NE 68154-9150, or by calling the Fund toll-free at 877-792-0924. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus in its entirety. The table of contents of the SAI appears on page 54 of this Prospectus. You can obtain the SAI, and other information about the Fund, on the SECs website (http://www.sec.gov).
You should not construe the contents of this Prospectus as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your own professional advisers as to legal, tax, financial, or other matters relevant to the suitability of an investment in the Fund.
You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus and the SAI. The Fund has not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information provided by this Prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date shown below. Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Foreside Financial Services, LLC (the Distributor) acts as the distributor for the Shares. In addition, certain U.S. institutions (including banks, trust companies, brokers and investment advisers) may be authorized to accept, on behalf of the Fund, purchase orders and repurchase requests placed by or on behalf of their customers, and if approved by the Fund, may designate other financial intermediaries to accept such orders.
The Fund has elected to implement a quarterly repurchase mechanism. Pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy to conduct quarterly repurchase offers. The Fund currently intends to conduct quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of its outstanding Shares, at a price equal to the applicable NAV per Share, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed, shareholders may only be able to have a portion of their Shares repurchased. There is no assurance that you will be able to tender your Shares when or in the amount that you desire.
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of the Funds shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on the Funds website (www.primarkcapital.com), and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.
If you elect, or have already elected, to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund or your financial intermediary electronically, by calling the Fund at 877-792-0924 or by sending an email to fundinfo@primarkcapital.com, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. You can inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by contacting the Fund, c/o PO Box 541150, Omaha, NE 68154-9150, by telephone at 877-792-0924 or by email to fundinfo@primarkcapital.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary.
The date of this Prospectus is [●].
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DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN |
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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL |
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1. |
What is Primark Private Equity Fund? |
Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund presents a unique opportunity to access private equity with broad diversification, immediate investment exposure and low investment minimums. Through a single investment, the Fund offers a simplified, comprehensive solution that solves many of the obstacles that prevent investors from accessing private equity, including high investment minimums, operational complexity, tax reporting complexity, long periods of illiquidity, and concentrated risk exposures.
2. |
Who is Primark and what is its role? |
Primark Advisors LLC (Primark or the Adviser) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Primark Capital LLC (Primark Capital), an asset management company focused on providing investors with exposure to private market transactions. Primark is the investment adviser of the Fund and is responsible for investment selection and portfolio construction. Over the past three decades, the investment team now employed by the Adviser has developed an attractive track record investing in lower middle market private companies. Please see Management Team Primark for biographies of the Advisers management team.
3. |
What is the Funds investment strategy? |
The Fund seeks to invest in a globally diversified portfolio of private equity and other investments that provide attractive risk-adjusted return potential, consistent with prudent investment management. The Fund invests in private operating companies, private equity vehicles, publicly traded private equity investments and short-term investments, while simultaneously providing diversification across a broad set of private equity managers, strategies, and transaction types. To meet the Funds return and liquidity risk management objectives, the Fund will allocate to specific segments of private and public markets that the Adviser considers most attractive at a given point in the market cycle.
The principal investments utilized by the Fund include, but are not limited to:
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direct equity investments in private operating companies; |
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primary and secondary investments in private equity funds; |
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publicly traded private equity investments; and |
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short-term investments. |
The Fund will also seek to diversify across industry sector, geography, size, vintage year, and private equity sponsor. Please see Investment Process Overview for more detailed information.
4. |
What are some of the benefits of the Fund? |
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Access Access to private equity has historically been difficult to achieve. The Fund seeks to provide greater access to private equity by offering a diversified, low-minimum private equity solution that is available to all investors. |
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Diversification In a single investment, the Fund seeks to provide diversification across private equity investment types, industry sectors, geography, size, vintage years, and private equity sponsors. |
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Low Investment Minimums The minimum initial investment in the Fund is $25,000,000 with respect to Class I Shares, $1,000,000 with respect to Class II Shares and $50,000 with respect to Class III Shares, allowing investors to achieve access and diversification at much lower dollar amounts than what is associated with typical private equity investments. |
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Experienced Investment Team The investment team now employed by the Adviser has decades of experience sourcing, evaluating, and recommending private equity investments, as well as managing both evergreen private equity funds and registered investment companies. |
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1099 Tax Reporting - The Fund will distribute to its shareholders an IRS Form 1099 tax reporting document such that it is not expected that an investment in the Fund will require shareholders of the Fund (Shareholders) to file for an extension. |
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Simplified Performance Reporting The Fund will calculate a daily net asset value (NAV) per Share that will allow Shareholders to easily calculate and compare Fund performance. |
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Liquidity Provisions The Fund will offer repurchases on a quarterly basis, allowing investors the potential to have their Shares repurchased at the relevant NAV per Share, subject to Fund level restrictions. While limited liquidity may be available, the Fund should be considered an illiquid investment and long-term in nature. Please see Periodic Repurchase Offers for more information. |
5. |
How do I subscribe for Shares? |
Shares will generally be offered at the applicable NAV per Share on each regular business day. Prospective investors should read this prospectus in its entirety, including the General Risks section. Please see Purchasing Shares for more information.
6. |
How do I redeem shares? |
The Fund should be considered an illiquid investment and is appropriate for investors with a long-term time horizon. The Fund will provide a limited degree of liquidity to Shareholders by conducting quarterly repurchase offers, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements. The Fund has adopted a fundamental policy, which cannot be amended without a majority vote of the Funds Shareholders, to conduct quarterly repurchase offers at the applicable NAV per Share.
7. |
When will I receive tax information? |
The Fund will distribute a Form 1099-DIV or Form 1099-B to each Shareholder, as appropriate, for the prior year.
FEES AND EXPENSES
8. |
What are the Funds management fees? |
The Fund pays the Adviser an investment management fee (the Management Fee) in consideration of the advisory and other services provided by the Adviser to the Fund. The Fund pays the Adviser a monthly Management Fee equal to 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund (or such lesser amount as the Adviser may from time to time agree to receive). The Adviser may but is not obligated to waive up to 0.50% of the Management Fee on cash and cash equivalents held in the Fund from time to time. See Management Fee for more information.
9. |
Does the Fund charge any incentive or performance fees? |
No. The Fund does not charge any incentive or performance fees. Please note, however, that some underlying portfolio investments may be subject to performance fees charged by the relevant fund manager or private equity sponsor.
10. |
Is there a limit to the Funds expenses? |
The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the Expense Limitation Agreement) with the Fund, whereby the Adviser has agreed to reduce the Management Fee payable to it (but not below zero), and pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund, excluding certain Excluded Expenses listed below, to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of Shares of the Fund) of 1.60%, 2.00% and 2.25% with respect to Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares, respectively (the Expense Cap).
If the Adviser waives its Management Fee or pays any operating expenses of the Fund pursuant to the Expense Cap, the Adviser may, for a period ending three years after the end of the month in which such fees or expenses are waived or incurred, recoup amounts waived or incurred to the extent such recoupment does not cause the Funds operating expense ratio (after recoupment and excluding the Excluded Expenses) to exceed the Expense Cap.
11. |
What are the Funds Excluded Expenses? |
Excluded Expenses that are not covered by the Expense Cap include: brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses. Please see Expense Limitation Agreement for more information.
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This is only a summary and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the Fund. Before investing in the Fund, you should carefully read the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus, the SAI, and the agreement and declaration of trust of the Fund (the Declaration of Trust).
The Fund |
Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the 1940 Act as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on June 15, 2020.
The Fund is an appropriate investment only for those investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk and do not require a liquid investment.
The Fund offers three separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (Shares) designated as Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares. Each class of Shares is subject to different fees and expenses. The Fund may offer additional classes of Shares in the future. The Fund has applied for and expects to receive an exemptive order from the SEC with respect to the Funds multi-class structure. Class I Shares will be the only class offered for purchase until the Fund has received an exemptive order permitting the multi-class structure. There is no assurance that the Fund will be granted the exemptive order. |
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Investment objective and strategies |
The Funds investment objective is to generate long-term capital appreciation, consistent with prudent investment management.
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a globally diversified portfolio of private equity and other investments that provide attractive risk-adjusted return potential, including: (i) direct investments in the equity of private operating companies (Portfolio Companies); (ii) primary and secondary investments in private equity funds (Portfolio Funds) managed by third-party managers (Portfolio Fund Managers); (iii) publicly traded private equity vehicles, such as business development companies (including derivatives tied to the returns of such vehicles); and (iv) short-term investments, including money-market funds, short term treasuries, or other liquid investment vehicles (together, the Fund Investments). For purposes of this Prospectus, publicly traded private equity vehicles that are structured as commingled investment vehicles are deemed to be Portfolio Funds, and investment managers of such vehicles, along with the lead investors of direct private equity investments, are deemed to be Portfolio Fund Managers.
Asset allocation and investment selection will be guided by the Advisers global rigorous investment analysis, which takes into account changes in the market environment.
The Adviser manages the Funds portfolio with a view towards managing liquidity and maintaining a high investment level. Accordingly, the Adviser may make investments and commitments based, in part, on anticipated future distributions from investments. The Adviser also takes other anticipated cash flows into account, such as those relating to new subscriptions, the tender of Shares by investors and any distributions made to investors. See Investment Process Overview below.
The Adviser intends to use a range of techniques to reduce the risk associated with the Funds investment strategy. These techniques may include, without limitation:
Diversifying investments and commitments across industry sector, geography, size, private equity sponsor and vintage year (i.e., the year in which a Portfolio Fund begins investing); and |
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Fees and expenses |
On an ongoing basis, the Fund bears its own operating expenses (including, without limitation, its offering expenses). A more detailed discussion of the Funds expenses can be found under Fund Expenses.
Management Fee. As compensation under the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser a monthly Management Fee equal to 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Adviser may but is not obligated to waive up to 0.50% of the Management Fee on cash and cash equivalents held in the Fund from time to time. See Management Fee.
Administration Fee. The Administrator provides the Fund certain administration and accounting services. In consideration for these services, the Administrator is paid a monthly fee calculated based on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum monthly fee (the Administration Fee). The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Fund also reimburses the Administrator for certain out-of-pocket expenses and pays the Administrator fees for transfer agency and compliance services. See Administration.
Distribution and Service Fee. The Fund has applied for exemptive relief from the SEC that will allow the Fund, subject to certain conditions, to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class III Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will be permitted to pay as compensation to the Distributor or other qualified recipient up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to Class III Shares (the Distribution and Service Fee). The Distribution and Service Fee will be paid out of the Funds assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. Class I Shares and Class II Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Service Fee. Class III Shares will not be offered for sale until the Fund has received the requested exemptive relief from the SEC. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund had not received the requested exemptive relief, and Class III Shares have not been offered for sale. There is no assurance that the Fund will be granted the requested exemptive relief. See Distribution and Service Plan.
Shareholder Servicing Fee. The requested exemptive relief from the SEC will also allow the Fund, subject to certain conditions, to adopt a Shareholder Servicing Plan with respect to Class II Shares. Under the Shareholder Servicing Plan, the Fund will be permitted to pay as compensation to qualified recipients up to 0.10% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to Class II Shares (the Shareholder Servicing Fee). The Shareholder Servicing Fee will be paid out of the Funds assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. Class I Shares and Class III Shares are not subject to the Shareholder Servicing Fee. Class II Shares will not be offered for sale until the Fund has received the requested exemptive relief from the SEC. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund had not received the requested exemptive relief, and Class II Shares have not been offered for sale. There is no assurance that the Fund will be granted the requested exemptive relief. See Shareholder Servicing Plan. |
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Expense Limitation Agreement |
The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the Expense Limitation Agreement) with the Fund, whereby the Adviser has agreed to reduce the Management Fee payable to it (but not below zero), and to pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund, excluding certain Excluded Expenses listed below, to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of Shares of the Fund) of 1.60%, 2.00% and |
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is not intended that the Adviser will be a fiduciary within the meaning of
ERISA with respect to the assets of any benefit plan investor within the meaning of ERISA that becomes a Shareholder, solely as a result of the Shareholders investment in the Fund. For additional information, see ERISA Considerations below. |
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Reports to Shareholders | Shareholders will receive an audited annual and unaudited semi-annual report for the Fund. See Reports to Shareholders. | |
Fiscal and tax year | The Funds fiscal year is the 12-month period ending on March 31. The Funds taxable year is the 12-month period ending on September 30. | |
Term | The Funds term is perpetual unless the Fund is otherwise terminated under the terms of the Declaration of Trust. |
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The following table illustrates the expenses and fees that the Fund expects to incur and that Shareholders can expect to bear directly or indirectly.
SHAREHOLDER FEES |
Class I
Shares |
Class II
Shares |
Class III
Shares |
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Maximum Sales Load |
None | None | None | |||||||||
Maximum Early Repurchase Fee (as a percentage of repurchased amount) (1) |
2.00 | % | 2.00 | % | 2.00 | % | ||||||
ANNUAL EXPENSES (as a percentage of net assets attributable to Shares) |
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Management Fee (2) |
1.50 | % | 1.50 | % | 1.50 | % | ||||||
Distribution and/or Shareholder Servicing Fees (3) |
0.00 | % | 0.10 | % | 0.25 | % | ||||||
Other Expenses (4) |
1.00 | % | 1.00 | % | 1.00 | % | ||||||
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Total Annual Expenses Before Fee Waivers and Acquired Fund Fees |
2.50 | % | 2.60 | % | 2.75 | % | ||||||
Fee Waiver(5) |
(0.90 | )% | (0.60 | )% | (0.50 | )% | ||||||
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Total Annual Expenses Before Acquired Fund Fees |
1.60 | % | 2.00 | % | 2.25 | % | ||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (6) |
0.30 | % | 0.30 | % | 0.30 | % | ||||||
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Total Annual Expenses after Acquired Fund Fees |
1.90 | % | 2.30 | % | 2.55 | % |
(1) |
A 2.00% early repurchase fee payable to the Fund will be charged with respect to the repurchase of a Shareholders Shares at any time prior to the day immediately preceding the one-year anniversary of a Shareholders purchase of the Shares (on a first in-first out basis). The Fund may waive the early repurchase fee for certain categories of Shareholders or transactions, such as repurchases of Shares in the event of the Shareholders death or disability, or in connection with certain distributions from employer sponsored benefit plans. See Periodic Repurchase Offers. |
(2) |
The Management Fee is equal to 1.50% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Adviser may but is not obligated to waive up to 0.50% of the Management Fee on cash and cash equivalents held in the Fund from time to time. See Management Fee for additional information. |
(3) |
The Fund has applied for exemptive relief from the SEC permitting it to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a shareholder servicing plan for Class II Shares and a distribution and service plan (pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act) for Class III Shares. If approved, the Fund may charge a shareholder servicing fee up to 0.10% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to Class II Shares, and a distribution and service (12b-1) fee up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to Class III Shares. The Fund may use these fees to compensate financial intermediaries or financial institutions for providing ongoing shareholder servicing in respect of clients holding Class II Shares, and for distribution-related expenses, if applicable, in respect of clients to whom they have distributed Class III Shares. See Distribution and Service Plan and Shareholder Servicing Plan. |
(4) |
Other Expenses are estimated for the Funds current fiscal year. Other Expenses include, among other things, professional fees and other expenses that the Fund will bear, including initial and ongoing offering costs and fees and expenses of the Administrator, transfer agent and custodian. |
(5) |
The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the Expense Limitation Agreement) with the Fund, whereby the Adviser has agreed to reduce the Management Fee payable to it (but not below zero), and to pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses) to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of Shares of the Fund) of 1.60%, 2.00% and 2.25% with respect to Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares, respectively (the Expense Cap). For a period ending three years after the end of the month in which the Adviser waives its Management Fee or pays any operating expenses of the Fund pursuant to the Expense Cap, the Adviser may recoup amounts waived or incurred to the extent such recoupment does not cause the Funds operating expense ratio (after recoupment and excluding brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses) to exceed the Expense Cap. The Expense Limitation Agreement will continue in effect for at least one year from the effective date of the Prospectus, and will renew automatically for successive periods of one year thereafter, unless written notice of termination is provided by the Adviser to the Fund not less than 10 days prior to the end of the then-current term. |
(6) |
Shareholders also indirectly bear a portion of the asset-based fees, performance or incentive fees or allocations and other expenses incurred by the Fund as an investor in the Portfolio Funds. Generally, asset-based fees payable in connection with Portfolio Fund investments will range from 1.00% to 2.00% (annualized) of the commitment amount of the Funds investment, and performance or incentive fees or allocations are typically 20% of a Portfolio Funds net profits annually, although it is possible that such amounts may be exceeded for certain Portfolio Fund Managers. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses disclosed above, however, do not reflect any performance-based fees or allocations paid by the Portfolio Funds that are calculated solely on the realization and/or distribution of gains, or on the sum of such gains and unrealized appreciation of assets distributed in kind, as such fees and allocations for a particular period may be unrelated to the cost of investing in the Portfolio Funds. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses disclosed above are based on estimated amounts for the Funds current fiscal year. |
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The purpose of the table above is to assist prospective investors in understanding the various fees and expenses Shareholders will bear directly or indirectly. For a more complete description of the various fees and expenses of the Fund, see Management Fee, Distribution and Service Plan and Shareholder Servicing Plan, Fund Expenses, Periodic Repurchase Offers and Purchasing Shares.
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that all distributions are reinvested at net asset value and that the percentage amounts listed under Annual Expenses remain the same in the years shown. The assumption in the hypothetical example of a 5% annual return is required by regulation of the SEC applicable to all registered investment companies. The assumed 5% annual return is not a prediction of, and does not represent, the projected or actual performance of Shares.
EXAMPLE
Class I Shares
You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return: |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | ||||||||||||
$ | 40 | $ | 60 | $ | 103 | $ | 222 |
Class II Shares
You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return: |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | ||||||||||||
$ | 44 | $ | 72 | $ | 123 | $ | 264 |
Class III Shares
You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return: |
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | ||||||||||||
$ | 46 | $ | 74 | $ | 125 | $ | 265 |
The example is based on the annual fees and expenses set out on the table above and should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, the rate of return of the Fund may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return used in the example. A greater rate of return than that used in the example would increase the dollar amount of the asset-based fees paid by the Fund.
The Fund is newly organized and has a limited operating history. Additional information about the Funds investments will be available in the Funds annual and semi-annual reports when they are prepared.
The Fund will invest the proceeds from the continuous offering of Shares on an ongoing basis in accordance with its investment objective and strategies as stated below. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest all or substantially all of the net proceeds in accordance with its investment objective and strategies as soon as practicable after receipt of the proceeds, first in more liquid publicly traded securities and short-term investments, then in privately offered securities (including Portfolio Companies and Portfolio Funds) as they become available to the Fund, depending on the amount and timing of proceeds available to the Fund as well as the availability of investments consistent with the Funds investment objectives and strategies, and except to the extent proceeds are held in cash to pay dividends and operating expenses, satisfy repurchase offers or for temporary defensive purposes. See Purchasing SharesPurchase terms. Such proceeds will be deposited in the Funds account with the custodian of the Fund (the Custodian) when received prior to or immediately after the closing of the applicable offering on each business day. Delays in investing the Funds assets may occur (i) because of the time typically required to complete private equity transactions (which may be considerable), (ii) because certain Portfolio Funds selected by the Adviser may provide infrequent opportunities to purchase their securities, and/or (iii) because of the time required for Portfolio Fund Managers to invest the amounts committed by the Fund.
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A portion of the amount of proceeds of the offering of Shares or any other available funds may be invested in short-term debt securities or money market funds pending investment pursuant to the Funds investment objective and strategies. In addition, subject to applicable law, the Fund may maintain a portion of its assets in cash or such short-term securities or money market funds to meet operational needs, for temporary defensive purposes, or to maintain liquidity. The Fund may be prevented from achieving its objective during any period in which the Funds assets are not substantially invested in accordance with its principal investment strategies.
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGIES
Investment objective
The Funds investment objective is to generate long-term capital appreciation, consistent with prudent investment management.
The investment objective of the Fund is not a fundamental policy of the Fund and may be changed by the Board without the vote of a majority (as defined by the 1940 Act) of the Funds outstanding Shares. The Funds fundamental policies, which are listed in the SAI, may only be changed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Investment strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a globally diversified portfolio of private equity investments and other investments that provide attractive risk-adjusted return potential, including: (i) direct investments in the equity of private operating companies (Portfolio Companies); (ii) primary and secondary investments in private equity funds (Portfolio Funds) managed by third-party managers (Portfolio Fund Managers); (iii) publicly traded private equity vehicles, such as business development companies (including derivatives tied to the returns of such vehicles); and (iv) short-term investments, including money-market funds, short term treasuries, or other liquid investment vehicles (together, the Fund Investments).
The Fund seeks to earn superior risk-adjusted returns by allocating its investments among the segments and opportunities within the private equity market that the Adviser believes offer the most attractive relative value at a given point in time. The Adviser believes that this investment strategy will capitalize on the diverse, dynamic nature of the private equity industry, resulting in a favorable return pattern relative to funds-of-funds and vehicles that focus solely on a narrow segment of the market, such as publicly traded private equity.
It is intended that the Fund will provide Shareholders with asset allocation services and access to private equity investments that are typically only available to large institutional investors, thereby offering an opportunity to increase the efficiency of portfolios that currently lack private equity exposure.
The principal elements of the Funds investment strategy include (i) allocating the assets of the Fund across the broad private equity market, (ii) well-established sourcing relationships for investment opportunities, (iii) selecting the investments that are believed to offer superior relative value, (iv) seeking to manage the Funds investment level and liquidity and (v) seeking to manage risk through ongoing monitoring of the portfolio.
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Asset Allocation. Just as in public equity markets, asset allocation across private equity market segments is a cornerstone of long-term portfolio performance. The Funds portfolio plan will seek to benefit from long-term diversification of investments through exposure to different industry sectors, geographic markets, investment types and vintage years. |
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Access. In many segments of the private equity market, it is not enough to identify promising investments access is also required. The Fund will seek to provide Shareholders with access to investments through well-established sourcing relationships that may be unavailable to the investing public due to resource requirements, regulatory restrictions and high investment minimums. |
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Rigorous Investment Analysis. Changing market conditions can dramatically affect the attractiveness of different segments within the overall private equity market. Based on its ongoing review of developments in the private equity industry, the Adviser will attempt to identify and overweight the segments that it believes offer the most attractive investment opportunities. |
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Risk Management. The long-term nature of private equity investments requires a commitment to ongoing risk management. The Adviser seeks to maintain close contact with the Funds portfolio companies, and to monitor the performance of individual investments by tracking operating information and other pertinent details. |
PRIVATE EQUITY MARKET OVERVIEW
Private equity asset class
Private equity is a common term for investments that are typically made in non-public companies through privately negotiated transactions. Private equity investments may be structured using a range of financial instruments, including common and preferred equity, convertible securities, senior debt, subordinated debt and warrants or other derivatives, depending on the strategy of the investor and the financing requirements of the company.
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The private equity market is diverse and can be divided into several different segments, each of which may exhibit distinct characteristics based on combinations of various factors. These include the type and financing stage of the investment, the geographic region in which the investment is made and the vintage year of a private equity fund.
Investments in private equity have increased significantly over the last 35 years, driven principally by large institutional investors seeking increased returns and portfolio efficiency. It is now common for large pension funds, endowments and other institutional investors to dedicate several percentage points of their overall portfolios to private equity.
Private equity investment types
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Direct equity investments. Direct equity investments generally involve taking an interest in equity securities issued by an operating company. Direct equity investments generally involve new owners taking a material stake in the target company, frequently a controlling interest, and exercising significant influence on the growth and development of the company through work with the companys management and board of directors. Direct equity investments may vary in duration, but usually are exited within three to seven years. |
In contrast to private equity fund investments (which require a commitment to a largely unknown portfolio), direct equity investments involve specific situations and particular companies. Accordingly, this style of investing offers the greatest degree of transparency and control in portfolio construction and most directly reflects the investors sourcing, underwriting, negotiation and structuring skills. In addition, investing directly is generally the most cost-effective way to make private equity investments, by avoiding the fees and expenses generally associated with investing indirectly through underlying private equity funds.
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Private equity fund investments. Private equity fund investments generally involve making a commitment to contribute up to a certain amount of capital to a private equity fund as and when requested by the funds manager or general partner. The general partner then makes private equity investments on behalf of the fund, typically according to a pre-defined investment strategy and time horizon. The private equity funds investments are usually realized, or exited after a three- to seven-year holding period through a private sale, an initial public offering (IPO) or a recapitalization, and the proceeds are distributed to the funds investors. The funds themselves typically have a duration of ten to twelve years. |
Primary investments (primaries) are interests or investments in newly established private equity funds. Most private equity groups raise new funds only every two to four years, and many top-performing funds may be closed to new investors. Because of the limited windows of opportunity for making primary investments in particular funds, strong relationships with leading firms are highly important for primary investors.
Primary investors subscribe for interests during an initial fundraising period, and their capital commitments are then used to fund investments in several individual operating companies (typically ten to thirty) during a defined investment period. The investments of the fund are usually unknown at the time of commitment and primary investors typically have little or no ability to influence the investments made during the funds life. Because primary investors must rely on the expertise of the fund manager, an accurate assessment of the managers capabilities is essential for investment success.
Primary investments typically exhibit a value development pattern, commonly known as the J-curve, in which the net asset value typically declines moderately during the early years of the funds life as investment related fees and expenses are incurred before investment gains have been realized. As the fund matures and portfolio companies are sold, the pattern typically reverses with increasing net asset value and distributions.
Secondary investments (secondaries) are interests in existing private equity funds that are acquired in privately negotiated transactions, typically after the end of the private equity funds fundraising period. Secondary investments play an important role in a diversified private equity portfolio. Because secondaries allow investors to avoid some of the fees charged by underlying fund managers, secondaries may exhibit little or none of the J-curve characteristics associated with primary investments (as described above). In addition, secondaries typically provide earlier distributions than primaries and may provide valuable arbitrage opportunities for sophisticated investors. The ability to source and value potential investments is crucial for success in secondary investing, and the nature of the process typically requires significant resources. As a result, generally only very large and experienced investors are active secondary market participants.
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Publicly traded private equity. Publicly traded private equity companies are typically regulated vehicles listed on a public stock exchange that invest in private equity transactions or funds. Such vehicles may take the form of corporations, business development companies, unit trusts, publicly traded partnerships, or other structures, and may focus on mezzanine, infrastructure, buyout or venture capital investments. Publicly traded private equity may also include investments in publicly listed companies in connection with a privately negotiated financing or an attempt to exercise significant influence on the subject of the investment. Publicly traded private equity investments usually have an indefinite duration. |
Publicly traded private equity occupies a small portion of the public equity universe, including only a few professional investors who focus on and actively trade such vehicles. As a result, relatively little market research is performed on publicly traded private equity companies, only limited public data may be available regarding these vehicles and their underlying investments, and market pricing may significantly deviate from published net asset value. This can result in market inefficiencies and may offer opportunities to specialists that can value the underlying private equity investments.
Publicly traded private equity vehicles are typically liquid and capable of being traded daily, in contrast to direct investments and private equity funds, in which capital is subject to lengthy holding periods. Accordingly, publicly traded private equity transactions are significantly easier to execute than other types of private equity investments, giving investors an opportunity to adjust the investment level of their portfolios more efficiently.
Private equity financing stages
In the private equity asset class, the term financing stage is used to describe investments (or funds that invest) in companies at a certain stage of development. The different financing stages have distinct risk, return and correlation characteristics and play different roles within a diversified private equity portfolio. Private equity investments can be broken down generally into three financing stages: buyout, venture capital and special situations. These categories may be further subdivided based on the investment strategies that are employed.
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Buyouts. Control investments in established, cash flow positive companies are usually classified as buyouts. Buyout investments may focus on small-, mid- or large-capitalization companies, and such investments collectively represent a substantial majority of the capital deployed in the overall private equity market. The use of debt financing, or leverage, is prevalent in buyout transactions particularly in the large-cap segment. Overall, debt financing typically makes up 50-70% of the price paid for a company. |
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Venture capital. Investments in new and emerging companies are usually classified as venture capital. Such investments are often in technology and healthcare related industries. Companies financed by venture capital are generally not cash flow positive at the time of investment and may require several rounds of financing before the company can be sold privately or taken public. Venture capital investors may finance companies along the full path of development or focus on certain sub-stages (usually classified as seed, early and late stage) in partnership with other investors. |
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Special situations. A broad range of investments including private debt instruments, infrastructure investments and distressed debt/turnarounds may be classified as special situations. The Funds special situations investments may be in senior and subordinated direct debt investments, such as mezzanine direct investments, which are typically comprised of subordinated debt or preferred stock, possibly in combination with warrants on the companys common stock. The value drivers and cash flow characteristics of special situations investments are frequently distinct from those of other private equity investments, complementing a buyout and venture capital portfolio. |
No guarantee or representation is made that the investment program of the Fund or any Portfolio Fund will be successful, that the various Portfolio Funds selected will produce positive returns or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio planning
The investment process begins with portfolio planning, which is designed to provide a framework for the Funds long-term diversification across various dimensions of the global private equity market, such as: (i) direct equity, private equity fund and publicly traded private equity investments; (ii) buyout, venture capital, mezzanine, distressed investments and other special situations; and (iii) investments focused in North America, Europe, Asia and/or emerging markets. The portfolio plan also provides for diversification over vintage years and with respect to individual investments. It is expected that through such diversification, the Fund may be able to achieve more consistent returns and lower volatility than would generally be expected if its portfolio were more concentrated.
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Rigorous investment analysis
The second step of the investment process is to analyze changing market conditions and their effect on the relative attractiveness of different segments within the overall private equity market. This rigorous investment analysis is based on general economic developments, such as business cycles, credit spreads, equity multiples, IPO opportunities, deregulation, and changes in tax or securities law. In addition, variables specific to particular industry sectors and the overall private equity market are typically evaluated. Based on the outcome of this review, the Adviser will attempt to identify the market segments that it believes offer the most attractive investment opportunities at the relevant time.
The Advisers investment analysis is intended to serve as a guide for tactical capital allocation decisions within the framework of the portfolio plan. Due to the long-term nature of private equity investments, it is generally not practical to dramatically re-allocate a portfolio over a short period of time. Accordingly, the actual allocation of the Fund Investments may deviate significantly from the general relative value views of the Adviser at a particular point in time.
Investment selection
In the final step of the investment process, the Adviser seeks to invest the Funds capital allocated to each segment in the highest quality investments available. Opportunities are typically sourced through a network of existing relationships with private equity managers and investors across the globe and subsequently evaluated individually by the Advisers investment professionals using a structured selection process. See Due diligence and selection of investments. As investment opportunities are analyzed, investment professionals seek to evaluate them in relation to historical benchmarks, current information from the Advisers existing private equity portfolios, and against each other. This comparative analysis can provide insight into the specific investments that offer the greatest value at different points in time in the various segments of the private equity market.
Due diligence and selection of investments
Primarks investment team follows a structured process to source, evaluate, select and monitor investments for the Fund. The Advisers investment professionals are involved throughout the process and draw on their significant investment experience, resources and market insights. See Management of the Fund. The Advisers investment committee is responsible for the portfolio plan and for final investment decisions.
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Deal sourcing. The Adviser typically identifies prospective investments from multiple sources, the most important of which is a global network of relationships across the private equity industry. Built through the investment activities of the Advisers portfolio management team, this network has a historically proven track record of generating high volumes of deal flow. In particular, the Adviser believes the scope of its portfolio management teams investment activities provides a competitive advantage for deal generation, enabling it to access attractive opportunities in local markets around the world. |
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Pre-selection. The initial screening process for investment opportunities is typically based on a confidential information memorandum or an introductory meeting. For opportunities that pass the Advisers minimum requirements, a due diligence deal team is assigned to evaluate the opportunity in detail. |
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Due diligence. The due diligence process involves a detailed analysis of various aspects of each opportunity, including both qualitative and quantitative assessments. Various tools and databases are used to better understand market trends, potential return scenarios and/or the historical or anticipated sources of value creation for an investment. Evaluations are generally based on information such as industry dynamics, competitive positioning, financial analysis, comparable analysis, interviews with key personnel, on-site visits, reference calls, third-party consultant reports and/or track record analysis. The investment committee reviews the conclusions of the due diligence analysis and may decline the opportunity, request additional information, or approve subject to tax and legal due diligence. |
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Tax and legal assessment. In conjunction with the commercial due diligence process, the tax treatment and legal terms of the investment are considered. Based on this analysis and the findings of external professional advisers, the Advisers internal legal and investment teams seek to negotiate the terms and conditions of the investment. After resolving all open issues and negotiating terms, a final investment recommendation is prepared and presented to the investment committee, which finally approves or declines the investment. |
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Portfolio risk monitoring. Post-investment, the Adviser seeks to monitor the Funds portfolio through regular interaction with the companies and, where relevant, the private equity sponsors represented in the portfolio. This interaction facilitates on-going portfolio analysis and a proactive approach to addressing any new opportunities or issues that may arise. |
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Portfolio and liquidity management
The Adviser manages the Funds portfolio with a view towards managing liquidity and maintaining a high investment level. Accordingly, the Adviser may make investments and commitments based, in part, on anticipated future distributions from investments. The Adviser also takes other anticipated cash flows into account, such as those relating to new subscriptions, the tender of Shares by Shareholders and any distributions made to Shareholders. To forecast portfolio cash flows, the Adviser utilizes quantitative and qualitative factors, including historical private equity data, actual portfolio observations and qualitative forecasts by the Advisers investment professionals. See Investment process overviewPortfolio planning.
The Adviser intends to use a range of techniques to reduce the risk associated with the Funds investment strategy. Such techniques may include, without limitation:
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Diversifying investments and commitments across industry sector, geography, size, private equity sponsor and vintage year (i.e., the year in which a Portfolio Fund begins investing); and |
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Actively managing cash and liquid assets. |
The Fund expects to hold liquid assets to the extent required for purposes of liquidity management and compliance with the 1940 Act. Over time, during normal market conditions, it is generally not expected that the Fund will hold more than 10% of its net assets in cash or cash equivalents for extended periods of time. To enhance the Funds liquidity, particularly in times of possible net outflows through the tender of Shares by Shareholders, the Adviser may sell certain of the Funds assets on the Funds behalf.
The Fund intends to limit its investments in Portfolio Funds that are excluded from the definition of investment company under the 1940 Act solely by Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act (Private Investment Companies) to no more than 15% of the Funds net assets in order to permit investors who may not qualify as accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act. The balance of the Funds investments will be Portfolio Companies, Portfolio Funds that are not Private Investment Companies (i.e., publicly traded private equity vehicles), and cash and cash equivalents. Please see General RisksRegulatory Risks of Private Investment Companies for additional information on the risks of the Funds investment in Private Investment Companies.
There can be no assurance that the objectives of the Fund with respect to liquidity management will be achieved or that the Funds portfolio design and risk management strategies will be successful. Prospective investors should refer to the discussion of the risks associated with the investment strategy and structure of the Fund found under General risks, Investment-Related risks, and Limits of Risk Disclosure.
Borrowing by the Fund
The Fund may borrow money to pay operating expenses, including, without limitation, investment management fees, or to purchase portfolio securities, to fund repurchase of Shares or for other portfolio management purposes. Such borrowing may be accomplished through credit facilities or derivative instruments or by other means. The use of borrowings for investment purposes involves a high degree of risk. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to borrow for any purposes if, immediately after such borrowing, the Fund would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of less than 300% with respect to indebtedness. The 1940 Act also provides that the Fund may not declare distributions or purchase its Shares (including through repurchase offers) if, immediately after doing so, it will have an asset coverage of less than 300%. The foregoing requirements do not apply to Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests unless such Portfolio Funds are registered under the 1940 Act. The Board may modify the borrowing policies of the Fund, including the purposes for which borrowings may be made, and the length of time that the Fund may hold portfolio securities purchased with borrowed money. The rights of any lenders to the Fund to receive payments of interest or repayments of principal will be senior to those of the Shareholders and the terms of any borrowings may contain provisions that limit certain activities of the Fund.
Hedging techniques
From time to time in its sole discretion, the Adviser may employ various hedging techniques in an attempt to reduce certain potential risks to which the Funds portfolio may be exposed. These hedging techniques may involve the use of derivative instruments, including swaps and other arrangements such as exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options, rate caps, floors and collars, and futures and forward contracts. The Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions.
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To the extent that the Funds potential exposure in a transaction involving options, rate caps, floors or collars, or futures or forward contracts is covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or otherwise, the Fund believes that such instruments do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the borrowing restrictions of the Fund.
There are certain risks associated with the use of such hedging techniques. See Investment-Related risksDerivatives and Hedging and Investment-Related risksCurrency risk.
Temporary and defensive strategies
The Fund may, from time to time in its sole discretion, take temporary or defensive positions in cash, cash equivalents, other short-term securities or money market funds to attempt to reduce volatility caused by adverse market, economic, or other conditions. Any such temporary or defensive positions could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective. In addition, subject to applicable law, the Fund may, in the Advisers sole discretion, hold cash, cash equivalents, other short-term securities or investments in money market funds pending investment in order to fund anticipated repurchases, expenses of the Fund or other operational needs, or otherwise in the sole discretion of the Adviser. See Use of Proceeds.
The following are certain risk factors that relate to the operations and terms of the Fund. These considerations, which do not purport to be a complete description of any of the particular risks referred to or a complete list of all risks involved in an investment in the Fund, should be carefully evaluated before determining whether to invest in the Fund. For purposes of this section, risks that are applicable to Portfolio Funds and Portfolio Fund Managers also apply to publicly traded private equity vehicles and their associated portfolio managers, respectively.
The Shares are speculative and illiquid securities involving substantial risk of loss. An investment in the Fund is appropriate only for those investors who do not require a liquid investment, for whom an investment in the Fund does not constitute a complete investment program, and who fully understand and are capable of assuming the risks of an investment in the Fund.
No Operating History. The Fund was formed on June 15, 2020. The Fund is subject to all of the business risks and uncertainties associated with any new business, including the risk that the Fund will not achieve its investment objectives and that the value of Shares could decline.
Unlisted Closed-End Structure; Liquidity Limited to Periodic Repurchases of Shares. The Fund has been organized as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company and designed primarily for long-term investors. An investor should not invest in the Fund if the investor needs a liquid investment. Closed-end funds differ from open-end management investment companies (commonly known as mutual funds) in that investors in a closed-end fund do not have the right to redeem their shares on a daily basis. Unlike most closed-end funds, which typically list their shares on a securities exchange, the Fund does not intend to list the Shares for trading on any securities exchange, and the Fund does not expect any secondary market to develop for the Shares. Although the Fund will offer a limited degree of liquidity by conducting quarterly repurchase offers, a Shareholder may not be able to tender its Shares in the Fund promptly after it has made a decision to do so. There is no assurance that you will be able to tender your Shares when or in the amount that you desire. In addition, with very limited exceptions, Shares are not transferable, and liquidity will be provided only through repurchase offers made quarterly by the Fund. Shares are considerably less liquid than shares of funds that trade on a stock exchange or shares of open-end registered investment companies, and are therefore suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares, and should be viewed as a long-term investment.
There will be a substantial period of time between the date as of which Shareholders must submit a request to have their Shares repurchased and the date they can expect to receive payment for their Shares from the Fund. Shareholders whose Shares are accepted for repurchase bear the risk that the Funds net asset value may fluctuate significantly between the time that they submit their repurchase requests and the date as of which such Shares are valued for purposes of such repurchase. Shareholders will have to decide whether to request that the Fund repurchase their Shares without the benefit of having current information regarding the value of Shares on a date proximate to the date on which Shares are valued by the Fund for purposes of effecting such repurchases.
Repurchases of Shares, if any, may be suspended, postponed or terminated by the Board under certain circumstances. See Periodic Repurchase Offers. An investment in the Fund is suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and the underlying investments of the Fund. Also, because Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, the Fund is not required, and does not intend, to hold annual meetings of its Shareholders unless called for under the provisions of the 1940 Act.
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Repurchase Offers Risk. As described under Periodic Repurchase Offers below, the Fund is an interval fund and, in order to provide liquidity to Shareholders, the Fund, subject to applicable law, will conduct quarterly repurchase offers of the Funds outstanding Shares at the applicable NAV per Share, subject to approval of the Board. In all cases such repurchases will be for at least 5% and not more than 25% of the Funds outstanding Shares at the applicable NAV per Share, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act. The Fund currently expects to conduct quarterly repurchase offers for 5% of its outstanding Shares under ordinary circumstances. The Fund believes that these repurchase offers are generally beneficial to Shareholders, and repurchases generally will be funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. However, repurchase offers and the need to fund repurchase obligations may affect the ability of the Fund to be fully invested or force the Fund to maintain a higher percentage of its assets in liquid investments, which may harm the Funds investment performance. Moreover, diminution in the size of the Fund through repurchases may result in untimely sales of portfolio securities (with associated imputed transaction costs, which may be significant), and may limit the ability of the Fund to participate in new investment opportunities or to achieve its investment objective. The Fund may accumulate cash by holding back (i.e., not reinvesting) payments received in connection with the Funds investments. The Fund believes that payments received in connection with the Funds investments will generate sufficient cash to meet the maximum potential amount of the Funds repurchase obligations. If at any time cash and other liquid assets held by the Fund are not sufficient to meet the Funds repurchase obligations, the Fund intends, if necessary, to sell investments. If, as expected, the Fund employs investment leverage, repurchases of Shares would compound the adverse effects of leverage in a declining market. In addition, if the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares by increasing the Funds expenses and reducing any net investment income.
If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed, the Board may determine to increase the amount repurchased by up to 2% of the Funds outstanding Shares as of the date of the Repurchase Request Deadline. In the event that the Board determines not to repurchase more than the repurchase offer amount, or if Shareholders tender more than the repurchase offer amount plus 2% of the Funds outstanding Shares as of the date of the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase the Shares tendered on a pro rata basis, and Shareholders will have to wait until the next repurchase offer to make another repurchase request. As a result, Shareholders may be unable to liquidate all or a given percentage of their investment in the Fund during a particular repurchase offer. Some Shareholders, in anticipation of proration, may tender more Shares than they wish to have repurchased in a particular quarter, thereby increasing the likelihood that proration will occur. A Shareholder may be subject to market and other risks, and the NAV per Share of Shares tendered in a repurchase offer may decline between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the date on which the NAV per Share for tendered Shares is determined. In addition, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund may be a taxable event to Shareholders.
Payment In-Kind for Repurchased Shares. The Fund does not expect to distribute securities as payment for repurchased Shares except in unusual circumstances. The Fund has the right to distribute securities as payment for repurchased Shares in unusual circumstances, including if making a cash payment would result in a material adverse effect on the Fund or on Shareholders not requesting that their Shares be repurchased. For example, it is possible that the Fund may receive securities from a Fund Investment that are illiquid or difficult to value. In such circumstances, the Adviser would seek to dispose of these securities in a manner that is in the best interests of the Fund, which may include a distribution in-kind to the Funds Shareholders. In the event that the Fund makes such a distribution of securities, Shareholders will bear any risks of the distributed securities and may be required to pay a brokerage commission or other costs in order to dispose of such securities.
Non-Diversified Status. The Fund is a non-diversified management investment company. Thus, there are no percentage limitations imposed by the 1940 Act on the Funds assets that may be invested, directly or indirectly, in the securities of any one issuer. Consequently, if one or more Fund Investments are allocated a relatively large percentage of the Funds assets, losses suffered by such Fund Investments could result in a higher reduction in the Funds capital than if such capital had been more proportionately allocated among a larger number of investments. The Fund may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. However, the Fund will be subject to diversification requirements applicable to RICs under the Code. See Certain Tax Considerations.
Regulatory Risks of Private Investment Companies. The regulatory environment for Private Investment Companies (and for registered investment companies investing in Private Investment Companies) is complex and evolving. Changes in the regulation or taxation of private funds are impossible to predict and may adversely affect the value of the Fund Investments, the ability of the Fund to execute its investment strategy, and the ability of the Fund to offer its interests to investors who do not qualify as accredited investors as defined under Regulation D under the Securities Act. There is no guarantee that the SEC will not require the Funds Shareholders to meet certain eligibility criteria in the future. Under such circumstances, any Shareholders of the Fund who are not accredited investors may be subject to mandatory redemption of all of their Shares in the Fund.
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Additionally, while the Fund will actively monitor its investments, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in limiting its investments in Private Investment Companies to 15% of the Funds net assets. In order to remain within this limitation, the Fund may be required to dispose of or liquidate its holdings in Private Investment Companies (which are illiquid by nature) when it is disadvantageous or impossible to do so, due to restrictions on sales such as those imposed by Portfolio Fund Managers, agreements signed by the Fund, or by other rules or regulations. The Fund may also be required to take other measures to remain within this limitation that may have an adverse effect on the Fund Investments or on the Fund.
Access to Investments. The Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act and is subject to certain restrictions under the 1940 Act, and certain tax requirements, among other restrictions, that limit the Funds ability to make investments, as compared to a fund that is not so registered. Such restrictions may prevent the Fund from participating in (or increasing its share of) certain favorable investment opportunities, or may lead to a lack of exposure to a certain type of investment for certain periods of time. The Funds intention to qualify and be eligible for treatment as a regulated investment company under the Code can limit its ability to acquire or continue to hold positions in investments that would otherwise be consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund incurs additional expenses (compared to a fund that is not registered under the 1940 Act) in determining whether an investment is permissible under the 1940 Act and in structuring investments to comply with the 1940 Act, which reduces returns to Shareholders of the Fund.
General Legal, Tax and Regulatory Risks. Legal, tax and regulatory changes could occur during the term of the Fund which may materially adversely affect the Fund. For example, the regulatory and tax environment for leveraged investors and for private equity funds generally is evolving, and changes in the direct or indirect regulation or taxation of leveraged investors or private equity funds may materially adversely affect the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategies or achieve its investment objective. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the Dodd-Frank Act) vests U.S. federal bank, securities and commodities regulators with significant and extensive rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement authority. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the adoption of various regulations and the preparation of reports by various agencies over a period of time. It is unclear how these regulators will exercise these revised and expanded powers and whether they will undertake rulemaking, supervisory or enforcement actions that would adversely affect the Fund or investments made by the Fund. There can be no assurance that future regulatory actions authorized by the Dodd-Frank Act will not significantly reduce the profitability of the Fund. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act could adversely affect the Fund by increasing transaction and/or regulatory compliance costs.
In November 2019, the SEC proposed a new rule that, if adopted, would change the regulation of the use of derivatives and financial commitment transactions by registered investment companies. The nature of any final regulations is uncertain at this time, but the Fund may have difficulty adjusting its investment portfolio and strategy in order to comply with such regulations. In addition, greater regulatory scrutiny may increase the Funds and the Advisers exposure to potential liabilities. Increased regulatory oversight can also impose administrative burdens on the Fund and the Adviser, including, without limitation, responding to examinations or investigations and implementing new policies and procedures.
Temporary Investments. Delays in investing the net proceeds of the offering of Shares may impair the Funds performance. The Fund cannot assure you it will be able to identify any investments that meet its investment objective or that any investment that the Fund makes will produce a positive return. The Fund may be unable to invest the net proceeds of the Funds offering on acceptable terms within the time period that the Fund anticipates or at all, which could harm the Funds financial condition and operating results.
Before making investments, the Fund may invest the net proceeds of the Funds offering primarily in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, money market funds, repurchase agreements, and other high-quality debt instruments maturing in one year or less from the time of investment (Temporary Investments). This will produce returns that are significantly lower than the returns that the Fund expects to achieve when the Funds portfolio is fully invested in securities meeting the Funds investment objective. As a result, any distributions that the Fund pays while the Funds portfolio is not fully invested in securities meeting its investment objective may be lower than the distributions that the Fund may be able to pay when the Fund portfolio is fully invested in securities meeting the Funds investment objective.
Dilution from Subsequent Offerings of Shares. The Fund may accept additional subscriptions for Shares as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion. Additional purchases will dilute the indirect interests of existing Shareholders in the Fund Investments prior to such purchases, which could have an adverse impact on the existing Shareholders interests in the Fund if subsequent Fund Investments underperform the prior investments. Further, in certain cases Portfolio Fund Managers may structure performance-based compensation, with such compensation being paid only if gains exceed prior losses. The value attributable to the fact that no performance-based compensation is being paid to a Portfolio Fund Manager until its gains exceed prior losses is not taken into account when determining the NAV of the Fund. New purchases of Shares will dilute the benefit of such compensation structures to existing Shareholders.
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Valuations of Fund Investments; valuations subject to adjustment. The valuations reported by the Portfolio Fund Managers, based upon which the Fund determines its daily net asset value and the net asset value per Share may be subject to later adjustment or revision. For example, fiscal year-end net asset value calculations of the Portfolio Funds may be revised as a result of audits by their independent auditors. Other adjustments may occur from time to time. Because such adjustments or revisions, whether increasing or decreasing the net asset value of the Fund at the time they occur, relate to information available only at the time of the adjustment or revision, the adjustment or revision may not affect the amount of the repurchase proceeds of the Fund received by Shareholders who had their Shares repurchased prior to such adjustments and received their repurchase proceeds. As a result, to the extent that such subsequently adjusted valuations from the Portfolio Fund Managers or revisions to the net asset value of a Portfolio Fund or direct private equity investment adversely affect the Funds net asset value, the outstanding Shares may be adversely affected by prior repurchases to the benefit of Shareholders who had their Shares repurchased at a net asset value higher than the adjusted amount. Conversely, any increases in the net asset value resulting from such subsequently adjusted valuations may be entirely for the benefit of the outstanding Shares and to the detriment of Shareholders who previously had their Shares repurchased at a net asset value lower than the adjusted amount. The same principles apply to the purchase of Shares. New Shareholders may be affected in a similar way.
The valuations of Shares may be significantly affected by numerous factors, some of which are beyond the Funds control and may not be directly related to the Funds operating performance. These factors include:
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changes in regulatory policies or tax guidelines; |
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changes in earnings or variations in operating results; |
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changes in the value of the Fund Investments; |
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changes in accounting guidelines governing valuation of the Fund Investments; |
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any shortfall in revenue or net income or any increase in losses from levels expected by investors; |
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departure of the Adviser or certain of its respective key personnel; |
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general economic trends and other external factors; and |
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loss of a major funding source. |
Reporting Requirements. Shareholders who beneficially own Shares that constitute more than 5% or 10% of the Funds Shares are subject to certain requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder. These include requirements to file certain reports with the SEC. The Fund has no obligation to file such reports on behalf of such Shareholders or to notify Shareholders that such reports are required to be made. Shareholders who may be subject to such requirements should consult with their legal advisers.
Reliance on the Adviser. The Adviser has full discretionary authority to identify, structure, allocate, execute, administer, monitor and liquidate Fund Investments and, in doing so, has no responsibility to consult with any Shareholder. Accordingly, an investor in the Fund must rely upon the abilities of the Adviser, and no person should invest in the Fund unless such person is willing to entrust all aspects of the investment decisions of the Fund to the Adviser.
Reliance on Key Personnel. The Fund will depend on the investment expertise, skill and network of business contacts of the Adviser. The Adviser will evaluate, negotiate, structure, execute and monitor Fund Investments. The Funds future success will depend to a significant extent on the continued service and coordination of the Adviser and its investment management team. The departure of certain key personnel of the Adviser could have a material adverse effect on the Funds ability to achieve its investment objectives.
The Funds ability to achieve its investment objectives depends on the Advisers ability to identify, analyze, invest in, finance and monitor Portfolio Funds and portfolio companies that meet the Funds investment criteria. The Advisers capabilities in structuring the investment process, providing competent, attentive and efficient services to the Fund, and facilitating access to financing on acceptable terms depend on the employment of investment professionals in an adequate number and of adequate sophistication to match the corresponding flow of transactions. To achieve the Funds investment objectives, the Adviser may need to hire, train, supervise and manage new investment professionals to participate in the Funds investment selection and monitoring process. The Adviser may not be able to find investment professionals in a timely manner or at all. Failure to support the Funds investment process could have a material adverse effect on the Funds business, financial condition and results of operations.
It is anticipated that the Adviser will depend on its relationships with private equity sponsors, investment banks and commercial banks, and the Fund will rely to a significant extent upon these relationships to provide the Fund with potential investment opportunities. If the Adviser fails to maintain its existing relationships or develop new relationships with other sponsors or
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sources of investment opportunities, the Fund may not be able to grow its investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom the Adviser has relationships are not obligated to provide the Fund or the Adviser with investment opportunities, and, therefore, there is no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for the Fund.
Additionally, to the extent the Fund invests in Portfolio Funds, the Fund will be exposed to these risks with respect to the Portfolio Fund Managers of such Portfolio Funds. The Funds performance depends on the adherence by such Portfolio Fund Managers to their selected strategies, the instruments used by such Portfolio Fund Managers, the Advisers ability to select Portfolio Fund Managers and strategies and effectively allocate the Funds assets among them. The Portfolio Fund Managers investment strategies or choice of specific securities may be unsuccessful and may cause the Portfolio Fund, and in turn the Fund, to incur losses.
Competition for investment opportunities. The Fund will compete for investments with other investment funds (including registered investment companies, private equity funds, mezzanine funds and collateralized loan obligation funds), as well as traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks, finance companies, business development companies, small business investment companies and other sources of funding. Moreover, alternative investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, have begun to invest in areas in which they have not traditionally invested, including making investments in private U.S. companies. As a result of these new entrants, competition for investment opportunities in private U.S. companies may strengthen. Many of the Funds competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than the Fund. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of capital and access to funding sources that are not available to the Fund. In addition, some of the Funds competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than the Fund. These characteristics could allow competitors to consider a wider variety of investments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing and more flexible structuring than the Fund is able to do. As a result, the Fund may lose investment opportunities if it does not match its competitors pricing, terms and structure. No assurance can be given that the Fund will be able to identify and complete attractive investments in the future or that it will be able to fully invest its subscriptions. Even if the Adviser or a Portfolio Fund Manager identifies an attractive investment opportunity, the Fund or the Portfolio Fund may not be permitted to take advantage of the opportunity to the fullest extent desired.
If the Fund is forced to match its competitors pricing, terms and structure, it may not be able to achieve acceptable returns on its investments or may bear substantial risk of capital loss. Furthermore, many of the Funds competitors are not subject to the source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements the Fund must satisfy to maintain its qualification as a RIC.
Valuation of Fund Investments uncertain. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is required to carry Fund Investments at market value or, if there is no readily available market value, at fair value as determined by the Adviser, in accordance with the Funds valuation procedures, which have been approved by the Board. There is not a public market or active secondary market for many of the securities of the privately held companies in which the Fund intends to invest. Rather, many of the Fund Investments may be traded on a privately negotiated over-the-counter secondary market for institutional investors. As a result, the Fund will value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with the valuation procedures that have been approved by the Board.
The determination of fair value, and thus the amount of unrealized losses the Fund may incur in any year, is to a degree subjective, and the Adviser has a conflict of interest in making the determination. The Fund values these securities daily at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with the valuation procedures that have been approved by the Board. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of private securities and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, the Funds determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these non-traded securities existed. Due to this uncertainty, the Funds fair value determinations may cause the Funds net asset value on a given date to understate or overstate materially the value that the Fund may ultimately realize upon the sale of one or more Fund Investments. Under limited circumstances (such as to resolve a pricing issue regarding a Fund Investment), the Fund may retain a valuation assurance service provider to provide the Fund reasonable assurance on the correctness of the processes and procedures leading to the fair value determinations by the Adviser. See Calculation of net asset value; Valuation.
Amount or frequency of distributions not guaranteed. The Fund expects to pay distributions out of assets legally available for distribution from time to time, at the sole discretion of the Board. Nevertheless, the Fund cannot assure Shareholders that the Fund will achieve investment results that will allow the Fund to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. The Funds ability to pay distributions may be adversely affected by the impact of the risks described in this Prospectus. All distributions will depend on the Funds earnings, its net investment income, its financial condition, and such other factors as the Board may deem relevant from time to time.
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In the event that the Fund encounters delays in locating suitable investment opportunities, the Fund may return all or a substantial portion of the proceeds from the offering of Shares in anticipation of future cash flow, which may constitute a return of your capital and will lower your tax basis in your Shares. A return of capital generally is a return of your investment rather than a return of earnings or gains derived from the Funds investment activities and will be made after deduction of the fees and expenses payable in connection with the proceeds from the offering of Shares, including any fees payable to the Adviser.
Uncertain source and quantity of funding. Proceeds from the sale of Shares will be used for the Funds investment opportunities, operating expenses and for payment of various fees and expenses such as the Management Fee and other fees. Any working capital reserves the Fund maintains may not be sufficient for investment purposes, and it may require debt or equity financing to operate. Accordingly, in the event that the Fund develops a need for additional capital in the future for investments or for any other reason, these sources of funding may not be available to the Fund. Consequently, if the Fund cannot obtain debt or equity financing on acceptable terms, the ability to acquire investments and expand operations will be adversely affected. As a result, the Fund would be less able to achieve portfolio diversification and the investment objectives, which may negatively impact the Funds results of operations and reduce the Funds ability to make distributions to Shareholders.
Fluctuations in performance. The Fund could experience fluctuations in its performance due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the Funds ability or inability to make investments in companies that meet the Funds investment criteria, the interest rate payable on the debt securities the Fund acquires, the level of the Funds expenses, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which the Fund encounters competition in its markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, results for any previous period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.
Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to cyber-attacks and to technological malfunctions that have effects similar to those of a cyber-attack. Cyber-attacks include, among others, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, preventing legitimate users from accessing information or services on a website, releasing confidential information without authorization, and disrupting operations. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Fund, the Adviser, or a custodian, transfer agent, or other service provider may adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, affect the Funds ability to calculate its net asset value, cause the release or misappropriation of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses and additional compliance costs. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and systems designed to prevent, detect and respond to cyber-attacks, those plans and systems have inherent limitations. Similar types of cyber security risks also are present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could have material adverse consequences for those issuers and result in a decline in the market price of their securities. Furthermore, as a result of cyber-attacks, technological disruptions, malfunctions, or failures, an exchange or market may close or suspend trading in specific securities or the entire market, which could prevent the Fund from, among other things, buying or selling securities or accurately pricing their investments. The Fund cannot directly control cyber security plans and systems of its service providers, the Funds counterparties, issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, or securities markets and exchanges.
Failure to qualify as a RIC or satisfy distribution requirement. To qualify for and maintain RIC qualification under the Code, the Fund must meet the following annual distribution, source-of-income and asset diversification requirements. See Certain Tax considerations.
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The annual distribution requirement for a RIC will be satisfied if the Fund distributes to Shareholders on an annual basis at least 90% of the Funds net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. Because the Fund may borrow, it is subject to an asset coverage ratio requirement under the 1940 Act and may in the future become subject to certain financial covenants under loan and credit agreements that could, under certain circumstances, restrict the Fund from making distributions necessary to satisfy the distribution requirement. If the Fund is unable to obtain cash from other sources, it could fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level income tax. |
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The source-of-income requirement will be satisfied if the Fund obtains at least 90% of its income for each year from dividends, interest, gains from the sale of stock or securities or similar passive sources. |
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The asset diversification requirement will be satisfied if the Fund meets certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each quarter of the Funds tax year. To satisfy this requirement, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Funds assets must consist of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Funds assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) no more than 25% of the value of the Funds assets can be invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under the Code and its applicable regulations, by the Fund and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or of certain qualified publicly traded partnerships. Failure to meet these requirements may result in the Fund having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of its qualification as a RIC. Because most of the Funds investments will be in private companies, and therefore will be relatively illiquid, any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices and could result in substantial losses. |
If the Fund fails to qualify for or maintain RIC tax treatment for any reason and is subject to corporate income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce the Funds net assets, the amount of income available for distribution and the amount of the Funds distributions.
Difficulty meeting RIC distribution requirement. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which the Fund does not receive a corresponding payment in cash. For example, if the Fund holds debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with PIK interest or, in certain cases, increasing interest rates or debt instruments that were issued with warrants), the Fund must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation, regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by the Fund in the same taxable year. The Fund may also have to include in income other amounts that the Fund has not yet received in cash, such as deferred loan origination fees that are paid after origination of the loan or are paid in non-cash compensation such as warrants or stock. Furthermore, the Fund may invest in non-U.S. corporations (or other non-U.S. entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that could be treated under the Code and U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the Treasury Regulations) as passive foreign investment companies and/or controlled foreign corporations. The rules relating to investment in these types of non-U.S. entities are designed to ensure that U.S. taxpayers are either, in effect, taxed currently (or on an accelerated basis with respect to corporate level events) or taxed at increased tax rates at distribution or disposition. In certain circumstances this could require the Fund to recognize income where the Fund does not receive a corresponding payment in cash.
The Fund anticipates that a portion of its income may constitute original issue discount or other income required to be included in taxable income prior to receipt of cash. Further, the Fund may elect to amortize market discounts and include such amounts in its taxable income in the current year, instead of upon disposition, as an election not to do so would limit the Funds ability to deduct interest expenses for tax purposes.
Because any original issue discount or other amounts accrued will be included in the Funds investment company taxable income for the year of the accrual, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to Shareholders in order to satisfy the annual distribution requirement, even though the Fund will not have received any corresponding cash amount. As a result, the Fund may have difficulty meeting the annual distribution requirement necessary to qualify for and maintain its qualification as a RIC under the Code. The Fund may have to sell some of its investments at times and/or at prices the Fund would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or forgo new investment opportunities for this purpose. If the Fund is not able to obtain cash from other sources, the Fund may fail to qualify for or maintain RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level income tax. For additional discussion regarding the tax implications of a RIC, see Certain Tax Considerations.
Restrictions on borrowing. The Fund may borrow for investment purposes. If the value of the Funds assets declines, the Fund may be unable to satisfy the asset coverage test, which would prohibit the Fund from paying distributions and could prevent the Fund from qualifying as a RIC. If the Fund cannot satisfy the asset coverage test, the Fund may be required to sell a portion of its investments and, depending on the nature of the Funds debt financing, repay a portion of the Funds indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. In addition, any amounts that the Fund uses to service its indebtedness would not be available for distribution by the Fund to Shareholders.
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Investment-Related Risks
Limited operating history of Fund Investments. Fund Investments may have limited operating histories and the information the Fund will obtain about such investments may be limited. As such, the ability of the Adviser to evaluate past performance or to validate the investment strategies of such Fund Investment will be limited. Moreover, even to the extent a Fund Investment has a longer operating history, the past investment performance of any of the Fund Investments should not be construed as an indication of the future results of such investments or the Fund, particularly as the investment professionals responsible for the performance of such investments may change over time. This risk is related to, and enhanced by, the risks created by the fact that the Adviser relies upon information provided to it by the issuer of the securities it receives or the Portfolio Fund Managers (as applicable) that is not, and cannot be, independently verified.
Unspecified investments; dependence on the Adviser. The Adviser has complete discretion to select the Fund Investments as opportunities arise. The Fund and, accordingly, Shareholders, must rely upon the ability of the Adviser to identify and implement Fund Investments consistent with the Funds investment objective. Shareholders will not receive or otherwise be privy to due diligence or risk information prepared by or for the Adviser in respect of the Fund Investments. The Adviser has the authority and responsibility for asset allocation, the selection of Fund Investments and all other investment decisions for the Fund. The success of the Fund depends upon the ability of the Adviser to develop and implement investment strategies that achieve the investment objective of the Fund. Shareholders will have no right or power to participate in the management or control of the Fund or the Fund Investments, or the terms of any such investments. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to select or implement successful strategies or achieve their respective investment objectives.
Concentration of Investments. Except to the extent required by applicable law, there are no limitations imposed by the Adviser as to the amount of Fund assets that may be invested in (i) any one geography, (ii) any one Fund Investment, (iii) in a Fund Investment managed by a particular general partner or its affiliates, (iv) indirectly in any single industry or (v) in any issuer. In addition, a Portfolio Companys investment portfolio may consist of a limited number of companies and may be concentrated in a particular industry area or group. Accordingly, the investment portfolio may at times be significantly concentrated, both as to managers, geographies, industries and individual companies. Such concentration could offer a greater potential for capital appreciation as well as increased risk of loss. Such concentration may also be expected to increase the volatility of the Funds investment portfolio. The Fund is, however, subject to the asset diversification requirements applicable to RICs. See Certain Tax Considerations.
Nature of Portfolio Companies. The Fund Investments will include direct and indirect investments in Portfolio Companies. This may include Portfolio Companies in the early phases of development, which can be highly risky due to the lack of a significant operating history. The Fund Investments may also include Portfolio Companies that are in a state of distress or which have a poor record, and which are undergoing restructuring or changes in management, and there can be no assurances that such restructuring or changes will be successful. The management of such Portfolio Companies may depend on one or two key individuals, and the loss of the services of any of such individuals may adversely affect the performance of such Portfolio Companies.
Control Positions. The Fund (in the case of direct investments) and the Fund Investments may take control positions in Portfolio Companies. The exercise of control over a company imposes additional risks of liability for environmental damage, product defects, failure to supervise management, violation of governmental regulations and other types of liability in which the limited liability characteristic of a corporation may be ignored, which would increase the Funds possibility of incurring losses.
Leverage. The Portfolio Fund Managers and (subject to applicable law) the Fund may employ leverage through borrowings or derivative instruments, and are likely to directly or indirectly acquire interests in companies with highly leveraged capital structures. If income and appreciation on investments made with borrowed funds are less than the cost of the leverage, the value of the relevant portfolio or investment will decrease. Accordingly, any event that adversely affects the value of a Fund Investment will be magnified to the extent leverage is employed. The cumulative effect of the use of leverage by the Fund or the Portfolio Funds in a market that moves adversely to the relevant investments could result in substantial losses, exceeding those that would have been incurred if leverage had not been employed.
Derivatives and Hedging. The Fund may invest and trade in a variety of derivative instruments to hedge the Funds primary Fund Investments, including options, swaps, futures contracts, forward agreements and other derivatives contracts. Derivatives are financial instruments or arrangements in which the risk and return are related to changes in the value of other assets,
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reference rates or indices. Transactions in derivative instruments present risks arising from the use of leverage (which increases the magnitude of losses), volatility, the possibility of default by a counterparty, and illiquidity. Use of derivative instruments for hedging or speculative purposes by the Adviser or the Portfolio Fund Managers could present significant risks, including the risk of losses in excess of the amounts invested. The Funds ability to avoid risk through investment or trading in derivatives will depend on the ability to anticipate changes in the underlying assets, reference rates or indices.
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. War, terrorism, and related geopolitical events (and their aftermath) have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Likewise, natural and environmental disasters, such as, for example, earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally, as well as the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, including widespread epidemics or pandemics such as the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, and systemic market dislocations can be highly disruptive to economies and markets. Those events as well as other changes in non-U.S. and domestic economic and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of Fund Investments.
The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has resulted in travel restrictions and disruptions, closed borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, event cancellations and restrictions, service cancellations or reductions, disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, lower consumer demand for goods and services, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. The impact of this outbreak and any other epidemic or pandemic that may arise in the future could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, the financial performance of individual issuers, borrowers and sectors and the health of capital markets and other markets generally in potentially significant and unforeseen ways. This crisis or other public health crises may also exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty. The foregoing could lead to a significant economic downturn or recession, increased market volatility, a greater number of market closures, higher default rates and adverse effects on the values and liquidity of securities or other assets. Such impacts, which may vary across asset classes, may adversely affect the performance of the Fund Investments, the Fund and a Shareholders investment in the Fund.
LIBOR Risk. In July 2017, the head of the United Kingdoms Financial Conduct Authority announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. That announcement suggests that LIBOR may cease to be published after that time. In addition, the E.U. Benchmarks Regulation imposed conditions under which only compliant benchmarks may be used in new contracts after 2021. Various financial industry groups have begun planning for that transition, but there are obstacles to converting certain securities and transactions to a new benchmark. Transition planning is at an early stage and the nature of a substitute rate, if any, is unknown, and neither the effect of the transition process nor its ultimate success is certain. At this time, it is not possible to predict the effects of any establishment of replacement or alternative reference rates or other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted in the United States, United Kingdom or elsewhere.
Currency Risk. Although the Fund intends to invest predominantly in the United States, the Funds portfolio is anticipated to include investments in a number of different currencies. Any returns on, and the value of such investments may, therefore, be materially affected by exchange rate fluctuations, local exchange control, limited liquidity of the relevant foreign exchange markets, the convertibility of the currencies in question and/or other factors. A decline in the value of the currencies in which the Fund Investments are denominated against the U.S. Dollar may result in a decrease the Funds net asset value. The Adviser may or may not elect to hedge the value of investments made by the Fund against currency fluctuations, and even if the Adviser deems hedging appropriate, it may not be possible or practicable to hedge currency risk exposure. Accordingly, the performance of the Fund could be adversely affected by such currency fluctuations.
Eurozone Risk. The Fund may invest directly or indirectly from time to time in European companies and assets and companies and assets that may be affected by the Eurozone economy. Ongoing concerns regarding the sovereign debt of various Eurozone countries, including the potential for investors to incur substantial write-downs, reductions in the face value of sovereign debt and/or sovereign defaults, as well as the possibility that one or more countries might leave the European Union (EU) or the Eurozone create risks that could materially and adversely affect the Fund Investments. Sovereign debt defaults and EU and/or Eurozone exits could have material adverse effects on the Funds investments in European companies and assets, including, but not limited to, the availability of credit to support such companies financing needs, uncertainty and disruption in relation to financing, increased currency risk in relation to contracts denominated in Euros and wider economic disruption in markets served by those companies, while austerity and/or other measures introduced to limit or contain these issues may themselves
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lead to economic contraction and resulting adverse effects for the Fund. Legal uncertainty about the funding of Euro- denominated obligations following any breakup or exits from the Eurozone, particularly in the case of investments in companies and assets in affected countries, could also have material adverse effects on the Fund.
Brexit Risk. In June of 2016, the United Kingdom (the UK) approved a referendum to leave the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit, which sparked depreciation in the value of the British pound and heightened risk of continued worldwide economic volatility. Pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, the UK gave notice in March 2017 of its withdrawal from the EU and commenced negotiations on the terms of withdrawal. Following years of negotiations and multiple withdrawal deadline extensions, the UK withdrew from the EU on January 31, 2020. A transition period, currently set to last through December 31, 2020, will be used for the UK and EU to negotiate their future relationship. The effects of this withdrawal will depend, in part, on agreements the UK negotiates to retain access to EU markets either during the transitional period or more permanently including, but not limited to, current trade and finance agreements. As a result of the UKs exit from the EU, the Fund may be exposed to volatile trading markets and significant and unpredictable currency fluctuations over a short period of time, and potentially lower economic growth in the UK, Europe and globally. Securities issued by companies domiciled in the UK could be subject to changing regulatory and tax regimes. Banking and financial services companies that operate in the UK or EU could be disproportionately affected by Brexit. Further insecurity in EU membership or the abandonment of the euro could exacerbate market and currency volatility and negatively affect the Funds investments in securities of issuers located in the EU. The effects of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, are not clear but could be significant and far-reaching.
Hedging. The Fund may seek to hedge against interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations and credit risk by using structured financial instruments such as futures, options, swaps and forward contracts, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act. Use of structured financial instruments for hedging purposes may present significant risks, including the risk of loss of the amounts invested. Defaults by the other party to a hedging transaction can result in losses in the hedging transaction. Hedging activities also involve the risk of an imperfect correlation between the hedging instrument and the asset being hedged, which could result in losses both on the hedging transaction and on the instrument being hedged. Use of hedging activities may not prevent significant losses and could increase losses. Further, hedging transactions may reduce cash available to pay distributions to Shareholders.
Risks relating to accounting, auditing and financial reporting, etc. The legal, regulatory, disclosure, accounting, auditing and reporting standards in certain of the countries in which the Fund Investments (both direct and indirect) may be made may be less stringent and may not provide the same degree of protection or information to investors as would generally apply in the United States. Although the Fund will be using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the assets, liabilities, profits and losses appearing in published financial statements of the Fund Investments may not reflect their financial position or operating results as they would be reflected under GAAP. Accordingly, the net asset value of the Fund published from time to time may not accurately reflect a realistic value for any or all of the investments.
Certain Fund Investments may be in Portfolio Companies that do not maintain internal management accounts or adopt financial budgeting, internal audit or internal control procedures to standards normally expected of companies in the United States. Accordingly, information supplied to the Fund and the Portfolio Funds may be incomplete, inaccurate and/or significantly delayed. The Fund and the Portfolio Funds may therefore be unable to take or influence timely actions necessary to rectify management deficiencies in such Portfolio Companies, which may ultimately have an adverse impact on the net asset value of the Fund.
Exchange-Traded Product Risk. The Fund may invest in long (or short) positions in ETFs. Through its positions in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to the risks associated with such vehicles investments, including the possibility that the value of the securities or instruments held by an ETF could decrease (or increase), and will bear its proportionate share of the ETFs fees and expenses. In addition, certain of the ETFs may hold common portfolio positions, thereby reducing any diversification benefits.
Foreign Investments and Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of non-U.S. issuers, including those located in developing countries, which securities involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These risks may relate to foreign political, social and economic matters, less developed markets, political immobility and less developed legal and accounting practices. Non-U.S. securities are subject to the risks of foreign currency fluctuations, generally higher volatility and lower liquidity than U.S. securities.
Issuers of foreign securities are subject to different, often less comprehensive, accounting, custody, reporting, and disclosure requirements than U.S. issuers. The securities of some foreign governments, companies, and securities markets are less liquid, and at times more volatile, than comparable U.S. securities and securities markets. Foreign brokerage commissions and related
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fees also are generally higher than in the United States. Portfolio Funds that invest in foreign securities also may be affected by different custody and/or settlement practices or delayed settlements in some foreign markets. The laws of some foreign countries may limit the Funds or a Portfolio Funds ability to invest in securities of certain issuers located in those countries. Foreign countries may have reporting requirements with respect to the ownership of securities, and those reporting requirements may be subject to interpretation or change without prior notice to investors. No assurance can be given that the Fund or a Portfolio Fund will satisfy applicable foreign reporting requirements at all times.
Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk. As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to market and manager risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, investors bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies.
Special Risks Pertaining to Investments in Portfolio Funds
Investments in the Portfolio Funds generally; dependence on the Portfolio Fund Managers. Because the Fund invests in Portfolio Funds, a Shareholders investment in the Fund will be affected by the investment policies and decisions of the Portfolio Fund Manager of each Portfolio Fund in direct proportion to the amount of Fund assets that are invested in each Portfolio Fund. The Funds net asset value may fluctuate in response to, among other things, various market and economic factors related to the markets in which the Portfolio Funds invest and the financial condition and prospects of issuers in which the Portfolio Funds invest. Certain risks related to the investment strategies and techniques utilized by the Portfolio Fund Managers are described under Investment-Related Risks above. The success of the Fund depends upon the ability of the Portfolio Fund Managers to develop and implement strategies that achieve their investment objectives. Shareholders will not have an opportunity to evaluate the specific investments made by the Portfolio Funds or the Portfolio Fund Managers, or the terms of any such investments. In addition, the Portfolio Fund Managers could materially alter their investment strategies from time to time without notice to the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio Fund Managers will be able to select or implement successful strategies or achieve their respective investment objectives.
Portfolio Funds not registered. The Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act is designed to afford various protections to investors in pooled investment vehicles. For example, the 1940 Act imposes limits on the amount of leverage that a registered investment company can assume, restricts layering of costs and fees, restricts transactions with affiliated persons and requires that the investment companys operations be supervised by a board of managers, a majority of whose members are independent of management. However, most of the Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests are not subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act. Many Portfolio Fund Managers may not be registered as investment advisers under the Advisers Act. As an indirect investor in the Portfolio Funds managed by Portfolio Fund Managers that are not registered as investment advisers, the Fund will not have the benefit of certain of the protections of the Advisers Act.
The Portfolio Funds generally are exempted from regulation under the 1940 Act because they permit investment only by investors who meet very high thresholds of investment experience and sophistication, as measured by net worth. The Funds investment qualification thresholds are generally lower. As a result, the Fund provides an avenue for investing in Portfolio Funds that would not otherwise be available to certain investors. This means that investors who would not otherwise qualify to invest in largely unregulated vehicles will have the opportunity to make such an investment through the Fund.
In addition, the Portfolio Funds typically do not maintain their securities and other assets in the custody of a bank or a member of a securities exchange, as generally required of registered investment companies, in accordance with certain SEC rules. A registered investment company which places its securities in the custody of a member of a securities exchange is required to have a written custodian agreement, which provides that securities held in custody will be at all times individually segregated from the securities of any other person and marked to clearly identify such securities as the property of such investment company and which contains other provisions designed to protect the assets of such investment company. The Portfolio Funds in which the Fund will invest may maintain custody of their assets with brokerage firms which do not separately segregate such customer assets as would be required in the case of registered investment companies, or may not use a custodian to hold their assets. Under the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, as amended, the bankruptcy of any brokerage firm used to hold Portfolio Fund assets could have a greater adverse effect on the Fund than would be the case if custody of assets were maintained in accordance with the requirements applicable to registered investment companies. There is also a risk that a Portfolio Fund Manager could convert assets committed to it by the Fund to its own use or that a custodian could convert assets committed to it by a Portfolio Fund Manager to its own use. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio Fund Managers or the entities they manage will comply with all applicable laws and that assets entrusted to the Portfolio Fund Managers will be protected.
Prospective investors should understand that the Fund is an appropriate investment only for investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk, including lesser regulatory protections in connection with the Funds investments in Portfolio Funds than might normally be available through investments in registered investment company vehicles.
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Portfolio Funds are generally non-diversified. While there are no regulatory requirements that the investments of the Portfolio Funds be diversified, some Portfolio Funds may undertake to comply with certain investment concentration limits. Portfolio Funds may at certain times hold large positions in a relatively limited number of investments. Portfolio Funds may target or concentrate their investments in particular markets, sectors or industries. Those Portfolio Funds that concentrate in a specific industry or target a specific sector will also be subject to the risks of that industry or sector, which may include, but are not limited to, rapid obsolescence of technology, sensitivity to regulatory changes, minimal barriers to entry and sensitivity to overall market swings. As a result, the net asset values of such Portfolio Funds may be subject to greater volatility than those of investment companies that are subject to diversification requirements and this may negatively impact the net asset value of the Fund.
Portfolio Funds securities are generally illiquid. The securities of the Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests or plans to invest will generally be illiquid. Subscriptions to purchase the securities of Portfolio Funds are typically subject to restrictions or delays. There is no regular market for interests in the Portfolio Funds or the Portfolio Companies, which typically must be sold in privately negotiated transactions. Any such sales would likely require the consent of the manager of the applicable Portfolio Fund or the board of the Portfolio Company, and could occur at a discount to the stated net asset value. If the Adviser determines to cause the Fund to sell its interest in a Portfolio Fund or a Portfolio Company, the Fund may be unable to sell such interest quickly, if at all, and could therefore be obligated to continue to hold such interest for an extended period of time, or to accept a lower price for a quick sale.
Portfolio Fund operations not transparent. The Adviser does not control the investments or operations of the Portfolio Funds. A Portfolio Fund Manager may employ investment strategies that differ from its past practices and are not fully disclosed to the Adviser and that involve risks that are not anticipated by the Adviser. Some Portfolio Fund Managers may have a limited operating history and some may have limited experience in executing one or more investment strategies to be employed for a Portfolio Fund. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the information given to the Administrator and reports given to the Adviser with respect to the Fund Investments will not be fraudulent, inaccurate or incomplete.
Valuation of the Funds interests in Portfolio Funds. The valuation of the Funds investments in Portfolio Funds is ordinarily determined based upon valuations provided by the Portfolio Fund Managers of such Portfolio Funds which valuations are generally not audited. A majority of the securities in which the Portfolio Funds invest will not have a readily ascertainable market price and will be valued by the Portfolio Fund Managers. In this regard, a Portfolio Fund Manager may face a conflict of interest in valuing the securities, as their value may affect the Portfolio Fund Managers compensation or its ability to raise additional funds. No assurances can be given regarding the valuation methodology or the sufficiency of systems utilized by any Portfolio Fund, the accuracy of the valuations provided by the Portfolio Funds, that the Portfolio Funds will comply with their own internal policies or procedures for keeping records or making valuations, or that the Portfolio Funds policies and procedures and systems will not change without notice to the Fund. As a result, valuations of the securities may be subjective and could prove in hindsight to have been wrong, potentially by significant amounts. The Adviser has established a committee (the Valuation Committee) to oversee the valuation of the Fund Investments pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board. The members of the Valuation Committee may face conflicts of interest in overseeing the valuation of the Fund Investments, as the value of the Fund Investments will affect the Advisers compensation. Moreover, neither the Valuation Committee nor the Adviser will generally have sufficient information in order to be able to confirm or review the accuracy of valuations provided by Portfolio Fund Managers.
A Portfolio Fund Managers information could be inaccurate due to fraudulent activity, misvaluation or inadvertent error. In any case, the Fund may not uncover errors for a significant period of time. Even if the Adviser elects to cause the Fund to sell its interests in such a Portfolio Fund, the Fund may be unable to sell such interests quickly, if at all, and could therefore be obligated to continue to hold such interests for an extended period of time. In such a case, the Portfolio Fund Managers valuations of such interests could remain subject to such fraud or error and the Valuation Committee may, in its sole discretion, determine to discount the value of the interests or value them at zero.
Shareholders should be aware that situations involving uncertainties as to the valuations by Portfolio Fund Managers could have a material adverse effect on the Fund if the Portfolio Fund Managers, the Advisers or the Funds judgments regarding valuations should prove incorrect. Prospective investors who are unwilling to assume such risks should not make an investment in the Fund.
Multiple levels of fees and expenses. Although in many cases investor access to the Portfolio Funds may be limited or unavailable, an investor who meets the conditions imposed by a Portfolio Fund may be able to invest directly with the Portfolio Fund. By investing in Portfolio Funds indirectly through the Fund, the investor bears asset-based and performance-based fees
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charged by the Fund, in addition to any asset-based fees and performance-based fees and allocations at the Portfolio Fund level. Moreover, an investor in the Fund bears a proportionate share of the fees and expenses of the Fund (including, among other things and as applicable, offering expenses, operating costs, sales charges, brokerage transaction expenses, management fees, distribution fees, administrative and custody fees, and tender offer expenses) and, indirectly, similar expenses of the Portfolio Funds. Thus, an investor in the Fund may be subject to higher operating expenses than if he or she invested in a Portfolio Fund directly or in a closed-end fund that did not invest through Portfolio Funds.
Each Portfolio Fund generally will be subject to a performance-based fee or allocation irrespective of the performance of other Portfolio Funds and the Fund generally. Accordingly, a Portfolio Fund Manager to a Portfolio Fund with positive performance may receive performance-based compensation from the Portfolio Fund, and thus indirectly from the Fund and its Shareholders, even if the overall performance of the Fund is negative. Generally, asset-based fees payable to Portfolio Fund Managers of the Portfolio Funds will range from 1% to 2% (annualized) of the commitment amount of the Funds investment, and performance-based fees or allocations are typically 20%, although it is possible that such amounts may be exceeded for certain Portfolio Fund Managers. The performance-based compensation received by a Portfolio Fund Manager also may create an incentive for that Portfolio Fund Manager to make investments that are riskier or more speculative than those that it might have made in the absence of such performance-based compensation.
Shareholders that invest in the Fund through financial advisers or intermediaries may also be subject to account fees or charges levied by such parties. Prospective investors should consult with their respective financial advisers or intermediaries for information regarding any fees or charges that may be associated with the services provided by such parties.
Inability to vote. To the extent that the Fund owns less than 5% of the voting securities of each Portfolio Fund, it may be able to avoid that any such Portfolio Fund is deemed an affiliated person of the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act (which designation could, among other things, potentially impose limits on transactions with the Portfolio Funds, both by the Fund and other clients of the Adviser). To limit its voting interest in certain Portfolio Funds, the Fund may enter into contractual arrangements under which the Fund irrevocably waives its rights (if any) to vote its interests in a Portfolio Fund. These voting waiver arrangements may increase the ability of the Fund and other clients of the Adviser to invest in certain Portfolio Funds. However, to the extent the Fund contractually forgoes the right to vote the securities of a Portfolio Fund, the Fund will not be able to vote on matters that require the approval of such Portfolio Funds investors, including matters which may be adverse to the Funds interests.
There are, however, other statutory tests of affiliation (such as on the basis of control), and, therefore, the prohibitions of the 1940 Act with respect to affiliated transactions could apply in certain situations where the Fund owns less than 5% of the voting securities of a Portfolio Fund. If the Fund is considered to be affiliated with a Portfolio Fund, transactions between the Fund and such Portfolio Fund may, among other things, potentially be subject to the prohibitions of Section 17 of the 1940 Act notwithstanding that the Fund has entered into a voting waiver arrangement.
Consortium or offsetting investments. The Portfolio Fund Managers may invest in consortia, which could result in increased concentration risk where multiple Portfolio Funds in the Funds portfolio each invest in a particular underlying company. In other situations, Portfolio Funds may hold economically offsetting positions. To the extent that the Portfolio Fund Managers do, in fact, hold such offsetting positions, the Funds portfolio, considered as a whole, may not achieve any gain or loss despite incurring fees and expenses in connection with such positions. In addition, Portfolio Fund Managers are compensated based on the performance of their portfolios. Accordingly, there often may be times when a particular Portfolio Fund Manager may receive incentive compensation in respect of its portfolio for a period even though the Funds net asset values may have decreased during such period. Furthermore, it is possible that from time to time, various Portfolio Fund Managers selected by the Adviser may be competing with each other for investments in one or more markets.
Limitations on ability to invest in Portfolio Funds. Certain Portfolio Fund Managers investment approaches can accommodate only a certain amount of capital. Portfolio Fund Managers typically endeavor not to undertake to manage more capital than such Portfolio Fund Managers approach can accommodate without risking a potential deterioration in returns. Accordingly, each Portfolio Fund Manager has the right to refuse to manage some or all of the Funds assets that the Adviser may wish to allocate to such Portfolio Fund Manager. Further, continued sales of Shares would dilute the indirect participation of existing Shareholders with such Portfolio Fund Manager.
In addition, it is expected that the Fund will be able to make investments in particular Portfolio Funds only at certain times, and commitments to Portfolio Funds may not be accepted (in part or in their entirety). As a result, the Fund may hold cash or invest any portion of its assets that is not invested in Portfolio Funds in cash equivalents, short-term securities or money market securities pending investment in Portfolio Funds. To the extent that the Funds assets are not invested in Portfolio Funds, the Fund may be unable to meet its investment objective.
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Indemnification of Portfolio Funds and Portfolio Fund Managers. The Fund may agree to indemnify certain of the Portfolio Funds and the Portfolio Fund Managers and their respective officers, directors, and affiliates from any liability, damage, cost, or expense arising out of, among other things, acts or omissions undertaken in connection with the management of Portfolio Funds or direct investments. If the Fund were required to make payments (or return distributions received from such Portfolio Funds or direct investments) in respect of any such indemnity, the Fund could be materially adversely affected.
Contingent Liabilities on Disposition of Investments. In connection with the disposition of a Fund Investment, it may be required to make representations about the investment. The Fund may be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations are inaccurate. These arrangements may result in the incurrence of contingent liabilities for which the Adviser may establish reserves and escrows. In that regard, distributions may be delayed or withheld until such reserve is no longer needed or the escrow period expires.
Capital Call Risk. The Fund may maintain a sizeable cash position in anticipation of funding capital calls or near-term investment opportunities. Even though the Fund may maintain a sizeable position in cash and short-term securities, it may not contribute the full amount of its commitment to a fund at the time of investment. Instead, the Fund will be required to make incremental contributions pursuant to capital calls issued from time to time by a Portfolio Fund. If the Fund defaults on its commitment to a Portfolio Fund or fails to satisfy capital calls to a Portfolio Fund in a timely manner then, generally, it will be subject to significant penalties, including the complete forfeiture of the Funds investment in the Portfolio Fund. Any failure by the Fund to make timely capital contributions in respect of its commitments may (i) impair the ability of the Fund and the Fund to pursue its investment strategy, (ii) force the Fund to borrow, (iii) indirectly cause the Fund, and, indirectly, the Shareholders to be subject to certain penalties from the Fund Investments (including the complete forfeiture of the Funds investment in a Portfolio Fund), or (iv) otherwise impair the value of the Funds investments (including the devaluation of the Fund).
Lack of Control. The Fund may indirectly make binding commitments to co-investment vehicles without an ability to participate in their management and control and with no or limited ability to transfer its interests in such co-investment vehicles. The Fund also generally will not have control over any of the underlying portfolio companies and will not be able to direct the policies or management decisions of such portfolio companies.
Availability of Financing and Market Conditions. Market fluctuations in business loans may affect the availability and cost of loans needed for the Fund Investments. Credit availability has been restricted in the past and may become so in the future. Restrictions upon the availability of financing or high interest rates on such loans will adversely affect the value of existing Fund Investments and may limit the Funds availability to source and invest in new Fund Investments. Interest paid by any Fund Investment on its debt obligations will reduce cash available for distributions. Interest rates are currently low compared to prior periods. If any Fund Investment incurs variable rate debt, increases in interest rates would increase its interest costs, which could reduce the Funds return on its investments.
Termination of the Funds Interest in a Portfolio Fund. A Portfolio Fund may, among other things, terminate the Funds interest in that Portfolio Fund (causing a forfeiture of all or a portion of such interest) if the Fund fails to satisfy any capital call by that Portfolio Fund or if the continued participation of the Fund in the Portfolio Fund would have a material adverse effect on the Portfolio Fund or its assets.
Risks Related to Portfolio Companies
Limited Operating History of Portfolio Companies. Portfolio Companies may have limited operating histories by which to assess their ability to achieve, sustain and increase revenues or profitability. A Portfolio Companys financial results will be affected by many factors, including (i) the ability to successfully identify a market or markets in which there is a need for its products; (ii) the ability to successfully negotiate strategic alliances, licensing and other relationships for product development, marketing, distribution and sales; (iii) the progress of research and development programs with respect to the development of additional products and enhancements to existing products; (iv) the ability to protect proprietary rights; and (v) competing technological and market developments, particularly companies that have substantially greater resources. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio Companies will ever achieve significant commercial revenues or profitability.
Risks Associated with Management of Growth. To achieve their projected revenues and other targeted operating results, the Portfolio Companies may be required to rapidly implement and improve operational, financial and management control systems on a timely basis, together with maintaining effective cost controls, and any failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition and results of operations. The success of their growth plans will depend in part upon their ability to continue to attract, retain and motivate key personnel. Failure to make the required expansions and upgrades could have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition, results of operations and relationships with their corporate partners. The results of operations for the companies will also be adversely affected if revenues do not increase sufficiently to compensate for the increase in operating expenses resulting from any expansion and there can be no assurance that any expansion will be profitable or will not adversely affect their results of operations.
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Reliance on Portfolio Company Management. The day-to-day operations of each Portfolio Company will be the responsibility of its own management team. Although the Adviser will monitor the performance of investments and will screen for capable management skills, there can be no assurance that such management will be able to operate any such Portfolio Company in accordance with the Funds expectations. In addition, the loss to a Portfolio Company of a member of its management team could be detrimental to the development of the Portfolio Company.
Market Uncertainties. Even if the Portfolio Companies product and service development efforts are successful, their ultimate success will depend upon market acceptance of the concepts, the products and the services. The Portfolio Companies may not have engaged in any formal market research studies with respect to the establishment of a market for their products. There can be no assurance that performance errors and deficiencies will not be found, or if found, that they will be able to successfully correct such performance errors and deficiencies in a timely manner or at all. Even if the concepts gain initial market acceptance, competitors are likely to introduce concepts with comparable price and performance characteristics. This competition may result in reduced future market acceptance for their products and decreasing sales and lower gross margins which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Fund and the Portfolio Companies.
No Assurance of Additional Capital for Investments. Even if a Portfolio Company is successful generating revenues and expanding its service offerings, it may require additional financing to continue product and service development, testing and, ultimately, marketing and other operational activities. Moreover, its cash requirements may vary materially due to service development results, service testing results, changing relationships with strategic partners, changes in the focus and direction of its research and development programs, competitive and technological advances of competitors, and other factors. Additional financing may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms. If additional financing is not available, the Portfolio Company may need to delay, scale back or eliminate certain of its product development, marketing or other activities, or even be forced to cease operations and liquidate.
Risks Related to Secondary Investments
General Risks of Secondary Investments. The overall performance of the Funds secondary investments will depend in large part on the acquisition price paid, which may be negotiated based on incomplete or imperfect information. Certain secondary investments may be purchased as a portfolio, and in such cases the Fund may not be able to exclude from such purchases those investments that the Adviser considers (for commercial, tax, legal or other reasons) less attractive. Where the Fund acquires a portfolio company interest as a secondary investment, the Fund will generally not have the ability to modify or amend such portfolio companys constituent documents (e.g., limited partnership agreements) or otherwise negotiate the economic terms of the interests being acquired. In addition, the costs and resources required to investigate the commercial, tax and legal issues relating to secondary investments may be greater than those relating to primary investments.
Contingent Liabilities Associated with Secondary Investments. Where the Fund acquires a Portfolio Company interest as a secondary investment, the Fund may acquire contingent liabilities associated with such interest. Specifically, where the seller has received distributions from the relevant Portfolio Company and, subsequently, that Portfolio Company recalls any portion of such distributions, the Fund (as the purchaser of the interest to which such distributions are attributable) may be obligated to pay an amount equivalent to such distributions to such Portfolio Company. While the Fund may be able, in turn, to make a claim against the seller of the interest for any monies so paid to the Portfolio Company, there can be no assurance that the Fund would have such right or prevail in any such claim.
Risks relating to secondary investments involving syndicates. The Fund may acquire secondary investments as a member of a purchasing syndicate, in which case the Fund may be exposed to additional risks including (among other things): (i) counterparty risk, (ii) reputation risk, (iii) breach of confidentiality by a syndicate member and (iv) execution risk.
Risks Related to Publicly Traded Securities
Securities Markets Risk. Overall securities market risks may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as domestic and foreign economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the securities and derivatives markets. Equity securities may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific industries, sectors, or companies in which the Fund invests. When the value of the Funds investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.
Liquidity and Valuation Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time the Adviser would like or at the price it believes the security is currently worth. Liquidity risk may be increased for certain Fund
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investments, including those investments in funds with gating provisions or other limitations on investor withdrawals and restricted or illiquid securities. Some funds in which the Fund invests may impose restrictions on when an investor may withdraw its investment or limit the amounts an investor may withdraw. To the extent that the Adviser seeks to reduce or sell out of its investment at a time or in an amount that is prohibited, the Fund may not have the liquidity necessary to participate in other investment opportunities or may need to sell other investments that it may not have otherwise sold.
The Fund may also invest in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid, as determined by using the SECs standard applicable to registered investment companies (i.e., securities that cannot be disposed of by the Fund within seven calendar days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities). Illiquid and restricted securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Fund believes it is desirable to do so. The market price of illiquid and restricted securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of such securities. Investment of the Funds assets in illiquid and restricted securities may also restrict the Funds ability to take advantage of market opportunities.
Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such securitys sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult, in which case the Advisers judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process.
Publicly Traded Private Equity Risk. Publicly traded private equity companies are typically regulated vehicles listed on a public stock exchange that invest in private equity transactions or funds. Such vehicles may take the form of corporations, business development companies, unit trusts, publicly traded partnerships, or other structures, and may focus on mezzanine, infrastructure, buyout or venture capital investments. Publicly traded private equity may also include investments in publicly listed companies in connection with a privately negotiated financing or an attempt to exercise significant influence on the subject of the investment. Publicly traded private equity investments usually have an indefinite duration.
Publicly traded private equity occupies a small portion of the public equity universe, including only a few professional investors who focus on and actively trade such vehicles. As a result, relatively little market research is performed on publicly traded private equity companies, only limited public data may be available regarding these vehicles and their underlying investments, and market pricing may significantly deviate from published net asset value. This can result in market inefficiencies and may offer opportunities to specialists that can value the underlying private equity investments.
Publicly traded private equity vehicles are typically liquid and capable of being traded daily, in contrast to direct investments and private equity funds, in which capital is subject to lengthy holding periods. Accordingly, publicly traded private equity transactions are significantly easier to execute than other types of private equity investments, giving investors an opportunity to adjust the investment level of their portfolios more efficiently.
The above discussions and the discussions in the SAI relating to various risks associated with the Fund, Fund Investments, and Shares are not, and are not intended to be, a complete enumeration or explanation of the risks involved in an investment in the Fund. Prospective investors should read this entire Prospectus, the SAI, and the Declaration of Trust and should consult with their own advisers before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. In addition, as the Funds investment program or market conditions change or develop over time, an investment in the Fund may be subject to risk factors not currently contemplated or described in this Prospectus.
In view of the risks noted above, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment and prospective investors should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.
No guarantee or representation is made that the investment program of the Fund or any Portfolio Fund will be successful, that the various Fund Investments selected will produce positive returns or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
The Board of Trustees
The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business operations of the Fund on behalf of the Shareholders. A majority of Trustees of the Board are and will be persons who are not interested persons, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the Independent Trustees). To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and other applicable law, the Board may delegate any of its rights, powers and authority to, among others, the officers of the Fund, any committee of the Board, service providers or the Adviser. See Board of Trustees and Officers in the Funds SAI for the identities of the Trustees and executive officers of the Fund, brief biographical information regarding each of them, and other information regarding the election and membership of the Board.
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The Adviser
Primark Advisors LLC (Primark or the Adviser), located at 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado, serves as the investment adviser of the Fund and will be responsible for determining and implementing the Funds overall investment strategy, including direct investments. The Adviser, formed in 2020, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Primark Capital LLC (Primark Capital), an asset management company focused on providing investors with exposure to private market transactions, and is focused on investing in the lower middle market in private equity. The Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Advisers Act.
Management Team Primark
The personnel who currently have primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund are:
Michael Bell is a Managing Director of Primark and has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020. Prior to Primark, Mr. Bell was the CEO of Global Financial Private Capital, a $6 billion registered investment adviser that he acquired with a family office investor in 2015, and recently sold to a U.S. investment management company in 2019. Prior to that, from 2003 through 2014 he built, managed and was the CEO for the retail asset management complex for Jackson National Life Insurance, which consisted of a $12 billion national registered investment adviser managing more than 30 investment strategies and a $10 billion alternative mutual fund complex that launched more than 50 alternative investment funds. Previously, he was a corporate finance attorney specializing in M&A and public equity offerings for Latham & Watkins from 1993 through 1999 and was a CPA for KPMG from 1985 through 1988. He holds a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a JD from West Virginia University.
Adam Goldman is a Managing Director of Primark and has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020. Prior to Primark, Mr. Goldman was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Red Rocks Capital, Denver, Colorado, from 2003 to 2017. Red Rocks Capital created the first liquid index tracking the performance of the private equity asset class: The Listed Private Equity Index and the Global Listed Private Equity Index. The indices are licensed to Invesco and used for the Invesco Global Listed Private Equity ETF. In addition, Mr. Goldman as a portfolio manager at Red Rocks Capital actively managed/advised $1.9 billion in global private equity assets for institutional clients. Previously he served as a General Partner and Managing Director in four separate venture funds with Centennial Ventures, Denver, Colorado, from 1992 through 2002. Centennial Ventures focused on early stage and consolidation opportunity investments in the telecommunications, media, and telecom technology sectors, managing approximately $1 billion in private funds. Prior to joining Centennial Ventures, Mr. Goldman was an Associate with Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, in Chicago, Illinois from 1989 through 1991 and a Portfolio Manager with the Pritzker familys investment arm in 1988 in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of 22, Mr. Goldman purchased a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade, became a Market Maker, and traded financial instruments and options for his personal account from 1982 to 1987. He was one of the youngest members to be admitted to the Board of Trade. He holds a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.
Mark Sunderhuse is a Managing Director of Primark and has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2020. Prior to Primark, Mr. Sunderhuse was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Red Rocks Capital, Denver, Colorado, from 2003 to 2017. Red Rocks Capital created the first liquid index tracking the performance of the private equity asset class: The Listed Private Equity Index and the Global Listed Private Equity Index. The indices are licensed to Invesco and used for the Invesco Global Listed Private Equity ETF. In addition, Mr. Sunderhuse was a portfolio manager at Red Rocks Capital actively managed/advised $1.9 billion in global private equity assets for institutional clients. Previously, he was a portfolio manager for Berger Funds, Janus Capital Group, Crestone Capital and Well Fargo (Norwest) managing multiple small cap growth funds each in excess of $1 billion. He acquired multiple investment platforms for the Berger/ Janus organization including Bay Isle, Perkins Wolfe and McDonell. Mr. Sunderhuse was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Colorado Fire and Police Pension Board. He attended the University of Colorado and served on the Board of Trustees for the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
Investment Management Agreement
Under the general oversight of the Board, the Adviser has been engaged to continuously furnish an investment program with respect to the Fund and to furnish such other services necessary to sponsor and manage the Fund that are not specifically delegated to other service providers of the Fund, including overseeing the work that is delegated to other service providers of the Fund. The Adviser compensates all Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of the Advisers organization and who render investment services to the Fund.
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Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Adviser agrees to manage the investment and reinvestment of the Funds assets in accordance with the Funds investment objective and policies and determine what investments will be purchased, held, sold or exchanged by the Fund and what portion, if any, of the assets of the Fund will be held uninvested. The Adviser bears its own operating and overhead expenses attributable to its duties under the Investment Management Agreement (such as salaries, bonuses, rent, office and administrative expenses, depreciation and amortization, and auditing expenses). The Fund bears all other costs of its operations, including, without limitation, the expenses set forth in Fund Expenses below.
The Adviser may earn a profit on the Management Fee paid by the Fund. Under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement, the Adviser, and not Shareholders, would benefit from any price decreases in third-party services, including decreases resulting from an increase in net assets.
A discussion regarding the considerations of the Funds Board for approving the Investment Management Agreement will be included in the Funds first annual or semi-annual report to shareholders.
The Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser as compensation under the Investment Management Agreement a fee in the amount of 1.50% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Management Fee is paid to the Adviser out of the Funds assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund.
Separately from the contractual expense limitation referenced under Summary of Fund Expenses above, the Adviser may voluntarily reimburse any fees and expenses of the Fund but is under no obligation to do so. The Adviser may but is not obligated to waive up to 0.50% of the Management Fee on cash and cash equivalents held in the Fund from time to time. Any such voluntary reimbursements may be terminated at any time.
A portion of the Management Fee may be paid to brokers or dealers that assist in the distribution of Shares.
The Fund continuously offers the Shares at their NAV per Share through Foreside Financial Services, LLC, the principal underwriter and distributor of the Shares (the Distributor). The Fund has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Distributor, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor serves on a best efforts basis, subject to various conditions. The Distributor is not required to buy any Shares and does not intend to make a market in the Shares. There is no sales charge for purchases of Shares.
Under the Funds Distribution Agreement, the Distributor is also responsible for entering into agreements with broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries (Selling Agents) to assist in the distribution of the Shares, reviewing the Funds proposed advertising materials and sales literature and making certain filings with regulators. For these services, the Distributor receives an annual fee from the Adviser. The Adviser is also responsible for paying any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Distributor in providing services under the Distribution Agreement.
Under the Funds Distribution Agreement with the Distributor, the Fund agrees to indemnify the Distributor and its control persons against certain liabilities including those that may arise under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the 1940 Act as a result of: (1) the Distributor serving as distributor of the Fund pursuant to the agreement; (2) the Funds breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in the agreement; (3) the Funds failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (4) untrue statements of material fact or the omissions of material facts required to make statements not misleading in Fund offering materials, sales materials and shareholder reports.
The Distributor may engage one or more Selling Agents to assist in the distribution of Shares. Selling Agents may charge a separate fee for their service in conjunction with an investment in the Fund and/or maintenance of investor accounts. Such a fee is not a sales load imposed by the Fund or the Distributor and will be in addition to the fees charged or paid by the Fund. The payment of these fees and the effect of these fees on the performance of a shareholders investment in Shares will not be reflected in the performance returns of Shares.
Selling Agents may also impose terms and conditions on investor accounts and investments in the Fund that are in addition to the terms and conditions described in this Prospectus and are not imposed by the Fund, the Distributor or any other Fund service providers. These terms and conditions may affect or limit a prospective or current shareholders ability to purchase Shares, a current shareholders ability to tender Shares to the Fund for repurchase or to otherwise transact business with the Fund. Services provided by Selling Agents may vary. Shareholders investing in Shares through a Selling Agent should consult with the Selling Agent regarding the terms and conditions related to accounts held at the Selling Agent, services provided to such accounts and related service fees as well as operational limitations of the Selling Agent.
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The Adviser shall pay for any distribution, shareholder servicing, marketing and promotional services rendered to the Shares including payments to Selling Agents for the sale of Shares and related shareholder services and payments to other entities marketing the Fund. These expenses are not reflected in the expense table included in this Prospectus. Payments to Selling Agents or other entities marketing the Fund create conflicts of interest by influencing the Selling Agent, marketing entity and your salesperson to recommend Shares over another investment. These payments may also benefit the Adviser, the Distributor and their respective affiliates if these payments result in an increase in the NAV of Shares, the value upon which any fees payable by the Fund to these entities are based.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN
Distribution and Service Plan
Subject to the receipt of an exemptive order from the SEC, the Fund intends to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class III Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Distribution and Service Plan will not be implemented until the Fund receives an exemptive order from the SEC. There is no assurance that the Fund will be granted the exemptive order. The Distribution and Service Plan will allow the Fund to pay distribution and service (12b-1) fees for the sale and servicing of its Class III Shares. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will be permitted to pay as compensation to the Funds Distributor and/or other qualified recipients 0.25% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class III Shares (the Distribution and Service Fee). Because these fees are paid out of the Funds assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. Class III Shares will not be offered until the Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC permitting the adoption of the Distribution and Service Plan. Class I Shares and Class II Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Service Fee.
The Distribution and Service Fee to be paid to the Distributor for distribution of each class of Shares under the Distribution and Service Plan is as follows:
Class |
Distribution and Service Fee | |||
Class I Shares |
None | |||
Class II Shares |
None | |||
Class III Shares |
0.25 | % |
Shareholder Servicing Plan
Subject to the receipt of an exemptive order from the SEC, the Fund intends to adopt a Shareholder Servicing Plan with respect to Class II Shares. The Shareholder Servicing Plan will not be implemented until the Fund receives an exemptive order from the SEC. There is no assurance that the Fund will be granted the exemptive order. The Shareholder Servicing Plan will allow the Fund to pay shareholder servicing fees in respect of Shareholders holding Class II Shares. Under the Shareholder Servicing Plan, the Fund will be permitted to pay as compensation to qualified recipients up to 0.10% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class II Shares (the Shareholder Servicing Fee). Because these fees are paid out of the Funds assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. Class II Shares will not be offered until the Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC permitting the adoption of the Shareholder Service Plan. Class I Shares and Class III Shares are not subject to the Shareholder Servicing Fee.
The Shareholder Servicing Fee to be paid in respect of each class of Shares under the Shareholder Servicing Plan is as follows:
Class |
Shareholder Servicing Fee | |||
Class I Shares |
None | |||
Class II Shares |
0.10 | % | ||
Class III Shares |
None |
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Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (the Administrator or Ultimus), 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249, provides certain administrative, accounting and transfer agency services to the Fund pursuant to a Master Services Agreement between the Fund and the Administrator (the Master Services Agreement) and compliance services to the Fund pursuant to a Compliance Services Consulting Agreement. For its services, the Fund pays the Administrator a fee and separate fixed fees to make certain filings and for supplying the Funds Chief Compliance Officer and related compliance services. The Fund also reimburses the Administrator for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the Funds behalf. The fees are accrued and paid monthly by the Fund and the administrative fees are based on the average net assets for the prior month and subject to monthly minimums.
The Administrator administers the Funds operations in such manner and to such extent as may be authorized by the Board. Administration services include, but are not limited to: (1) overseeing the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Fund by others, including its custodian, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent as well as legal, auditing, shareholder servicing and other services performed for the Fund; (2) preparing for filing and filing certain regulatory filings subject to Fund counsel and/or independent auditor oversight; (3) overseeing the preparation and filing of the Funds tax returns, financial statements and related reports to the Funds shareholders, the SEC and state and other securities administrators; (4) providing the Fund with adequate general office space and facilities and persons suitable to the Board to serve as officers of the Fund; (5) assisting the Adviser in monitoring Fund holdings for compliance with prospectus investment restrictions and in the preparation of periodic compliance reports; and (6) with the cooperation of the Adviser, the officers of the Fund and other relevant parties, preparing and disseminating materials for meetings of the Board.
The Master Services Agreement continues in effect, unless earlier terminated by the Fund or the Administrator, through [●], 2023. Thereafter, unless otherwise terminated, the Master Services Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year periods. Either party may terminate the Master Services Agreement with or without cause, but only upon the expiration of the initial term or any renewal term, by giving the other party 120 days prior written notice. Either party may terminate the Master Services Agreement with good cause (as defined under the Master Services Agreement) on at least thirty days written notice to the other party.
Under the Master Services Agreement, the Administrator is liable for any damages resulting from the willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the Administrator as a result of the performance or non-performance by the Administrator of its obligations and duties under the agreement. In addition, the Administrator will not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive, consequential or exemplary damages or lost profits, of any kind whatsoever under any provision of the Master Services Agreement or for any such damages arising out of any act or failure to act thereunder.
UMB Bank, n.a. (the Custodian) serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. sub-custodians (which may be banks and trust companies), securities depositories and clearing agencies in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Adviser or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. sub-custodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. The Custodians principal business address is 1010 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64106.
Fund Operating Expenses
The Fund will bear all expenses and costs incurred in the conduct of the Funds business, including, without limitation the following: (i) all of the legal and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the organization of the Fund and the offering of its shares; (ii) ordinary administrative and operating expenses, including the Management Fee and all expenses associated with the pricing of Fund assets; (iii) risk management expenses; (iv) ordinary and recurring investment expenses, including all fees and expenses directly related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Funds account (including brokerage, clearing, and settlement costs), custodial costs, and interest charges; (v) professional fees (including, without limitation, expenses of consultants, experts, and specialists); (vi) fees and expenses in connection with repurchase offers and any repurchases or redemptions of Fund shares of beneficial interest; (vii) office space, office supplies, facilities and equipment for the Fund; (viii) executive and other personnel for managing the affairs of the Fund, other than for the provision of portfolio
36
management services provided by the Adviser; (ix) any of the costs of preparing, printing and distributing sales literature; (x) compensation of trustees of the Fund who are not directors, officers or employees of the Adviser or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of the Adviser; (xi) registration, filing and other fees in connection with requirements of regulatory authorities; (xii) the charges and expenses of any entity appointed by the Fund for custodial, paying agent, shareholder servicing and plan agent services; (xiii) charges and expenses of independent accountants retained by the Fund; (xiv) charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars appointed by the Fund; (xv) brokers commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; (xvi) taxes and fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies; (xvii) any cost of certificates representing shares of the Fund; (xviii) legal fees and expenses in connection with the affairs of the Fund, including registering and qualifying its shares with federal and state regulatory authorities; (xix) expenses of meetings of shareholders and trustees of the Fund; (xx) interest, including interest on borrowings by the Fund; (xxi) the costs of services, including services of counsel and any of the costs of printing and mailing, required in connection with the preparation of the Funds registration statements and prospectuses, including amendments and revisions thereto, annual, semiannual and other periodic reports of the Fund, and notices and proxy solicitation material furnished to shareholders of the Fund or regulatory authorities; (xxii) the Funds expenses of bookkeeping, accounting, auditing and financial reporting, including related clerical expenses; (xxiii) all filing costs, fees, and any other expenses which are directly related to the investment of the Funds assets; and (xxiv) any extraordinary expenses, including any litigation expenses.
The Portfolio Funds will bear various fees and expenses in connection with their operations. These fees and expenses are similar to those incurred by the Fund. In addition, the Portfolio Funds will pay asset-based fees to their Portfolio Fund Managers and generally may pay performance-based fees or allocations to their Portfolio Fund Managers, which effectively reduce the investment returns of the Portfolio Funds. These expenses, fees, and allocations are in addition to those incurred by the Fund directly. As an investor in the Portfolio Funds, the Fund will bear a portion of the expenses and fees of the Portfolio Funds. Such indirect fees and expenses are borne by the Fund.
The Adviser will bear all of its own routine overhead expenses, including rent, utilities, salaries, office equipment and communications expenses. In addition, the Adviser is responsible for the payment of the compensation and expenses of those members of the Board and officers of the Fund affiliated with the Adviser, and making available, without expense to the Fund, the services of such individuals, subject to their individual consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law.
The Adviser may be entitled to receive topping, break-up, monitoring, directors organizational, set-up, advisory, investment banking, syndication and other similar fees in connection with the purchase, monitoring or disposition of Fund Investments or from unconsummated transactions. Any such fees earned in respect of the Fund Investments shall be for the benefit of the Fund.
Expense Limitation Agreement
The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the Expense Limitation Agreement) with the Fund, whereby the Adviser has agreed to reduce the Management Fee payable to it (but not below zero), and to pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund, excluding certain Excluded Expenses listed below, to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of Shares of the Fund) of 1.60%, 2.00% and 2.25% with respect to Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares, respectively (the Expense Cap). Excluded Expenses that are not covered by the Expense Cap include: brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses.
If the Adviser waives its Management Fee or pays any operating expenses of the Fund pursuant to the Expense Cap, the Adviser may, for a period ending three years after the end of the month in which such fees or expenses are waived or incurred, recoup amounts waived or incurred to the extent such recoupment does not cause the Funds operating expense ratio (after recoupment and excluding the Excluded Expenses) to exceed the Expense Cap.
The Expense Limitation Agreement is expected to continue in effect for at least one year from the effective date of the Prospectus, and will renew automatically for successive periods of one year thereafter, unless written notice of termination is provided by the Adviser to the Fund not less than 10 days prior to the end of the then-current term.
The Funds expenses incurred and to be incurred in connection with the Funds organization are not expected to exceed $[●]. The Funds expenses incurred and to be incurred in connection with the initial offering of Shares will be amortized by the Fund over the 12-month period beginning on the closing date of the initial offering and are not expected to exceed $[●]. The Fund will also bear directly certain ongoing offering costs associated with any periodic offers of Shares, which will be expensed as they are incurred. Offering costs cannot be deducted by the Fund or the Shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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The Funds fees and expenses will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund.
The Fund may be subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, including, but not limited to, those set forth in further detail below.
The Adviser may from time to time engage in financial advisory activities that are independent from, and may conflict with, those of the Fund. In the future, there might arise instances where the interests of the Adviser conflict with the interests of the Fund. The Adviser may from time to time provide services to, invest in, advise, sponsor and/or act as investment manager to investment vehicles and other persons or entities (including prospective investors in the Fund), which may have structures, investment objectives and/or policies that are similar to (or different than) those of the Fund, and which may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities. In addition, the Adviser and its respective clients may from time to time invest in securities that would be appropriate for the Fund or the Portfolio Funds and may compete with the Portfolio Funds for investment opportunities. By acquiring Shares of the Fund, each Shareholder will be deemed to have acknowledged the existence of any such actual and potential conflicts of interest and to have waived any claim with respect to any liability arising from the existence of any such conflict of interest, except as may otherwise be provided under the provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified.
Although the Adviser will seek to allocate investment opportunities among the Fund and its other clients in a fair and reasonable manner, there can be no assurance that an investment opportunity which comes to the attention of the Adviser will be appropriate for the Fund or will be referred to the Fund. The Adviser is not obligated to refer any investment opportunity to the Fund.
The directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees of the Adviser may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts. As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, investments may be made by directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees that are the same, different from or made at different times than investments made for the Fund. To reduce the possibility that the Fund will be materially adversely affected by the personal trading described above, each of the Fund and the Adviser have adopted codes of ethics (collectively, the Codes of Ethics) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the 1940 Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the portfolio transactions of the Fund. The Codes of Ethics are available on the EDGAR Database on the SECs Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by email at publicinfo@sec.gov.
Allocation of the Advisers time
The Fund substantially relies on the Adviser to manage the day-to-day activities of the Fund and to implement the Funds investment strategy. The Adviser may in the future be involved with activities that are unrelated to the Fund. For example, the Adviser is not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser. These activities could be viewed as creating a conflict of interest in that the time and effort of the Adviser and its officers and employees will not be devoted exclusively to the Funds business but will be allocated between the Fund and the management of the assets of other clients of the Adviser. The Adviser and its employees will devote only as much of their time to the Funds business as the Adviser and its employees, in their judgment, determine is reasonably required, which may be substantially less than their full time. Therefore, the Adviser and its employees may experience conflicts of interest in allocating management time, services and functions among the Fund and any other business ventures in which they or any of their key personnel, as applicable, are or may become involved. This could result in actions that are more favorable to other entities than to the Fund.
Nevertheless, the Fund believes that the members of the Advisers senior management and the other key professionals have sufficient time to fully discharge their responsibilities to the Fund and to the other businesses in which they are involved. The Fund believes that its executive officers will devote the time required to manage the business and expect that the amount of time a particular executive officer devotes to the Fund will vary during the course of the year and depend on the Funds business activities at the given time.
Compensation arrangements
The Adviser will receive fees from the Fund in return for its services, and these fees could influence the advice provided by the Adviser. Among other matters, the compensation arrangements could affect the Advisers judgment with respect to offerings of equity by the Fund, which allow the Adviser to earn increased Management Fees.
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The Fund contemplates declaring as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income. From time to time, the Fund may also pay special interim distributions in the form of cash or Shares at the discretion of the Board. A Shareholders dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested if the Shareholder does not instruct the Administrator otherwise. A Shareholder who elects not to reinvest will receive both dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The Fund may limit the extent to which any distributions that are returns of capital may be reinvested in the Fund.
Any distributions reinvested will nevertheless remain subject to U.S. federal (and applicable state and local) taxation to Shareholders. The Fund may finance its cash distributions to Shareholders from any sources of funds available to the Fund, including offering proceeds, borrowings, net investment income from operations, capital gains proceeds from the sale of assets (including Fund Investments), non-capital gains proceeds from the sale of assets (including Fund Investments), dividends or other distributions paid to the Fund on account of preferred and common equity investments by the Fund in Portfolio Funds and/or Portfolio Companies and expense reimbursements from the Adviser. The Fund has not established limits on the amount of funds the Fund may use from available sources to make distributions.
Each year a statement on IRS Form 1099-DIV (or successor form) identifying the character (e.g., as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or long-term capital gain) of the distributions will be mailed to Shareholders. The Funds distributions may exceed the Funds earnings, especially during the period before the Fund has substantially invested the proceeds from this offering. As a result, a portion of the distributions the Fund makes may represent a return of capital for U.S. federal tax purposes. A return of capital generally is a return of a Shareholders investment rather than a return of earnings or gains derived from the Funds investment activities and will be made after deduction of the fees and expenses payable in connection with the offering, including any fees payable to the Adviser. See Certain Tax considerations. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to pay distributions at a specific rate or at all.
The Fund intends to elect to be treated, beginning with the taxable year ending September 30, 2020, and intends to qualify annually, as a RIC under Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). To qualify for and maintain RIC tax treatment, the Fund must, among other things, distribute at least 90% of its net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. A RIC may satisfy the 90% distribution requirement by distributing dividends (other than capital gain dividends) during the taxable year (including dividends declared in October, November or December of a taxable year that, if paid in the following January, are treated as paid by a RIC and received by its shareholders in the prior taxable year). In addition, a RIC may, in certain cases, satisfy the 90% distribution requirement by distributing dividends relating to a taxable year after the close of such taxable year under the spillover dividend provisions of the Code. If a RIC makes a spillover dividend the amounts will be included in IRS Form 1099-DIV for the year the spillover distribution is paid.
The Fund can offer no assurance that it will achieve results that will permit the Fund to pay any cash distributions. If the Fund issues senior securities, the Fund will be prohibited from making distributions if doing so causes the Fund to fail to maintain the asset coverage ratios stipulated by the 1940 Act or if distributions are limited by the terms of any of the Funds borrowings. See Certain Tax considerations.
Unless a Shareholder is ineligible or otherwise elects, all distributions of dividends (including capital gain dividends) with respect to a class of Shares will be automatically reinvested by the Fund in additional Shares of the corresponding class, which will be issued at the net asset value per Share determined as of the ex-dividend date. Election not to reinvest dividends and to instead receive all dividends and capital gain distributions in cash may be made by contacting the Administrator at PO Box 541150, Omaha, NE 68154-9150 or 877-792-0924.
As of the date of this Prospectus, there were no outstanding Shares of the Fund.
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The Fund is a closed-end interval fund and, to provide liquidity and the ability to receive NAV on a disposition of at least a portion of your Shares, makes periodic offers to repurchase Shares. No shareholder will have the right to require the Fund to repurchase its Shares, except as permitted by the Funds interval structure. No public market for the Shares exists, and none is expected to develop in the future. Consequently, shareholders generally will not be able to liquidate their investment other than as a result of repurchases of their Shares by the Fund, and then only on a limited basis.
The Fund has adopted, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, a fundamental policy, which cannot be changed without shareholder approval, requiring the Fund to offer to repurchase at least 5% and up to 25% of its Shares at the applicable NAV per Share on a regular schedule. Although the policy permits repurchases of between 5% and 25% of the Funds outstanding Shares, for each quarterly repurchase offer, the Fund currently expects to offer to repurchase 5% of the Funds outstanding Shares at the applicable NAV per Share, subject to approval of the Board. The schedule requires the Fund to make repurchase offers every three months.
Repurchase Dates
The Fund will make quarterly repurchase offers every three months. As discussed below, the date on which the repurchase price for Shares is determined will occur no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (or the next business day, if the 14th day is not a business day).
Repurchase Request Deadline
The date by which shareholders wishing to tender Shares for repurchase must respond to the repurchase offer will be no more than fourteen days before the Repurchase Pricing Date (defined below). When a repurchase offer commences, the Fund sends, at least 21 days before the Repurchase Request Deadline, written notice to each shareholder setting forth, among other things:
|
The percentage of outstanding Shares that the Fund is offering to repurchase and how the Fund will purchase Shares on a pro rata basis if the offer is oversubscribed. |
|
The date on which a shareholders repurchase request is due. |
|
The date that will be used to determine the Funds NAV applicable to the repurchase offer (the Repurchase Pricing Date). |
|
The date by which the Fund will pay to shareholders the proceeds from their Shares accepted for repurchase. |
|
The NAV of the Shares as of a date no more than seven days before the date of the written notice and the means by which shareholders may ascertain the NAV per Share. |
|
The procedures by which shareholders may tender their Shares and the right of shareholders to withdraw or modify their tenders before the Repurchase Request Deadline. |
|
The circumstances in which the Fund may suspend or postpone the repurchase offer. |
This notice may be included in a shareholder report or other Fund document. Shareholders that hold Shares through a financial intermediary will need to ask their financial intermediary to submit their repurchase requests and tender Shares on their behalf. The Repurchase Request Deadline will be strictly observed. If a Shareholders repurchase request is not submitted to the Funds transfer agent in properly completed form by the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Shareholder will be unable to sell his or her Shares to the Fund until a subsequent repurchase offer, and the Shareholders request for that offer must be resubmitted. If a Shareholders Authorized Intermediary will submit his or her repurchase request, the Shareholder should submit his or her request to the Authorized Intermediary in the form requested by the Authorized Intermediary sufficiently in advance of the Repurchase Request Deadline to allow the Authorized Intermediary to submit the request to the Fund. If a Shareholders Authorized Intermediary is unable or fails to submit the Shareholders request to the Fund in a timely manner, or if the Shareholder fails to submit his or her request to the Shareholders Authorized Intermediary, the Shareholder will be unable to sell his or her Shares to the Fund until a subsequent repurchase offer, and the Shareholders request for that offer must be resubmitted. Shareholders may withdraw or change a repurchase request with a proper instruction submitted in good form at any point before the Repurchase Request Deadline.
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Determination of Repurchase Price and Payment for Shares
The Repurchase Pricing Date will occur no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (or the next business day, if the 14th day is not a business day). The Fund expects to distribute payment to Shareholders between one (1) and three (3) business days after the Repurchase Pricing Date and will distribute such payment no later than seven (7) calendar days after such date. The Funds NAV per Share may change materially between the date a repurchase offer is mailed and the Repurchase Request Deadline, and it may also change materially between the Repurchase Request Deadline and Repurchase Pricing Date. The method by which the Fund calculates NAV is discussed below under Net Asset Value. During the period an offer to repurchase is open, Shareholders may obtain the current NAV by visiting the Funds website (www.primarkcapital.com) or calling the Funds transfer agent, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, at 877-792-0924.
Early Repurchase Fees
A 2.00% early repurchase fee (the Early Repurchase Fee) will be charged by the Fund with respect to any repurchase of Shares from a Shareholder at any time prior to the day immediately preceding the one-year anniversary of the Shareholders purchase of the Shares. Shares tendered for repurchase will be treated as having been repurchased on a first in-first out basis. Therefore, Shares repurchased will be deemed to have been taken from the earliest purchase of Shares by such Shareholder (adjusted for subsequent net profits and net losses) until all such Shares have been repurchased, and then from each subsequent purchase of Shares by such Shareholder (adjusted for subsequent net profits and net losses) until such Shares are repurchased.
The Early Repurchase Fee may be waived for certain categories of Shareholders or transactions. For example, the early repurchase fee will be waived on repurchases of Shares (i) in the event of the Shareholders death or disability; (ii) that result from required minimum distributions taken from retirement accounts when the Shareholder reaches age 701⁄2; (iii) that result from returns of excess contributions made to retirement plans or individual retirement accounts; (iv) to satisfy participant loan advances by employer sponsored retirement plans; (v) in connection with distributions qualifying under the hardship provisions of the Code; and (vi) in connection with the Funds policy with respect to minimum account balances (which is described below in Periodic Repurchase OffersMinimum Account Balance). Restrictions may apply to certain accounts and certain transactions. The Fund reserves the right to change these terms at any time. Any change will apply only to Shares purchased after the effective date of such change
Other than the Early Repurchase Fee, the Fund does not presently intend to impose any charges on the repurchase of Shares. However, the Fund is permitted to allocate Shareholders, whose Shares are repurchased, costs and charges imposed by the Portfolio Fund in connection with Fund Investments, if the Adviser determines to liquidate such interests as a result of repurchase tenders by Shareholders and such charges are imposed on the Fund. In the event that any such charges are allocated to the Fund, and subject to applicable law, the Fund may allocate such charges to the Shareholders whose repurchase tenders resulted in the repurchase of a portion of the Shares that resulted in such charges.
A Shareholder who tenders some but not all of its Shares for repurchase will be required to maintain a minimum account balance of $100,000 for Class I Shares, $100,000 for Class II Shares and $10,000 for Class III Shares. Such minimum account balance requirement may be waived by the Fund, in its sole discretion. The Fund reserves the right to reduce the amount to be repurchased from a Shareholder so that the required account balance is maintained.
In the event that the Adviser holds Shares in its capacity as a Shareholder, such Shares may be tendered for repurchase in connection with any repurchase offer made by the Fund, without notice to the other Shareholders.
Suspension or Postponement of Repurchase Offers
The Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer in limited circumstances set forth in Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, as described below, but only with the approval of a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer only: (1) if making or effecting the repurchase offer would cause the Fund to lose its status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) for any period during which the NYSE or any other market in which the securities owned by the Fund are principally traded is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during which trading in such market is restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable, or during which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (4) for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund.
Oversubscribed Repurchase Offers
There is no minimum number of Shares that must be tendered before the Fund will honor repurchase requests. However, the Funds Trustees set for each repurchase offer a maximum percentage of Shares that may be repurchased by the Fund, which is
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currently expected to be 5% of the Funds outstanding Shares. In the event a repurchase offer by the Fund is oversubscribed, the Fund may repurchase, but is not required to repurchase, additional Shares up to a maximum amount of 2% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund. If the Fund determines not to repurchase additional Shares beyond the repurchase offer amount, or if shareholders tender an amount of Shares greater than that which the Fund is entitled to repurchase, the Fund will repurchase the Shares tendered on a pro rata basis.
If any Shares that you wish to tender to the Fund are not repurchased because of proration, you will have to wait until the next repurchase offer and resubmit a new repurchase request, and your repurchase request will not be given any priority over other shareholders requests. Thus, there is a risk that the Fund may not purchase all of the Shares you wish to have repurchased in a given repurchase offer or in any subsequent repurchase offer. In anticipation of the possibility of proration, some shareholders may tender more Shares than they wish to have repurchased in a particular quarter, increasing the likelihood of proration.
There is no assurance that you will be able to tender your Shares when or in the amount that you desire.
Consequences of Repurchase Offers
From the time the Fund distributes or publishes each repurchase offer notification until the Repurchase Pricing Date for that offer, the Fund must maintain liquid assets at least equal to the percentage of its Shares subject to the repurchase offer. For this purpose, liquid assets means assets that may be sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business, at approximately the price at which the Fund values them, within the period between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the repurchase payment deadline, or which mature by the repurchase payment deadline. The Fund is also permitted to borrow up to the maximum extent permitted under the 1940 Act to meet repurchase requests.
If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect shareholders who do not tender their Shares by increasing the Funds expenses and reducing any net investment income. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able sell a significant amount of additional Shares so as to mitigate these effects.
These and other possible risks associated with the Funds repurchase offers are described under General Risks Repurchase Offers Risk above. In addition, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund will be a taxable event to shareholders, potentially even to those shareholders that do not participate in the repurchase. For a discussion of these tax consequences, see Certain Tax Considerations below and in the SAI.
Minimum Account Balance
A Shareholder who tenders for repurchase only a portion of their Shares in the Fund will be required to maintain a minimum account balance of $100,000 for Class I Shares, $100,000 for Class II Shares, and $10,000 for Class III Shares. If a Shareholder tenders a portion of their Shares and the repurchase of that portion would cause the Shareholders account balance to fall below these respective required minimums, the Fund reserves the right to repurchase all of such Shareholders outstanding Shares or reduce the amount to be repurchased from a Shareholder so that the required account balance is maintained. Such minimum account balance requirement may also be waived by the Fund, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable federal securities laws.
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE; VALUATION
The Fund will calculate its net asset value as of the close of business of on each business day (each, a Determination Date). In determining its net asset value, the Fund will value its investments as of the relevant Determination Date. The net asset value of the Fund will equal, unless otherwise noted, the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all of its liabilities, including accrued fees and expenses, each determined as of the relevant Determination Date.
The Board has approved valuation procedures for the Fund (the Valuation Procedures) and has appointed a separate valuation committee (the Fair Value Committee) and delegated to the Fair Value Committee the responsibility to determine the fair value of the Funds investments. The Fair Value Committee oversees the implementation of the Valuation Procedures and may consult with representatives from the Funds outside legal counsel or other third-party consultants in their discussions and deliberations.
The Adviser will assist the Fair Value Committee in making valuation determinations, provide primary day-to-day oversight of valuation of the Funds investments and act in accordance with the Valuation Procedures as developed and approved by the Board. The valuation of the Funds investments is performed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Boards Accounting Standards Codification 820 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.
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Securities traded on one or more of the U.S. national securities exchanges, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any foreign stock exchange will be valued based on their respective market price.
Debt instruments for which market quotations are readily available are typically valued based on such market quotations. In validating market quotations, the Valuation Committee considers different factors such as the source and the nature of the quotation in order to determine whether the quotation represents fair value. The Valuation Committee makes use of reputable financial information providers in order to obtain the relevant quotations.
For debt and equity securities which are not publicly traded or for which market prices are not readily available (unquoted investments) the fair value is determined in good faith. In determining the fair values of these investments, the Fair Value Committee will typically apply widely recognized market and income valuation methodologies including, but not limited to, earnings and multiple analysis, discounted cash flow method and third-party valuations. In order to determine a fair value, these methods are applied to the latest information provided by the underlying portfolio companies or other business counterparties.
Due to the inherent uncertainty in determining the fair value of investments for which market values are not readily available the fair values of these investments may fluctuate from period to period. In addition, such fair value may differ materially from the values that may have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may significantly differ from the value ultimately realized by the Fund.
Assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. Dollars using foreign exchange rates provided by a recognized pricing service.
Primary and secondary investments in Portfolio Funds are generally valued based on the latest net asset value reported by the Portfolio Fund Manager. If the net asset value of an investment in a Portfolio Fund is not available at the time the Fund is calculating its net asset value, the Fair Value Committee will consider any cash flows since the reference date of the last net asset value reported by the Portfolio Fund Manager by (i) adding the nominal amount of the investment related capital calls and (ii) deducting the nominal amount of investment related distributions from the last net asset value reported by the Portfolio Fund Manager.
In addition to tracking the net asset value plus related cash flows of such Portfolio Funds, the Fair Value Committee also intends to track relevant broad-based and issuer (or fund) specific valuation information relating to the assets held by each Portfolio Fund that is reasonably available at the time the Fund values its investments. The Fair Value Committee will consider such information and may conclude in certain circumstances that the information provided by the Portfolio Fund Manager does not represent the fair value of a particular asset held by a Portfolio Fund. If the Fair Value Committee concludes in good faith that the latest net asset value reported by a Portfolio Fund Manager does not represent fair value (e.g., there is more current information regarding a portfolio asset which significantly changes its fair value), the Fair Value Committee will make a corresponding adjustment to reflect the current fair value of such asset within such Portfolio Fund. In determining the fair value of assets held by Portfolio Funds, the Fair Value Committee applies valuation methodologies as outlined above.
Determining fair value involves subjective judgments, and it is possible that the fair value determined by the Fair Value Committee for an investment may differ materially from the value that could be realized upon the ultimate sale of the investment. There is no single standard for determining fair value of an investment. Rather, in determining the fair value of an investment for which there are no readily available market quotations, the Fair Value Committee may consider pre-acquisition and annual financial reporting summaries from a Portfolio Fund, comparable company factors, including fundamental analytical data relating to the investment, the nature and duration of any restriction on the disposition of the investment, the cost of the investment at the date of purchase, the liquidity of the market for the investment, the price of such investment in a meaningful private or public investment or merger or acquisition of the issuer subsequent to the Funds investment therein, or the per share price of the investment to be valued in recent verifiable transactions. Fair value prices are estimates, and there is no assurance that such a price will be at or close to the price at which the investment is next quoted or next trades.
Notwithstanding the above, Portfolio Fund Managers may adopt a variety of valuation bases and provide differing levels of information concerning Portfolio Funds and there will generally be no liquid markets for such investments. Consequently, there are inherent difficulties in determining the fair value that cannot be eliminated. None of the Fair Value Committee, the Adviser or the Board will be able to confirm independently the accuracy of valuations provided by the Portfolio Fund Managers (which are generally unaudited).
Due to the inherent uncertainty in determining the fair value of investments for which market values are not readily available the fair value of these investments may fluctuate from period to period. In addition, such fair value may differ materially from the values that may have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may significantly differ from the value ultimately realized by the Fund.
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The Adviser may in the future act as investment adviser to other clients that invest in securities for which no public market price exists. Valuation determinations by the Adviser for other clients may result in different values than those ascribed to the same security owned by the Fund. Consequently, the fees charged to the Fund may be different than those charged to other clients, since the method of calculating the fees takes the value of all assets, including assets carried at different valuations, into consideration.
Expenses of the Fund, including the Management Fee, are accrued on a daily basis on the Determination Date and taken into account for the purpose of determining the Funds net asset value.
Prospective investors should be aware that situations involving uncertainties as to the value of portfolio positions could have an adverse effect on the Funds net asset value and the Fund if the judgments of the Fair Value Committee, the Adviser or the Board regarding appropriate valuations should prove incorrect.
The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to the Fund and to an investment in Shares by a Shareholder. This summary does not discuss all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular investor, including an investor who holds Shares as part of a hedging, straddle, conversion, constructive sale or other integrated transaction, or to certain investors (e.g., investors subject to the alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities, pension plans and trusts, financial institutions, certain foreign investors and insurance companies) subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws. In addition, this summary does not specifically address the special tax consequences that may be applicable to persons who hold interests in partnerships, grantor trusts and other pass-through entities that hold Shares. This summary assumes that investors hold Shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment).
THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY GENERAL, AND EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISER WITH RESPECT TO THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL, AND FOREIGN INCOME AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSAL OF SHARES, INCLUDING APPLICABLE TAX REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
This summary is based on the Code as in effect on the date of this Prospectus, the Treasury Regulations, rulings of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the IRS), and court decisions in existence on the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. The Fund has not sought a ruling from the IRS or any other federal, state or local agency, or opinion of counsel, with respect to any of the tax issues affecting the Fund. This summary does not discuss any aspects of the U.S. federal estate or gift tax or any state or local or non-U.S. tax. It does not discuss the special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws that could result if the Fund invested in tax-exempt securities or certain other investment assets.
If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership with respect to the Shares generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners in partnerships considering an acquisition of Shares should consult their tax advisers with respect to the partnerships purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares.
Taxation as a RIC
As a RIC, in any fiscal year with respect to which the Fund distributes at least 90% of the sum of the Funds: (i) investment company taxable income, which includes, among other items, dividends, interest, the excess of any net realized short-term capital gains over net realized long- term capital losses, and other taxable income (other than any net capital gain), reduced by deductible expenses, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends and distributions paid and (ii) net tax-exempt interest income (which is the excess of the Funds gross tax-exempt interest income over certain disallowed deductions), the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gains that the Fund distributes to its Shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute, in its Shares and/or cash, annually, all or substantially all of such income. To the extent that the Fund retains its net capital gains for investment or any investment company taxable income, the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax. The Fund may choose to retain its net capital gains for investment or any investment company taxable income, and pay the associated U.S. federal corporate income tax, including the U.S. federal excise tax (described below).
The Fund may retain some or all of its realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses and designate the retained net capital gains as a deemed distribution. In that case, among other consequences, the Fund will pay tax on the retained amount and each Shareholder will be required to include its share of the deemed distribution in income as if it had been actually distributed to the Shareholder, and such Shareholder will be entitled to claim a credit equal to its
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allocable share of the tax paid thereon by the Fund for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The amount of the deemed distribution net of such tax will be added to the Shareholders cost basis for its Shares. Since the Fund generally would be required to pay tax on any retained net capital gains at the Funds regular corporate tax rate, and since that rate is in excess of the maximum rate currently payable by individuals on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that individual Shareholders will be treated as having paid and for which they will receive a credit will exceed the tax they owe on the retained net capital gain. Such excess generally may be claimed as a credit against the U.S. Shareholders other U.S. federal income tax obligations or may be refunded to the extent it exceeds a Shareholders liability for U.S. federal income tax. A Shareholder that is not subject to U.S. federal income tax or otherwise required to file a U.S. federal income tax return would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return on the appropriate form to claim a refund with respect to the allocable share of the taxes that the Fund has paid. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of Shares owned by a Shareholder will be increased by an amount equal to the excess of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the Shareholders gross income over the tax deemed paid by the Shareholder as described in this paragraph. To utilize the deemed distribution approach, the Fund must provide written notice to Shareholders prior to the expiration of 60 days after the close of the relevant taxable year. The Fund cannot treat any of its investment company taxable income as a deemed distribution. The Fund may also make actual distributions to its Shareholders of some or all of realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses.
The Fund will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax (the Excise Tax) on certain undistributed income unless the Fund distributes in a timely manner an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of the Funds net ordinary income for each calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of the Funds capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (iii) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years and on which the Fund paid no U.S. federal income tax (the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement). For purposes of the required Excise Tax distribution, the income and gains of Portfolio Funds are expected to be treated as arising in the hands of the Fund at the time realized and recognized by the Portfolio Funds. While the Fund intends to distribute any income and capital gains in the manner necessary to minimize imposition of the Excise Tax, sufficient amounts of the Funds taxable income and capital gains may not be distributed to avoid entirely the imposition of the Excise Tax. In that event, the Fund will be liable for the Excise Tax only on the amount by which the Fund does not meet the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.
Given the difficulty of estimating Fund income and gains in a timely fashion, each year the Fund is likely to be liable for a 4% excise tax on the portion of under distributed income and gains of the Fund.
In order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund must, among other things:
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derive in each taxable year at least 90% of the Funds gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities, loans, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships, or other income derived with respect to the Funds business of investing in such stock or securities (the Source of Income Test); and |
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diversify the Funds holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year: |
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at least 50% of the value of the Funds assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Funds assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and |
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no more than 25% of the value of the Funds assets are invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by the Fund and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or of certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (the Diversification Tests). |
In the event the Fund owns equity interests in operating businesses conducted in pass-through form (i.e., as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes), income from such equity interests may not qualify for purposes of the Source of Income Test and, as a result, the Fund may be required to hold such interests through a subsidiary corporation. In such a case, any income from such equity interests should not adversely affect the Funds ability to meet the Source of Income Test, although such income generally would be subject to U.S. federal income tax, which the Fund would indirectly bear through its ownership of such subsidiary corporation.
The Fund is authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy distribution requirements. However, under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to make distributions to its Shareholders while its debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain asset coverage tests are met. Moreover, the Funds ability to dispose of assets to meet the Funds distribution requirements may be limited by (i) the illiquid nature of the Funds portfolio and/or (ii) other requirements
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relating to the Funds qualification as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If the Fund disposes of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, the Fund may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.
Fund Investments
The Fund may invest up to substantially all its assets in Portfolio Funds that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
An entity that is properly classified as a partnership, rather than an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation, is not itself subject to federal income tax. Instead, each partner of the partnership must take into account its distributive share of the partnerships income, gains, losses, deductions and credits (including all such items allocable to that partnership from investments in other partnerships) for each taxable year of the partnership ending with or within the partners taxable year, without regard to whether such partner has received or will receive corresponding cash distributions from the partnership. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to recognize items of taxable income and gain prior to the time that the Fund receives corresponding cash distributions from a Portfolio Fund. In such case, the Fund might have to borrow money or dispose of investments, including interests in Portfolio Funds, and the Fund might have to sell shares of the Fund, in each case including when it is disadvantageous to do so, in order to make the distributions required in order to maintain its status as a RIC and to avoid the imposition of a federal income or excise tax.
In addition, the character of a partners distributive share of items of partnership income, gain and loss generally will be determined as if the partner had realized such items directly. Portfolio Funds classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes may generate income allocable to the Fund that is not qualifying income for purposes of the Source of Income Test. In order to meet the Source of Income Test, the Fund may structure its investments in a way potentially increasing the taxes imposed thereon or in respect thereof. Because the Fund may not have timely or complete information concerning the amount and sources of such a Portfolio Funds income until such income has been earned by the Portfolio Fund or until a substantial amount of time thereafter, it may be difficult for the Fund to satisfy the Source of Income Test.
Furthermore, it may not always be entirely clear how the asset diversification rules for RIC qualification will apply to the Funds investments in Portfolio Funds that are classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. The Fund will engage the services of a third-party service provider to collect, aggregate and analyze data on the Funds direct and indirect investments in order to ensure that the Fund meets the asset diversification test. In the event that the Fund believes that it is possible that it will fail the asset diversification requirement at the end of any quarter of a taxable year, it may seek to take certain actions to avert such failure, including by acquiring additional investments to come into compliance with the asset diversification test or by disposing of non-diversified assets. Although the Code affords the Fund the opportunity, in certain circumstances, to cure a failure to meet the asset diversification test, including by disposing of non-diversified assets within six months, there may be constraints on the Funds ability to dispose of its interest in a Portfolio Fund that limit utilization of this cure period.
As a result of the considerations described in the preceding paragraphs, the Funds intention to qualify and be eligible for treatment as a RIC can limit its ability to acquire or continue to hold positions in Portfolio Funds that would otherwise be consistent with their investment strategy or can require it to engage in transactions in which it would otherwise not engage, resulting in additional transaction costs and reducing the Funds return to Shareholders.
Unless otherwise indicated, references in this discussion to the Funds investments, activities, income, gain, and loss include the direct investments, activities, income, gain, and loss of the Fund, as well as those indirectly attributable to the Fund as result of the Funds investment in any Portfolio Fund (or other entity) that is properly classified as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and not an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation).
Certain of the Funds investment practices are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may: (i) disallow, suspend, or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, including the dividends received deduction, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income into higher taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (iii) convert ordinary loss or a deduction into capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not qualify as good income for purposes of the 90% annual gross income requirement described above. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may decide to make certain tax elections, may be required to borrow money, or may be required to dispose of securities to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the Fund as a RIC.
Investments the Fund makes in securities issued at a discount or providing for deferred interest or paid-in-kind interest are subject to special tax rules that will affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to the Funds Shareholders. For
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example, with respect to securities issued at a discount, the Fund will generally be required to accrue daily, as income, a portion of the discount and to distribute such income each year to maintain the Funds qualification as a RIC and to avoid U.S. federal income and the Excise Tax. Since in certain circumstances the Fund may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty making distributions in the amounts necessary to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and for avoiding U.S. federal income and the Excise Tax. Accordingly, the Fund may have to sell some of its investments at times the Fund would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital, or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements. If the Fund is not able to obtain cash from other sources, the Fund may fail to qualify as a RIC and thereby be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.
In the event the Fund invests in foreign securities, the Fund may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes with respect to those securities. The Fund does not expect to satisfy the requirement to pass through to the Funds Shareholders their share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
The Fund may invest in non-U.S. corporations (or other non-U.S. entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes). Thus, it is possible that one or more such entities in which the Fund invests could be treated under the Code and Treasury Regulations as a passive foreign investment company or a controlled foreign corporation. The rules relating to investments in these types of non-U.S. entities are designed to ensure that U.S. taxpayers are either, in effect, taxed currently (or on an accelerated basis with respect to corporate level events) or taxed at increased tax rates at distribution or disposition. In certain circumstances this could require the Fund to recognize income where the Fund does not receive a corresponding payment in cash and make distributions with respect to such income in order to maintain the Funds qualification as a RIC. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty meeting the Annual Distribution Requirement necessary to maintain RIC tax treatment under the Code. Under certain circumstances an investment in a passive foreign investment company could result in a tax to the Fund and/or an increase in the amount of taxable distributions by the Fund.
Failure to Qualify as a RIC
If the Fund failed to satisfy the annual Source of Income Test or the Diversification Tests for any quarter of a taxable year, the Fund might nevertheless continue to qualify as a RIC for such year if certain relief provisions of the Code applied (which might, among other things, require the Fund to pay certain corporate-level U.S. federal taxes or to dispose of certain assets). If the Fund failed to qualify for treatment as a RIC and such relief provisions did not apply, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on all of its net taxable income at regular corporate U.S. federal income tax rates (and the Fund also would be subject to any applicable state and local taxes), regardless of whether the Fund made any distributions to Shareholders. The Fund would not be able to deduct distributions to its Shareholders, nor would the Fund be required to make distributions to its Shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any distributions the Fund made generally would be taxable to its
U.S. Shareholders as ordinary dividend income and, subject to certain limitations under the Code, would be eligible for the 20% maximum U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to individuals and other non-corporate U.S. Shareholders, to the extent of the Funds current or accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, U.S. Shareholders that are corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions in excess of the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the Shareholders adjusted tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain.
Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under Subchapter M of the Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that re-qualify as a RIC no later than the second year following the non-qualifying year, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any unrealized net built-in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which it failed to qualify as a RIC that are recognized during the 10-year period after its requalification as a RIC, unless it made a special election to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on such net built-in gains at the time of its requalification as a RIC. The Fund may decide to be taxed as a regular corporation (thereby becoming subject to U.S. federal income and other taxes as set forth above) even if it would otherwise qualify as a RIC if it determines that treatment as a corporation for a particular year would be in its best interests.
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
A U.S. Shareholder generally is a beneficial owner of Shares which is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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a citizen or individual resident of the United States; |
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a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia; |
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a trust, if a court in the United States has primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all decisions of the trust, or the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person; or |
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an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source. |
Distributions by the Fund generally are taxable to U.S. Shareholders as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of the Funds investment company taxable income (which is, generally, the Funds net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses) will be taxable as ordinary income to U.S. Shareholders to the extent of the Funds current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. To the extent such distributions paid by the Fund to non-corporate U.S. Shareholders (including individuals) are attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, such qualifying dividends may be eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. federal income tax. Distributions of the Funds net capital gains (which is generally the Funds realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) properly designated by the Fund as capital gain dividends will be taxable to a U.S. Shareholder as long-term capital gains that are currently taxable at a maximum
U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% in the case of individuals, trusts or estates, regardless of the U.S. Shareholders holding period for its Shares and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. Distributions in excess of the Funds earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. Shareholders adjusted tax basis in such Shareholders common stock and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. Shareholder.
In the event that the Fund retains any net capital gains, the Fund may designate the retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to the Funds Shareholders. If a designation is made, Shareholders would include in income, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate share of the undistributed amounts, but would be allowed a credit or refund, as the case may be, for their proportionate share of the corporate U.S. federal income tax paid by the Fund. In addition, the tax basis of Shares owned by a U.S. Shareholder would be increased by an amount equal to the difference between (i) the amount included in the U.S. Shareholders income as long-term capital gains and (ii) the U.S. Shareholders proportionate share of the corporate U.S. federal income tax paid by the Fund.
For purposes of determining (i) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of distributions paid for that year, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a distribution that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Fund makes such an election, the U.S. Shareholder will still be treated as receiving the distribution in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any distribution declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to Shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been paid by the Fund and received by the Funds U.S. Shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared.
Distributions are taxable as described herein whether Shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.
The Fund will conduct periodic repurchase offers for a portion of its outstanding Shares. Shareholders who sell all Shares held, or considered to be held, by them pursuant to a repurchase offer will be treated as having sold their Shares and generally will realize a capital gain or loss, as discussed in the following paragraph. If a Shareholder sells fewer than all of its Shares pursuant to a repurchase offer, such Shareholder may be treated as having received a so-called Section 301 distribution, taxable in whole or in part as a dividend upon the sale of its Shares, unless the redemption is treated as being either (i) substantially disproportionate with respect to such Shareholder or (ii) otherwise not essentially equivalent to a dividend under the relevant rules of the Code. A Section 301 distribution is not treated as a sale or exchange giving rise to capital gain or loss, but rather is treated as a dividend to the extent supported by the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits, with the excess treated as a return of capital reducing the Shareholders tax basis in its Shares, and thereafter as capital gain. Where the Shareholder is treated as receiving a dividend, there is a risk that non-tendering Shareholders and Shareholders who sell some but not all of their Shares, in each case whose percentage interests in the Fund increase as a result of such repurchase, will be treated as having received a taxable dividend distribution from the Fund. The extent of such risk will vary depending upon the particular circumstances of the repurchase offer, and in particular whether such offer is a single and isolated event or is part of a plan for periodically redeeming Shares of the Fund.
A U.S. Shareholder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss if the U.S. Shareholder sells or otherwise disposes of its Shares pursuant to a repurchase offer in a transaction that is treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The amount of gain or loss will be measured by the difference between such U.S. Shareholders adjusted tax basis in the Shares sold and the amount of the proceeds received in exchange. Any gain arising from such sale or disposition generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the
U.S. Shareholder has held its Shares for more than one year. Otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain or loss.
48
However, any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or undistributed capital gain deemed received, with respect to such Shares. In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of Shares may be disallowed if other Shares are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition.
In general, individual U.S. Shareholders currently are subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% on their net capital gain (i.e., the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses), including any long-term capital gain derived from an investment in Shares. Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by individuals. Corporate U.S. Shareholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate U.S. Shareholders with net capital losses for a year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each year; any net capital losses of a non-corporate U.S. Shareholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent years as provided in the Code. Corporate U.S. Shareholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a year but may carry back such losses for three years or carry forward such losses for five years.
The Code requires the Fund to report U.S. Shareholders cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the IRS on IRS Form 1099s when covered securities are sold. For purposes of these reporting requirements, all of the Funds Shares acquired by non-tax-exempt Shareholders will be considered covered securities. You are encouraged to refer to the appropriate Treasury Regulations or consult your tax adviser with regard to your personal circumstances and any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method with respect to your Shares.
The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax, or backup withholding, currently at a rate of 24%, from all distributions to any non-corporate U.S. Shareholder (i) who fails to furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number or a certificate that such Shareholder is exempt from backup withholding or (ii) with respect to whom the IRS notifies the Fund that such Shareholder has failed to properly report certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect. An individuals taxpayer identification number is his or her social security number. Any amount withheld under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. Shareholders U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that proper information is provided to the IRS.
A U.S. Shareholder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt from such tax, will generally be subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (i) the U.S. Shareholders net investment income for a taxable year and (ii) the excess of the
U.S. Shareholders modified adjusted gross income for such taxable year over $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of joint filers and $125,000 in the case of married individuals filing a separate return). For these purposes, net investment income will generally include taxable distributions and deemed distributions paid with respect to the Shares, and net gain attributable to the disposition Shares (in each case, unless such Shares are held in connection with certain trades or businesses), but will be reduced by any deductions properly allocable to such distributions or net gain.
U.S. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares, including applicable tax reporting obligations.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Investors
Under current law, the Fund serves to prevent the attribution to Shareholders of unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) from being realized by its tax-exempt Shareholders (including, among others, individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt Shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in Shares if such tax-exempt Shareholder borrows to acquire its Shares.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
A Non-U.S. Shareholder generally is a beneficial owner of Shares that is not a U.S. Shareholder, or an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This includes nonresident alien individuals, foreign trusts or estates and foreign corporations. Whether an investment in Shares is appropriate for a Non-U.S. Shareholder will depend upon that persons particular circumstances. An investment in Shares may have adverse tax consequences as compared to a direct investment in the assets in which the Fund will invest. Non-U.S. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax, and state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including applicable tax reporting requirements.
Actual or deemed distributions of investment company taxable income to Non-U.S. Shareholders (including interest income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized long-term capital losses, which generally would be free of
49
withholding if paid to Non-U.S. Shareholders directly) will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits unless the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of a Non-U.S. Shareholder. If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of a Non-U.S. Shareholder, and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States, the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. Shareholders, and the Fund will not be required to withhold U.S. federal tax if the Non-U.S. Shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements. Special certification requirements apply to a Non-U.S. Shareholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their tax advisers.
Properly designated dividends received by a Non-U.S. Shareholder are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (i) are paid in respect of the Funds qualified net interest income (generally, the Funds U.S.-source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (ii) are paid in connection with the Funds qualified short-term capital gains (generally, the excess of the Funds net short-term capital gain over its long-term capital loss for such taxable year). In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a Non-U.S. Shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its Non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN (for individuals), IRS Form W-8BEN-E (for entities) or an acceptable substitute or successor form). In the case of Shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. Shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.
Actual or deemed distributions of the Funds net capital gains to a Non-U.S. Shareholder, and gains realized by a Non-U.S. Shareholder upon the sale or redemption of Shares, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Shareholder (and, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Shareholder in the United States) or, in the case of an individual, the Non-U.S. Shareholder was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met.
If the Fund distributes its net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a Non-U.S. Shareholder will be entitled to a
U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the non-U.S. Shareholders allocable share of the corporate-level tax the Fund pays on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed; however, in order to obtain the refund, the Non-U.S. Shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the Non-U.S. Shareholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return.
For corporate Non-U.S. Shareholders, distributions (both cash and in Shares), and gains realized upon the sale or redemption of Shares that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).
A Non-U.S. Shareholder who is a non-resident alien individual may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on dividends unless the Non-U.S. Shareholder provides the Fund or the Administrator with an IRS Form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute form or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a Non-U.S. Shareholder or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.
Pursuant to U.S. withholding provisions commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), payments of most types of income from sources within the United States (as determined under applicable U.S. federal income tax principles), such as interest and dividends, to a foreign financial institution, investment funds and other non-U.S. persons generally will be subject to a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, unless certain information reporting and other applicable requirements are satisfied. Any Non-U.S. Shareholder that either does not provide the relevant information or is otherwise not compliant with FATCA may be subject to this withholding tax on certain distributions from the Fund. Any taxes required to be withheld under these rules must be withheld even if the relevant income is otherwise exempt (in whole or in part) from withholding of U.S. federal income tax, including under an income tax treaty between the United States and the beneficial owners country of tax residence. Each Non-U.S. Shareholder should consult its tax advisers regarding the possible implications of this withholding tax (and the reporting obligations that will apply to such Non-U.S. Shareholder, which may include providing certain information in respect of such Non-U.S. Shareholders beneficial owners).
* * * * *
50
THE TAX AND OTHER MATTERS DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS DO NOT CONSTITUTE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS, LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS. EACH SHAREHOLDER SHOULD CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISER AS TO THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF SHARES, INCLUDING APPLICABLE TAX REPORTING OBLIGATIONS.
Persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an employee benefit plan or other arrangement subject to ERISA (an ERISA Plan), and persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an IRA, Keogh plan or other plan which is not subject to ERISA but is subject to the prohibited transaction rules of Section 4975 of the Code (together with ERISA Plans, Plans) should consider, among other things, the matters described below before determining whether to invest in the Fund.
ERISA imposes certain general and specific responsibilities on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an ERISA Plan, including prudence, diversification, an obligation not to engage in a prohibited transaction and other standards. In determining whether a particular investment is appropriate for an ERISA Plan, Department of Labor (DOL) regulations provide that a fiduciary of an ERISA Plan must give appropriate consideration to, among other things, the role that the investment plays in the ERISA Plans portfolio, taking into consideration whether the investment is designed reasonably to further the ERISA Plans purposes, an examination of the risk and return factors, the portfolios composition with regard to diversification, the liquidity and current return of the total portfolio relative to the anticipated cash flow needs of the ERISA Plan, the income tax consequences of the investment (see Certain Tax ConsiderationsTaxation of Tax-Exempt Investors) and the projected return of the total portfolio relative to the ERISA Plans funding objectives. Before investing the assets of an ERISA Plan in the Fund, a fiduciary should determine whether such an investment is consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities and the foregoing regulations. For example, a fiduciary should consider whether an investment in the Fund may be too illiquid or too speculative for a particular ERISA Plan, and whether the assets of the ERISA Plan would be sufficiently diversified. If a fiduciary with respect to any such ERISA Plan breaches its responsibilities with regard to selecting an investment or an investment course of action for such ERISA Plan, the fiduciary itself may be held liable for losses incurred by the ERISA Plan as a result of such breach.
Because the Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered to be the assets of any Plan investing in the Fund for purposes of ERISAs (or the Codes) fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules. Thus, the Adviser will not be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA by reason of its authority with respect to the assets of the Fund.
The Adviser will require a Plan which proposes to invest in the Fund to represent that it and any fiduciaries responsible for such Plans investments (including in its individual or corporate capacity, as may be applicable) are aware of and understand the Funds investment objective, policies and strategies, and that the decision to invest plan assets in the Fund was made with appropriate consideration of relevant investment factors with regard to the Plan and is consistent with the duties and responsibilities imposed upon fiduciaries with regard to their investment decisions under ERISA and/or the Code.
Certain prospective Shareholders that are Plans may currently maintain relationships with the Adviser or other entities which are affiliated with the Adviser. Each of such persons may be deemed to be a party in interest under ERISA (or disqualified person under Section 4975 of the Code) to and/or a fiduciary (under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) of any Plan to which it provides investment management, investment advisory or other services. ERISA prohibits (and the Code penalizes) the use of ERISA and Plan assets for the benefit of a party in interest (or disqualified person) and also prohibits (or penalizes) an ERISA or Plan fiduciary from using its position to cause such Plan to make an investment from which it or certain third parties in which such fiduciary has an interest would receive a fee or other consideration. Shareholders that are Plans should consult with counsel to determine if participation in the Fund is a transaction which is prohibited (or penalized) by ERISA or the Code. Fiduciaries of Shareholders that are Plans will be required to represent (including in their individual or corporate capacity, as applicable) that the decision to invest in the Fund was made by them as fiduciaries that are independent of such affiliated persons, that such fiduciaries are duly authorized to make such investment decision and that they have not relied on any individualized advice or recommendation of such affiliated persons as a primary basis for the decision to invest in the Fund, unless such purchase and holding is pursuant to an applicable exemption, such as Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption (PTCE) 77-3 or PTCE 77-4.
Employee benefit plans which are not subject to ERISA may be subject to other rules governing such plans. Fiduciaries of these plans, whether or not subject to Section 4975 of the Code, should consult with their own legal advisors regarding such matters.
The provisions of ERISA and the Code are subject to extensive and continuing administrative and judicial interpretation and review. The discussion of ERISA and the Code contained in this Prospectus is general and may be affected by future publication of regulations and rulings. Potential Shareholders that are Plans should consult their legal advisors regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Code of the acquisition and ownership of Shares.
51
The Fund is authorized to offer three separate classes of Shares designated as Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares. While the Fund presently offers three classes of Shares, it may offer other classes of Shares as well in the future. From time to time, the Board may create and offer additional classes of Shares, or may vary the characteristics of the Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares described herein, including without limitation, in the following respects: (1) the amount of fees permitted by a distribution and/or service plan or shareholder servicing plan as to such class; (2) voting rights with respect to a distribution and/or service plan as to such class; (3) different class designations; (4) the impact of any class expenses directly attributable to a particular class of Shares; (5) differences in any dividends and net asset values resulting from differences in fees under a distribution and/or service plan or in class expenses; (6) any conversion features, as permitted under the 1940 Act.
Purchase Terms
The minimum initial investment in the Fund by any investor is $25,000,000 with respect to Class I Shares, $1,000,000 with respect to Class II Shares and $50,000 with respect to Class III Shares, and the minimum additional investment in the Fund by any investor is $100,000 with respect to Class I Shares, $100,000 with respect to Class II Shares and $10,000 with respect to Class III Shares. For Shares purchased through a financial intermediary, the value of Class I Shares being purchased may be combined with the current value of any Class I Shares previously purchased by anyone through such intermediary when determining whether an investor meets the initial and additional investment minimums for Class I Shares. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below these minimums.
Shares will generally be offered on each business day, except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.
Except as otherwise permitted by the Board, initial and subsequent purchases of Shares will be payable in cash. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject any subscription to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time. Although the Fund may, in its sole discretion, elect to accept a subscription prior to receipt of cleared funds, an investor will not become a Shareholder until cleared funds have been received.
Pending any offering, funds received from prospective investors will be placed in an account with the transfer agent. On the date of any closing, the balance in the account with respect to each investor whose investment is accepted will be invested in the Fund on behalf of such investor. Any interest earned with respect to such account will be paid to the Fund and allocated pro rata among Shareholders.
SUMMARY OF THE DECLARATION OF TRUST
The Fund is a statutory trust established under the laws of State of Delaware by the Certificate of Trust dated June 15, 2020. The Funds Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of common Shares of beneficial interest, par value, unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, $0.001 per Share. All Shares have equal rights to the payment of dividends and other distributions and the distribution of assets upon liquidation. Shares are, when issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Fund and have no pre-emptive or conversion rights or rights to cumulative voting.
Shareholders are entitled to share equally in dividends declared by the Board payable to holders of Shares and in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to holders of Shares upon liquidation after payment of the preferential amounts payable to holders of any outstanding preferred shares.
The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of Fund property for all loss and expense of any shareholder or former shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund solely by reason of such persons status as a shareholder or former shareholder. Thus, the risk of a Shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund would be unable to meet its obligations.
Shareholders have no pre-emptive or conversion rights. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining assets of the Fund among the holders of the Shares.
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The Board may classify or reclassify any issued or unissued Shares of the Fund into shares of any class by redesignating such Shares or by setting or changing in any one or more respects, from time to time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications or terms or conditions of repurchase of such Shares. Any such classification or reclassification will comply with the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and the 1940 Act.
If you purchase Shares of the Fund, you will become bound by the terms and conditions of the Declaration of Trust.
As of [●], the following number of Shares of the Fund was authorized for registration and outstanding:
(1) |
(2) | (3) | (4) | |||||||||
Title of Class |
Amount Authorized |
Amount Held by the
Fund for its Account |
Amount of Outstanding
Exclusive of Amount Shown Under (3) |
|||||||||
Shares of Beneficial Interest |
$ | [ | ] | 0 | $ | [ | ] |
Anti-Takeover Provisions. The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of the Board by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund, which attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and interfering with the normal operation of the Fund. The Trustees are elected for indefinite terms and do not stand for reelection. A Trustee may be removed from office without cause only by a written instrument signed or adopted by a majority of the remaining Trustees or by a vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the class of Shares of the Fund that are entitled to elect a Trustee and that are entitled to vote on the matter. The Declaration of Trust does not contain any other specific inhibiting provisions that would operate only with respect to an extraordinary transaction such as a merger, reorganization, tender offer, sale or transfer of substantially all of the Funds assets or liquidation. Reference should be made to the Declaration of Trust on file with the Commission for the full text of these provisions.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL
The Board has selected Cohen & Company, 151 N. Franklin Street, Suite 575, Chicago, IL 60606, as independent registered public accountants for the Fund.
Ropes & Gray LLP, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111-4006, serves as counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees of the Fund.
Inquiries concerning the Fund and the Shares (including procedures for purchasing Shares) should be directed to: Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249.
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3 | ||||
3 | ||||
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND AND THE RELATED RISKS |
4 | |||
9 | ||||
13 | ||||
13 | ||||
15 | ||||
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL |
15 | |||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
A-1 |
54
The information in this Statement of Additional Information is incomplete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Primark Private Equity Fund
Class I Shares
Class II Shares
Class III Shares
(Subject to Completion) Dated [●], 2020
c/o Primark Advisors LLC, 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200
Denver, Colorado 80206
877-792-0924
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus (the Prospectus) of Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) dated [●], 2020 as it may be further amended or supplemented from time to time. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by contacting the Fund at the telephone number or address set forth above.
This SAI is not an offer to sell shares of the Fund (Shares) and is not soliciting an offer to buy the Shares in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the same meaning set forth in the Prospectus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 | ||||
3 | ||||
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND AND THE RELATED RISKS |
4 | |||
9 | ||||
13 | ||||
13 | ||||
15 | ||||
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL |
15 | |||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
16 | ||||
A-1 |
2
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES
The investment objective and the principal investment strategies of the Fund, as well as the principal risks associated with such investment strategies, are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain additional information regarding the investment program of the Fund is set forth below.
The Funds fundamental policies, which are listed below, may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. As defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund means the vote, at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Fund (the Shareholders), duly called, (i) of 67% or more of the Shares represented at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares are present in person or represented by proxy or (ii) of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares, whichever is less. Within the limits of the fundamental policies of the Fund, the management of the Fund has reserved freedom of action.
The Fund:
(1) |
May issue senior securities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(2) |
May borrow money to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(3) |
May lend money to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(4) |
May underwrite securities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(5) |
May purchase and sell commodities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(6) |
May purchase and sell real estate to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or the rules or regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules, or regulations may be amended from time to time, or by regulatory guidance or interpretations of, or any exemptive order or other relief issued by the SEC or any successor organization or their staff under, such Act, rules, or regulations. |
(7) |
May not concentrate investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as concentration is defined or interpreted under the 1940 Act, and the rules, and regulations thereunder, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended from time to time, and under regulatory guidance or interpretations of such Act, rules, or regulations. |
Any restriction on investments or use of assets, including, but not limited to, market capitalization, geographic, rating and/or any other percentage restrictions, set forth in this SAI or the Funds Prospectus shall be measured only at the time of investment, and any subsequent change, whether in the value, market capitalization, rating, percentage held or otherwise, will not constitute a violation of the restriction, other than with respect to investment restriction (2) above related to borrowings by the Fund. For purposes of determining compliance with investment restriction (7) above related to concentration of investments, Portfolio Funds are not considered part of any industry or group of industries.
The Funds investment policies and restrictions apply only to investments made by the Fund directly (or any account consisting solely of the Funds assets) and do not apply to the activities and the transactions of the Portfolio Funds.
3
In addition, the Fund has adopted the following fundamental policies with respect to repurchase offers, which may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities:
(a) |
The Fund will make quarterly repurchase offers pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time. |
(b) |
The Fund will repurchase Shares that are tendered by a specific date (the Repurchase Request Deadline), which will be established by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the Board) in accordance with Rule 23c-3, as amended from time to time. Rule 23c-3 requires the Repurchase Request Deadline to be no less than 21 and no more than 42 days after the Fund sends notification to Shareholders of the repurchase offer. |
(c) |
The date on which the Funds net asset value (NAV) applicable to a repurchase offer is calculated will occur no later than fourteen (14) days after the Repurchase Request Deadline (or the next business day if the fourteenth calendar day is not a business day). |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND AND THE RELATED RISKS
As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund pursues its investment objective by investing in: (i) direct investments in the equity of private operating companies (Portfolio Companies); (ii) primary and secondary investments in private equity funds (Portfolio Funds) managed by third-party managers (Portfolio Fund Managers); (iii) publicly traded private equity vehicles, such as business development companies (including derivatives tied to the returns of such vehicles); and (iv) short-term investments, including money-market funds, short term treasuries, or other liquid investment vehicles (together, the Fund Investments).
This section provides additional information about various types of investments and investment techniques that may be employed by the Fund or by Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests. Many of the investments and techniques described in this section may be based in part on the existence of a public market for the relevant securities. To that extent, such investments and techniques are not expected to represent the principal investments or techniques of the majority of the Fund or of the Portfolio Funds. However, there is no limit on the types of investments the Portfolio Funds may make and certain Portfolio Funds may use such investments or techniques extensively. Similarly, there are few limits on the types of investments the Fund may make. Accordingly, the descriptions in this section cannot be comprehensive. Any decision to invest in the Fund should take into account (i) the possibility that the Portfolio Funds may make virtually any kind of investment, (ii) that the Fund has similarly broad latitude in the kinds of investments it may make (subject to the fundamental policies described above) and (iii) that all such investments will be subject to related risks, which can be substantial.
Equity Securities
The Funds and/or a Portfolio Funds portfolio may include investments in common stocks, preferred stocks, and convertible securities of U.S. and foreign issuers. The Fund and/or a Portfolio Fund also may invest in depositary receipts relating to foreign securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities. Given the private equity focus of the Fund, there is expected to be no liquid market for a majority of such investments.
Common Stock. Common stock or other common equity issued by a corporation or other entity generally entitles the holder to a pro rata share of the profits, if any, of the entity without preference over any other shareholder or claims of shareholders, after making required payments to holders of the entitys preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock or other preferred equity generally has a preference as to dividends and, in the event of liquidation, to an issuers assets, over the issuers common stock or other common equity, but it ranks junior to debt securities in an issuers capital structure. Preferred stock generally pays dividends in cash or additional shares of preferred stock at a defined rate but, unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are generally payable only if declared by the issuers board of directors. Dividends on preferred stock may be cumulative, meaning that, in the event the issuer fails to make one or more dividend payments on the preferred stock, no dividends may be paid on the issuers common stock until all unpaid preferred stock dividends have been paid. Preferred stock may also be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stock, or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common equity of the same or different issuer within a specified period of time at a specified price or based on a specified formula. In many cases, a convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest or a dividend that is generally paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or
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exchanged. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally (i) have higher yields (i.e., rates of interest or dividends) than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock into which they are convertible due to their fixed- income characteristics and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases. The Funds and/or the Portfolio Funds investments in convertible securities are expected to primarily be in private convertible securities, but may be in public convertible securities.
The value of a convertible security is primarily a function of its investment value (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (determined by reference to the securitys anticipated worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value typically declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also increase or decrease the convertible securitys value. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the convertible security is valued principally by reference to its investment value. To the extent the value of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion value, the convertible security will be valued increasingly by reference to its conversion value. Generally, the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. Where no market exists for a convertible security and/or the underlying common stock, such investments may be difficult to value. A public convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income security.
A convertible security may in some cases be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible securitys governing instrument. If a convertible security is called for redemption, the holder will generally have a choice of tendering the security for redemption, converting it into common stock prior to redemption, or selling it to a third party. Any of these actions could have a material adverse effect and result in losses to the Fund.
Derivative Instruments
Although not a principal investment strategy, the Fund or the Portfolio Funds may use financial instruments known as derivatives. A derivative is generally defined as an instrument whose value is derived from, or based upon, some underlying index, reference rate (such as interest rates or currency exchange rates), security, commodity or other asset. Following are descriptions of certain derivatives that the Portfolio Funds may use. The same descriptions apply to the Fund, mutatis mutandis, to the extent that it engages in derivatives transactions. Certain risks associated with derivatives are described under Investment Related RisksDerivatives and Hedging in the Prospectus.
Options and Futures. A Portfolio Fund may utilize options contracts, futures contracts, and options on futures contracts. It also may use so-called synthetic options or other derivative instruments written by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries. Options transactions may be effected on securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. When options are purchased over the counter, the Portfolio Funds portfolio bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Such options may also be illiquid, and, in such cases, a Portfolio Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. Over-the-counter options purchased and sold by the Portfolio Fund also may include options on baskets of specific securities.
A Portfolio Fund may purchase call and put options on specific securities or currencies and may write and sell covered or uncovered call and put options for hedging purposes and non-hedging purposes to pursue its investment objective. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security at a stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security at a stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option.
A covered call option is a call option with respect to which a Portfolio Fund owns the underlying security. The sale of such an option exposes the Portfolio Fund, during the term of the option, to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security and to the possibility that it might hold the underlying security in order to protect against depreciation in the market price of the security during a period when it might have otherwise sold the security. The seller of a covered call option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the purchase price of the underlying security less the premium received and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered call option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option.
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A covered put option is a put option with respect to which the seller has a short position in the underlying security. The seller of a covered put option assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the sales price (in establishing the short position) of the underlying security plus the premium received and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. If the seller of the put option owns a put option covering an equivalent number of shares with an exercise price equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, the position is fully hedged if the option owned expires at the same time or later than the option written. The seller of an uncovered put option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The seller of a put option may also be required to place cash or liquid securities in a segregated account to ensure compliance with its obligation to purchase the underlying security. The sale of such an option exposes the Portfolio Fund during the term of the option to a decline in price of the underlying security while depriving the Portfolio Fund of the opportunity to invest the segregated assets.
A Portfolio Fund may close out a position when writing options by purchasing an option on the same security with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option that it has previously written on the security. The Portfolio Fund will realize a profit or loss if the amount paid to purchase an option is less or more, as the case may be, than the amount received from the sale thereof. To close out a position as a purchaser of an option, the Portfolio Fund would generally make a similar closing sale transaction, which involves liquidating its position by selling the option previously purchased. However, if deemed advantageous, the Portfolio Fund would be entitled to exercise the option.
A Portfolio Fund may enter into stock futures contracts, interest rate futures contracts, and currency futures contracts in U.S. domestic markets or on exchanges located outside the United States. Foreign markets may offer advantages such as trading opportunities or arbitrage possibilities not available in the United States. Foreign markets, however, may have greater risk potential than domestic markets. For example, some foreign exchanges are principal markets so that no common clearing facility exists, and an investor may look only to the broker for performance of the contract. Transactions on foreign exchanges may include both commodities that are traded on domestic exchanges and those that are not. Unlike trading on domestic commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity exchanges is not regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC). Therefore, the CFTC does not have the power to compel enforcement of the rules of the foreign exchange or the laws of the foreign country. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the transaction occurs. For these reasons, the Portfolio Funds may not be afforded certain of the protections that apply to domestic transactions, including the right to use domestic alternative dispute resolution procedures. In particular, funds received from customers to margin foreign futures transactions may not be provided the same protections as funds received to margin futures transactions on domestic exchanges. In addition, the price of any foreign futures or option contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss resulting from that contract, may be affected by any fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate between the time the order is placed and the foreign futures contract is liquidated or the foreign option contract is liquidated or exercised.
In addition to futures contracts traded on U.S. domestic markets or exchanges that are regulated by the CFTC or on foreign exchanges, Portfolio Funds may also trade certain futures either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as derivatives transaction execution facilities, exempt boards of trade or electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by the CFTC. In addition, certain single stock futures and narrow-based security index futures may be traded over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as contract markets, derivatives transaction execution facilities and electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by both the CFTC and the SEC or on foreign exchanges.
Trading in futures involves risk of loss to the Portfolio Fund that could materially adversely affect the net asset value of the Fund. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day by regulations referred to as daily price fluctuation limits or daily limits. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Portfolio Fund to substantial losses, which may result in losses to the Fund. In addition, the CFTC and various exchanges impose speculative position limits on the number of positions that each Portfolio Fund may indirectly hold or control in certain particular futures or options contracts. Many of the major U.S. exchanges have eliminated speculative position limits and have substituted position accountability rules that would permit the Portfolio Funds to trade without restriction as long as such Portfolio Funds can demonstrate the positions acquired were not acquired for the purpose of manipulating the market.
Successful use of futures by a Portfolio Fund depends on its ability to correctly predict movements in the direction of the relevant market, and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract.
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The prices of all derivative instruments, including futures and options prices, are highly volatile. Price movements of forward contracts, futures contracts, and other derivative contracts in which a Portfolio Fund may invest are influenced by, among other things: interest rates; changing supply and demand relationships; trade, fiscal, monetary, and exchange control programs and policies of governments; and national and international political and economic events and policies. In addition, governments from time to time intervene, directly and by regulation, in certain markets, particularly those currencies and interest rate-related futures and options. Such intervention often is intended directly to influence prices and may, together with other factors, cause all of such markets to move rapidly in the same direction because of, among other things, interest rate fluctuations. Portfolio Funds are also subject to the risk of the failure of any of the exchanges on which their positions trade or of their clearinghouses.
A stock index future obligates a Portfolio Fund to pay, or entitles it to receive, an amount of cash equal to a fixed dollar amount specified in the futures contract multiplied by the difference between the settlement price of the contract on the contracts last trading day and the value of the index based on the stock prices of the securities that comprise it at the opening of trading in such securities on the next business day. An interest rate future obligates a Portfolio Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific price. A currency future obligates a Portfolio Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific currency at a future date at a specific price.
Call and Put Options on Securities Indexes. A Portfolio Fund may purchase and sell call and put options on stock indexes listed on national securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market for hedging and non-hedging purposes to pursue its investment objectives. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Accordingly, successful use by a Portfolio Fund of options on stock indexes will be subject to the ability to correctly predict movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry or market segment. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.
Yield Curve Options. A Portfolio Fund may enter into options on the yield spread or differential between two securities. Such transactions are referred to as yield curve options. In contrast to other types of options, a yield curve option is based on the difference between the yields of designated securities, rather than the prices of the individual securities, and is settled through cash payments. Accordingly, a yield curve option is profitable to the holder if this differential widens (in the case of a call) or narrows (in the case of a put), regardless of whether the yields of the underlying securities increase or decrease. The trading of yield curve options is subject to all of the risks associated with the trading of other types of options. In addition, such options present a risk of loss even if the yield of one of the underlying securities remains constant, or if the spread moves in a direction or to an extent which was not anticipated.
Rights and Warrants. A Portfolio Fund may invest in rights and warrants. Rights (sometimes referred to as subscription rights) and warrants may be purchased separately or may be received as part of a distribution in respect of, or may be attached to, other securities that a Portfolio Fund has purchased. Rights and warrants are securities that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase equity securities of the company issuing the rights or warrants, or a related company, at a fixed price either on a date certain or during a set period. Typically, rights have a relatively short term (e.g., two to four weeks), whereas warrants can have much longer terms. At the time of issue, the cost of a right or warrant is substantially less than the cost of the underlying security itself.
Particularly in the case of warrants, price movements in the underlying security are generally magnified in the price movements of the warrant. This effect would enable a Portfolio Fund to gain exposure to the underlying security with a relatively low capital investment but increases the Portfolio Funds risk in the event of a decline in the value of the underlying security and can result in a complete loss of the amount invested in the warrant. In addition, the price of a warrant tends to be more volatile than, and may not correlate exactly to, the price of the underlying security. If the market price of the underlying security is below the exercise price of the warrant on its expiration date, the warrant will generally expire without value. The equity security underlying a warrant is authorized at the time the warrant is issued or is issued together with the warrant, which may result in losses to the Fund. Investing in warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security, and, thus, can be a speculative investment. The value of a warrant may decline because of a decline in the value of the underlying security, the passage of time, changes in interest rates or in the dividend or other policies of the company whose equity underlies the warrant or a change in the perception as to the future price of the underlying security, or any combination thereof. Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that they entitle the holder to purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer.
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Swaps
A Portfolio Fund may enter into equity, interest rate, index, currency rate, total return and/or other types of swap agreements. These transactions are entered into in an attempt to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost than if a Portfolio Fund had invested directly in the asset that yielded the desired return. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than a year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or swapped between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a notional amount (i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a basket of securities representing a particular index).
Interest Rate, Mortgage and Credit Swaps. A Portfolio Fund may enter into interest rate swaps. Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent interest rates exceed a specified rate or cap; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent interest rates fall below a specified level or floor; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Mortgage swaps are similar to interest rate swaps in that they represent commitments to pay and receive interest. The notional principal amount, however, is tied to a reference pool or pools of mortgages. Credit swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed note payments in exchange for assuming potential credit losses on an underlying security. Credit swaps give one party to a transaction the right to dispose of or acquire an asset (or group of assets), or the right to receive a payment from the other party, upon the occurrence of specified credit events.
Equity Index Swaps. A Portfolio Fund may enter into equity index swaps. Equity index swaps involve the exchange by a Portfolio Fund with another party of cash flows based upon the performance of an index or a portion of an index of securities that usually includes dividends. A Portfolio Fund may purchase cash-settled options on equity index swaps. A cash-settled option on a swap gives the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, in return for the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap as of the exercise date. These options typically are purchased in privately negotiated transactions from financial institutions, including securities brokerage firms.
Currency Swaps. A Portfolio Fund may enter into currency swaps for both hedging and non-hedging purposes. Currency swaps involve the exchange of rights to make or receive payments in specified foreign currencies. Currency swaps usually involve the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in exchange for another designated currency. Therefore, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations. The use of currency swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves special investment techniques and risks. Incorrect forecasts of market values and currency exchange rates can materially adversely affect the Portfolio Funds performance. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Portfolio Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.
Total Return Swaps. A Portfolio Fund may enter into total return swaps. In a total return swap, one party pays a rate of interest in exchange for the total rate of return on another investment. For example, if a Portfolio Fund wished to invest in a senior loan, it could instead enter into a total return swap and receive the total return of the senior loan, less the funding cost, which would be a floating interest rate payment to the counterparty.
Swaptions. A Portfolio Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms.
Certain swap agreements into which a Portfolio Fund enters may require the calculation of the obligations of the parties to the agreements on a net basis. Consequently, the Portfolio Funds current obligations (or rights) under such swap agreements generally will be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). The risk of loss with respect to swaps consists of the net amount of the payments that the Portfolio Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Portfolio Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount of the payments that the Portfolio Fund contractually is entitled to receive.
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Distressed Securities
The Fund or a Portfolio Fund may invest in debt or equity securities of domestic and foreign issuers in weak financial condition, experiencing poor operating results, having substantial capital needs or negative net worth, facing special competitive or product obsolescence problems, or that are involved in bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings. Investments of this type may involve substantial financial and business risks that can result in substantial or at times even total losses. Among the risks inherent in investments in troubled entities is the fact that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true condition of such issuers. Such investments also may be adversely affected by state and federal laws relating to, among other things, fraudulent transfers and other voidable transfers or payments, lender liability, and a bankruptcy courts power to disallow, reduce, subordinate, or disenfranchise particular claims. The market prices of such securities are also subject to abrupt and erratic market movements and above-average price volatility, and the spread between the bid and ask prices of such securities may be greater than those prevailing in other securities markets. It may take a number of years for the market price of such securities to reflect their intrinsic value. In liquidation (both in and out of bankruptcy) and other forms of corporate reorganization, there exists the risk that the reorganization either will be unsuccessful (due to, for example, failure to obtain requisite approvals), will be delayed (for example, until various liabilities, actual or contingent, have been satisfied), or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Portfolio Fund of the security in respect to which such distribution was made.
Additional Method of Investing in a Portfolio Fund
The Fund will typically invest directly in a Portfolio Fund by purchasing an interest in such Portfolio Fund. There may be situations, however, where a Portfolio Fund is not open or available for direct investment by the Fund or where the Adviser elects for other reasons to invest indirectly in a Portfolio Fund (including, without limitation, restrictions of the 1940 Act). On occasions where the Adviser determines that an indirect investment is the most effective or efficient means of gaining exposure to a Portfolio Fund, the Fund may invest in a Portfolio Fund indirectly, such as by purchasing a structured note or entering into a swap or other contract paying a return tied to the return of a Portfolio Fund. In the case of a structured note or a swap, a counterparty would agree to pay to the Fund a return based on the return of the Portfolio Fund, in exchange for consideration paid by the Fund equivalent to the cost of purchasing an ownership interest in the Portfolio Fund. Indirect investment through a swap or similar contract in a Portfolio Fund carries with it the credit risk associated with the counterparty. Indirect investments will generally be subject to transaction and other fees, which will reduce the value of the Funds investment. There can be no assurance that the Funds indirect investment in a Portfolio Fund will have the same or similar results as a direct investment in the Portfolio Fund, and the Funds value may decrease as a result of such indirect investment. When the Fund makes an indirect investment in a Portfolio Fund by investing in a structured note, swap, or other contract intended to pay a return equal to the total return of such Portfolio Fund, such investment by the Fund may be subject to additional regulations.
Portfolio Turnover
Purchases and sales of portfolio investments may be made as considered advisable by the Adviser in the best interests of the Shareholders. The Funds portfolio turnover rate may vary from year-to-year, as well as within a year. The Funds distributions of any profits or gains realized from portfolio transactions generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, higher portfolio turnover rates can result in corresponding increases in portfolio transaction costs for the Fund.
For reporting purposes, the Funds portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio investments for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio investments owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all investments whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the investments in the Funds investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the Adviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell investments.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
The business operations of the Fund are managed and supervised under the direction of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Funds agreement and declaration of trust (Declaration of Trust). The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business affairs of the Fund on behalf of its Shareholders, including the authority to establish policies regarding the management, conduct and operation of its business. The Board exercises the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are customarily exercised by the board of directors of a registered investment company organized as a corporation. The officers of the Fund conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Fund.
The trustees of the Board (each, a Trustee) are not required to contribute to the capital of the Fund or to hold interests therein.
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A majority of Trustees of the Board are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund (collectively, the Independent Trustees).
The identity of Trustees of the Board and officers of the Fund, and their brief biographical information, including their addresses, their year of birth and descriptions of their principal occupations during the past five years is set forth below.
The Trustees serve on the Board for terms of indefinite duration. A Trustees position in that capacity will terminate if the Trustee is removed or resigns or, among other events, upon the Trustees death, incapacity, retirement or bankruptcy. A Trustee may resign upon written notice to the other Trustees of the Fund, and may be removed either by (i) the vote of at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund not subject to the removal vote or (ii) the vote of Shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Shareholders of the Fund. In the event of any vacancy in the position of a Trustee, the remaining Trustees of the Fund may appoint an individual to serve as a Trustee so long as immediately after the appointment at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund then serving have been elected by the Shareholders of the Fund. The Board may call a meeting of the Shareholders to fill any vacancy in the position of a Trustee of the Fund, and must do so if the Trustees who were elected by the Shareholders cease to constitute a majority of the Trustees then serving on the Board.
The Board believes that each of the Trustees experience, qualifications, attributes and skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve in such capacity. Among the attributes common to all Trustees is the ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. A Trustees ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through the Trustees business, consulting, and public service work; experience as a board member of non-profit entities or other organizations; education or professional training; and/or other life experiences. In addition to these shared characteristics, set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee. Specific details regarding each Trustees principal occupations during the past five years are included in the tables below. See Board of Trustees and OfficersIndependent Trustees and Board of Trustees and OfficersInterested Trustees and Officers.
Independent Trustees
Independent Trustees are those Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act). The address of each person below is 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246.
Name, Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of
Office and
Time Served(1) |
Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee |
Other
|
|||||
Brien Biondi (1962) |
Trustee | Since 2020 | Chief Executive Officer, Campden Wealth, North America & The Institute for Private Investors (2016-Present); Chief Executive Officer and Founder, The Biondi Group (2011-Present); Chief Operating Officer, League Asset Corp (2009-2011); Executive Director, Chief Executives Organization (2004-2007); Chief Executive Officer, Entrepreneurs Organization (1997-2004); Director of Finance and Administration, World Presidents Organization (1993-1997); Controller, Archdiocese of Washington (1988-1993); Senior Accountant, KPMG (1985-1988) | None | None | |||||
Clifford J. Jack (1963) |
Trustee | Since 2020 | Manager, January Labs, LLC (2015-Present); Chief Executive Officer, Capital Tide LLC (2017-2019); Board of Advisors, National Financial Realty (2015-2019) | None | None | |||||
Sean Kearns (1970) |
Trustee | Since 2020 | Principal, Vicarage Associates LLC (2019-Present); Chief Executive Officer, A World of Tile (2004-2019); Chief Financial Officer, Health Fitness Corporation (1999-2001); Associate Vice President, Chase Manhattan Bank (1992-1997) | None | None |
(1) |
Under the Funds Declaration of Trust, a Trustee serves until his or her retirement, resignation or replacement. |
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Interested Trustees and Officers
The address of each person below is 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246.
Name, Address and Year of Birth |
Position(s) Held with Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served(1) |
Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years |
|||
Michael Bell (1962) |
Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer | Since 2020 | Managing Director, Primark Advisors LLC (2020-Present); CEO, Global Financial Private Capital (2015-2019); CEO, Curian Capital and Curian Clearing (2005-2014); General Counsel and CCO, National Planning Holdings, Inc (2003-2005); General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer, Folio Investing (1999-2003); Senior Associate, Latham & Watkins (1993-1999) | |||
Derek Mullins (1973) |
Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer | Since 2020 | Managing Partner, PINE Advisor Solutions (2018-Present); Principal Financial Officer, Destra Investment Trust, Destra International & Event Driven Credit Fund and Destra Multi-Alternative Fund (2018-Present); Principal Financial Officer, XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust (2020-Present); Director of Operations, ArrowMark Partners LLC (2009-2018); Chief Financial Officer and Treasure, MeridianFund, Inc. (2013-2018) | |||
Jesse D. Hallee (1976) |
Secretary | Since 2020 | Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (2019-Present); Vice President and Managing Counsel, State Street Bank and Trust Company (2013-2019) | |||
N. Lynn Bowley (1958) |
Chief Compliance Officer | Since 2020 | Chief Compliance Officer, Northern Lights Fund Trust (2007-Present); Chief Compliance Officer, Northern Lights Variable Trust (2017-Present); Chief Compliance Officer, Alternative Strategy Fund (2016-Present); Chief Compliance Officer, The Reynolds Funds, Inc. (2007-2016) | |||
Kara Baird (1975) |
AML Compliance Officer | Since 2020 | Senior Vice President, Ultimus Fund Solutions (2012-Present) | |||
Marcie McVeigh (1979) |
Assistant Treasurer | Since 2020 | Associate Director of CFO Services, PINE Advisor Solutions (2020-Present); Assistant Vice President and Performance Measurement Manager, Brown Brothers Harriman (2019-2020); Senior Financial Reporting Specialist, American Century Investments (2011-2018) |
(1) |
Under the Funds Bylaws, an officer serves until his or her successor is elected or qualified, or until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or becomes disqualified. Officers hold office at the pleasure of the Trustees. |
11
Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for oversight of the Fund rests with the Board. The Fund has engaged the Adviser to manage the Fund on a day- to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Adviser and other service providers in the operations of the Fund in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and the Declaration of Trust. The Board is currently composed of 4 members, 3 of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board will meet in-person at regularly scheduled meetings four times each year. In addition, the Board may hold special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibility. The Independent Trustees will meet with their independent legal counsel in-person prior to and during each quarterly in-person board meeting. As described below, the Board has established an audit committee (the Audit Committee) and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities.
The Board has appointed Clifford J. Jack, an Independent Trustee, to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairmans role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as liaison with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman serves as a key point person for dealings between management and the Trustees. The Chairman may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has determined that the Boards leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees of Trustees and the full Board in a manner that enhances effective oversight.
The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. Risk oversight forms part of the Boards general oversight of the Fund and will be addressed as part of various Board and committee activities. Day- to-day risk management functions are subsumed within the responsibilities of the Adviser, and other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), which carry out the Funds investment management and business affairs. The Adviser and other service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various events or circumstances that give rise to risks, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each of the Adviser and other service providers has their own independent interests in risk management, and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. The Board will require senior officers of the Fund, including the President, Principal Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, and the Adviser, to report to the full Board on a variety of matters at regular and special meetings of the Board, including matters relating to risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee will also receive regular reports from the Funds independent registered public accounting firm on internal control and financial reporting matters. The Board will also receive reports from certain of the Funds other primary service providers on a periodic or regular basis, including the Funds custodian, distributor, sub-administrator and securities lending counterparty. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight.
Committees of the Board of Trustees
Audit Committee. The Board has formed an Audit Committee that is responsible for overseeing the Funds accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; overseeing the quality and objectivity of the Funds financial statements and the independent audit of those financial statements; and acting as a liaison between the Funds independent auditors and the full Board. In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee will select and recommend annually to the entire Board a firm of independent certified public accountants to audit the books and records of the Fund for the ensuing year, and will review with the firm the scope and results of each audit. The Audit Committee currently consists of each of the Funds Independent Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Audit Committee did not hold any meetings during the last year.
12
Trustee Ownership of Securities
None of the Trustees own shares of the Fund.
Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities
None of the Independent Trustees (or their immediate family members) owns securities of the Adviser, or of an entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser.
Trustee Compensation
In consideration of the services rendered by the Independent Trustees, the Fund pays each Independent Trustee an amount of $2,500 per meeting. Trustees that are interested persons will not be compensated by the Fund. The Trustees do not receive any pension or retirement benefits.
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the compensation of the Funds Trustees.
Name of Trustee |
Aggregate Compensation from
the Fund |
Total Compensation from
Funds and Fund Complex Paid to Trustees |
||||||
Brien Biondi |
$ | [ | ●] | $ | [ | ●] | ||
Clifford J. Jack |
$ | [ | ●] | $ | [ | ●] | ||
Sean Kearns |
$ | [ | ●] | $ | [ | ●] |
The Fund and the Adviser have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Fund and the Adviser from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund. The codes of ethics permit persons subject to them to invest in securities, including securities that may be held or purchased by the Fund, subject to a number of restrictions and controls. Compliance with the codes of ethics is carefully monitored and enforced.
The codes of ethics are included as exhibits to the Funds registration statement filed with the SEC. The codes of ethics are available on the EDGAR database on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov, and may be obtained after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES
The Adviser
Primark Advisors LLC (Primark or the Adviser), located at 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado, serves as the investment adviser of the Fund and will be responsible for determining and implementing the Funds overall investment strategy, including direct investments. The Adviser, formed in 2020, is a private, independently owned firm that is focused on investing in the lower middle market in private equity. The Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Advisers Act). Subject to the general supervision of the Board, and in accordance with the investment objective and policies of the Fund, the Adviser has been engaged to continuously furnish an investment program with respect to the Fund and to furnish such other services necessary to sponsor and manage the Fund that are not specifically delegated to other service providers of the Fund, including overseeing the work that is delegated to other service providers of the Fund. The Adviser provides such services to the Fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the Investment Management Agreement).
The Investment Management Agreement became effective as of [●], and unless otherwise terminated, will continue in effect for two years from such date, and from year to year thereafter, so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act) and is terminable without penalty (i) on sixty (60) days written notice to the Adviser either by vote of the Board or by vote of
13
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or (ii) on ninety (90) days written notice to the Fund by the Adviser. A discussion regarding the basis for the Boards approval of the Investment Management Agreement will be available in the Funds first annual or semi-annual report to shareholders.
The Investment Management Agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder, the Adviser will not be liable to the Fund or to any Shareholder of the Fund or to any other person, firm or organization, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services thereunder. The Investment Management Agreement also provides for indemnification by the Fund, to the fullest extent permitted by law, of the Adviser, its affiliates and any of their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and shareholders from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs and expenses that arise out of or in connection with the performance or non-performance of or by such person of any of the Advisers responsibilities under the Investment Management Agreement, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Fund, and so long as the liability or expense is not incurred by reason of the persons willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence or reckless disregard of such persons obligations under the Investment Management Agreement.
In consideration of the advisory and other services provided by the Adviser to the Fund under the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund will pay the Adviser an investment management fee (the Management Fee) at the annual rate of 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund (or such lesser amount as the Adviser may from time to time agree to receive). The Management Fee is paid to the Adviser out of the Funds assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Management Fee will be payable monthly in arrears or at such other intervals, not less frequently than quarterly, as the Board may determine and specify in writing to the Adviser.
A portion of the Investment Management Fee may be paid to brokers or dealers that assist in the distribution of Shares.
The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the Expense Limitation Agreement) with the Fund, whereby the Adviser has agreed to reduce the Management Fee payable to it (but not below zero), and to pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund, excluding certain Excluded Expenses listed below, to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of Shares of the Fund) of 1.60%, 2.00% and 2.25% with respect to Class I Shares, Class II Shares and Class III Shares, respectively (the Expense Cap). Excluded Expenses that are not covered by the Expense Cap include: brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses.
If the Adviser waives its Management Fee or pays any operating expenses of the Fund pursuant to the Expense Cap, the Adviser may, for a period ending three years after the end of the month in which such fees or expenses are waived or incurred, recoup amounts waived or incurred to the extent such recoupment does not cause the Funds operating expense ratio (after recoupment and excluding the Excluded Expenses) to exceed the Expense Cap.
The Expense Limitation Agreement is expected to continue for at least one year from the effective date of the Prospectus, and will renew automatically for successive periods of one year thereafter, unless written notice of termination is provided by the Adviser to the Fund not less than 10 days prior to the end of the then-current term.
Conflicts of Interest
The Primark investment team may from time to time manage separate accounts or other pooled investment vehicles that may have materially higher or different fee arrangements than the Fund and may also be subject to performance-based fees. The side-by-side management of these separate accounts and pooled investment vehicles, if any, may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to cross-trading and the allocation of investment opportunities. The Adviser has a fiduciary responsibility to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. The Adviser seeks to provide best execution of all securities transactions and to allocate investments to client accounts in a fair and reasonable manner. To this end, the Adviser has developed policies and procedures designed to mitigate and manage the potential conflicts of interest that may arise from side-by-side management.
Compensation of the Management Team
[●].
14
Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers
The table below identifies the number of accounts for which the Portfolio Managers have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts.
Registered Investment
Companies |
Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles |
Other Accounts | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Portfolio Manager |
Number of
Accounts(1) |
Total Assets |
Number of
Accounts |
Total Assets |
Number of
Accounts |
Total Assets | ||||||||||||||||||
Michael Bell |
1 | $ | [● | ] | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Adam Goldman |
1 | $ | [● | ] | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Mark Sunderhuse |
1 | $ | [● | ] | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
(1) |
Includes the Fund. |
The table below identifies the number of accounts for which the Portfolio Managers have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based on the performance of the account, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts.
Registered Investment
Companies for which the Adviser receives a performance- based fee |
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
managed for which the Adviser receives a performance-based fee |
Other Accounts managed for
which the Adviser receives a performance-based fee |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Portfolio Manager |
Number of
Accounts |
Total Assets |
Number of
Accounts |
Total Assets |
Number of
Accounts |
Total Assets | ||||||||||||||||||
Michael Bell |
0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Adam Goldman |
0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Mark Sunderhuse |
0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Management Team Ownership of Securities in the Fund
None of the members of the Management Team own Shares of the Fund.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE ALLOCATION
The Adviser will seek best execution for securities transactions executed on the Funds behalf, so that the Funds total cost or proceeds in each transaction is the most favorable under the circumstances. In selecting brokers and dealers to effect transactions on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser will consider the full range and quality of a brokers services in placing brokerage, including, among other things: execution capability, trading expertise, accuracy of execution, commission rates, reputation and integrity, fairness in resolving disputes, financial responsibility, and responsiveness.
In selecting a broker to effect transactions on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser may also consider the value of research provided by the broker; however, a brokers sale or promotion of Shares will not be a factor considered by Adviser, nor will the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor enter into any agreement or understanding under which the Fund directs brokerage transactions or revenue generated by those transactions to brokers to pay for distribution of Shares.
In most instances, the Fund will purchase interests in a Portfolio Fund directly from the Portfolio Fund, and such purchases by the Fund may be, but are generally not, subject to transaction expenses. Nevertheless, the Fund anticipates that some of its portfolio transactions (including investments in Portfolio Funds by the Fund) may be subject to expenses. Given the private equity focus of a majority of the Portfolio Funds, significant brokerage commissions are not anticipated to be paid by such funds.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL
The Board has selected Cohen & Co., 151 N. Franklin Street, Suite 575, Chicago, IL 60606, as independent registered public accountants for the Fund.
Ropes & Gray LLP, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111-4006, serves as counsel to the Fund.
15
UMB Bank, n.a. (the Custodian) serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. sub-custodians (which may be banks and trust companies), securities depositories and clearing agencies in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Adviser or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. sub-custodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. The Custodians principal business address is 1010 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106.
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The Fund will calculate its net asset value as of the close of business each regular business day (each, a Determination Date). In determining its net asset value, the Fund will value its investments as of the relevant Determination Date. The net asset value of the Fund will equal, unless otherwise noted, the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all of its liabilities, including accrued fees and expenses, each determined as of the relevant Determination Date.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Adviser. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures. Copies of the Advisers proxy policies and procedures are included as Appendix A to this SAI. The Board will periodically review the Funds proxy voting record.
The Fund will be required to file Form N-PX, with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. The Funds Form N-PX filing will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 877-792-0924 or (ii) by visiting the SECs website at www.sec.gov.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
No Shares of the Fund are currently owned.
Appendix [●] to this SAI provides financial information regarding the Fund. The Funds financial statements have been audited by Cohen & Co.
A registration statement on Form N-2, including amendments thereto, relating to the Shares offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the SEC. The Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, including any exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Fund and the Shares offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement. A copy of the registration statement may be reviewed and copied on the EDGAR database on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. Prospective investors can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SECs e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov).
16
Appendix A - Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
[to be filed by amendment]
A-1
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 25. |
Financial Statements and Exhibits |
(1) Financial Statements:
Included in Part A:
Not applicable.
Included in Part B:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, to be filed by amendment.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities, to be filed by amendment.
Notes to Financial Statements, to be filed by amendment.
(2) Exhibits:
(2) | Form of Services Agreement between PINE Advisor Solutions, LLC and the Registrant, filed herewith. | |||
(3) | Form of Consulting Agreement between Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC and the Registrant, filed herewith. | |||
(4) | Form of Expense Limitation Agreement, filed herewith. | |||
(5) | Shareholder Servicing Plan, to be filed by amendment. | |||
(l) | Opinion and consent of counsel for the Fund, to be filed by amendment. | |||
(m) | Not applicable. | |||
(n) | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, to be filed by amendment. | |||
(o) | Not applicable. | |||
(p) | Not applicable. | |||
(q) | Not applicable. | |||
(r) | (1) | Code of Ethics of the Registrant, filed herewith. | ||
(2) | Code of Ethics of Primark, filed herewith. | |||
(s) | Power of Attorney, filed herewith. |
Item 26. |
Marketing Arrangements |
Not applicable.
Item 27. |
Other Expenses of Issuance or Distribution |
Securities and Exchange Commission fees |
$ | [● | ] | |
Printing and engraving expenses |
$ | [● | ] | |
Legal fees |
$ | [● | ] | |
Accounting expenses |
$ | [● | ] | |
|
|
|||
Total |
$ | [● | ] |
Item 28. |
Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant |
None.
Item 29. |
Number of Holders of Securities |
Set forth below is the number of record holders as of June 30, 2020 of each class of securities of the Registrant.
Title of Class |
Number of Record Holders | |||
Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.001 par value per share | 1 |
Item 30. |
Indemnification |
The Registrants Agreement and Declaration of Trust, incorporated herein by reference, contains provisions limiting the liability, and providing for indemnification, of the Trustees, officers, employees and other Covered Persons (including their respective heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives) to the fullest extent permitted by law, including advancement of payments of all expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and presentation of any defense (subject to repayment obligations in certain circumstances).
-2-
Each of the Registrants Form of Distribution Agreement, Form of Private Placement Agent Agreement, and Form of Dealer Agreement, each filed herewith, contains provisions limiting the liability, and providing for indemnification, of the Trustees and officers under certain circumstances.
Further, the Form of Investment Management Agreement with Primark, filed herewith, contains provisions limiting the liability, and providing for indemnification, of Primark and its personnel under certain circumstances.
The Registrants Trustees and officers are insured under a standard investment company errors and omissions insurance policy covering loss incurred by reason of negligent errors and omissions committed in their official capacities as such.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in this Item 30, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. |
Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser |
Primark is a Delaware limited liability company that offers investment management services. Primarks offices are located at 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado 80206.
A description of any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which the directors and officers of Primark who serve as officers or Trustees of the Registrant have engaged during the last two years for his or her account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee appears under Management of the Fund and Board of Trustees and Officers in the Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information, respectively.
Item 32. |
Location of Accounts and Records |
All accounts, books and other documents required by Rule 31(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are maintained at the offices, as applicable of: (1) Primark, (2) the Custodian and (3) the Administrator.
1. |
Primark Advisors LLC |
205 Detroit Street, Suite 200
Denver, Colorado 80206
2. |
UMB Bank, n.a. |
1010 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
3. |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
Item 33. |
Management Services |
Not applicable.
Item 34. |
Undertakings |
1. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable.
3. Not applicable.
-3-
4. The Registrant undertakes:
a. to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement:
(1) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act;
(2) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and
(3) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.
b. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and
c. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
d. Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the 1933 Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the 1933 Act, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
e. That for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the 1933 Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:
The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:
(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act;
(2) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the 1933 Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(3) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
5. Not applicable.
6. The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, its Statement of Additional Information.
-4-
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement of Primark Private Equity Fund to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, and the State of Colorado, on the 30th day of June, 2020.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | ||||
By: |
/s/ Michael Bell |
|||
Name: | Michael Bell | |||
Title: | President, Principal Executive Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
Title |
Date |
||
/s/ Michael Bell |
Trustee, President, Principal Executive Officer |
June 30, 2020 | ||
Michael Bell | ||||
/s/ Derek Mullins |
Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer |
June 30, 2020 | ||
Derek Mullins | ||||
* /s/ Brien Biondi |
Trustee | June 30, 2020 | ||
Brien Biondi | ||||
* /s/ Clifford Jack |
Trustee | June 30, 2020 | ||
Clifford Jack | ||||
* /s/ Sean Kearns |
Trustee | June 30, 2020 | ||
Sean Kearns |
*Power of Attorney | ||
*By: |
/s/ Michael Bell |
|
Michael Bell Attorney in Fact |
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
(a)(1) (a)(2) (b) (g) (h)(1) (h)(2) (h)(3) (j)(1) (j)(2) (k)(1) (k)(2) (k)(3) (k)(4) (r)(1) (r)(2) (s) |
Certificate of Trust of the Registrant. Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Registrant. Bylaws of the Registrant. Form of Investment Management Agreement. Form of Distribution Agreement. Form of Private Placement Agent Agreement. Form of Dealer Agreement. Form of Custody Agreement. Form of Rule 17f-5 Delegation Agreement. Form of Master Services Agreement. Form of Services Agreement. Form of Consulting Agreement. Form of Expense Limitation Agreement. Code of Ethics of the Registrant. Code of Ethics of Primark. Power of Attorney. |
STATE of DELAWARE
CERTIFICATE of TRUST
This Certificate of Trust is filed in accordance with the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (Title 12 of the Delaware Code, Section 3801 et seq.) and sets forth the following:
First: |
The name of the statutory trust is as follows: Primark Private Equity Fund. | |
Second: |
The address of the registered office of the Trust in the State of Delaware and the name and address of the registered agent for service of process in the State of Delaware at such registered office is:
The Corporation Trust Company Corporation Trust Center 1209 Orange Street Wilmington, Delaware 19801 New Castle County |
|
Third: |
The Trust is or will become, prior to or within 180 days following the first issuance of beneficial interests, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. (15 U.S.C. §§ 80-a-l et seq.). | |
Fourth: |
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust relating to the Trust provides for the issuance of one or more series of shares of beneficial interest in the Trust which series are divisible into any number of classes representing interest in the assets belonging to that series. Separate and distinct records shall be maintained by the Trust for each series and the assets associated solely with any such series shall be held and accounted for separate (directly or indirectly, including through a nominee or otherwise) from the assets of the Trust generally or of any other series. As provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, all debts, obligations, expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series shall be enforceable against the assets of such series only, and not against the assets of the Trust generally or any other series thereof, and, none of the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other series thereof shall be enforceable against the assets of such series. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the sole Trustee of the Trust named below does hereby execute this Certificate of Trust as of the 15th day of June, 2020.
By: |
/s/ Michael Bell |
|||
Name: | Michael Bell | |||
Title: | Trustee |
Agreement and Declaration of Trust
of
Primark Private Equity Fund
a Delaware Statutory Trust
Principal Place of Business:
205 Detroit Street
2nd Floor
Denver CO 80205
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I Name and Definitions |
1 | |||||
Section 1.1 |
Name |
1 | ||||
Section 1.2 |
Definitions |
1 | ||||
ARTICLE II Purpose of Trust |
3 | |||||
ARTICLE III Shares |
3 | |||||
Section 3.1 |
Division of Beneficial Interest |
3 | ||||
Section 3.2 |
Ownership of Shares |
4 | ||||
Section 3.3 |
Transfer of Shares |
4 | ||||
Section 3.4 |
Investments in the Trust |
5 | ||||
Section 3.5 |
Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability |
5 | ||||
Section 3.6 |
Establishment of Series and Classes of Shares |
5 | ||||
ARTICLE IV The Board of Trustees |
8 | |||||
Section 4.1 |
Number, Election, Tenure and Conduct |
8 | ||||
Section 4.2 |
Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee |
9 | ||||
Section 4.3 |
Powers |
9 | ||||
Section 4.4 |
Payment of Expenses by the Trust |
13 | ||||
Section 4.5 |
Payment of Expenses by Shareholders |
13 | ||||
Section 4.6 |
Small Accounts |
14 | ||||
Section 4.7 |
Ownership of Assets of the Trust |
14 | ||||
Section 4.8 |
Service Contracts |
14 | ||||
Section 4.9 |
Trustees and Officers as Shareholders |
15 | ||||
Section 4.10 |
Determinations by Trustees |
15 | ||||
Section 4.11 |
Delegation by Trustees |
16 | ||||
ARTICLE V Shareholders Voting Powers and Meetings |
16 | |||||
ARTICLE VI Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions |
16 | |||||
Section 6.1 |
Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions |
16 | ||||
Section 6.2 |
Redemptions and Repurchases |
17 | ||||
ARTICLE VII Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees |
18 | |||||
Section 7.1 |
Compensation |
18 | ||||
Section 7.2 |
Limitation of Liability |
18 | ||||
Section 7.3 |
Trustees Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety |
19 | ||||
Section 7.4 |
Insurance |
19 | ||||
Section 7.5 |
Indemnification |
20 | ||||
Section 7.6 |
Further Indemnification |
21 | ||||
Section 7.7 |
Indemnification of Shareholders |
21 |
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ARTICLE VIII Miscellaneous |
21 | |||||
Section 8.1 |
Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees |
21 | ||||
Section 8.2 |
Termination of the Trust or Any Series or Class. |
21 | ||||
Section 8.3 |
Reorganization and Master/Feeder |
22 | ||||
Section 8.4 |
Amendments |
23 | ||||
Section 8.5 |
Filing of Copies, References, Headings, Rules of Construction |
24 | ||||
Section 8.6 |
Applicable Law |
24 | ||||
Section 8.7 |
Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations |
25 | ||||
Section 8.8 |
Statutory Trust Only |
25 | ||||
Section 8.9 |
Derivative Actions |
25 | ||||
Section 8.10 |
Inspection of Records and Reports |
26 | ||||
Section 8.11 |
Jurisdiction and Waiver of Jury Trial |
26 | ||||
Section 8.12 |
Conversion |
27 |
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AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made as of June 15, 2020 for the purpose of governing the Delaware statutory trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.
WHEREAS, the Trust shall be formed under the Delaware Act by the filing of the Certificate of Trust in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and the execution and delivery of this Declaration of Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees do hereby declare that the Trustees will hold IN TRUST all cash, securities and other assets that the Trust now possesses or may hereafter acquire from time to time in any manner and manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms and conditions.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Section 1.1 Name. The name of the Trust is Primark Private Equity Fund and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any other name as they may from time to time determine. The Trustees may, without Shareholder approval, change the name of the Trust or any Series or Class and adopt such other name as they deem proper. Any name change of any Series or Class shall become effective upon approval by the Trustees of such change or any document (including any Registration Statement) reflecting such change. Any name change of the Trust shall become effective upon the filing of a certificate of amendment under the Delaware Act reflecting such change. Any such action shall have the status of an amendment to this Declaration of Trust. In the event of any name change, the Trustees shall cause notice to be given to the affected Shareholders within a reasonable time after the implementation of such change, which notice will be deemed given if the changed name is reflected in any Registration Statement.
Section 1.2 Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided:
(a) By-Laws shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to time, which By-Laws are expressly herein incorporated by reference as part of the governing instrument within the meaning of the Delaware Act;
(b) Certificate of Trust shall mean the certificate of trust, as amended or restated from time to time, filed by the Trustees in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the Delaware Act to form the Trust;
(c) Class shall mean a class of Shares of the Trust or of any Series of the Trust established in accordance with the provisions of Article III hereof;
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(d) Commission, Interested Person and Principal Underwriter shall have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(e) Covered Person shall have the meaning given it in Section 7.5 hereof;
(f) Declaration of Trust shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
(g) Delaware Act shall mean the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. §§ 3801 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(h) General Assets shall have the meaning given it in Section 3.6(a) hereof;
(i) Investment Manager or Manager shall mean a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Section 4.8 hereof;
(j) 1940 Act shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder and interpretations thereunder, and any order or orders thereunder which may from time to time be applicable to the Trust. References herein to specific sections of the 1940 Act shall be deemed to include such rules and regulations as are applicable to such sections as determined by the Trustees or their designees;
(k) Person shall mean and include individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, trusts, associations, joint ventures, estates and other entities, whether or not legal entities, governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof, whether domestic or foreign, and any other person as defined in Section 3801 of the Delaware Act;
(l) Registration Statement shall mean the Trusts registration statement or statements as filed with the Commission, as from time to time in effect and shall include any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part thereof;
(m) Series shall mean each series of Shares referenced in, or established under or in accordance with, the provisions of Article III;
(n) Shareholder shall mean a record owner of outstanding Shares;
(o) Shares shall mean the shares of beneficial interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares;
(p) Trust shall mean the Delaware statutory trust established under the Delaware Act by this Declaration of Trust and the filing of the Certificate of Trust in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
(q) Trust Property shall mean any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, that is from time to time owned or held by or for the account of the Trust; and
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(r) Trustees or Board of Trustees shall mean the persons who have signed this Declaration of Trust and all other persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed to serve as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, in each case so long as such person shall continue in office in accordance with the terms of this Declaration of Trust, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such person or persons in his, her or their capacities as trustee or trustees hereunder. Unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided, any reference herein to the Trustees shall refer to the Trustee at any time that there is only one Trustee of the Trust.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the business of a management investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or more Series investing primarily in securities, and to carry on such other business as the Trustees may from time to time determine pursuant to their authority under this Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE III
Shares
Section 3.1 Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided into Shares. The Trust and any Series may have no Classes, may consist of one Class or may be divided into two or more Classes. The number of Shares of the Trust and each Series and Class authorized hereunder is unlimited. The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares, and upon the establishment of any Series or Class as provided herein, the Trust shall be authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares of each such Series and Class, unless otherwise determined and subject to any conditions set forth, by the Trustees. Subject to the further provisions of this Article III and any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall have full power and authority, in their sole discretion, and without obtaining any authorization or vote of the Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class, (i) to divide the beneficial interest in the Trust or in each Series or Class into Shares, with or without par value as the Trustees shall determine (provided that unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, all Shares shall have a par value of $0.001), (ii) to issue Shares without limitation as to number (including fractional Shares and Shares held in the treasury), to such Persons and for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or securities, at such time or times and on such terms as the Trustees may deem appropriate, (iii) to establish and designate and to change in any manner any Series or Class and to fix such preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and privileges and business purpose of each Series or Class as the Trustees may from time to time determine, which preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and privileges may be senior or subordinate to (or in the case of business purpose, different from) any existing Series or Class thereof and may be limited to specified property or obligations of the Trust or profits and losses associated with specified property or obligations of the Trust, (iv) to divide or combine the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class into a greater or lesser number without thereby materially changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of the Trust or such Series or Class in the assets held with respect to the Trust or such Series or Class, (v) to classify or reclassify any Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class into Shares of
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one or more Series or Classes (whether the Shares to be classified or reclassified are issued and outstanding or unissued and whether such Shares constitute part or all of the Shares of the Trust or such Series or Class) and (vi) to take such other action with respect to the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class as the Trustees may deem desirable.
Subject to the distinctions permitted among Classes of the Trust or any Series as established by the Trustees consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act, each Share of the Trust or any Series shall represent an equal beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust or such Series, and each Shareholder of the Trust or any Series shall be entitled to receive such Shareholders pro rata share of distributions of income and capital gains, if any, made with respect to the Trust or such Series. Upon redemption of the Shares of any Series, the applicable Shareholder shall be paid solely out of the funds and property of such Series of the Trust.
All references to Shares in this Declaration of Trust shall be deemed to be Shares of the Trust and of any or all Series or Classes, as the context may require. All provisions herein relating to the Trust shall apply equally to each Series of the Trust and each Class, except as the context otherwise requires.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of Trust, including Section 4.5 hereof, all Shares issued hereunder, including Shares issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split or reverse split of Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable. Except as otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust. Shares held in the Trusts treasury shall not confer any voting rights on the Trustees and shall not be entitled to any dividends or other distributions declared with respect to the Shares.
Section 3.2 Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which books shall contain the names and addresses of the Shareholders and the Shares held by each Shareholder. No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Board of Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the transfer of Shares and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to the identity of the Shareholders of each Series and Class and as to the number of Shares of the Trust and of each Series and Class held from time to time by each Shareholder. No Shareholder shall be entitled to receive payment of any distribution or to have notice given to such Shareholder of any meeting or other action in respect of the Trust or any Series or Class until such Shareholder has given its address and such other information as shall be required to such officer or agent of the Trust or such Series or Class as shall keep the record books of the Trust or such Series or Class for entry thereof.
Section 3.3 Transfer of Shares. Except as otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shares shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by his duly authorized agent upon delivery to the Trustees or the Trusts transfer or similar agent of a duly executed instrument of transfer, together with a Share certificate if one is outstanding, and such evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of such other matters as may be required by the Trustees. Upon such delivery, and subject to any further requirements
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specified by the Trustees, the transfer shall be recorded on the books of the Trust. Until a transfer is so recorded, the Shareholder of record of Shares shall be deemed to be the Shareholder with respect to such Shares for all purposes hereunder and neither the Trustees nor the Trust, nor any transfer or similar agent or registrar or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be affected by any notice of a proposed transfer.
Section 3.4 Investments in the Trust. Investments may be accepted by the Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and for such consideration as the Trustees or their authorized agents from time to time may authorize in their sole discretion. The Trustees and their authorized agents shall have the right to refuse to issue Shares to any Person at any time and for any reason.
Section 3.5 Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided in this Declaration of Trust. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof. The death, incapacity, dissolution, termination or bankruptcy of a Shareholder during the existence of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust, nor entitle the representative of any such Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative only to the rights of such Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the Trust Property or right to call for a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor, except as specifically provided herein, to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
Section 3.6 Establishment of Series and Classes of Shares. Subject to the provisions of this Section 3.6, the Trust shall consist of the Series and Classes (if any) as the Trustees shall by resolution establish. The establishment of any Series or Class of Shares shall be effective upon the adoption by the Trustees of a resolution that sets forth the designation of, or otherwise identifies, such Series or Class, whether directly in such resolution or by reference to, or approval of another document that sets forth the designation of, or otherwise identifies, such Series or Class including any Registration Statement, any amendment and/or restatement of this Declaration of Trust or as otherwise provided in such resolution. Upon the establishment of any Series or Class of Shares or the termination of any existing Series or Class of Shares, the books and records of the Trust shall be updated to reflect the addition or termination of such Series or Class; provided that any such update shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment or termination of any Series or Class in accordance with this Declaration of Trust. The relative rights and preferences of each Series and each Class shall be as set forth herein and as set forth in any Registration Statement relating thereto, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series or Class. Any action that may be taken by the Trustees with respect to any Series or Class, including any addition, modification, division, combination, classification, reclassification, change of name or termination may be made in the same manner as the establishment of such Series or Class.
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Unless otherwise provided in any Registration Statement relating thereto, Shares of each Series or Class established pursuant to this Article III (unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such additional Series or Class), shall have the following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series. All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably be held with respect to that Series for all purposes, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as assets held with respect to or assets of that Series. In the event that the Trust has only issued Shares of two or more Series (and not Shares of the Trust) and there are any assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments that are not readily identifiable as assets held with respect to any particular Series (collectively General Assets), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable, and any General Assets so allocated to a particular Series shall be held with respect to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(b) Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series. All liabilities of the Trust held with respect to a particular Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series shall be charged against the assets held with respect to that Series. Any general liabilities of the Trust that are not readily identifiable as being held with respect to any particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. All liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred to as liabilities held with respect to or liabilities of that Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes. All liabilities held with respect to a particular Series shall be enforceable against the assets held with respect to such Series only and not against the assets of the Trust generally or against the assets held with respect to any other Series and, except as otherwise provided in this Declaration of Trust with respect to the allocation of General Assets, none of the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to the Trust generally or any other Series thereof shall be enforceable against the assets of such Series. Notice of this limitation on inter-Series liabilities shall be set forth in the Certificate of Trust or in an amendment thereto. To the extent required by Section 3804(a) of the Delaware Act in order to give effect to the limitation on inter-Series liabilities set forth in this Section 3.6, (i) separate and distinct records shall be maintained for each Series, (ii) the assets held with respect to each Series shall be held in such separate and distinct records (directly or indirectly, including through a nominee or otherwise) and accounted for in such separate and distinct records separately from the assets held with respect to all other Series and the General Assets of the Trust not allocated to such Series and or (iii) the records maintained for each Series shall account for the assets held with respect to such Series separately from the assets of any other Series and from the General Assets of the Trust not allocated to such Series.
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(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including Article VI, no dividend or distribution on the Shares of any Series, including any distribution paid in connection with termination of the Trust or such Series or any Class of such Series, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of such Series or Class shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets held with respect to such Series, nor shall any Shareholder of any particular Series otherwise have any right or claim against the assets held with respect to any other Series except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. The Trustees shall have the sole discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital, and each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon all Shareholders for all purposes.
(d) Fractions. Any fractional Share of the Trust or any Series shall carry proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of the Trust or any Series, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions, redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(e) Exchange Privilege. The Trustees shall have the authority to provide that the Shareholders of any Series or Class shall have the right to exchange such Shares for Shares of one or more other Series or Class of Shares or for interests in one or more trusts, corporations or other business entities (or a series or class of any of the foregoing) in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the Trustees.
(f) Combination of Series and Classes. The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class unless otherwise required by applicable federal law, to combine the assets and liabilities held with respect to any two or more Series or Classes into assets and liabilities held with respect to a single Series or Class and in connection therewith to cause the Shareholders of each such Series or Class to become shareholders of such single Series or Class. The transactions contemplated by this Section 3.6(f) may be effected through share-for-share exchanges, transfers, or sales of assets, Shareholder in-kind redemptions and purchases, exchange offers, or any other method approved by the Trustees.
(g) Elimination of Series or Classes. In addition to the rights granted to the Trustees in Section 8.2 to dissolve a Series or to terminate a Class, at any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular Series or Class previously established, the Trustees may dissolve such Series or terminate such Class and rescind the establishment thereof.
(h) Division of Series or Classes. The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series or Class unless otherwise required by applicable federal law, to divide the assets and liabilities held with respect to any Series or Class into assets and liabilities held with respect to an additional one or more Series or Classes and in connection therewith to cause some or all of the Shareholders of such Series or Class to be admitted as Shareholders of such additional one or more Series or Classes.
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ARTICLE IV
The Board of Trustees
Section 4.1 Number, Election, Tenure and Conduct.
(a) The initial Trustees shall be the persons initially signing this Declaration of Trust. The number of Trustees shall be the number of persons so signing until changed by the Trustees, and the Trustees may fix the number of Trustees from time to time; provided that the number of Trustees shall at all times be at least one (1). Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of the Trust until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her successor or, if sooner, until he or she dies, declines to serve, resigns, retires, is removed, is incapacitated or is otherwise unable or unwilling to serve as herein provided. Shareholders shall not be entitled to elect Trustees except as required by the 1940 Act. To the extent required by the 1940 Act, the Shareholders shall elect the Trustees on such dates as the Trustees may fix from time to time. Any Trustee may resign at any time by an instrument signed by him and delivered to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation from the Trust for any period following the effective date of his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal. The Shareholders may elect Trustees at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose. In the event that after the proxy material has been printed for a meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected any one or more nominees named in such proxy material dies or become incapacitated or is otherwise unable or unwilling to serve, the authorized number of Trustees shall be automatically reduced by the number of such nominees, unless the Board of Trustees prior to the meeting shall otherwise determine. Any Trustee may be removed by action of a majority of the Trustees with or without cause. Any Trustee may be removed with or without cause at any meeting of Shareholders by a vote of two-thirds of the total combined net asset value of all Shares of the Trust and each Series issued and outstanding voting as a single class or group. A meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of electing or removing one or more Trustees shall be called as provided in the By-Laws.
(b) A Trustee shall be removed immediately, without the need for further action or determination, in the event that such Trustee (i) is convicted of, or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or admits committing, a felony or any crime involving theft, fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, whether or not committed in the course of performing services or obligations as a Trustee or (ii) is subject to a final court judgment, without further rights of appeal, or enters into a settlement agreement with respect to a civil or criminal claim made by any governmental, regulatory or quasi-regulatory agency, including without limitation the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Further, a Trustee shall be removed for Cause upon a finding of such Cause by a majority of the Board of Trustees. Such finding shall be final and binding upon a Trustee so removed. For the purposes hereof, Cause means (i) disloyalty, deliberate dishonesty or breach of fiduciary duty to the Trust; (ii) one or more acts or omissions by the Trustee which are willful and deliberate acts or omissions which the Trustee knew or should have known that such acts or omissions are reasonably likely to cause material harm or injury to the business, operations, financial condition, properties, assets, prospects, value
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or reputation of the Trust; (iii) the commission by the Trustee of an act in deliberate disregard of the rules or policies of the Trust, including any By-Laws, which results in a material loss, damage or injury to the Trust or materially adversely affects the business activities, financial condition, prospects, reputation, goodwill or image of the Trust; (iv) the Trustees willful disregard of the lawful directives of the Board of Trustees of the Trust clearly communicated to Trustee and consistent with this Agreement and Declaration of Trust; (v) a material breach by the Trustee of obligations of the Trustee under this Agreement and Declaration of Trust; (vi) the Trustees violation of his or her duties under Section 4.1(c) of this Agreement and Declaration of Trust; or (vii) the Trustees gross negligence or willful misconduct of his duties with respect to the Trust.
(c) No Trustee shall make any oral or written statement to any third party that disparages, defames, or reflects adversely or negatively upon the Trust. Each Trustee shall be required to use best efforts and exercise the utmost diligence to protect the confidential information of the Trust, except as disclosure may be required in the course of performing services or obligations as a Trustee or as may be required by legal or regulatory process.
Section 4.2 Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee. The death, declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of one or more Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever there shall be fewer than the designated number of Trustees, until additional Trustees are elected or appointed as provided herein to bring the total number of Trustees equal to the designated number, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration of Trust. As evidence of such vacancy, an instrument certifying the existence of such vacancy may be executed by an officer of the Trust or by a Trustee. In the event of the death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of all the then Trustees within a short period of time and without the opportunity for at least one Trustee being able to appoint additional Trustees to replace those no longer serving, the Trusts Investment Manager(s) are empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act.
Section 4.3 Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and the Trustees shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility including the power to engage in securities transactions of all kinds on behalf of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may; adopt By-Laws providing for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal such By-Laws; enlarge or reduce their number and fill vacancies caused by enlargement of their number or by the death, declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of a Trustee; elect and remove, with or without cause, such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider appropriate; appoint from their own number and establish and terminate one or more committees consisting of one or more Trustees which may exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that the Trustees determine, including a committee consisting of fewer than all of the Trustees then in office, which may act for and bind the Trustees and the Trust, with respect to the institution, prosecution, dismissal, settlement, review or investigation of any legal action, suit or proceeding, pending or threatened to be brought before any court, administrative agency or other adjudicatory body; employ one or more custodians of the assets of the Trust and authorize such custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or any part of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of securities or with a Federal
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Reserve Bank; retain a transfer or similar agent or a shareholder servicing agent, or both; provide for the issuance and distribution of Shares by the Trust directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters, or both, or otherwise, including pursuant to one or more distribution plans of any kind; set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters; establish a registered office and have a registered agent in the State of Delaware; and declare and pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders. The Trustees have the power to construe and interpret this Declaration of Trust and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. Any construction or interpretation of this Declaration of Trust by the Trustees and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust and the Shareholders made by the Trustees in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Shareholders and all other Persons for all purposes. In construing the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees. Except as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, neither the Trustees nor any officer of the Trust shall owe any fiduciary duty to the Trust or any Series or Class or any Shareholder. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein or required by federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall act in their sole discretion and may take any action or exercise any power without any vote or consent of the Shareholders.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have the power and authority to cause the Trust (or to act on behalf of the Trust);
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on, lend or otherwise deal in, or dispose of any form of property, including foreign currencies and related instruments and contracts for the future acquisition or delivery of fixed income or other securities, and securities of every nature and kind, including all types of bonds, debentures, stocks, warrants, time notes, negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, convertible securities, forward contracts, options, futures contracts, swaps, other financial contracts or derivative instruments and securities issued by an investment company registered under the 1940 Act or any series thereof, bankers acceptances, and other securities of any kind, issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of the U.S. Government or any foreign government, or any international instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or by any corporation or organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization organized under any foreign law, or in when issued contracts for any such securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust; and to exercise any and all rights, powers, and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description, including the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments;
(b) To purchase, sell and hold currencies and enter into contracts for the future purchase or sale of currencies, including forward foreign currency exchange contracts;
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(c) To sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, or write options (including, options on futures contracts) with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating to any or all of the assets of the Trust or any Series;
(d) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such Person or Persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such Person or Persons such power and discretion with relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(e) To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(f) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer, book entry, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own name or in the name of a Trustee or in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees or otherwise;
(g) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization, conversion, division, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(h) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee, depository, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depository or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee, depository or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(i) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including claims for taxes;
(j) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any other combinations or associations;
(k) To borrow funds or other property or otherwise obtain credit in the name of the Trust or Series exclusively for Trust (or such Series) purposes and in connection therewith issue notes or other evidence of indebtedness; and to mortgage, pledge or otherwise subject as security the Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any or all of such indebtedness, including the lending of portfolio securities;
(l) To endorse or guarantee the payment, or undertake the performance, of any notes or other contracts, engagements or obligations of any Person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and pledge the Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any of or all of such obligations;
(m) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property, or the assets belonging to any appropriate Series, such insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business, including insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust or payment
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of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisers or Managers, Principal Underwriters, or independent contractors of the Trust, individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, holding, being or having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser or Manager, Principal Underwriter, or independent contractor, including any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against liability;
(n) To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans and trusts, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust;
(o) To operate as and carry out the business of an investment company registered under the 1940 Act, and exercise all the powers necessary or appropriate to the conduct of such operations;
(p) To employ one or more banks, trust companies or companies that are members of a national securities exchange or such other entities as the Commission may permit as custodians of any assets of the Trust subject to any conditions set forth in this Declaration of Trust or in the By-Laws;
(q) To establish separate and distinct Series with separately defined investment objectives and policies, distinct investment purposes and separate Shares representing beneficial interests in such Series, and to establish separate Classes of the Trust or any Series, all in accordance with the provisions of Article III;
(r) To interpret the investment policies, practices or limitations of the Trust or any Series or Class;
(s) To the fullest extent permitted by Section 3804 of the Delaware Act, to allocate assets and liabilities of the Trust to a particular Series, and liabilities to a particular Class, or to apportion the same between or among two (2) or more Series or Classes, as provided for in Article III;
(t) To invest part or all of the Trust Property (or part or all of the assets of any Series), or to dispose of part or all of the Trust Property (or part or all of the assets of any Series) and invest the proceeds of such disposition, in securities issued by one or more other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act (including investment by means of transfer of part or all of the Trust Property in exchange for an interest or interests in such one or more investment companies) all without any requirement of approval by Shareholders unless required by the 1940 Act. Any such other investment company may (but need not) be a trust (formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state) which is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes;
(u) To declare and make distributions of income and capital gains to Shareholders;
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(v) To provide for separate classes, groups or series of Trustees with respect to any Series or Class or any Trust Property having such relative rights, powers and duties as the Trustees may determine;
(w) To issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, cancel, retire, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, transfer, dispose of and otherwise deal in Shares pursuant to applicable federal law; to establish terms and conditions including any fees or expenses regarding the issuance, sale, repurchase, redemption, cancellation, retirement, acquisition, holding, resale, reissuance, disposition of or dealing in Shares; and, subject to Articles III and VI, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or property of the Trust or of any particular Series with respect to which such Shares are issued;
(x) To enter into contracts of any kind and description and carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to any of the foregoing powers, to do everything necessary or desirable to accomplish any purpose or to further any of the foregoing powers, and to take every other action incidental to the foregoing business or purposes, objects or powers; and
(y) Subject to the 1940 Act, to engage in any other lawful act or activity in which a statutory trust organized under the Delaware Act may engage.
The Trust shall not be limited to investing in obligations maturing before the possible termination of the Trust or one or more of its Series. The Trust shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or future law or custom in regard to investment by fiduciaries. The Trust shall not be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust or take any other action hereunder.
Section 4.4 Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Trustees are authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the Trust, or partly out of the principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair, all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in connection with the Trust, or in connection with the management thereof, including the Trustees compensation and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trusts officers, employees, investment adviser or Manager, Principal Underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, transfer agent, shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors and such other expenses and charges as the Trustees may, in their sole discretion, deem necessary or proper to incur, which expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities shall be allocated in accordance with Section 3.6 hereof.
Section 4.5 Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause any Shareholder to pay directly, in advance or arrears, an amount fixed, from time to time, by the Trustees or an officer of the Trust for charges of the Trusts custodian or transfer, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing, or similar agent that are not customarily charged generally to the Trust, a Series, or a Class, where such services are provided to such Shareholder individually, rather than to all Shareholders collectively, including, without limitation, by setting off such amount due from such Shareholder from the amount of (i) declared but unpaid dividends or distributions owed such Shareholder, or (ii) proceeds from the redemption by the Trust or any Series of Shares from such Shareholder pursuant to Article VI hereof.
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Section 4.6 Small Accounts. The Trustees or their authorized agents may establish, from time to time, one or more minimum investment amounts for Shareholder accounts, which may differ within and among any Series or Class, and may impose account fees on (which may be satisfied by involuntarily redeeming the requisite number of Shares in any such account in the amount of such fee), and or require the involuntary redemption of Shares held in, those accounts the net asset value of which for any reason falls below such established minimum investment amounts, or may authorize the Trust to convert any such Shares in such account to Shares of another Series or Class (whether of the same or a different Series, or take any other such action with respect to minimum investment amounts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Trustees or their authorized agents, in each case upon such terms as shall be established by the Trustees or their authorized agents.
Section 4.7 Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to all of the assets of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trust, except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine with the same effect as if such property were held in the name of the Trust. No creditor of any Trustee shall have any right to obtain possession, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to, any Trust Property with respect to any claim against, or obligation of, such Trustee in its individual capacity and not related to the Trust or any Series or Class of the Trust. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter become a Trustee. Upon the resignation, retirement, removal, declination to serve, incapacity, or death of a Trustee, he or she shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.
Section 4.8 Service Contracts.
(a) The Trust may enter into contracts with one or more Persons, to act as investment adviser, investment sub-adviser, manager, investment manager, administrator, sub-administrator, transfer agent, or other agent, and as such to perform such functions as the Trustees may deem reasonable and proper, including, without limitation, investment advisory, management, research, valuation of assets, clerical and administrative functions, under such terms and conditions, and for such compensation, as the Trustees may deem advisable. The Trustees may also authorize any adviser or sub-adviser to employ one or more sub-advisers from time to time and any administrator to employ one or more sub-administrators from time to time, upon such terms and conditions as shall be approved by the Trustees.
(b) The Trust may enter into a contract or contracts with one or more Persons to act as underwriters, distributors or placement agents whereby the Trust may either agree to sell Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class to the other party or parties to the contactor appoint such other party or parties its sales agent or agents for such Shares and with such other provisions as the Trustees may deem reasonable and proper, and the Trust may from time to time enter into transfer agency, sub-transfer agency and or shareholder servicing contract(s), in each case with such terms and conditions, and providing for such compensation, as the Trustees may deem advisable.
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All securities and cash of the Trust shall be held pursuant to a written contract or contracts with one or more custodians and subcustodians or shall otherwise be held in accordance with the 1940 Act, to the extent applicable.
(c) Any contract of the character described in this Section 4.8 may be entered into with any Person, including the investment adviser, any investment sub-adviser or an affiliate of the investment adviser or sub-adviser, although one or more of the Trustees, officers, or Shareholders of the Trust may be an officer, director, trustee, shareholder, or member of such other party to the contract, or otherwise interested in such contract, and no such contract shall be invalidated or rendered voidable by reason of the existence of any such relationship, nor shall any Person holding such relationship be liable merely by reason of such relationship for any loss or expense to the Trust under or by reason of said contract or accountable for any profit realized directly or indirectly therefrom. The same Person may be a party to more than one contract entered into pursuant to this Section 4.8 and any individual may be financially interested or otherwise affiliated with Persons who are parties to any or all of the contracts mentioned in this Section 4.8.
(d) The authority of the Trustees hereunder to authorize the Trust to enter into contracts or other agreements or arrangements shall include the authority of the Trustees to modify, amend, waive any provision of supplement, assign all or a portion of, novate, or terminate such contracts, agreements or arrangements. The enumeration of any specific contracts in this Section 4.8 shall in no way be deemed to limit the power and authority of the Trustees as otherwise set forth in this Declaration of Trust to authorize the Trust to employ, contract with or make payments to such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust.
(e) The Trustees are further empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any Person to provide such other services to the Trust or one or more of the Series, as the Trustees determine to be in the best interests of the Trust and the applicable Series.
(f) Any Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust may lend money to, borrow money from, act as a surety, guarantor or endorser for, guarantee or assume one or more obligations of, provide collateral for, and transact other business with the Trust and, subject to applicable law, has the same rights and obligations with respect to any such matter as a Person who is not a Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust.
Section 4.9 Trustees and Officers as Shareholders. Any Trustee, officer or agent of the Trust may acquire, own and dispose of Shares to the same extent as if he were not a Trustee, officer or agent; and the Trustees may issue and sell and cause to be issued and sold Shares to, and redeem such Shares from, any such Person or any firm or company in which such Person is interested, subject only to the general limitations contained herein relating to the sale and redemption of such Shares.
Section 4.10 Determinations by Trustees. The Trustees may make any determinations they deem necessary with respect to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including the following matters; the amount of the assets, obligations, liabilities and expenses of the Trust or any Series or Class; the amount of the net income of the Trust or any Series or Class from dividends, capital gains, interest or other sources for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends or distributions; which items are to be treated as income
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and which as capital; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges were created shall have been paid or discharged); the market value, or any other price to be applied in determining the market value, or the fair value, of any security or other asset owned or held by the Trust or any Series or Class; the number of Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class issued or issuable; and the net asset value per Share.
Section 4.11 Delegation by Trustees. Subject only to any limitations required by federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees may delegate any and all rights, powers, authority and duties hereunder as they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees, any committee composed of Trustees and other persons and any committee composed only of persons other than Trustees and to any agent, independent contractor or employee of the Trust or to any custodian, administrator, transfer or shareholder servicing agent, Manager, investment adviser or sub-adviser, Principal Underwriter or other service provider, provided that such delegation of rights power, authority or duties by the Trustees shall not cause any Trustee to cease to be a Trustee of the Trust or cause such person, officer, agent, employee, custodian, transfer or shareholder servicing agent, Manager, Principal Underwriter or other service provider to whom any rights power, authority or duties has been delegated to be a Trustee of the Trust. The reference in this Declaration of Trust to the right of the Trustee to, or circumstances under which they may, delegate any rights, power, authority or duties, or the reference in this Declaration of Trust to the authorized agents of the Trustees or any other Person to whom any rights, power, authority or duties has been or may be delegated pursuant to any specific provision of this Declaration of Trust, shall not limit the authority of the Trustees to delegate any other rights, power, authority or duties under this Declaration of Trust to any Person, subject only to any limitations under federal law including the 1940 Act.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders Voting Powers and Meetings
The Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of Trustees as and to the extent provided in Section 4.1, (ii) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by federal law including the 1940 Act, or any registration of the Trust with the Commission (or any successor agency) or any state and (iii) as the Trustees may otherwise consider necessary or desirable in their sole discretion. Provisions relating to meetings, quorum, required vote, record date and other matters relating to Shareholder voting rights are as provided in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI
Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions
Section 6.1 Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions. Subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act and Section 3.6 hereof, the Trustees, in their sole discretion, may prescribe (and delegate to any officer of the Trust or any other Person or Persons the right and obligation to prescribe) such bases and time (including any methodology or plan) for determining the per Share or net asset value of the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class or net
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income attributable to the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions on the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class and the method of determining the Shareholders to whom dividends and distributions are payable, as they may deem necessary or desirable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, any dividend or distribution may be paid in cash and or securities or other property, and the composition of any such distribution shall be determined by the Trustees (or by any officer of the Trust or any other Person or Persons to whom such authority has been delegated by the Trustees) and may be different among Shareholders including differences among Shareholders of the same Series or Class.
Section 6.2 Redemptions and Repurchases
(a) From time to time, the Trust may redeem or repurchase its Shares, all upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Trustees and subject to any applicable provisions of the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom. The Trust may require Shareholders to pay a withdrawal charge, a sales charge, or any other form of charge to the Trust, to the underwriter or to any other person designated by the Trustees upon redemption or repurchase of Shares in such amount as shall be determined from time to time by the Trustees. The Trust may also charge a redemption or repurchase fee, payable to the Trust, in such amount as may be determined from time to time by the Trustees. The Trustees may from time to time specify conditions, not inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom, regarding the redemption or repurchase of Shares of the Trust.
(b) Subject to Section 6.2(a) hereof, Shares may be redeemed or repurchased at their net asset value or at such other price as is in compliance with the 1940 Act or any exemption therefrom, which may be reduced by any sales charge, withdrawal charge, redemption or repurchase fee, or any other form of charge authorized by the Trustees. Net asset value shall be determined as set forth in Section 6.1 hereof as of such time as the Trustees shall have theretofore prescribed by resolution. Subject to 6.2(a) hereof, any shares of preferred stock may be redeemed or repurchased on such terms as are stipulated in the document or resolution of the Trustees establishing the terms. Payment for Shares redeemed or repurchased shall be made in cash or in property out of the assets of the Trust, or if applicable, the relevant Class or Series to the Shareholder of record at such time and in the manner, not inconsistent with the 1940 Act or other applicable laws.
(c) The Trustees may require any Shareholder or group of Shareholders (including some or all of the Shareholders of any Series or Class) to redeem Shares for any reason as determined by the Trustees, in their sole discretion, including (i) the determination of the Trustees that direct or indirect ownership of Shares of the Trust or any Series has or may become concentrated in such Shareholder to an extent that would disqualify any Series as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the failure of a Shareholder to supply a tax identification number if required to do so, or to have the minimum investment required (which may vary by Series or Class), (iii) if the Share activity of the account or ownership of Shares by a particular Shareholder is deemed by the Trustees either to affect adversely the management of the Trust or any Series or Class or not to be in the best interests of the remaining Shareholders of the Trust or any Series or Class or (iv) the failure of a Shareholder to pay when due for the purchase of Shares issued to him. Any such redemption shall be effected at the redemption price and in the manner provided in this Article VI.
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(d) The Shareholders shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), or to comply with the requirements of any other taxing authority.
(e) Subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, and except as otherwise determined by the Trustees, upon redemption, Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding or carry any voting rights irrespective of whether a record date for any matter on which such Shares were entitled to vote had been set on a date prior to the date on which such Shares were redeemed. In making a determination as to whether redeemed Shares shall be deemed outstanding and carry any voting rights with respect to any matter on which such Shares were entitled to vote prior to redemption, subject to applicable federal law including the 1940 Act, the Trustees may, among other things, determine that Shares redeemed either before or after a date specified by the Trustees between the record date for such matter and the meeting date for such matter shall be deemed outstanding and retain voting rights, which determination may be made for any reason including that it would not be reasonably practicable to obtain a quorum if all of the Shares redeemed after the record date for such matter and before the voting date no longer were deemed outstanding and earned any voting rights.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
Section 7.1 Compensation. Any Trustee, whether or not he or she is a salaried officer or employee of the Trust, may be compensated for his or her services as Trustee or as a member of a committee of Trustees or as chairman of a committee by fixed periodic payments or by fees for attendance at meetings, by both or otherwise, and in addition may be reimbursed for transportation and other expenses, all in such manner and amounts as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services and payment for the same by the Trust.
Section 7.2 Limitation of Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, a Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, Manager, adviser, sub-adviser or Principal Underwriter of the Trust.
All Persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or any Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or any applicable Series that such Person extended credit to, contracted with or has a claim against, and neither the Trustees nor the Shareholders, nor any of the Trusts officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.
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Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees by any of them in connection with the Trust shall conclusively be deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to his or their capacity as Trustee or Trustees, and such Trustee or Trustees shall not be personally liable thereon. At the Trustees discretion, any note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers may give notice that the Certificate of Trust is on file in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and that a limitation on liability of Series exists and such note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking may, if the Trustees so determine, recite that the same was executed or made on behalf of the Trust by a Trustee or Trustees in such capacity and not individually or by an officer or officers in such capacity and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only on the assets and property of the Trust or a Series thereof, and may contain such further recital as such Person or Persons may deem appropriate. The omission of any such notice or recital shall in no way operate to bind any Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually.
Section 7.3 Trustees Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety. The exercise in good faith by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. The Trustees may rely in good faith upon advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust and the 1940 Act, and their duties as Trustees hereunder and thereunder, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice; provided the Trustees shall be under no liability for failing to follow such advice. A Trustee shall be fully protected in relying in faith upon the records of the Trust and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented by another Trustee or any officer, employee or other agent of the Trust, or by any other Person as to matters the Trustee reasonably believes are within such other Persons professional or expert competence, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust or any Series or Class, or the value and amount of assets or reserves or contracts, agreements or other undertakings that would be sufficient to pay claims and obligations of the Trust or any Series or Class or to make reasonable provision to pay such claims and obligations, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to Shareholders or creditors of the Trust might properly be paid. The appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as chair of the Trustees, a member or chair of a committee of the Trustees, an expert on any topic or in any area (including an audit committee financial expert), or the lead independent Trustee, or any other special appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee, shall not impose on that person any standard of care or liability that is greater than that imposed on that person as a Trustee in the absence of the appointment, designation or identification, and no Trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is appointed, designated or identified as aforesaid, shall be held to a higher standard of care by virtue thereof. In addition, no appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as aforesaid shall affect in any way that Trustees rights or entitlement to indemnification or advancement of expenses. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is obtained.
Section 7.4 Insurance. The Trustees shall be entitled and empowered to the fullest extent permitted by law to purchase with Trust assets insurance for liability and for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be paid by the Trust or by a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved by virtue of his or her capacity or former capacity with the Trust.
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Section 7.5 Indemnification
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer or employee of the Trust or is or was serving at the request of the Trust as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (Covered Person) shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate Series against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his or her being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him or her in the settlement thereof. As used herein, the words claim, action, suit or proceeding shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, regulatory, investigative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words liability and expenses shall include, without limitation, attorneys fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities whatsoever.
(b) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of a Covered Person.
(c) To the extent that any determination is required to be made as to whether a Covered Person engaged in conduct for which indemnification is not provided as described herein, or as to whether there is reason to believe that a Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, the Person or Persons making the determination shall afford the Covered Person a rebuttable presumption that the Covered Person has not engaged in such conduct and that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(d) To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this Section 7.5 shall be paid by the Trust and each Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him or her to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under this Section; provided, however, that any such advancement will be made in accordance with any conditions required by applicable law or regulation. The advancement of any expenses pursuant to this Section 7.5(d) shall under no circumstances be considered a loan under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended from time to time, or for any other reason.
(e) Any repeal or modification of this Article VII or adoption or modification of any other provision of this Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Article shall be prospective only to the extent that such repeal or modification would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification or right to advancement of expenses available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission that occurred prior to such repeal, modification or adoption.
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(f) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Declaration of Trust to the contrary, any liability and/or expense against which any Covered Person is indemnified under this Section 7.5 and any advancement of expenses that any Covered Person is entitled to be paid under Section 7.5(d) shall be deemed to be joint and several obligations of the Trust and each Series, and the assets of the Trust and each Series shall be subject to the claims of any Covered Person therefor under this Article VII; provided that any such liability, expense or obligation may be allocated and charged by the Trustees between or among the Trust and/or any one or more Series (and Classes) in such manner as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable.
Section 7.6 Further Indemnification. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which any Covered Person or other Person may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law or prevent the Trust from entering into any contract to provide indemnification to any Covered Person or other Person. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust may, in connection with any transaction permitted by this Declaration of Trust, including the acquisition of assets subject to liabilities or a merger or consolidation pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof, assume the obligation to indemnify any Person including a Covered Person or otherwise contract to provide such indemnification, and such indemnification shall not be subject to the terms of this Article VII.
Section 7.7 Indemnification of Shareholders. If any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series is held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of any entity, its general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Series to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf of the affected Series, shall, upon request by such Shareholder or former Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against him or her for any act or obligation of the Series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets belonging to the Series.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
Section 8.1 Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No Person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon its order.
Section 8.2 Termination of the Trust or Any Series or Class.
(a) Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be dissolved at any time by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series of Shares may be dissolved and/or liquidated at any time by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of such Series. Any Class may be terminated and/or liquidated at any time by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of such Class. Any action to dissolve the Trust shall be deemed to also be an action to dissolve and/or liquidate each Series, and to terminate and/or liquidate each Class.
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(b) In accordance with Section 3808 of the Delaware Act, upon the requisite action by the Trustees to dissolve the Trust or any one or more Series of Shares after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued or anticipated, of the Trust or of the particular Series as may be determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets of the Trust or of the affected Series to distributable form in cash or Shares (if any Series remain) or other securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the Trust or any applicable Series, ratably according to the number of Shares of the Trust or such Series held by the several Shareholders of the Trust or such Series on the date of distribution. Thereupon, the Trust and/or any affected Series shall terminate and the Trustees and the Trust shall be discharged of any and all further liabilities and duties relating thereto or arising therefrom, and the right, title and interest of all parties with respect to the Trust and/or such Series shall be canceled and discharged. Upon the requisite action by the Trustees to terminate any Class, the Trustees may, to the extent they deem it appropriate, follow the procedures set forth in this Section 8.2(b) with respect to such Class that are specified in connection with the dissolution and winding up of the Trust or any Series of Shares. Alternatively, in connection with the termination of any Class, the Trustees may treat such termination as a redemption of the Shareholders of such Class effected pursuant to Section 6.2(c) of this Declaration of Trust provided that the costs relating to the termination of such Class shall be included in the determination of the net asset value of the Shares of such Class for purposes of determining the redemption price to be paid to the Shareholders of such Class (to the extent not otherwise included in such determination). In connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Trust or any Series and in connection with the termination of any Class, the Trustees may provide for the establishment of a liquidating trust or similar vehicle.
(c) Following completion of winding up of the Trusts business, the Trustees shall cause a certificate of cancellation of the Trusts Certificate of Trust to be filed in accordance with the Delaware Act, which certificate of cancellation may be signed by any one Trustee. Upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the Trust shall terminate, the Trustees shall be discharged of any and all further liabilities and duties relating thereto or arising therefrom, and the right, title and interest of all parties with respect to the Trust shall be canceled and discharged.
Section 8.3 Reorganization and Master/Feeder.
(a) Notwithstanding anything else herein, to the extent permitted by law, the Trustees, by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, may, in their sole discretion and without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, (i) cause the Trust to convert, divide, merge, reorganize or consolidate with or into one or more trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, corporations or other business entities (or a series of any of the foregoing to the extent permitted by law) (including trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, corporations or other business entities created by the Trustees to accomplish such conversion, division, merger, reorganization or consolidation), and that, in the case of any trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such conversion, division, merger, reorganization or consolidation, may
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(but need not) succeed to or assume the Trusts registration under the 1940 Act and that, in any case, is formed, organized or existing under the laws of the United States or of a state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States, (ii) cause the Shares to be exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law, (iii) cause the Trust to incorporate under the laws of a state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States, (iv) sell or convey all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or of any Series or Class of the Trust to another Series or Class of the Trust or to another trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity (or a series of any of the foregoing to the extent permitted by law) (including a trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such sale and conveyance), organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, commonwealth, possession or colony of the United States, and, in the case of any trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity created by the Trustees to accomplish such sale and conveyance, may (but need not) succeed to or assume the Trusts registration under the 1940 Act, for adequate consideration as determined by the Trustees that may include the assumption of any or all outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent of the Trust or any affected Series or Class, and that may include Shares of such other Series or Class of the Trust or shares of beneficial interest, stock or other ownership interest of such trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, corporation or other business entity or series thereof) or (v) at any time sell or convert into money all or any part of the assets of the Trust or any Series or Class. Any certificate of merger, certificate of division, certificate of conversion or other applicable certificate may be signed by any one (1) Trustee and facsimile and electronic signatures conveyed by electronic transmission shall be valid.
(b) Pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3815(f) of the Delaware Act, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Declaration of Trust, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved by the Trustees in accordance with this Section 8.3 may effect any amendment to this Declaration of Trust or effect the adoption of a new governing instrument of the Trust if the Trust is the surviving or resulting entity in the merger or consolidation.
(c) Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may, in their sole discretion and without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, invest all or a portion of the Trust Property or the Trust Property of any Series, or dispose of all or a portion of the Trust Property or the Trust Property of any Series, and invest the proceeds of such disposition in interests issued by one or more other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. Any such other investment company may (but need not) be a trust (formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state or jurisdiction) (or subtrust thereof) which is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may, without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by the 1940 Act, cause the Trust or any Series that is organized in the master/feeder find structure to withdraw or redeem its Trust Property from the master fund and cause the Trust or such Series to invest its Trust Property directly in securities and other financial instruments or in another master fund.
Section 8.4 Amendments. This Declaration of Trust may be restated and/or amended at any time by (i) an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the Trustees then holding office or (ii) adoption by a majority of the Trustees then holding office of a resolution specifying the
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restatement and/or amendment. Any such restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be effective immediately upon such execution or adoption. No vote or consent of any Shareholder shall be required for any amendment to this Declaration of Trust except (i) as determined by the Trustees in their sole discretion or (ii) as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, but only to the extent so required. The Certificate of Trust of the Trust may be restated and/or amended by any Trustee as necessary or desirable to reflect any change in the information set forth therein, and any such restatement and/or amendment shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of the State of Delaware or upon such future date as may be stated therein. Notwithstanding anything else herein, no amendment hereof shall limit the rights to insurance provided by Article VII of this Declaration of Trust with respect to any acts or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such amendment nor shall any such amendment limit the rights to indemnification and advancement referenced in Article VII of this Declaration of Trust with respect to any actions or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such amendment.
Section 8.5 Filing of Copies, References, Headings, Rules of Construction. The original or a copy of this Declaration of Trust shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to any matters in connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this Declaration of Trust. In this Declaration of Trust, references to this Declaration of Trust, and all expressions such as herein, hereof and hereunder, shall be deemed to refer to this Declaration of Trust as a whole and not to any particular article or section unless the context requires otherwise. Headings are placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect the meaning, construction or effect of this Declaration of Trust. Whenever the singular number is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter, masculine and feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This Declaration of Trust and any document, consent or instrument referenced in or contemplated by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, (i) any document, consent, instrument or notice referenced in or contemplated by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws that is to be executed by one or more Trustees may be executed by means of original, facsimile or electronic signature and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any document, consent, instrument or notice referenced in or contemplated by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws that is to be delivered by one or more Trustees may be delivered by electronic transmission (including facsimile or e-mail) unless, in the case of either clause (i) or (ii), otherwise determined by the Trustees. The terms include, includes and including and any comparable terms shall be deemed to mean including, without limitation. Any reference to any statute, law, code, rule or regulation shall be deemed to refer to such statute, law, code, rule or regulation as amended or restated from time to time and any successor thereto.
Section 8.6 Applicable Law.
(a) The Trust is created under, and this Declaration of Trust is to be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trust shall be a Delaware statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust specifically reserves the right to exercise any of the powers or privileges afforded to
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statutory trusts or actions that may be engaged in by statutory trusts under the Delaware Act, and the absence of a specific reference herein to any such power, privilege or action shall not imply that the Trust may not exercise such power or privilege or take such actions.
(b) Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 3.6(a), there shall not be applicable to the Trust, the Trustees or this Declaration of Trust, the provisions of Section 3540 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code or any provisions of the laws (statutory or common) of the State of Delaware (other than the Delaware Act) pertaining to trusts that relate to or regulate; (i) the filing with any court or governmental body or agency of trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges, (ii) affirmative requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (iii) the necessity for obtaining a court or other governmental approval concerning the acquisition, holding or disposition of real or personal property, (iv) fees or other sums applicable to trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures to income or principal, (vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible nature, amount or concentration of trust investments or requirements relating to the titling, storage or other manner of holding of trust assets, or (vii) the establishment of fiduciary or other standards or responsibilities or limitations on the acts or powers of trustees that are inconsistent with the limitations or liabilities or authorities and powers of the Trustees set forth or referenced in this Declaration of Trust.
Section 8.7 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.
(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provision is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), and the regulations thereunder, the Delaware Act or with other applicable federal laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust, provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.
(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.
Section 8.8 Statutory Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create a statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock association, corporation, bailment, or any form of legal relationship other than a statutory trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.
Section 8.9 Derivative Actions. In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 3816 of the Delaware Act, a Shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the following conditions are met.
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(a) The Shareholder or Shareholders must make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such an action is not likely to succeed. For purposes of this Section 8.9(a), a demand on the Trustees shall only be deemed not likely to succeed and therefore excused if a majority of the Board of Trustees, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, is composed of Trustees who are not independent trustees (as that term is defined in the Delaware Act);
(b) Unless a demand is not required under paragraph (a) of this Section 8.9, Shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under the Delaware Act who collectively hold Shares representing ten percent (10%) or more of the total combined net asset value of all Shares issued and outstanding or of the Series or Classes to which such action relates if it does not relate to all Series and Classes, shall join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and
(c) Unless a demand is not required under paragraph (a) of this Section 8.9, the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such Shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisors in considering the merits of the request and shall require an undertaking by the Shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisors in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
(d) For purposes of this Section 8.9, the Board of Trustees may designate a committee of one Trustee to consider a Shareholder demand if necessary to create a committee with a majority of Trustees who are independent trustees (as that term is defined in the Delaware Act). The Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisors in considering the merits of the request and may require an undertaking by the Shareholders making such request to reimburse the Trust for the expense of any such advisors in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
Section 8.10 Inspection of Records and Reports. Every Trustee shall have the right at any reasonable time to inspect all books, records, and documents of every kind and the physical properties of the Trust. This inspection by a Trustee may be made in person or by an agent or attorney and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts of documents. No Shareholder shall have any right to inspect any account, book or document of the Trust that is not publicly available, except as conferred by the Trustees. The books and records of the Trust may be kept at such place or places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine, except as otherwise required by law.
Section 8.11 Jurisdiction and Waiver of Jury Trial. In accordance with Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Act, any suit, action or proceeding brought by or in the right of any Shareholder or any person claiming any interest in any Shares seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Declaration of Trust or the Trust, any Series or Class or any Shares, including any claim of any nature against the Trust, any Series or Class, the Trustees or officers of the Trust, shall be brought exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to the extent there is subject matter jurisdiction in such court for the claims asserted or, if not, then in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, and all Shareholders and other such Persons hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of such courts (and the appropriate appellate courts, therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably
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waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection they may make now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum and further, IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION, OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN THE SUPERIOR COURT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, ALL SHAREHOLDERS AND ALL OTHER SUCH PERSONS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. All Shareholders and other such Persons agree that service of summons, complaint or other process in connection with any proceedings may be made by registered or certified mail or by overnight courier addressed to such Person at the address shown on the books and records of the Trust for such Person or at the address of the Person shown on the books and records of the Trust with respect to the Shares that such Person claims an interest in. Service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding against the Trust or any Trustee or officer of the Trust may be made at the address of the Trusts registered agent in the State of Delaware. Any service so made shall be effective as if personally made in the State of Delaware.
Section 8.12 Conversion. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, a favorable vote of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of the Trust, each affected Class or Series outstanding, voting as separate Classes or Series, shall be required to approve, adopt or authorize an amendment to this Declaration of Trust that makes the Shares a redeemable security as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, unless such amendment has been approved by a majority of the Trustees then in office, in which case approval by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) shall be required. Upon the adoption of a proposal to convert the Trust from a closed-end company to an open-end company as those terms are defined by the 1940 Act and the necessary amendments to this Declaration of Trust to permit such a conversion of the Trusts outstanding Shares entitled to vote, the Trust shall, upon complying with any requirements of the 1940 Act and state law, become an open-end investment company. Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the holders of the Shares otherwise required by law, or any agreement between the Trust and any national securities exchange.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustee named below does hereby make and enter into this Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Primark Private Equity Fund as of the date first written above.
By: |
/s/ Michael Bell |
|
Name: Michael Bell | ||
As Trustee and not individually |
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BY-LAWS
of
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
A Delaware Statutory Trust
Effective as of June 15, 2020
INTRODUCTION
A. AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. These by-laws shall be subject to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the Declaration of Trust), of Primark Private Equity Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the Trust). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms hereof and the terms of the Declaration of Trust, the terms of the Declaration of Trust shall control.
B. DEFINITIONS. Capitalized terms used herein and not herein defined are used as defined in the Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICES. The Trustees shall fix and, from time to time, may change the location of the principal executive office of the Trust at any place within or outside the State of Delaware.
Section 2. DELAWARE OFFICE AND REGISTERED AGENT. The Trustees shall establish a registered office in the State of Delaware and shall appoint a registered agent for service of process in the State of Delaware.
Section 3. OTHER OFFICES. The Board of Trustees (the Board) may at any time establish branch or subordinate offices at any place or places where the Trust intends to do business.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. MEETINGS. No annual meetings of the Shareholders (or any Class or Series) are required to be held. Special meetings of the Shareholders (or any Class or Series) may be called at any time by the President, and shall be called by the President or the Secretary at the request, in writing or by resolution, of a majority of the Trustees, or at the written request of the holder or holders of a majority of the total number of the then issued and outstanding Shares of the Trust entitled to vote at such meeting. Any such request shall state the purposes of the proposed meeting.
Section 2. PLACE OF MEETINGS.
(a) Meetings of Shareholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware designated by the Board. In lieu of holding a Shareholders meeting at a designated place, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that any Shareholders meeting may be held solely by means of remote communication. In the absence of any such designation by the Board, Shareholders meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust. For purposes of these By-Laws, the term Shareholder shall mean a record owner of Shares of the Trust.
(b) For the purposes of these Bylaws, if authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, Shareholders and proxyholders may, by means of remote communication:
(i) |
participate in a meeting of Shareholders; and |
(ii) |
be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of Shareholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (A) the Trust will implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a Shareholder or proxyholder, (B) the Trust will implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholder, including without limitation an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (C) if any Shareholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, the Trust or its agent will maintain a record of such vote or other action. |
Section 3. CALL OF MEETING. Meetings of the Shareholders shall be called as provided in Section 1 of this Article II.
Section 4. NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDERS MEETING. All notices of meetings of Shareholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 5 of this Article II not less than seven (7) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days before the date of the meeting. The notice shall specify (i) the place, date and hour of the meeting the means of remote communications, if any by which Shareholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present and vote at the meeting, and (ii) the general nature of the business to be transacted. The notice of any meeting at which Trustees are to be elected also shall include the name of any nominee or nominees who at the time of the notice are intended to be presented for election. Except with respect to adjournments as provided herein, no business shall be transacted at such meeting other than that specified in the notice.
Section 5. MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE; AFFIDAVIT OF NOTICE. Notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be given either personally or by first-class mail, courier, telegraphic or electronic transmission (which, for purposes of these by-laws, shall include facsimile or e-mail), or other written communication, charges prepaid, addressed to the Shareholder at the address of that Shareholder appearing on the books of the Trust or its transfer agent or given by the Shareholder to the Trust for the purpose of notice. If no such address appears on the Trusts books or is given, notice shall be deemed to have been given if sent to that Shareholder by first-class mail, courier, telegraphic or electronic transmission, or other written communication to the Trusts principal executive office. Notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when delivered personally, deposited in the mail or with a courier, or sent by telegram or electronic transmission or other means of written communication.
If any notice addressed to a Shareholder at the address of that Shareholder appearing on the books of the Trust is returned to the Trust marked to indicate that the notice to the Shareholder cannot be delivered at that address, all future notices or reports shall be deemed to have been duly given without further mailing, or substantial equivalent thereof, if such notices shall be available to the Shareholder on written demand of the Shareholder at the principal executive office of the Trust for a period of one year from the date of the giving of the notice.
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An affidavit of the mailing or other means of giving any notice of any Shareholders meeting shall be executed by the secretary, assistant secretary, transfer agent, or solicitation agent of the Trust giving the notice and shall be filed and maintained in the records of the Trust. Such affidavit shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
A Shareholders notice to be proper must set forth (i) as to each person whom the Shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a Trustee (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of such person, (B) the Class and number of Shares of stock of the Trust that are beneficially owned or owned of record by such person, (C) the date such Shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and (D) all other information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Trustees in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including such persons written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected); (ii) as to any other business that the Shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Shareholder (including any anticipated benefit to the Shareholder therefrom) and of each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; (iii) as to the Shareholder giving the notice and each beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, (1) the name and address of such Shareholder, as they appear on the Trusts stock ledger and current name and address, if different, and of such beneficial owner, (2) the Class and number of Shares of stock of the Trust which are owned beneficially and of record by such Shareholder and such beneficial owner, (3) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or Series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of Shares) has been made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk of Share price changes for, or to increase the voting power of, such Shareholder or beneficial owner with respect to any Share of the Trust (collectively Hedging Activities), and (4) the extent to which such Shareholder or such beneficial owner, if any, has engaged in Hedging Activities with respect to Shares or other equity interests of any other trust or company; (iv) as to the Shareholder giving the notice and any beneficial owner covered by clauses (i) or (ii) of this paragraph, the name and address of such Shareholder, as they appear on the Trusts stock ledger and current name and address, if different, of such beneficial owner; and (v) to the extent known by the Shareholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other Shareholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a Trustee or the proposal of other business on the date of such Shareholders notice.
Section 6. ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE. Any Shareholders meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned from time to time (and at any time during the course of the meeting) by a majority of the votes cast by those Shareholders present in person or by proxy, or by the chairman of the meeting. Any adjournment may be with respect to one or more proposals, but not necessarily all proposals, to be voted or acted upon at such meeting and any adjournment will not delay or otherwise affect the effectiveness and validity of a vote or other action taken at a Shareholders meeting prior to adjournment.
When any Shareholders meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless a new record date of the adjourned meeting is fixed or unless the adjournment is for more than one hundred eighty (180) days from the record date set for the original meeting, in which case the Board shall set a new record date. If notice of any such adjourned meeting is required pursuant to the preceding sentence, it shall be given to each Shareholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting in accordance with the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of this Article II. At any adjourned meeting, the Trust may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.
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Section 7. VOTING. The Shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of Shareholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and these By-Laws, as in effect at such time. Except as otherwise provided herein, any matter required to be submitted to Shareholders and affecting one or more Classes or Series of Shares shall require approval by the required vote of all the affected Classes and Series of Shares voting together as a single Class; provided, however, that as to any matter with respect to which a separate vote of any Class or Series of Shares is required by the 1940 Act or the Declaration of Trust, such requirement as to a separate vote by that Class or Series of Shares shall apply in addition to a vote of all the affected Classes and Series voting together as a single Class. Shareholders of a particular Class or Series of Shares shall not be entitled to vote on any matter that affects only one or more other Classes or Series of Shares. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees.
The Shareholders vote may be by voice vote or by ballot; provided, however, that any election of Trustees must be by ballot if demanded by any Shareholder before the voting has begun. Any Shareholder may vote part of the Shares in favor of the proposal and refrain from voting the remaining Shares or vote them against the proposal, but if the Shareholder fails to specify the number of Shares which the Shareholder is voting affirmatively, it will be conclusively presumed that the Shareholders approving vote is with respect to the total Shares that the Shareholder is entitled to vote on such proposal.
Abstentions and broker non-votes will be included for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at a Shareholders meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be treated as votes present at a Shareholders meeting, but will not be treated as votes cast. Abstentions and broker non-votes, therefore, will have no effect on proposals which require a plurality or majority of votes cast for approval, but will have the same effect as a vote against on proposals requiring a majority or other specified percentage of outstanding voting securities for approval.
Section 8. QUORUM. Except when a larger quorum is required by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws, thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote present in person or represented by proxy at a Shareholders meeting shall constitute a quorum at such meeting. When a separate vote by one or more Series or Classes is required, thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the outstanding Shares of each such Series or Class entitled to vote present in person or represented by proxy at a Shareholders meeting shall constitute a quorum of such Series or Class.
If a quorum, as above defined, shall not be present for the purpose of any vote that may properly come before any meeting of Shareholders at the time and place of any meeting, the Shareholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting on such matter holding a majority of the Shares present and entitled to vote on such matter may by vote adjourn the meeting from time to time to be held at the same place without further notice than by announcement to be given at the meeting until a quorum, as above defined, entitled to vote on such matter, shall be present, whereupon any such matter may be voted upon at the meeting as though held when originally convened.
Section 9. WAIVER OF NOTICE BY CONSENT OF ABSENT SHAREHOLDERS. The transactions of a meeting of Shareholders, however called and noticed and wherever held, shall be valid as though transacted at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance by a person at a meeting shall also constitute a waiver of notice of that meeting with respect to that person, except when the person objects at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction
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of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened and except that such attendance is not a waiver of any right to object to the consideration of matters not included in the notice of the meeting if that objection is expressly made at the beginning of the meeting. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given to a Shareholder under the Declaration of Trust or these By-Laws, a written waiver thereof, executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his or her attorney thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall be deemed equivalent to such notice.
Section 10. PROXIES. Every Shareholder entitled to vote for Trustees or on any other matter shall have the right to do so either in person or by one or more agents authorized by a proxy, given in writing or by electronic transmission, signed by the Shareholder and filed with the secretary of the Trust; provided, that an alternative to the execution of a written proxy may be permitted as provided in the second paragraph of this Section 10. A proxy shall be deemed signed if the Shareholders name is placed on the proxy (whether by manual or electronic signature, typewriting, telegraphic or electronic transmission or otherwise) by the Shareholder or the Shareholders attorney-in-fact. A validly executed proxy which does not state that it is irrevocable shall continue in full force and effect unless (i) revoked by the Shareholder executing it by a written notice delivered to the Trust prior to the exercise of the proxy or by the Shareholders execution of a subsequent proxy or attendance and vote in person at the meeting; or (ii) written notice of the death or incapacity of the Shareholder is received by the Trust before the proxys vote is counted; provided, however, that no proxy shall be valid after the expiration of eleven (11) months from the date of the proxy unless otherwise provided in the proxy. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
With respect to any Shareholders meeting, the Board may act to permit the Trust to accept proxies by any electronic, telephonic, computerized, telecommunications or other reasonable alternative to the execution of a written instrument authorizing the proxy to act, provided the Shareholders authorization is received within eleven (11) months before the meeting. A proxy with respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest with the challenger.
Section 11. INSPECTORS OF ELECTION. Before any meeting of Shareholders, the Board may appoint any person other than nominees for office to act as inspector of election at the meeting or its adjournment. If no inspector of election is so appointed, the chairman of the meeting may, and on the request of any Shareholder or a Shareholders proxy shall, appoint an inspector of election at the meeting. If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the chairman of the meeting may, and on the request of any Shareholder or a Shareholders proxy shall, appoint a person to fill the vacancy.
The inspector shall:
(a) determine the number of Shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the Shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum and the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;
(b) receive votes, ballots or consents;
(c) hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote;
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(d) count and tabulate all votes or consents;
(e) determine when the polls shall close;
(f) determine the result of voting or consents; and
(g) do any other acts that may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all Shareholders.
Section 12. RECORD DATE. For purposes of determining the Shareholders entitled to notice of any meeting or to vote or entitled to give consent to action without a meeting, the Board of Trustees may fix in advance a record date which shall not be more than 120 days nor less than 10 days before the date of any such meeting.
If the Board of Trustees does not so fix a record date:
(a) The record date for determining Shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Shareholders shall be at the close of business on the business day before the notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day which is five (5) business days before the day on which the meeting is held.
(b) The record date for determining Shareholders entitled to give consent to action in writing without a meeting, (i) when no prior action by the Board of Trustees has been taken, shall be the day on which the first written consent is given, or (ii) when prior action of the Board of Trustees has been taken, shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Trustees adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of any Series or Class who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the Board of Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such other distribution, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series or Class having the right to receive such dividend or distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as precluding the Board of Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series or Classes.
Section 13. ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER NON-VOTES. Outstanding Shares represented in person or by proxy (including Shares which abstain or do not vote with respect to one or more of any proposals presented for Shareholder approval) will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at a meeting. Abstentions will be treated as Shares that are present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining the number of Shares that are present and entitled to vote with respect to any particular proposal, but will not be counted as a vote in favor of such proposal. If a broker or nominee holding Shares in street name indicates on the proxy that it does not have discretionary authority to vote as to a particular proposal, those Shares will not be considered as present and entitled to vote with respect to such proposal.
ARTICLE III
TRUSTEES
Section 1. TRUSTEES AND VACANCIES. The business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they shall have all powers necessary and desirable to carry out that responsibility, so far as such powers are not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware, the Declaration of Trust, or these By-Laws.
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Vacancies in the Board may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Trustee, unless the Board calls a meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of filling such vacancies. In the event that all Trustee offices become vacant, an authorized officer of the Investment Adviser shall serve as the sole remaining Trustee effective upon the vacancy in the office of the last Trustee, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act. In such case, the Investment Adviser, as the sole remaining Trustee, shall, as soon as practicable, fill all of the vacancies on the Board; provided, however, that the percentage of Trustees who are not Interested Persons of the Trust shall be no less than that permitted by the 1940 Act. Thereupon, the Investment Adviser shall resign as Trustee and a meeting of the Shareholders shall be called, as required by the 1940 Act, for the election of Trustees.
Section 2. MEETINGS; PLACE OF MEETINGS AND MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE. The Trustees may in their discretion provide for regular or stated meetings of the Trustees. Meetings of the Trustees other than regular or stated meetings shall be held whenever called by the chairman, President or by any other Trustee at the time being in office. Any or all of the Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time, and participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
All meetings of the Board may be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware that has been designated from time to time by the Board. In the absence of such a designation, regular meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust. Subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, any meeting, regular or special, may be held by conference telephone or similar communication equipment, so long as all Trustees participating in the meeting can hear one another, and all such Trustees shall be deemed to be present in person at such meeting for purposes of the Delaware Act and, to the extent permitted, the 1940 Act.
Section 3. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held without call at such time as shall from time to time be fixed by the Board. Such regular meetings may be held without notice.
Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairman of the Board, the president, any vice president, the secretary or any Trustee.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be delivered personally or by telephone to each Trustee or sent by first-class mail, courier or telegram, charges prepaid, or by electronic transmission, addressed to each Trustee at that Trustees address as it is shown on the records of the Trust. In case the notice is mailed, it shall be deposited in the United States mail at least seven (7) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. In case the notice is delivered personally, by telephone, by courier, to the telegraph company, or by express mail, electronic transmission or similar service, it shall be delivered at least forty-eight (48) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice given personally or by telephone may be communicated either to the Trustee or to a person at the office of the Trustee who the person giving the notice has reason to believe will promptly communicate it to the Trustee. The notice need not specify the purpose of the meeting or the place if the meeting is to be held at the principal executive office of the Trust.
Section 5. ACTION WITHOUT A MEETING. Unless the 1940 Act requires that a particular action be taken only at a meeting at which the Trustees are present in person, any action to be taken by the Trustees at a meeting may be taken without such meeting by the consent given in writing or by electronic transmission of a majority of the Trustees then in office; provided, that if a provision of the Declaration of Trust requires a different percentage of Trustees to take an action described in such provision, then such
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action may be taken without a meeting by the written consent of the percentage of Trustees specified in such provision. Any such consent given in writing or by electronic transmission may be executed and given by telecopy, electronic transmission or similar electronic means. Such consents, whether given in writing or by electronic transmission, shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Trustees. If any action is so taken by the Trustees by the consent of less than all of the Trustees, prompt notice of the taking of such action shall be furnished to each Trustee who did not execute such consent, provided that the effectiveness of such action shall not be impaired by any delay or failure to furnish such notice.
Section 6. QUORUM. A majority of the authorized number of Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except to adjourn as provided in Sections 8 and 9 of this Article III. Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board, subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of Trustees if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.
Section 7. WAIVER OF NOTICE. Notice of any meeting need not be given to any Trustee who either before or after the meeting signs a written waiver of notice, a consent to holding the meeting, or an approval of the minutes. The waiver of notice or consent need not specify the purpose of the meeting. All such waivers, consents, and approvals shall be filed with the records of the Trust or made a part of the minutes of the meeting. Notice of a meeting shall also be deemed given to any Trustee who attends the meeting without protesting before or at its commencement about the lack of notice to that Trustee.
Section 8. ADJOURNMENT. A majority of the Trustees present, whether or not constituting a quorum, may adjourn any matter at any meeting to another time and place.
Section 9. NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT. Notice of the time and place of holding an adjourned meeting need not be given unless the meeting is adjourned for more than seven (7) days, in which case notice of the time and place shall be given before the time of the recommencement of an adjourned meeting to the Trustees who were present at the time of the adjournment.
Section 10. FEES AND COMPENSATION OF TRUSTEES. Trustees and members of committees may receive such compensation, if any, for their services and such reimbursement of expenses as may be fixed or determined by resolution of the Board. This Section 10 shall not be construed to preclude any Trustee from serving the Trust in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation for those services.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
Section 1. COMMITTEES OF TRUSTEES. The Board may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the authorized number of Trustees, designate one or more committees as set forth in the Declaration of Trust, to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Board may designate one or more Trustees or other persons as alternate members of any committee who may replace any absent member at any meeting of the committee. The Trustees shall determine the number of members of each committee and its powers and shall appoint its members and its chair. Each committee member shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees. Each committee shall maintain records of its meetings and report its actions to the Trustees. The Trustees may rescind any action of any committee, but such rescission shall not have retroactive effect. The Trustees may delegate to any committee any of its powers, subject to the limitations of applicable law.
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Section 2. MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES. Meetings and action of any committee shall be governed by and held and taken in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and Article III of these By-Laws, with such changes in the context thereof as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members, except that the time of regular meetings of any committee may be determined either by the Board or by the committee. Special meetings of any committee may also be called by resolution of the Board, and notice of special meetings of any committee shall also be given to all alternate members who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The Board may adopt rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these By-Laws.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. OFFICERS. The officers of the Trust shall be a president, a secretary, a treasurer and, if required by the 1940 Act, a chief compliance officer. The Trust may also have, at the discretion of the Board, one or more vice chairmen, one or more vice presidents, one or more assistant vice presidents, one or more assistant secretaries, one or more assistant treasurers, and such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of this Article V. Except for the offices of President and Secretary, two or more offices may be held by a single person. Any officer may be, but need not be, a Trustee or Shareholder.
Section 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The officers of the Trust shall be chosen by the Board, and each shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.
Section 3. SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. The Board may appoint and may empower the president to appoint such other officers as the business of the Trust may require, each of whom shall hold office for such period, have such authority and perform such duties as are provided in these By-Laws or as the Board may from time to time determine.
Section 4. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS. Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board or by written consent, or by an officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Trust. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in such notice. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Trust under any contract to which the officer is a party.
Section 5. VACANCIES IN OFFICES. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in these By-Laws for regular appointment to that office.
Section 6. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The chairman of the Board shall, if present, preside at meetings of the Board and the Shareholders and exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to the chairman by the Board or prescribed by these By-Laws. In the absence, resignation, disability or death of the president, the chairman shall exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of the president until his or her return, such disability shall be removed or a new president shall have been elected.
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Section 7. LEAD INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE. If the chairman of the Board is an interested person of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, the Trustees who are not such interested persons of the Trust (Independent Trustees) shall appoint one of their number to be Lead Independent Trustee, who shall have such duties as may be assigned by the Independent Trustees from time to time.
Section 8. PRESIDENT. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Board to the chairman of the Board, the president shall be the principal operating and executive officer of the Trust and shall, subject to the control of the Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and the officers of the Trust. In the absence of the chairman of the Board, the president or his designee shall preside at all meetings of the Shareholders and at all meetings of the Board. The president shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board or these By-Laws.
Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS. In the absence or disability of the president and the chairman of the Board, the executive vice presidents or vice presidents, if any, in order of their rank as fixed by the Board or if not ranked, a vice president designated by the Board, shall perform all the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all powers of, and be subject to all the restrictions upon, the president. The executive vice president or vice presidents, whichever the case may be, shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed for them respectively by the Board, these By-Laws, the president or the chairman of the Board.
Section 10. SECRETARY. The secretary shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal executive office of the Trust or such other place as the Board may direct a book of minutes of all meetings and actions of Trustees, committees of Trustees and Shareholders with the time and place of holding, whether regular or special, and if special, how authorized, the notice given, the names of those present at Trustees meetings or committee meetings, the number of Shares present or represented at Shareholders meetings, and the proceedings.
The secretary shall cause to be kept at the principal executive office of the Trust or at the office of the Trusts administrator, transfer agent or registrar, as determined by resolution of the Board, a Share register or a duplicate Share register showing the names of all Shareholders and their addresses, the number, Series and Classes of Shares held by each, the number and date of certificates, if any, issued for the same and the number and date of cancellation of every certificate surrendered for cancellation.
The secretary shall give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of the Shareholders and of the Board required by these By-Laws or by applicable law to be given and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or by these By-Laws.
Section 11. TREASURER. The treasurer shall be the principal financial officer of the Trust and shall keep and maintain or cause to be kept and maintained adequate and correct books and records of accounts of the properties and business transactions of the Trust, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, retained earnings and Shares. The books of account shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection by any Trustee.
The treasurer shall deposit all monies and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Trust with such depositories as may be designated by the Board. The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Board, shall render to the president and Trustees, whenever they request it, an account of all of the treasurers transactions as principal financial officer and of the financial condition of the Trust and shall have other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or these By-Laws.
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Section 12. CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER. The Chief Legal Officer, to the extent the Board may determine that such role shall exist rather than a qualified legal compliance committee, shall serve as Chief Legal Officer for the Trust, solely for purposes of complying with the attorney conduct rules (Attorney Conduct Rules) enacted by the Securities Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 307 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Act). The Chief Legal Officer shall have the authority to exercise all powers permitted to be exercised by a chief legal officer pursuant to Section 307 of the Act. The Chief Legal Officer, in his sole discretion, may delegate his responsibilities as Chief Legal Officer under the Attorney Conduct Rules to another attorney or firm of attorneys.
Section 13. CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER. The Chief Compliance Officer shall be responsible for administering the Trusts policies and procedures approved by the Board under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act. Notwithstanding any other provision of these By-Laws, the designation, removal and compensation of Chief Compliance Officer are subject to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.
Section 14. COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS. Each officer may receive such compensation from the Trust for services and reimbursement for expenses as the Trustees may determine.
ARTICLE VI
RECORDS AND REPORTS
Section 1. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF SHARE REGISTER. The Trust shall keep at its offices or at the office of its transfer or other duly authorized agent, records of its Shareholders, which provide the names and addresses of all Shareholders and the number, Series and Classes, if any, of Shares held by each Shareholder. Such records may be inspected during the Trusts regular business hours by any Shareholder, or its duly authorized representative, upon reasonable written demand to the Trust, for any purpose reasonably related to such Shareholders interest as a Shareholder.
Section 2. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BY-LAWS. The Trust shall keep at its offices the original or a copy of the Declaration of Trust and these By-Laws, as amended or restated from time to time, where they may be inspected during the Trusts regular business hours by any Shareholder, or its duly authorized representative, upon reasonable written demand to the Trust, for any purpose reasonably related to such Shareholders interest as a Shareholder.
Section 3. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF OTHER RECORDS. The accounting books and records and minutes of proceedings of the Shareholders, the Board, any committee of the Board or any advisory committee shall be kept at such place or places designated by the Board or, in the absence of such designation, at the offices of the Trust. The minutes and the accounting books and records shall be kept either in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form.
If information is requested by a Shareholder, the Board, or, in case the Board does not act, the president, any vice president or the secretary, shall establish reasonable standards governing, without limitation, the information and documents to be furnished and the time and the location, if appropriate, of furnishing such information and documents. Costs of providing such information and documents shall be borne by the requesting Shareholder. The Trust shall be entitled to reimbursement for its direct, out-of-pocket expenses incurred in declining unreasonable requests (in whole or in part) for information or documents.
The Board, or, in case the Board does not act, the president, any vice president or the secretary, may keep confidential from Shareholders for such period of time as the Board or such officer, as applicable, deems reasonable any information that the Board or such officer, as applicable, reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information that the Board or such officer, as the case may be, in good faith believes would not be in the best interests of the Trust to disclose or that could damage the Trust or its business or that the Trust is required by law or by agreement with a third party to keep confidential.
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Section 4. INSPECTION BY TRUSTEES. Every Trustee shall have the absolute right during the Trusts regular business hours to inspect all books, records, and documents of every kind and the physical properties of the Trust. This inspection by a Trustee may be made in person or by an agent or attorney and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts of documents.
ARTICLE VII
DIVIDENDS
Section 1. DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS. Dividends upon the Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may, subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, if any, be declared by the Board at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to applicable law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in Shares of the Trust.
Section 2. RESERVES. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Trust available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board may, from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Trust, or for such other purpose as the Board shall deem to be in the best interests of the Trust, and the Board may abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL MATTERS
Section 1. CHECKS, DRAFTS, EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS. All checks, drafts, or other orders for payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of or payable to the Trust shall be signed or endorsed by such person or persons and in such manner as from time to time shall be determined by the Board or as may be contracted to service providers.
Section 2. CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS; HOW EXECUTED. The Board, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, may authorize any officer or officers or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Trust and this authority may be general or confined to specific instances; and unless so authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent, or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Trust by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
Section 3. CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES. No certificates for Shares of beneficial interest in any Series shall be issued except as the Board may otherwise determine from time to time. Should the Board authorize the issuance of such certificates, a certificate or certificates for Shares of beneficial interest in any Series of the Trust may be issued to a Shareholder upon the Shareholders request when such Shares are fully paid. All certificates shall be signed in the name of the Trust by the chairman of the Board or the president or vice president and by the treasurer or an assistant treasurer or the secretary or any assistant secretary, certifying the number of Shares and the Series and Class of Shares owned by the Shareholders. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust with the same effect as if such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may adopt and use a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its Shares by electronic or other means.
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Section 4. LOST CERTIFICATES. Except as provided in Section 3 or this Section 4 of this Article VIII, no new certificates for Shares shall be issued to replace an old certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Trust and cancelled at the same time. The Board may, in case any Share certificate or certificate for any other security is lost, stolen, or destroyed, authorize the issuance of a replacement certificate on such terms and conditions as the Board may require, including a provision for indemnification of the Trust secured by a bond or other adequate security sufficient to protect the Trust against any claim that may be made against it, including any expense or liability on account of the alleged loss, theft, or destruction of the certificate or the issuance of the replacement certificate.
Section 5. REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER ENTITIES HELD BY TRUST. The chairman of the Board, the president or any vice president or any other person authorized by resolution of the Board or by any of the foregoing designated officers, is authorized to vote or represent on behalf of the Trust any and all Shares of any corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity, foreign or domestic, standing in the name of the Trust. The authority granted may be exercised in person or by a proxy duly executed by such designated person.
Section 6. TRANSFER OF SHARES. Shares of the Trust shall be transferable only on the record books of the Trust by the person in whose name such Shares are registered, or by his or her duly authorized attorney or representative. In all cases of transfer by an attorney-in-fact, the original power of attorney, or an official copy thereof duly certified, shall be deposited and remain with the Trust, its transfer agent or other duly authorized agent. In case of transfers by executors, administrators, guardians or other legal representatives, duly authenticated evidence of their authority shall be presented to the Trust, transfer agent or other duly authorized agent, and may be required to be deposited and remain with the Trust, its transfer agent or other duly authorized agent. No transfer shall be made unless and until the certificate issued to the transferor, if any, shall be delivered to the Trust, its transfer agent or other duly authorized agent, properly endorsed.
Section 7. HOLDERS OF RECORD. The Trust shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any Share or Shares of the Trust as the owner thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such Share or Shares on the part of any other person, whether or not the Trust shall have express or other notice thereof.
Section 8. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the Trust shall be established, re-established or changed from time to time by resolution of the Board.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. AMENDMENT. These By-Laws may be restated and/or amended at any time, without the approval of the Shareholders, by an instrument in writing signed by, or a resolution of, a majority of the then Board.
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PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this [●] day of [●], 2020 by and between PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND, a Delaware statutory trust (the Fund), and PRIMARK ADVISORS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Adviser).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Adviser wish to enter into an agreement setting forth the terms upon which the Adviser (or certain other parties acting pursuant to delegation from the Adviser) will perform certain services for the Fund;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants hereinafter contained, the parties agree as follows:
1. The Fund hereby employs the Adviser to (a) furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund and (b) furnish such other services necessary to sponsor and manage the Fund that are not specifically delegated to other service providers of the Fund, including overseeing the work that is delegated to other service providers of the Fund. In connection with, and as part of, the provision of the investment program, the Fund hereby employs the Adviser to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies; and determine what investments will be purchased, held, sold or exchanged by the Fund and what portion, if any, of the assets of the Fund will be held uninvested. The Adviser hereby accepts such employment and agrees, at its own expense, to furnish such services and to assume the obligations herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided. The Adviser shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.
2. The Fund will bear (and nothing in this Agreement shall require the Adviser to bear, or to reimburse the Fund for): (a) all of the legal and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the organization of the Fund and the offering of its shares; (b) ordinary administrative and operating expenses, including the Management Fee and all expenses associated with the pricing of Fund assets; (c) risk management expenses; (d) ordinary and recurring investment expenses, including all fees and expenses directly related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Funds account (including brokerage, clearing, and settlement costs), custodial costs, and interest charges; (e) professional fees (including, without limitation, expenses of consultants, experts, and specialists); (f) fees and expenses in connection with repurchase offers and any repurchases or redemptions of Fund shares of beneficial interest; (g) office space, office supplies, facilities and equipment for the Fund; (h) executive and other personnel for managing the affairs of the Fund, other than for the Advisers provision of services under Section 1 above; (i) any of the costs of printing and mailing the items referred to in Sub-Section (v) of this Section 2; (j) any of the costs of preparing, printing and distributing sales literature; (k) compensation of trustees of the Fund who are not directors, officers or employees
of the Adviser or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of the Adviser; (l) registration, filing and other fees in connection with requirements of regulatory authorities; (m) the charges and expenses of any entity appointed by the Fund for custodial, paying agent, shareholder servicing and plan agent services; (n) charges and expenses of independent accountants retained by the Fund; (o) charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars appointed by the Fund; (p) brokers commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; (q) taxes and fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies; (r) any cost of certificates representing shares of the Fund; (s) legal fees and expenses in connection with the affairs of the Fund, including registering and qualifying its shares with federal and state regulatory authorities; (t) expenses of meetings of shareholders and trustees of the Fund; (u) interest, including interest on borrowings by the Fund; (v) the costs of services, including services of counsel, required in connection with the preparation of the Funds registration statements and prospectuses, including amendments and revisions thereto, annual, semiannual and other periodic reports of the Fund, and notices and proxy solicitation material furnished to shareholders of the Fund or regulatory authorities; (w) the Funds expenses of bookkeeping, accounting, auditing and financial reporting, including related clerical expenses; (x) all filing costs, fees, and any other expenses which are directly related to the investment of the Funds assets; and (y) any extraordinary expenses, including any litigation expenses.
3. All activities undertaken by the Adviser pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times be subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, any duly constituted committee thereof or any officer of the Fund acting pursuant to like authority.
4. The services to be provided by the Adviser hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Adviser shall be free to render similar services to others, so long as its services hereunder are not impaired thereby.
5. As full compensation for all services rendered, facilities furnished and expenses borne by the Adviser hereunder, the Fund shall pay the Adviser compensation at the annual rate of 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund (or such lesser amount as the Adviser may from time to time agree to receive). Such compensation shall be payable monthly in arrears or at such other intervals, not less frequently than quarterly, as the Board of Trustees of the Fund may from time to time determine and specify in writing to the Adviser.
6. The Adviser will place orders either directly with the issuer or with brokers or dealers selected by the Adviser. In the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, the Adviser will use its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as described below. In using its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, the Adviser, bearing in mind the Funds best interests at all times, will consider all factors it deems relevant, including by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker or dealer involved and
the quality of service rendered by the broker or dealer in other transactions. The Adviser will not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage and research services to the Adviser an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Adviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Advisers overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and/or to other clients of the Adviser as to which the Adviser exercises investment discretion. In no instance, however, will the Funds securities be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, or any affiliated person thereof, except to the extent permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission or by applicable law.
7. The Fund constitutes and appoints the Adviser as the Funds true and lawful representative and attorney-in-fact, with full power of delegation, in the Funds name, place and stead, to make, execute, sign, acknowledge and deliver all subscription and other agreements, contracts and undertakings on behalf of the Fund as the Adviser may deem necessary or advisable for implementing the investment program of the Fund by purchasing, selling and redeeming its assets and placing orders for such purchases and sales. Any delegation of duties pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with all applicable provisions of Section 15 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, except to the extent otherwise permitted by any exemptive order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or similar relief, and requirements under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rules and guidance.
8. The Fund may delegate to the Adviser, subject to revocation at the discretion of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, the responsibility for voting proxies relating to the Funds portfolio securities pursuant to written proxy voting policies and procedures established by the Adviser.
9. It is understood that any of the shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Fund may be a shareholder, director, officer, employee or agent of, or be otherwise interested in, the Adviser, any affiliated person of the Adviser, any organization in which the Adviser may have an interest or any organization which may have an interest in the Adviser; that the Adviser, any such affiliated person or any such organization may have an interest in the Fund; and that the existence of any such dual interest shall not affect the validity hereof or of any transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund, the limited liability company agreement of the Adviser or specific provisions of applicable law.
10. The Fund acknowledges that, as between the Fund and the Adviser, the Adviser owns and controls the name Primark. The Adviser consents to the use by the Fund of the name Primark Private Equity Fund or any other name embodying the word Primark, in such forms as the Adviser shall in writing approve, but only on condition and so long as (i) this Agreement shall remain in full force and (ii) the Fund shall fully perform, fulfill and comply with all provisions of this Agreement expressed herein to be performed, fulfilled or complied with by it.
No such name shall be used by the Fund at any time or in any place or for any purposes or under any conditions except as in this section provided. The foregoing authorization by the Adviser to the Fund to use said word as part of a business or name is not exclusive of the right of the Adviser itself to use, or to authorize others to use, the same; the Fund acknowledges and agrees that as between the Adviser and the Fund, the Adviser has the exclusive right so to use, or authorize others to use, said word, and the Fund agrees to take such action as may reasonably be requested by the Adviser to give full effect to the provisions of this section (including, without limitation, consenting to such use of said word). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Fund agrees that, upon any termination of this Agreement by either party or upon the violation of any of its provisions by the Fund, the Fund will, at the request of the Adviser made at any time after the Adviser has knowledge of such termination or violation, use its best efforts to change the name of the Fund so as to eliminate all reference, if any, to the word Primark and will not thereafter transact any business in a name containing the word Primark in any form or combination whatsoever, or (except as may otherwise be required by law) designate itself as the same entity as or successor to any entity of such name, or otherwise use the word Primark or any other reference to the Adviser. Such covenants on the part of the Fund shall be binding upon it, its trustees, officers, shareholders, creditors and all other persons claiming under or through it.
11. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date of its execution, and
(a) unless otherwise terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date of execution, and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or the Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on, such approval;
(b) this Agreement may at any time be terminated on sixty days written notice to the Adviser either by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund;
(c) this Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment;
(d) this Agreement may be terminated by the Adviser on ninety days written notice to the Fund; and
(e) if the Adviser requires the Fund to change its name so as to eliminate all references to the word Primark, this Agreement shall automatically terminate at the time of such change unless the continuance of this Agreement after such change shall have been specifically approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by vote of a majority of the trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or the Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without the payment of any penalty.
12. This Agreement shall not be amended, nor shall any provision of this Agreement be considered modified or waived, unless evidenced by a writing signed by the parties hereto, and in compliance with applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, subject, however, to such exemptions or no-action positions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff under the 1940 Act.
13. For the purpose of this Agreement, the terms vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, interested person, affiliated person and assignment shall have their respective meanings defined in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions or no-action positions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff under the 1940 Act.
14. (a) In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, the Adviser shall not be subject to any liability to the Fund or to any shareholder of the Fund or to any other person, firm or organization, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder. The Fund shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and save harmless the Adviser, its affiliates and any of their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and shareholders (the Indemnitees) from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs and expenses, that are incurred by any Indemnitee and that arise out of or in connection with the performance or non-performance of or by the Indemnitee of any of the Advisers responsibilities hereunder, provided that an Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification hereunder only if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Fund; provided, however, that no Indemnitee shall be indemnified against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the Indemnitees duties under this Agreement (disabling conduct). An Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder only upon (i) a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that the Indemnitee was not liable by reason of disabling conduct or, (ii) in the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that the Indemnitee was not liable by reason of disabling conduct by either (A) the vote of a majority of a quorum of the Trustees who are neither interested persons of the Fund nor parties to the proceeding or (B) legal counsel selected by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, further provided that such counsels determination be written and provided to the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
(b) Expenses, including reasonable counsel fees incurred by the Indemnitee (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), shall be paid from time to time by the Fund in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding upon receipt by the Fund of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay amounts so paid to the Fund if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the term interested person shall have the same meaning set forth in the 1940 Act.
15. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered by mail, hand delivery or courier, or sent by facsimile or electronically to the requisite party, at its address as specified by such party.
16. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of Delaware which are applicable to contracts made and entirely to be performed therein, without regard to the place of performance hereunder.
17. This Agreement is executed on behalf of the Fund by an officer, and the obligations created hereby are not binding on any of the shareholders, Trustees, employees, or agents, whether past, present, or future, of the Fund individually, but bind only the assets and property of the Fund.
18. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts all of which counterparts together shall constitute one agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: | ||
PRIMARK ADVISORS LLC | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page Investment Management Agreement]
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this day of , 2020, by and between Primark Private Equity Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the Fund) and Foreside Financial Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Distributor).
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), as a non-diversified closed-end management investment company and operates as an interval fund, and is authorized to issue Shares of beneficial interest (Shares);
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain the Distributor as its principal underwriter in connection with the offering of the Shares of the Fund;
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act), and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA);
WHEREAS, this Agreement has been approved by a vote of the Funds board of trustees (the Board) and its disinterested trustees in conformity with Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor is willing to act as principal underwriter for the Fund on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Distributor. The Fund hereby appoints the Distributor as its principal underwriter for the distribution of Shares of the Fund, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement.
2. Services and Duties of the Distributor.
A. The Distributor agrees to act as the principal underwriter of the Fund for the distribution of Shares of the Fund upon the terms described in the Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term Prospectus shall mean each current prospectus, including the statement of additional information, as amended or supplemented, relating to the Fund and included in the currently effective registration statement(s) or post-effective amendment(s) thereto (the Registration Statement) of the Fund under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and the 1940 Act.
B. During the public offering of Shares of the Fund, the Distributor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute the Shares. All orders for Shares shall be made through financial intermediaries or directly to the Fund, or its designated agent. Such purchase
1
orders shall be deemed effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the Prospectus. The Fund or its designated agent will confirm orders and subscriptions upon receipt, will make appropriate book entries and, upon receipt of payment therefor, will issue the appropriate number of Shares in uncertificated form.
C. The Distributor shall maintain membership with the NSCC and any other similar successor organization to sponsor a participant number for the Fund so as to enable the Shares to be traded through FundSERV. The Distributor shall not be responsible for any operational matters associated with FundSERV or Networking transactions.
D. The Distributor acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to provide any information or make any representations regarding the Fund other than as contained in the Prospectus and any sales literature and advertising materials specifically approved by the Fund.
E. The Distributor agrees to review all proposed marketing materials for compliance with applicable FINRA and SEC advertising rules and regulations, and shall file with FINRA those marketing materials that it believes are in compliance with such laws and regulations. The Distributor agrees to furnish to the Fund any comments provided by regulators with respect to such materials.
F. The Fund agrees to redeem or repurchase Shares tendered by shareholders of the Fund in accordance with the Funds obligations in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement. The Fund reserves the right to suspend such repurchase right upon written notice to the Distributor.
G. The Distributor may, in its discretion, and shall, at the request of the Fund, enter into agreements with qualified broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (the Financial Intermediaries) in order that such Financial Intermediaries may sell Shares of the Fund. The form of any dealer agreement shall be approved by the Fund (Standard Dealer Agreement). The Distributor shall not be obligated to make any payments to the Financial Intermediaries or other third parties, unless (i) Distributor has received a payment from the Fund pursuant to such Funds plan of distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (Plan) and (ii) such Plan has been approved by the Funds Board.
H. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.
I. The Distributor shall prepare reports for the Board regarding its activities under this Agreement as from time to time shall be reasonably requested by the Board.
J. The services furnished by the Distributor hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Distributor shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby.
L. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Distributor shall not be required to register as a broker or dealer in any specific jurisdiction or to maintain its registration in any jurisdiction in which it is now registered.
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3. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Fund.
A. The Fund hereby represents and warrants to the Distributor, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(i) |
it is duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation/organization and is registered as a closed-end management investment company under the 1940 Act; |
(ii) |
this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; |
(iii) |
it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws/operating agreement or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; |
(iv) |
the Shares are validly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the description in the Prospectus, will be fully paid and nonassessable; |
(v) |
the Registration Statement and Prospectus included therein have been prepared in conformity with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; |
(vi) |
the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any marketing material prepared by the Fund or its agents do not and shall not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and that all statements or information furnished to the Distributor pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects; |
(vii) |
the Fund owns, possesses, licenses or has other rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks and service marks, trademark and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, Intellectual Property) necessary for or used in the conduct of the Funds business and for the offer, issuance, distribution and sale of the Fund Shares in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and this Agreement, and such Intellectual Property does not and will not breach or infringe the terms of any Intellectual Property owned, held or licensed by any third party; and |
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(viii) |
all necessary approvals, authorizations, consents or orders of or filings with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency have been or will be obtained by the Fund in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, including registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act, the filing with FINRAs corporate financing department through its Public Offering System, and any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered. |
B. The Fund shall take, or cause to be taken, all necessary action to register the Shares under the federal and all applicable state securities laws and to maintain an effective Registration Statement for such Shares in order to permit the sale of Shares as herein contemplated. The Fund authorizes the Distributor to use the Prospectus, in the form furnished to the Distributor from time to time, in connection with the sale of Shares.
C. The Fund agrees to advise the Distributor promptly in writing:
(i) |
of any material correspondence or other communication by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or its staff relating to the Fund, including requests by the SEC for amendments to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; |
(ii) |
in the event of the issuance by the SEC of any stop-order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect or the initiation of any proceeding for that purpose; |
(iii) |
of the happening of any event which makes untrue any statement of a material fact made in the Prospectus or which requires the making of a change in such Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading; |
(iv) |
of all actions taken by the SEC with respect to any amendments to any Registration Statement or Prospectus which may from time to time be filed with the SEC; |
(v) |
in the event that it determines to suspend the sale of Shares at any time in response to conditions in the securities markets or otherwise or to suspend the redemption of Shares of any Fund at any time as permitted by the 1940 Act or the rules of the SEC; and |
(vi) |
of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Fund or any of their officers or directors in connection with the issue and sale of any of the Shares. |
D. The Fund shall file such reports and other documents as may be required under applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including state blue sky laws, and shall notify the Distributor in writing of the states in which the Shares may be sold and of any changes to such information.
E. The Fund agrees to file from time to time such amendments to its Registration Statement and Prospectus as may be necessary in order that its Registration Statement and Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
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F. The Fund shall fully cooperate in the efforts of the Distributor to arrange for the distribution of Shares. In addition, the Fund shall keep the Distributor fully informed of its affairs and shall provide to the Distributor from time to time copies of all information, financial statements, and other papers that the Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, including, without limitation, certified copies of any financial statements prepared for the Fund by their independent public accountants and such reasonable number of copies of the most current Prospectus, statement of additional information and annual and interim reports to shareholders as the Distributor may request. The Fund shall forward a copy of any SEC filings, including the Registration Statement, to the Distributor within one business day of any such filings. The Fund represents that it will not use or authorize the use of any marketing material unless and until such materials have been approved and authorized for use by the Distributor.
G. The Fund shall provide, and cause each other agent or service provider to the Fund, including the Funds transfer agent and investment adviser, to provide, to Distributor in a timely and accurate manner all such information (and in such reasonable medium) that the Distributor may reasonably request that may be necessary for the Distributor to perform its duties under this Agreement.
H. The Fund shall not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that amends any provision therein which pertains to Distributor, the distribution of the Shares or the applicable sales loads or public offering price without giving Distributor reasonable advance notice thereof; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Funds right to file at any time such amendments to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional.
I. The Fund has adopted reasonably designed policies and procedures pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, the Fund (and relevant agents) shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent the unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Fund and the owners of the Shares.
4. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Distributor.
A. The Distributor hereby represents and warrants to the Fund, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(i) |
it is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; |
(ii) |
this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Distributor and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding |
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obligation of the Distributor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; |
(iii) |
it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, operating agreement or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and |
(iv) |
it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member in good standing of FINRA. |
B. In connection with all matters relating to this Agreement, the Distributor will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the regulations of FINRA and all other applicable federal or state laws and regulations to the extent such laws, rules, and regulations relate to Distributors role as the principal underwriter of the Fund.
C. The Distributor shall promptly notify the Fund of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Distributor or any of its managers, officers or directors in connection with the issue and sale of any of the Shares.
5. Compensation.
A. In consideration of Distributors services in connection with the distribution of Shares of the Fund, Distributor shall receive the compensation set forth in Exhibit A.
B. Except as specified in Section 5A, Distributor shall be entitled to no compensation or reimbursement of expenses for services provided by Distributor pursuant to this Agreement. Distributor may receive compensation from the Funds investment adviser related to its services hereunder or for additional services all as may be agreed to between the investment adviser and Distributor.
6. Expenses.
A. The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses in connection with registration of the Shares with the SEC and the applicable states, as well as all costs and expenses in connection with the offering of the Shares and communications with its shareholders, including but not limited to (i) fees and disbursements of its counsel and independent public accountants; (ii) costs and expenses of the preparation, filing, printing and mailing of Registration Statements and Prospectuses and amendments thereto, as well as related marketing material, (iii) costs and expenses of the preparation, printing and mailing of annual and interim reports, proxy materials and other communications to shareholders of the Fund; and (iv) fees required in connection with the offer and sale of Shares in such jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund pursuant to Section 3(D) hereof.
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B. The Distributor shall bear the expenses of registration or qualification of the Distributor as a dealer or broker under federal or state laws and the expenses of continuing such registration or qualification. The Distributor does not assume responsibility for any expenses not expressly assumed hereunder.
7. Indemnification.
A. The Fund shall indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor, its affiliates and each of their respective members, managers, directors, officers, employees, representatives and any person who controls or previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the Distributor Indemnitees), free and harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages and expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages or expenses and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, Losses) that any Distributor Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or relating to (i) the Distributor serving as principal underwriter of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the Funds breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (iii) the Funds failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (iv) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading under the 1933 Act, or any other statute or the common law any violation of any rule of FINRA or of the SEC or any other jurisdiction wherein Shares of the Fund is sold, provided, however, that the Funds obligation to indemnify any of the Distributor Indemnitees shall not be deemed to cover any Losses arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, annual or interim report, or any such advertising materials or sales literature in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Distributor and furnished to the Fund or its counsel by the Distributor in writing for use is such Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports, or sales literature and advertising materials. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Distributor against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which the Distributor would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.
The Funds agreement to indemnify the Distributor Indemnitees with respect to any action is expressly conditioned upon the Fund being notified of such action or claim of loss brought against any Distributor Indemnitee, within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Distributor Indemnitee, unless the failure to give notice does not prejudice the Fund. Such notification shall be given by letter or by telegram addressed to the Funds President, but the failure so to notify the
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Fund of any such action shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which the Fund may have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise than on account of the Funds indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7(A).
B. The Fund shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such Losses, but if the Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Fund and approved by the Distributor, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the Distributor Indemnitee(s) in such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or in case the Distributor does not, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, approve of counsel chosen by the Fund or, if under prevailing law or legal codes of ethics, the same counsel cannot effectively represent the interests of both the Fund and the Distributor Indemnitee(s), the Fund will reimburse the Distributor Indemnitee(s) in such suit, for the fees and expenses of any counsel retained by Distributor and them. The Funds indemnification agreement contained in Sections 7(A) and 7(B) shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Distributor Indemnitee(s), and shall survive the delivery of any Shares and the termination of this Agreement. This agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to the Distributors benefit, to the benefit of each Distributor Indemnitee.
C. The Fund shall advance attorneys fees and other expenses incurred by a Distributor Indemnitee in defending any claim, demand, action or suit which is the subject of a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 to the maximum extent permissible under applicable law.
D. The Distributor shall indemnify, defend and hold the Fund, their affiliates, and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, and any person who controls or previously controlled the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the Fund Indemnitees), free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Fund Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon (i) the Distributors breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (ii) the Distributors failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (iii) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements not misleading, insofar as such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by the Distributor in writing for use in such Registration Statement, Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Fund. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Fund against any liability to the Distributor to which the Fund would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.
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The Distributors agreement to indemnify the Fund Indemnitees is expressly conditioned upon the Distributors being notified of any action or claim of loss brought against a Fund Indemnitee, such notification to be given by letter or telegram addressed to the Distributors President, within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Fund Indemnitee, unless the failure to give notice does not prejudice the Distributor. The failure so to notify the Distributor of any such action shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, otherwise than on account of the Distributors indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7(D).
E. The Distributor shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such Losses, but if the Distributor elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Distributor and approved by the Fund Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the Fund Indemnitee(s) in such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or in case the Fund does not, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, approve of counsel chosen by the Distributor or, if under prevailing law or legal codes of ethics, the same counsel cannot effectively represent the interests of both the Distributor and the Fund Indemnitee(s), the Distributor will reimburse the Fund Indemnitee(s) in such suit, for the fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the Fund and them. The Distributors indemnification agreement contained in Sections 7(D) and (E) shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Fund Indemnitee(s), and shall survive the delivery of any Shares and the termination of this Agreement. This Agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to the Funds benefit, to the benefit of each Fund Indemnitee.
F. No person shall be obligated to provide indemnification under this Section 7 if such indemnification would be impermissible under the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or the rules of the FINRA; provided, however, in such event indemnification shall be provided under this Section 7 to the maximum extent so permissible.
8. Dealer Agreement Indemnification.
A. Both parties acknowledge and agree that certain large and significant broker-dealers, such as (without limitation) Merrill Lynch, UBS and Morgan Stanley (all such brokers referred to herein as the Brokers), require that Distributor enter into dealer agreements (the Non-Standard Dealer Agreements) that contain certain representations, undertakings and indemnification that are not included in the Standard Dealer Agreement.
B. To the extent that Distributor enters into any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement, after review and approval by the Fund, the Fund shall indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor
9
Indemnitees free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Distributor Indemnitee may incur arising out of or relating to (a) Distributors actions or failures to act pursuant to any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement; (b) any representations made by Distributor in any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement to the extent that Distributor is not required to make such representations in the Standard Dealer Agreement; or (c) any indemnification provided by Distributor under a Non-Standard Dealer Agreement to the extent that such indemnification is beyond the indemnification Distributor provides to intermediaries in the Standard Dealer Agreement. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Distributor Indemnitees against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which the Distributor Indemnitees would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of Distributors obligations or duties under the Non-Standard Dealer Agreement or by reason of Distributors reckless disregard of its obligations or duties under the Non-Standard Dealer Agreement.
9. Limitations on Damages. Neither Party shall be liable for any consequential, special or indirect losses or damages suffered by the other Party, whether or not the likelihood of such losses or damages was known by the Party.
10. Force Majeure. Neither Party shall be liable for losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, Acts of Nature (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster); action or inaction of civil or military authority; acts of foreign enemies; war; terrorism; riot; insurrection; sabotage; epidemics; labor disputes; civil commotion; or interruption, loss or malfunction of utilities, transportation, computer or communications capabilities; provided, however, that in each specific case such circumstance shall be beyond the reasonable control of the party seeking to apply this force majeure clause.
11. Duration and Termination.
A. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date. Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date hereof. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue automatically in effect for successive one-year periods, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Funds Board or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, in accordance with Section 15 of the 1940 Act.
B. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Fund (i) through a failure to renew this Agreement at the end of a term or (ii) upon mutual consent of the parties. Further, this Agreement may be terminated upon no less than 60 days written notice, by either the Fund through a vote of a majority of the members of the Board who are not interested persons, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Agreement or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, or by the Distributor.
C. This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment as such term is defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.
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12. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance.
A. Each of Distributor and the Fund acknowledge that it is a financial institution subject to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act (collectively, the AML Acts), which require, among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each Party represents and warrants to the other that it is in compliance with and will continue to comply with the AML Acts and applicable regulations in all relevant respects.
B. Each of Distributor and the Fund agrees that it will take such further steps, and cooperate with the other as may be reasonably necessary, to facilitate compliance with the AML Acts, including but not limited to the provision of copies of its written procedures, policies and controls related thereto (AML Operations). Distributor undertakes that it will grant to the Fund, the Funds anti-money laundering compliance officer and appropriate regulatory agencies, reasonable access to copies of Distributors AML Operations, and related books and records to the extent they pertain to the Distributors services hereunder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the Fund and the Funds compliance officer shall have no access to any of Distributors AML Operations, books or records pertaining to other clients or services of Distributor.
13. Privacy. In accordance with Regulation S-P, the Distributor will not disclose any non-public personal information, as defined in Regulation S-P, received from the Fund or any Fund regarding any Fund shareholder; provided, however, that the Distributor may disclose such information to any party as necessary in the ordinary course of business to carry out the purposes for which such information was disclosed to the Distributor. The Distributor shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to consumers and customers of the Fund.
The Fund represents to the Distributor that it has adopted a Statement of its privacy policies and practices as required by Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-P and agrees to provide to the Distributor a copy of that statement annually. The Distributor agrees to use reasonable precautions to protect, and prevent the unintentional disclosure of, such non-public personal information.
14. Confidentiality. During the term of this Agreement, the Distributor and the Fund may have access to confidential information relating to such matters as either partys business, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, products, contracts, personnel, and clients. As used in this Agreement, Confidential Information means non-public or proprietary information belonging to the Distributor or the Fund which is of value to such party and the disclosure of which could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to either party, including, without limitation, financial information, business practices and policies, know-how, trade secrets, market or sales information or plans, customer lists, business plans, and all provisions of this Agreement. Confidential Information does not include: (i) information that was known to the receiving Party before receipt thereof from or on behalf of the Disclosing Party; (ii) information that is disclosed to the Receiving Party by a third person who has a right to make such disclosure without any obligation of
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confidentiality to the Party seeking to enforce its rights under this Section; (iii) information that is or becomes generally known in the trade without violation of this Agreement by the Receiving Party; or (iv) information that is independently developed by the Receiving Party or its employees or affiliates without reference to the Disclosing Partys information.
Each party will protect the others Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses with respect to its own Confidential Information, and will not use the other partys Confidential Information other than in connection with its obligations hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party may disclose the others Confidential Information if (i) required by law, regulation or legal process or if requested by any regulatory or self-regulatory agency; (ii) it is advised by counsel that it may incur liability for failure to make such disclosure; (iii) requested to by the other party; provided that in the event of (i) or (ii) the disclosing party shall give the other party reasonable prior notice of such disclosure to the extent reasonably practicable and cooperate with the other party (at such other partys expense) in any efforts to prevent such disclosure.
15. Notices.
Any notice or other communication authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to either party shall be in writing and deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by confirmed facsimile, electronic mail, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to the other):
(i) To Distributor: | (ii) To the Fund: | |
Foreside Financial Services, LLC Attn: Legal Department Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100 Portland, ME 04101 Telephone: (207) 553-7110 Facsimile: (207) 553-7151 Email:legal@foreside.com |
Primark Private Equity Fund Attn: Michael Bell 205 Detroit Street, 2nd Floor Denver, CO 80206 Telephone: 212-802-8500
Email: mbell@primarkcapital.com |
16. Modifications. The terms of this Agreement shall not be waived, altered, modified, amended or supplemented in any manner whatsoever except by a written instrument signed by the Distributor and the Fund. If required under the 1940 Act, any such amendment must be approved by the Funds Board, including a majority of the Funds Board who are not interested persons, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, of any party to this Agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting for the purpose of voting on such amendment.
17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
18. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties hereto and supersedes all prior communications, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.
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19. Survival. The provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, and 19 of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
20. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. This Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by both the Distributor and the Fund and no presumptions shall arise in favor of any party by virtue of authorship of any provision of this Agreement. This Agreement has been negotiated and executed by the parties in English. In the event any translation of this Agreement is prepared for convenience or any other purpose, the provisions of the English version shall prevail.
21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the Parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same document.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | ||||
By: |
|
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Name: | Michael Bell | |||
Title: | President | |||
FORESIDE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC | ||||
By: |
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Name: | Mark Fairbanks | |||
Title: | Vice President |
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EXHIBIT A
Compensation
SALES LOADS:
Any and all upfront commissions on sales of Shares notified by a Fund in writing to the Distributor in respect of a particular Financial Intermediary up to the maximum such upfront commission rate set forth in the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, filed with the SEC and in effect at the time of sale of such Shares.
Such commissions shall not exceed % of the applicable sale amount and shall be paid by the Distributor to the applicable Financial Intermediaries as set forth in the Registration Statement and only after, for so long as and to the extent that the Distributor has received such sales loads from the applicable Fund.
DISTRIBUTION FEE:
The Fund will pay the Distributor an ongoing quarterly fee at an annualized rate of % of the net assets of the Fund and such fee shall be paid by the Distributor to the applicable Financial Intermediaries as set forth in the Registration Statement and only after, for so long as and to the extent that the Distributor has received such sales loads from the applicable Fund.
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PRIVATE PLACEMENT AGENT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made as of the day of 201 , by and among the (the Fund), [ADVISER] a [STATE] [Corporation, LLC], the investment adviser to the Funds with its principal office and place of business at (the Investment Adviser), and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, with its principal office and place of business at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (Placement Agent).
WHEREAS, the Fund has been registered as a closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act);
WHEREAS, units in the Fund (Units) have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the Act) and it is intended that Units shall not be required to be registered under the Act by virtue of the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) thereof and Rule 506 under Regulation D thereunder;
WHEREAS, investments in the Fund will be made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Private Placement Memorandum of the Fund (as amended from time to time, the Offering Memorandum);
WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser and the Fund desire to retain Placement Agent to advise, consult with and assist the Fund with the private placement of Units; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions upon which Placement Agent will serve as private placement agent for the Fund;
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
SECTION 1. |
OFFERING OF UNITS; PLACEMENT AGENTS DUTIES |
(a) Placement Agent is hereby authorized to act as agent of the Fund for the placement of the Units during the term of this Agreement and subject to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and the laws governing the sale of securities in the various states (the Blue Sky Laws). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, only officers or employees of the Investment Adviser (Adviser Reps) shall solicit potential investors, distribute marketing materials, subscription and other materials to potential investors, or otherwise service or assist in the offering of the Units during the term of this Agreement. The Adviser Reps shall identify U.S.-domiciled Institutional Investors (as defined in Section 2211(a)(3) of the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)) and certain qualified investors, who are U.S. Persons (as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Act), accredited investors (as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Act), and meet other eligibility standards set forth in the Offering Memorandum, as amended or supplemented from time to time (investors meeting all of the foregoing qualifications, Eligible Investors). The provisions of this paragraph do not obligate Placement Agent to register as a broker or dealer under the Blue Sky Laws of any jurisdiction when it determines it would be uneconomical for it to do so or to maintain its registration in any jurisdiction in which it is now registered or obligate Placement Agent to sell any particular number of Units.
(b) Subject to applicable law and as requested by the Fund, the Placement Agent shall enter into agreements (Sub-Placement Agent Agreements) with financial intermediaries (each a Financial Intermediary and collectively, Financial Intermediaries).
(c) The Placement Agent shall devote such time and personnel as it, in its discretion, deems appropriate, and shall not be required to devote any minimum amount of time or personnel, or raise any minimum amount of funds, in connection with its services hereunder.
(d) The Placement Agent agrees to review all proposed advertising materials and sales literature for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and, if required by law and/or regulation, shall file with appropriate regulators such advertising materials and sales literature. The Placement Agent agrees to furnish to the Client any comments provided by regulators with respect to such materials.
(e) This Agreement shall not be deemed to restrict or limit the ability of the Placement Agent and its affiliates to provide other services to the Fund or its affiliates or to receive compensation for such services.
(f) All subscriptions for Units shall be made through Financial Intermediaries or Adviser Reps and directed to the Fund for acceptance and shall not be binding on the Fund until accepted by it. The Fund shall have the right to accept or reject any subscription in accordance with the terms of its governing documents and its Offering Memorandum. The Fund shall give notice of such determination to the individual subscriber and the Sub-Placement Agent responsible for the subscription. No interest will be paid to subscribers on rejected subscriptions.
(g) The Placement Agent shall be held harmless and shall incur no liability whatsoever in the event that the purchase of Units under any subscription is not consummated due to any action or omission of the subscriber, the Fund, the Financial Intermediaries, or any other reason other than the willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of the Placement Agent. The Placement Agent shall not have any obligation to purchase any of the Units as principal under any circumstances.
(h) Placement Agent agrees that it will not conduct, and will not authorize or permit any Financial Intermediary to conduct, a general solicitation or general advertising (as such terms are defined in Regulation D) with respect to the Units.
(i) The activities that are conducted by Placement Agent with respect to the Fund shall be undertaken only in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Offering Memorandum, applicable laws and regulations, and the terms of this Agreement. Placement Agent will require each Financial Intermediary to ensure that prospective Eligible Investors are required to execute and deliver a Subscription Agreement to the Fund in connection with their initial subscription for Units. The Fund shall furnish copies of the Offering Memorandum and the Subscription Agreement to the Financial Intermediaries in reasonable quantities upon request.
(j) Placement Agent shall permit Financial Intermediaries to offer the Units only to Eligible Investors only in jurisdictions in which the Fund is permitted to offer its Units, provided that the Fund or the Investment Adviser has provided Placement Agent in advance with a list of jurisdictions in which such offering may not be made.
SECTION 2. |
COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS |
(a) With respect to their respective activities under this Agreement, Placement Agent and the Fund each agree that it will comply with the applicable requirements of (i) the Act (including Regulation D), (ii) the 1940 Act, (iii) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act) (including all regulations, rules and releases under all such statutes), (iv) the Blue Sky Laws of the state or jurisdiction in which such sale is made and (v) with respect to Placement Agent, with all applicable rules and regulations of FINRA. In connection with the foregoing, Placement Agent agrees to comply with such procedures as may be necessary in order that no act or omission to act by Placement Agent in connection with the Funds offering of Units shall cause to become unavailable the exemption from registration of the Units under the Act provided by Section 4(2) thereof and Rule 506 of Regulation D thereunder.
Placement Agent acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in (i) the Offering Memorandum or (ii) any sales literature, performance reports, financial statements and other written materials provided by or on behalf of the Fund in connection with the placement of Units (all such materials except the Offering Memorandum being collectively referred to as Related Offering Materials).
(b) Units in the Fund will be offered on a private placement basis to Eligible Investors only. Neither the Fund nor any person acting on its behalf, shall offer or sell Units by any form of general solicitation or general advertising, including, without limitation, the methods described in Rule 502(c) of Regulation D under the Act.
(c) The Fund shall prepare the Offering Memorandum and the application for Units to be used in connection with all subscriptions (the Subscription Application). During the continuous offering, the Fund will deliver to the Placement Agent, without charge, at its principal place of business, as many copies of the foregoing documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.
(d) The Fund shall extend to prospective investors an opportunity, prior to purchase of any Units, to ask questions and receive answers concerning the Fund and the terms and conditions of the offering, and to obtain such additional information as the prospective investor may consider necessary in making an informed investment decision.
(e) The Placement Agent may rely upon advice given by the Fund and the Funds counsel, from time to time, as to the legality of, and any restrictions placed on, the offer or sale
of Units in jurisdictions where Units are or may be offered. Subject to the foregoing and other provisions of this Agreement, the Placement Agent is responsible for complying with all applicable U.S. federal and state laws, rules and regulations directly applicable to the Placement Agent in connection with its services hereunder, including applicable rules of FINRA.
(f) The Fund agrees that no Units shall be offered in any jurisdiction outside of the United States (a Foreign Jurisdiction) unless
(i) The Fund obtains prior written approval from Placement Agent.
(ii) The Fund notifies Placement Agent in writing of any contemplated offering in a Foreign Jurisdiction, in each case setting forth the following information: (A) name of the Fund; (B) the applicable Foreign Jurisdiction; (C) whether, and, if so, with which regulatory authorities the Fund may need to be registered; (D) the location(s) from which the offering activities are proposed to be conducted and the scope of such activities; (E) whether the Fund will be offered or sold to investors or intended investors through agents that are licensed to do the same in the applicable Foreign Jurisdiction; and (F) such other information, including legal analysis, as Placement Agent may reasonably deem relevant.
(iii) The Fund shall certify to Placement Agent that, based on the activity of registered representatives in the applicable foreign jurisdiction, the Fund has taken all necessary action to comply with the laws and regulations of such foreign jurisdiction (Foreign Laws and Regulations) to offer and sell its Units in the applicable foreign jurisdiction including registration of such Units, if required. The Fund must also provide Placement Agent with written confirmation from outside counsel stating that, provided that Fund has complied with the applicable Foreign Laws and Regulations, such Foreign Laws and Regulations do not require registration or any other action by Placement Agent with respect to that foreign jurisdiction.
(iv) Placement Agent reserves the right to restrict or prohibit any offering in a Foreign Jurisdiction as Placement Agent reasonably deems necessary, in consultation with the Fund, to comply with applicable law.
(v) The Fund and Investment Adviser represent that they have in place policies and procedures to comply with the laws, rules and regulations of any Foreign Jurisdiction governing private offerings of the Fund.
SECTION 3. |
STATE BLUE SKY QUALIFICATION |
The Fund will be responsible for ensuring that any notices or filings are made, that are necessary for the purposes of achieving an exemption from registration of the Units under the Blue Sky Laws as may be applicable in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the filing of documents with the SEC and relevant states. The Fund will furnish any required consent to service of process in connection therewith.
The Fund or the Investment Adviser shall advise Placement Agent from time to time concerning the states and other jurisdictions in which solicitations of Eligible Investors by or on behalf of the Fund may be made under the applicable Blue Sky Laws. Upon request by Placement Agent, the Fund or the Investment Adviser shall provide evidence of qualification of Units in each applicable state or jurisdiction. The Fund shall ensure that any individual who solicits Eligible Investors in the Fund is appropriately licensed or registered in the appropriate jurisdictions before any solicitation is made in such jurisdiction.
SECTION 4. |
INDEPENDENT AGENT |
In performing its duties hereunder, Placement Agent shall be regarded as an independent agent. Except as specifically contemplated by Section 1(b) of this Agreement, Placement Agent shall not have any right or authority to create any obligations of any kind on behalf of either the Fund or the Investment Adviser and shall make no representation to any third party to the contrary. Placement Agent may provide services similar to those provided under this Agreement for any other person or entity on such terms as may be arranged with such person or entity, and Placement Agent shall not be required to disclose to the Fund or the Investment Adviser any fact or thing that may come to the knowledge of Placement Agent in the course of so doing.
SECTION 5. |
CONFIDENTIALITY |
(a) Placement Agent agrees to treat all records and other information related to the Fund as proprietary information of the Fund and, on behalf of itself and its employees, to keep confidential all such information, except that, to the extent consistent with applicable law and regulation, Placement Agent may (i) provide information to Placement Agents counsel and to persons engaged by the Fund or the Investment Adviser to provide services with respect to the Fund; (ii) identify, if approved in writing by the Investment Adviser, the Investment Adviser as a client of Placement Agent for Placement Agents sales and marketing purposes; and (iii) release information as approved in writing by the Fund or its authorized agents, provided, however, that Placement Agent may release information without such approval if such information is requested pursuant to, or required by, law, regulation, legal process or regulatory authority; provided, further, however, that, in such event, Placement Agent shall endeavor promptly to advise the Fund of such request or requirement, to the extent practicable in advance of any actual release of information.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, for purposes of this Section 5 the following information shall not be deemed confidential information: (i) information that was known to Placement Agent before receipt thereof from or on behalf of the Fund or the Investment Adviser; (ii) information that is disclosed to Placement Agent by a third person whom Placement Agent reasonably believes has a right to make such disclosure without any obligation of confidentiality to the Fund or the Investment Adviser; (iii) information that becomes generally available to the public without violation of this Agreement by Placement Agent; or (iv) information that is independently developed by Placement Agent, or those of its employees or affiliates to whom such information was not disclosed, and without reference to the Funds or the Investment Advisers information.
SECTION 6. |
TERMINATION |
(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first set forth above and shall remain in effect until the second anniversary thereof. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect from year to year, provided that each such continuance is approved by the Board of Managers, including the vote of a majority of the Board of Managers who are not interested persons, as defined by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, of the Fund.
(b) After this Agreement is effective, any party may terminate it (with or without cause) by at least thirty (30) days advance written notice to the other parties. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Placement Agents exclusion from or suspension by FINRA will automatically terminate this Agreement without notice. The provisions of Sections 5, 10, 11 and 12 shall survive any termination of this Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as such term is defined by the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.
SECTION 7. |
REPRESENTATIONS OF PLACEMENT AGENT |
Placement Agent represents and warrants to the Fund and Investment Adviser that:
(a) It is a limited liability company duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and it is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of Maine;
(b) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into this Agreement and perform its duties under this Agreement;
(c) All requisite limited liability company actions have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
(d) It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
(e) This Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of Placement Agent, enforceable against Placement Agent in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and
(f) It is registered under the 1934 Act with the SEC as a broker-dealer, it is a member in good standing of FINRA.
SECTION 8. |
DUTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND |
(a) The Fund shall furnish to Placement Agent copies of the Offering Memorandum and supplements or amendments thereto as requested, and shall otherwise cooperate with reasonable requests for documents or other information by Placement Agent in connection with its activities hereunder. The Fund shall make available to Placement Agent the number of copies of such materials as Placement Agent shall reasonably request. The Fund recognizes and confirms that in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement, Placement Agent does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the documents described herein.
(b) The Fund represents and warrants to Placement Agent that:
(i) It is organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization;
(ii) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement;
(iii) All proceedings required by its organizational documents have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform its duties under this Agreement;
(iv) Pursuant to its organizational documents, the Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Units in the Fund. The liability of each holder of Units in the Fund for the losses, debts and obligations of the Fund, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall generally be limited to the holders capital contribution to the Fund.
(v) This Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;
(vi) The Units have not been and will not be registered under the Act or the Blue Sky Laws of any state of the United States or any other jurisdiction. The Units have been authorized for sale as contemplated by the Offering Memorandum. Once payment is received, the Units issued will conform to the description contained in the Offering Memorandum, as amended or supplemented. The offer and sale of the Units in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum will be exempt from the registration requirements of the Act pursuant to Section 4(2) thereof and Regulation D thereunder. All statements of fact contained or to be contained in the Offering Memorandum are or will be true and correct in all material respects at the time indicated and the Offering Memorandum will not at any time include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to a purchaser of Units;
(vii) The Fund has policies, procedures and internal controls in place that are reasonably designed to comply with anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including a customer identification program, and the regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control;
(viii) The Units will not be offered in jurisdictions outside of the United States, except as permitted under Section 2(f) of this Agreement; and
(ix) The Units will be offered and sold only to Eligible Investors.
(c) The Fund shall, at its expense, amend or supplement the Offering Memorandum if, at any time, an amendment or supplement is necessary to comply with applicable laws, or is necessary to correct any materially untrue statement in the Offering Memorandum or to eliminate any material omission therein or any omission therein which makes any of the statements therein materially misleading. The Fund shall notify Placement Agent promptly (i) upon discovery of any untrue statement of a material fact in the Offering Memorandum or an omission to state therein a material fact required or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and/or (ii) of the occurrence of any event or change in circumstances, of which the Fund is aware or should be aware, that results in the Offering Memorandum containing an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state therein a material fact required or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
The Fund shall not amend the Offering Memorandum without giving Placement Agent notice reasonably in advance of its effectiveness; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall, in any way limit the Funds right to amend the Offering Memorandum as the Fund may deem advisable.
(d) The Fund shall advise Placement Agent promptly: (i) of any request by the SEC or any state securities examiner for amendments to the Offering Memorandum or for additional information related to the Fund; (ii) in the event of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities examiner of any stop order suspending the use of the Offering Memorandum or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) of the happening of any material event, of which the Fund is aware or should be aware, that makes untrue any statement made in the Funds then current Offering Memorandum or which requires the making of a change in such document(s) in order to make the statements therein not misleading; (iv) of all action of the SEC or any state securities examiner with respect to any amendments to the Fund; and (v) any litigation or written threat of litigation, of which the Fund is aware or should be aware, by any person relating to the offering of Units.
(e) Subject to the duties assigned to Placement Agent under this Agreement, the Fund shall bear full responsibility for conducting its operations and affairs (including the preparation of the Funds governing documents, the Offering Memorandum, the Subscription Application, and all Related Offering Materials) in compliance with applicable laws, including (i) those governing the private placement of Units in accordance with Regulation D under the Act; (ii) the 1940 Act, and rules thereunder, (iii) any relevant provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act) and the rules thereunder, and (iv) other applicable laws, rules and exemptions, such as (if applicable) Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended. All restrictions relevant to the offering of Units as may be necessary or appropriate in light of the foregoing at any time shall be set forth in the most recent version of the Offering Memorandum provided to Placement Agent by the Fund.
(f) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, Placement Agent shall be under no duty to comply with or take any action as a result of any amendment to the Funds governing documents, the Offering Memorandum, the Subscription Application, any Related Offering Materials or any Fund policy. No such amendment that is materially adverse to or imposes materially different or additional duties upon the Placement Agent may be made unless
Placement Agent expressly consents thereto in advance in writing. The Fund will submit to Placement Agent for approval prior to use, the Offering Memorandum, any amendment or supplement thereto, and any other Related Offering Materials or documents distributed to Fund investors or potential investors (whether or not as part of the Placement) in which Placement Agent is mentioned.
SECTION 9. |
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER |
The Investment Adviser represents and warrants to Placement Agent that:
(a) It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of and is duly qualified to carry on its business in ;
(b) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into this Agreement and perform its duties under this Agreement;
(c) All requisite actions have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
(d) It has access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
(e) This Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of Investment Adviser, enforceable against Investment Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;
(f) It is registered under the Advisers Act with the SEC as an as investment adviser, it will abide by the rules and regulations of the SEC, and it will notify the Fund and Placement Agent if its registration with the SEC is terminated or suspended; and
(g) It has policies, procedures and internal controls in place that are reasonably designed to comply with anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including a customer identification program, and the regulations administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control.
SECTION 10. |
STANDARD OF CARE |
(a) Placement Agent shall be under no duty to take any action under this Agreement except as specifically set forth herein or as may be specifically agreed to by Placement Agent in a written amendment to this Agreement.
(b) Neither Placement Agent nor any other Placement Agent Indemnitee (as defined in Section 10) shall be liable for any action taken or for any failure to take an action based on reasonable reliance upon:
(i) the written instructions of the Fund (including an officer of the Fund), or of counsel to the Fund; for purposes of this clause, procedures adopted by Placement Agent related to the implementation by Placement Agent of its obligations hereunder and the other activities contemplated to be taken by Placement Agent hereunder (acting individually or through its registered representatives) that have been reviewed and approved by the Fund or counsel to the Fund shall be deemed to be written instructions of the Fund or counsel to the Fund;
(ii) any written instruction or certified copy of any resolution of the Board of directors, trustees or managers of the Investment Adviser or the Fund, and Placement Agent may rely upon the genuineness of any such document or copy thereof reasonably believed by Placement Agent to have been validly executed; or
(iii) any signature, instruction, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, statement, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or other document reasonably believed by Placement Agent to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the Investment Adviser or the Fund or other proper party or parties, and Placement Agent shall not be under any duty or obligation to inquire into the validity or invalidity or authority or lack thereof of any statement, written instruction, resolution, signature, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or any other document or instrument which Placement Agent reasonably believes to be genuine.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Placement Agent shall be liable to the Fund and any of the Funds Unitholders only for any damages arising out of Placement Agents failure to perform its duties under this Agreement to the extent such damages were caused by Placement Agents willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard in the performance of such duties.
(d) Placement Agent shall not be liable for the delays or errors of other service providers to the Fund, including the failure by any such service provider to provide information to Placement Agent when they have a duty to do so (irrespective of whether that duty is owed specifically to Placement Agent or a third party).
SECTION 11. |
INDEMNIFICATION |
(a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Placement Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Fund and the Investment Adviser will indemnify, defend and hold Placement Agent, its employees, agents, directors and officers and any person who controls Placement Agent within the meaning of section 15 of the Act or section 20 of the 1934 Act (the Placement Agent Indemnitees) free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character (including the cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands, actions, suits or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) that any Placement Agent Indemnitee may incur, under the
Act, the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon (collectively, Placement Agent Claims):
(i) any material action (or omission to act) of Placement Agent or its agents taken in connection with this Agreement; provided that such action (or omission to act) is taken without willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard by Placement Agent of its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
(ii) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials or necessary to make the statements in any the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished in writing to the Fund or the Investment Adviser in connection with the preparation of such Funds Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials by or on behalf of Placement Agent;
(iii) any material breach of the agreements, representations, warranties and covenants by the Fund and the Investment Adviser in this Agreement; or
(iv) the reliance on or use by Placement Agent or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or the Investment Adviser.
(b) The Fund and the Investment Adviser may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any Placement Agent Claim and may retain counsel of good standing chosen by such Fund and the Investment Adviser and approved by the relevant Placement Agent Indemnitee(s), which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably. The Fund and the Investment Adviser shall advise the Placement Agent Indemnitee(s) that it will assume the defense of the suit and retains counsel within ten (10) days of receipt of the notice of the claim. If the Fund and the Investment Adviser assume the defense of any such suit and retain counsel, the Placement Agent Indemnitee(s) shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel that they retain. If the Fund and the Investment Adviser do not assume the defense of any such suit, or if the Placement Agent Indemnitee(s) does not approve of counsel chosen by the Fund and the Investment Adviser or has been advised that it may have available defenses or claims that are not available to or conflict with those available to the Fund and the Investment Adviser, the Fund and Investment Adviser will reimburse any Placement Agent Indemnitee named as defendant in such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel that person retains. A Placement Agent Indemnitee shall not settle or confess any claim without the prior written consent of the Fund and the Investment Adviser, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Fund shall not be responsible for, and Placement Agent will indemnify, defend, and hold the Fund, the Investment Adviser and their respective officers and directors (collectively, the Fund Indemnitees), free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character (including the cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands, actions, suits or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) that any Fund Indemnitee may incur, under the Act, the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act or under common law or otherwise, but only to the extent that such claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities,
losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and other expenses result from, arise out of or are based upon (collectively, Fund Claims):
(i) any material action (or omission to act) of Placement Agent or its agents taken in connection with this Agreement; provided that such action (or omission to act) is the result of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard by Placement Agent of its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
(ii) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials or necessary to make the statements in the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund in writing by or on behalf of Placement Agent in connection with the preparation of the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials; or
(iii) any material breach of the agreements, representations, warranties and covenants by Placement Agent in this Agreement.
(d) Placement Agent may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any Fund Claim and may retain counsel of good standing chosen by Placement Agent and approved by the relevant Fund Indemnitee(s), which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably. Placement Agent shall advise the Fund Indemnitee(s) that it will assume the defense of the suit and retain counsel within ten (10) days of receipt of the notice of the claim. If Placement Agent assumes the defense of any such suit and retains counsel, the Fund Indemnitee(s) shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel that they retain. If Placement Agent does not assume the defense of any such suit, or if the Fund Indemnitee(s) does not approve of counsel chosen by Placement Agent or has been advised that it may have available defenses or claims that are not available to or conflict with those available to Placement Agent, Placement Agent will reimburse any Fund Indemnitee named as defendant in such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel that person retains. A Fund Indemnitee shall not settle or confess any claim without the prior written consent of Placement Agent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
(e) Each partys obligations to provide indemnification under this Section are conditioned upon that party receiving notice of any action brought against a Placement Agent Indemnitee or Fund Indemnitee, respectively, by the person against whom such action is brought as promptly as reasonably possible after the summons or other first legal process is served. Such notice shall refer to the person or persons against whom the action is brought. The failure to provide such notice shall not relieve the party entitled to such notice of any liability that it may have to any Placement Agent Indemnitee or Fund Indemnitee except to the extent that the ability of the party entitled to such notice to defend such action has been materially adversely affected by the failure to provide notice.
(f) The provisions of this Section and the parties representations and warranties in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Placement Agent Indemnitee or Fund Indemnitee and shall survive the sale and redemption of any Units made pursuant to subscriptions obtained by Placement Agent and the termination of this Agreement. The indemnification provisions of this Section will inure exclusively to the benefit of each person that may be a Placement Agent Indemnitee or Fund Indemnitee at any time and their respective successors and assigns (it being intended that such persons be deemed to be third party beneficiaries under this Agreement).
(g) Each party agrees promptly to notify the other party of the commencement of any litigation or proceeding of which it becomes aware arising out of or in any way connected with the issuance or sale of Units.
(h) Nothing contained herein shall require the Fund to take any action contrary to any provision of its Offering Memorandum or any applicable statute or regulation or shall require Placement Agent to take any action contrary to any provision of its governing documents or any applicable statute or regulation; provided, however, that neither the Fund nor Placement Agent may amend the Offering Memorandum or Related Offering Materials or their respective governing documents in any manner that would result in a violation of a representation or warranty made in this Agreement.
(i) No party hereto shall be liable for any consequential, special or indirect losses or damages suffered by another party hereto, whether or not the likelihood of such losses or damages was known by the party.
SECTION 12. |
COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES |
(a) The Fund acknowledges that Placement Agent will enter into a separate services agreement with the Investment Adviser pursuant to which the Investment Adviser will compensate Placement Agent and reimburse certain expenses of Placement Agent in consideration of services provided by Placement Agent to the Investment Adviser with respect to the Fund.
(b) Placement Agent may receive a placement fee from the Fund in connection with the sale of Units by Financial Intermediaries, which fee shall be paid to such Financial Intermediaries pursuant to a Sub-Placement Agent Agreement entered into by and between Placement Agent and each Financial Intermediary.
(c) The Fund will pay, or will cause to be paid, all costs and expenses relating to (i) the preparation and photocopying or printing of its Offering Memorandum, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and Related Offering Materials; (ii) the exemption from registration or qualification of Units for offer and sale under Regulation D and under all relevant Blue Sky Laws; (iii) the furnishing to Placement Agent of copies of the Funds Offering Memorandum and all amendments or supplements thereto and of Related Offering Materials and other documents reasonably requested by Placement Agent, in such quantities as may be reasonably requested by Placement Agent, including costs of shipping and mailing; (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel to the Fund in connection with the organization and maintenance of the Fund and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (v) all other expenses of the Fund which are not the express obligations of Placement Agent as set forth in this Agreement.
(d) As between Placement Agent and the Fund, Placement Agent shall pay all expenses relating to its broker-dealer qualification.
SECTION 13. |
MISCELLANEOUS |
(a) No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by all parties hereto.
(b) This Agreement shall be governed by, and the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws, principles and rules thereof.
(c) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.
(d) The liability and obligation of the Fund under or in connection with this Agreement is several (and not joint), whether or not so stated elsewhere.
(e) This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
(f) If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and not be affected, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provision held to be illegal or invalid. This Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by all parties and no presumptions shall arise favoring any party by virtue of authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
(g) Section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement.
(h) Any notice required or permitted to be given hereunder by any party to the other parties shall be deemed sufficiently given if in writing and personally delivered or sent by, facsimile or registered, certified or overnight mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving such notice to the other party at the address furnished below unless and until changed by Placement Agent, the Fund or the Investment Adviser, as the case may be. Notice shall be given to each party at the following addresses:
If to Placement Agent: |
Foreside Fund Services, LLC |
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100 |
Portland, ME 04101 |
Attn: Legal Department |
Fax: (207) 553-7151 |
If to the Fund: |
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Attn: |
Fax: ( ) |
If to Investment Adviser: |
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Attn: |
Fax: ( ) |
(i) Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that they have full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof and each party hereto warrants and represents that this Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the party, enforceable against the party in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability.
(j) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations under this Agreement may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the other parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
(k) No party to this Agreement shall be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, acts of terrorism, riots or failure of the mails or any transportation medium, communication system or power supply; provided, however, that in each specific case such circumstance shall be beyond the reasonable control of the party seeking to apply this force majeure clause.
(l) This Agreement has been negotiated and executed by the parties in English. In the event any translation of this Agreement is prepared for convenience or any other purpose, the provisions of the English version shall prevail.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized persons, as of the day and year first above written.
[FUND] | ||
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[ADVISER] | ||
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FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC | ||
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Mark Fairbanks, Vice President |
PRIVATE PLACEMENT AGENT AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
List of Funds
FORESIDE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
DEALER AGREEMENT
Re: Primark Private Equity Fund Date:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As the distributor of the shares of beneficial interest (Shares) of (the Fund), Foreside Financial Services, LLC (Distributor) hereby invites you to participate in the selling group on the following terms and conditions. In this agreement, the terms we, us, and similar words refer to the Distributor, and the terms you, your, and similar words and Dealer refer to the dealer executing this agreement, including its associated persons, as such term is defined under applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
1. Dealer. You hereby represent that you are a broker-dealer properly registered and qualified under all applicable federal, state and local laws to engage in the business and transactions described in this agreement (including, without limitation, that you are duly registered as a broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), and that you are a member in good standing of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). You agree that it is your responsibility to determine the suitability of any Shares as investments for your customers, and that neither we nor the Fund have any responsibility for such determination. You further agree to maintain all records required by Applicable Laws (as defined below) or that are otherwise reasonably requested by us relating to your transactions in Shares. In addition, you agree to notify us immediately in the event your status as a member of FINRA or SIPC changes. You agree that you will at all times comply with (i) the provisions of this agreement related to compliance with all applicable rules and regulations; and (ii) the terms of each registration statement and prospectus for the Fund.
2. Qualification of Shares. The Fund will make available to you a list of the states or other jurisdictions in which Shares are registered for sale or are otherwise qualified for sale, which may be revised by the Fund from time to time. You will make offers of Shares of the Fund to your customers only in those states, and you will ensure that you (including your associated persons) are appropriately licensed and qualified to offer and sell Shares of the Fund in any state or other jurisdiction that requires such licensing or qualification in connection with your activities.
3. Orders. All orders you submit for transactions in Shares shall reflect orders received from your customers or shall be for your account for your own bona fide investment, and you will date and time-stamp your customer orders and forward them promptly each day and in any event prior to the time required by the Fund prospectus (the Prospectus, which for purposes of this Agreement includes the Statement of Additional Information incorporated therein). As agent for your customers, you shall not withhold placing customers orders for any Shares so as to profit yourself or your customer as a result of such withholding. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Funds Prospectus and any operating procedures and policies established by us or the Fund (directly or through the Funds transfer agent) from time to time,
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you are hereby authorized to place your orders directly with the Fund for the purchase of Shares. All purchase orders you submit are subject to acceptance or rejection, and we reserve the right to suspend or limit the sale of Shares. You are not authorized to make any representations concerning Shares of the Fund except such representations as are contained in the Prospectus of the Fund and in such supplemental written information that the Fund or the Distributor (acting on behalf of the Fund) may provide to you with respect to the Fund. All orders that are accepted for the purchase of Shares shall be executed at net asset value per Share on the relevant subscription date, as described in the Prospectus.
4. Compliance with Applicable Laws; Distribution of Prospectus and Reports; Confirmations. In connection with its respective activities hereunder, each party agrees to abide by the Conduct Rules of FINRA and all other rules of self-regulatory organizations of which the relevant party is a member, as well as all laws, rules and regulations, including federal and state securities laws, that are applicable to the relevant party (and its associated persons) from time to time in connection with its activities hereunder (Applicable Laws). You are authorized to distribute to your customers the current Prospectus, as well as any supplemental sales material received from the Fund or the Distributor (acting on behalf of the Fund) (on the terms and for the period specified by us or stated in such material). You are not authorized to distribute, furnish or display any other sales or promotional material relating to the Fund without our prior written approval, but you may identify the Fund in a listing of closed-end funds available through you to your customers. Unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing, you shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each customer who purchases Shares of the Fund from or through you, copies of all annual and interim reports, proxy solicitation materials, and any other information and materials relating to the Fund and prepared by or on behalf of the Fund or us. You shall send or cause to be sent confirmations or other reports to your customers containing such information as may be required by Applicable Laws (including, if applicable, Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
5. Sales Charges and Concessions. On each purchase of Shares by you (but not including the reinvestment of any dividends or distributions), you shall be entitled to receive such dealer allowances, concessions, sales charges or other compensation, if any, as may be set forth in the Prospectus. The Fund reserves the right to waive sales charges. You represent that you are eligible to receive any such sales charges and concessions paid to you under this section.
6. Transactions in Shares. With respect to all orders you place for the purchase of the Funds Shares, unless otherwise agreed, settlement shall be made with the Fund within three (3) business days after acceptance of the order. If payment is not so received or made, the transaction may be cancelled. In this event or in the event that you cancel the trade for any reason, you agree to be responsible for any loss resulting to the Fund or to us from your failure to make payments as aforesaid. You shall not be entitled to any gains generated thereby. You also assume responsibility for any loss to the Fund caused by any order placed by you on an as-of basis subsequent to the trade date for the order, and will immediately pay such loss to the Fund upon notification or demand. Such orders shall be acceptable only as permitted by the Fund and shall be subject to the Funds policies pertaining thereto, which may include receipt of an executed Letter of Indemnity in a form acceptable to the Fund and /or to us prior to the Funds acceptance of any such order.
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7. Accuracy of Orders; Customer Signatures. You shall be responsible for the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of any orders transmitted by you on behalf of your customers by any means, including wire or telephone. In addition, you agree to guarantee the signatures of your customers when such guarantee is required by the Fund and you agree to indemnify and hold harmless all persons, including us and the Funds transfer agent, from and against any and all loss, cost, damage or expense suffered or incurred in reliance upon such signature guarantee.
8. Indemnification. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless us and our officers, directors, agents and employees from and against any claims, liabilities, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) and losses resulting from (i) any failure by you to comply with Applicable Laws in connection with activities performed under this agreement, or (ii) any unauthorized representation made by you concerning an investment in Shares.
We agree to indemnify and hold harmless you and your officers, directors, agents and employees from and against any claims, liabilities, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) and losses resulting from (i) any failure by us to comply with Applicable Laws in connection with our activities as Distributor under this agreement, or (ii) any untrue statement of a material fact set forth in the Funds Prospectus or supplemental sales material provided to you by us (and used by you on the terms and for the period specified by us or stated in such material), or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein to make the statements therein not misleading.
9. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. Each party to this agreement acknowledges that it is a financial institution subject to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act (collectively, the AML Acts), which require, among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each party represents and warrants that it is in compliance and will continue to comply with the AML Acts and applicable rules thereunder (AML Laws), including FINRA Rule 3310, in all relevant respects. You agree to cooperate with us to satisfy AML due diligence policies of the Fund and Distributor, which may include annual compliance certifications and periodic due diligence reviews and/or other requests deemed necessary or appropriate by us or the Fund to ensure compliance with AML Laws. You also agree to provide for screening your own new and existing customers against the Office of Foreign Assets Control list and any other government list that is or becomes required under the AML Acts.
10. Privacy. The parties agree that any Non-Public Personal Information, as the term is defined in Regulation S-P (Reg S-P) of the SEC, that may be disclosed hereunder is disclosed for the specific purpose of permitting the other party to perform the services set forth in this agreement. Each party agrees that, with respect to such information, it will comply with Reg S-P and that it will not disclose any Non-Public Personal Information received in connection with this agreement to any other party, except to the extent required to carry out the services set forth in this agreement or as otherwise permitted by law.
11. Shareholder Servicing Fee. The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan by which Authorized Service Providers may receive a fee for providing certain services to their customers who own Shares of the Fund. If applicable, you agree to enter into a separate Shareholder Services Agreement with the Fund.
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12. Amendments. This agreement may be amended from time to time by the following procedure. We will mail a copy of the amendment to you at your address shown below or as registered as your main office from time to time with FINRA. If you do not object to the amendment within fifteen (15) days after its receipt, the amendment will become a part of this agreement. Your objection must be in writing and be received by us within such fifteen (15) days. All amendments shall be in writing and except as provided above shall be executed by both parties.
13. Termination. This agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of either party hereto, provided, however, that you may not assign this agreement without our prior written consent. This agreement may be terminated by either party, without penalty, upon ten days prior written notice to the other party. Dealers expulsion from FINRA will automatically terminate this agreement without notice. Dealers suspension from FINRA or Dealers violation of Applicable Laws will terminate this agreement effective upon the date of Distributors mailing notice to Dealer of such termination. Any unfulfilled obligations hereunder, and all obligations of indemnification, shall survive the termination of this agreement.
14. Notices. All notices and communications to us shall be sent to us at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, Attn: Legal Dept., or at such other address as we may designate in writing. All notices and other communication to you shall be sent to you at the address set forth below or at such other address as you may designate in writing. All notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery, by postage prepaid mail, electronic mail, or by facsimile or similar means of same-day delivery, with a confirming copy by mail.
15. Authorization. Each party represents to the other that all requisite corporate proceedings have been undertaken to authorize it to enter into and perform under this agreement as contemplated herein, and that the individual that has signed this agreement below on its behalf is a duly elected officer that has been empowered to act for and on behalf of such party with respect to the execution of this agreement.
16. Miscellaneous. This agreement supersedes any other agreement between the parties with respect to the offer and sale of Shares and other matters covered herein. The invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other term or provision hereof. This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflict of laws principles, and shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This agreement has been negotiated and executed by the parties in English. In the event any translation of this agreement is prepared for convenience or any other purpose, the provisions of the English version shall prevail.
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If the foregoing corresponds with your understanding of our agreement, please sign this document and the accompanying copies thereof in the appropriate space below and return the same to us, whereupon this agreement shall be binding upon each of us.
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5
CUSTODY AGREEMENT
Dated , 2020
Between
UMB BANK, N.A.
and
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
1
CUSTODY AGREEMENT
This agreement made as of the date first set forth above between UMB Bank, n.a., a national banking association with its principal place of business located in Kansas City, Missouri (hereinafter Custodian) and Primark Private Equity Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the Fund).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as a closed-end interval fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act); and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to appoint Custodian as its custodian for the custody of Assets (as hereinafter defined) owned by such Fund, which Assets are to be held in such accounts as such Fund may establish from time to time; and
WHEREAS, Custodian is willing to accept such appointment on the terms and conditions hereof.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, mutually covenant and agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN.
The Fund hereby constitutes and appoints the Custodian as custodian of Assets belonging to each such Fund which have been or may be from time to time delivered to and accepted by the Custodian. Custodian accepts such appointment as a custodian and agrees to perform the duties and responsibilities of Custodian as set forth herein on the conditions set forth herein. For purposes of this Agreement, the term Assets shall include Securities, Underlying Shares, monies, and other property held by the Custodian for the benefit of a Fund. Security or Securities shall mean stocks, bonds, rights, warrants, certificates, instruments, obligations and all other negotiable or non-negotiable paper commonly known as Securities which have been or may from time to time be delivered to and accepted by the Custodian. The term Securities, as used in this Agreement, shall not include Underlying Shares. Underlying Share or Underlying Shares shall mean uncertificated shares of, or other interests in, other investment funds, accounts or vehicles, including, but not limited to, mutual funds.
2. INSTRUCTIONS.
(a) An Instruction, as used herein, shall mean a request, direction, instruction or certification initiated by a Fund and conforming to the terms of this paragraph. An Instruction may be transmitted to the Custodian by any of the following means:
(i) a writing manually signed on behalf of a Fund by an Authorized Person (as hereinafter defined);
(ii) a telephonic or other oral communication from a person the Custodian reasonably believes to be an Authorized Person;
(iii) a facsimile transmission that the Custodian reasonably believes has been signed or otherwise originated by an Authorized Person;
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(iv) a communication effected through the internet or web-based functionality (including without limitation, emails, data files and other communications) on behalf of a Fund (Electronic Communication); or
(v) other means reasonably acceptable to both parties.
Instructions in the form of oral communications shall be confirmed by the appropriate Fund by either a writing (as set forth in (i) above), a facsimile (as set forth in (iii) above), or an Electronic Communication (as set forth in (iv) above), but the lack of such confirmation shall in no way affect any action taken by the Custodian in reliance upon such oral Instructions prior to the Custodians receipt of such confirmation. The Fund authorizes the Custodian to record any and all telephonic or other oral Instructions communicated to the Custodian. The parties acknowledge and agree that, with respect to Instructions transmitted by facsimile, the Custodian cannot verify that the signature of an Authorized Person has been properly affixed and, with respect to Instructions transmitted by an Electronic Communication, the Custodian cannot verify that the Electronic Communication has been initiated by an Authorized Person; accordingly, the Custodian shall have no liability as a result of actions taken in reliance on unauthorized facsimile or Electronic Communication Instructions. The Custodian recommends that any Instructions transmitted by a Fund via email be done so through a secure system or process.
(b) Special Instructions, as used herein, shall mean Instructions countersigned or confirmed in writing by the Treasurer or any other officer of a Fund , which countersignature or confirmation shall be on the same instrument containing the Instructions or on a separate instrument relating thereto.
(c) Instructions and Special Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian at the address and/or telephone, facsimile transmission or email address agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund.
(d) Where appropriate, Instructions and Special Instructions shall be continuing Instructions.
(e) An Authorized Person shall be responsible for assuring the accuracy and completeness of Instructions. If the Custodian reasonably determines that an Instruction is unclear or incomplete, the Custodian may notify a Fund of such determination, in which case the Fund shall be responsible for delivering to the Custodian an amended Instruction. The Custodian shall have no obligation to take any action until the Fund re-delivers to the Custodian an Instruction that is clear and complete.
(f) The Fund shall be responsible for delivering to the Custodian Instructions or Special Instructions in a timely manner, after considering such factors as the involvement of subcustodians, brokers or agents in a transaction, time zone differences, reasonable industry standards, etc. The Custodian shall have no liability if a Fund delivers Instructions or Special Instructions to the Custodian after any deadline established by the Custodian.
(g) By providing Instructions to acquire or hold Foreign Assets (as defined in Rule 17f-5(a)(2) under the 1940 Act), the Fund shall be deemed to have confirmed to the Custodian that the Fund has (i) considered and accepted responsibility for all Sovereign Risks and Country Risks (as hereinafter defined) associated with investing in a particular country or jurisdiction, and (ii) made all determinations and provided to shareholders and other investors all disclosures required of registered investment companies by the 1940 Act. The term Foreign Assets, as used herein, shall mean any Asset (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash or cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect a Funds transactions in those Assets.
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(h) The Fund acknowledges that where Instructions or Special Instructions require the Custodian to prepare and submit forms, letters or other writings to third parties on behalf of the Fund, including but not limited to subscription agreements (or any document, however titled, that performs the same function as a subscription agreement, which shall be defined herein as a Subscription Agreement), redemption requests, stock transfers and exchanges of cash for Underlying Shares (Writings), the Custodian will prepare but not submit such Writings unless and until all required information necessary to complete a Writing has been submitted by an Authorized Person. The Fund agrees to make available Authorized Persons during normal business hours to work with the Custodian and its affiliates to complete such Writings. The Fund acknowledges that the Custodian shall not be liable for its obligations with respect to Writings if such failure results from any delay, error, unavailability or inaccuracy in an Instruction or Special Instruction provided by the Fund or an Authorized Person.
Without limiting the foregoing, the parties agree that: (a) with respect to each subscription for Underlying Shares, a document substantially in the form of Exhibit 1 (as the Custodian may amend from time to time) shall be attached to each Subscription Agreement by the Custodian; and (b) the accuracy and completeness of all information provided in a Subscription Agreement, investor questionnaire or other similar document for an Underlying Share is the sole responsibility of the Fund, and not the Custodian or its affiliates, regardless of whether the Custodian or its affiliates assist in the completion of the Subscription Agreement, investor questionnaire or similar document. In the event that the investment fund rejects a Subscription Agreement and the document in the form of Exhibit 1, the Fund will be solely responsible for completing a new Subscription Agreement for the Underlying Share.
By providing an Instruction or Special Instruction to complete a Subscription Agreement or other such Writing, the Fund certifies that it has read and approved the relevant offering documents and the Subscription Agreement or other Writing required to be submitted to invest in the foregoing investment.
3. DELIVERY OF CORPORATE DOCUMENTS.
Each of the parties to this Agreement represents that its execution does not violate any of the provisions of its respective charter, articles of incorporation, partnership agreement, declaration of trust, articles of association or bylaws, that all required corporate or organizational action to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement has been taken, and that the person signing this Agreement is authorized to bind such party.
The Fund agrees to provide the Custodian, upon request, documentation regarding the Fund, including, by way of example: certificates of incorporation or trust, by-laws, resolutions, registration statements, W-9s and other tax-related documentation, compliance policies and procedures and other compliance documents, etc.
In addition, the Fund has delivered or will promptly deliver to the Custodian, copies of the Resolution(s) of its Board of Directors or Trustees and all amendments or supplements thereto, properly certified or authenticated, designating certain officers or employees of each such Fund who will have continuing authority to certify to the Custodian: (a) the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund, and (b) the names, titles and signatures of those persons authorized to countersign or confirm Special Instructions on behalf of the Fund (in both cases collectively, the Authorized Persons and individually, an Authorized Person). Such Resolutions and certificates may be accepted and relied upon by the Custodian as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until delivery to the Custodian of a similar Resolution or
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certificate to the contrary; provided, however, that the Custodian may rely upon any written designation furnished by the Treasurer or other officer of the Fund designating persons authorized to countersign or confirm Special Instructions (as provided in Section 2(b)). Upon delivery of a certificate which deletes or does not include the name(s) of a person previously authorized to give Instructions or to countersign or confirm Special Instructions, such person shall no longer be considered an Authorized Person authorized to give Instructions or to countersign or confirm Special Instructions. Unless the certificate specifically requires that the approval of anyone else will first have been obtained, the Custodian will be under no obligation to inquire into the right of the person giving such Instructions or Special Instructions to do so. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, no Instructions or Special Instructions received by the Custodian from a Fund will be deemed to authorize or permit any director, trustee, officer, employee, or agent of such Fund to withdraw any of the Assets of such Fund upon the mere receipt of such authorization, Special Instructions or Instructions from such director, trustee, officer, employee or agent.
4. POWERS AND DUTIES OF CUSTODIAN AND DOMESTIC SUBCUSTODIAN.
Except for Assets held by any Foreign Subcustodian, Special Subcustodian or Eligible Securities Depository appointed pursuant to Sections 5(b), (c), or (f) of this Agreement, the Custodian shall have and perform the powers and duties hereinafter set forth in this Section 4. For purposes of this Section 4 all references to powers and duties of the Custodian shall also refer to any Domestic Subcustodian appointed pursuant to Section 5(a).
(a) Safekeeping.
The Custodian will keep safely the Assets of the Fund which are delivered to and accepted by it from time to time. The Custodian shall notify a Fund if it is unwilling or unable to accept custody of any asset of such Fund. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Fund held by a Fund and not delivered to the Custodian or for any pre-existing faults or defects in Assets that are delivered to the Custodian.
(b) Manner of Holding Securities.
(1) The Custodian shall at all times hold Securities of the Fund either: (i) by physical possession of the share certificates or other instruments representing such Securities, in registered or bearer form; in the vault of the Custodian, Domestic Subcustodian, a Special Custodian, depository or agent of the Custodian; or in an account maintained by the Custodian or agent at a Securities System (as hereinafter defined); or (ii) in book-entry form by a Securities System in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph (3) below.
(2) The Custodian may hold registrable portfolio Securities which have been delivered to it in physical form, by registering the same in the name of the appropriate Fund or its nominee, or in the name of the Custodian or its nominee, for whose actions such Fund and Custodian, respectively, shall be fully responsible. Upon the receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall hold such Securities in street certificate form, so called, with or without any indication of representative capacity. However, unless it receives Instructions to the contrary, the Custodian will register all such portfolio Securities in the name of the Custodians authorized nominee. All such Securities shall be held in an account of the Custodian containing only assets of the appropriate Fund or only assets held by the Custodian for the benefit of customers, provided that the records of the Custodian shall indicate at all times the Fund or other customer for which such Securities are held in such accounts and the respective interests therein.
(3) The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain domestic Securities owned by a Fund in, and the Fund hereby approves use of: (a) The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation; (b) any other
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clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which acts as a securities depository; and (c) a Federal Reserve Bank or other entity authorized to operate the federal book-entry system described in the regulations of the Department of the Treasury or book-entry systems operated pursuant to comparable regulations of other federal agencies. Upon the receipt of Special Instructions, the Custodian may deposit and/or maintain domestic Securities owned by a Fund in any other domestic clearing agency that may otherwise be authorized by the SEC to serve in the capacity of depository or clearing agent for the Securities or other assets of investment companies and that acts as a Securities depository. Each of the foregoing shall be referred to in this Agreement as a Securities System, and all such Securities Systems shall be listed on the attached Appendix A. Use of a Securities System shall be in accordance with applicable Federal Reserve Board and SEC rules and regulations, if any, and subject to the following provisions:
(i) The Custodian may deposit the Securities directly or through one or more agents or Subcustodians which are also qualified to act as custodians for investment companies.
(ii) Securities held in a Securities System shall be subject to any agreements or rules effective between the Securities System and the Custodian or a Subcustodian, as the case may be.
(iii) Any Securities deposited or maintained in a Securities System shall be held in an account (Account) of the Custodian or a Subcustodian in the Securities System that includes only assets held by the Custodian or a Subcustodian as a custodian or otherwise for customers.
(iv) The books and records of the Custodian shall at all times identify those Securities belonging to the Fund which are maintained in a Securities System.
(v) The Custodian shall pay for Securities purchased for the account of a Fund only upon (a) receipt of advice from the Securities System that such Securities have been transferred to the Account of the Custodian in accordance with the rules of the Securities System, and (b) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of such Fund. The Custodian shall transfer Securities sold for the account of a Fund only upon (a) receipt of advice from the Securities System that payment for such Securities has been transferred to the Account of the Custodian in accordance with the rules of the Securities System, and (b) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of such Fund. Copies of all advices from the Securities System relating to transfers of Securities for the account of a Fund shall be maintained for such Fund by the Custodian. Such copies may be maintained by the Custodian in electronic form. The Custodian shall make available to the Fund or its agent on the next business day, by Electronic Communication, facsimile, or other means reasonably acceptable to both parties, daily transaction activity that shall include each days transactions for the account of such Fund.
(vi) The Custodian shall, if requested by a Fund pursuant to Instructions, provide such Fund with reports obtained by the Custodian or any Subcustodian with respect to a Securities Systems accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding Securities deposited in the Securities System.
(c) Underlying Shares.
(1) The provisions of this Section 4(c) shall govern the custody of the Underlying Shares and, to the extent there is a conflict between such provisions and the provisions of any other section of this Agreement with respect to Underlying Shares, the terms of this Section 4(c) shall control.
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(2) The Underlying Shares beneficially owned by the Fund shall be deposited and/or held in an account or accounts maintained by a transfer agent, registrar, recordkeeper, general partner, corporate secretary or other relevant third party (each a Transfer Agent) pursuant to Instructions to the Custodian. The Fund and the Custodian agree that the Custodians only responsibilities in connection with Underlying Shares shall be limited to the following:
(i) Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from a Transfer Agent that such Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of the Fund, the Custodian shall (A) mark such holdings on its books and records and (B) identify by book-entry that the relevant Underlying Shares are being held by the Custodian as custodian for the benefit of the Fund;
(ii) In accordance with Instructions, the Custodian shall (A) pay out monies from Fund Assets for the purchase of Underlying Shares for the account of the Fund and (B) record such purchase on the books and records of the Custodian; and
(iii) In accordance with Instructions, the Custodian shall (A) transfer Underlying Shares redeemed for the account of the Fund in accordance with such Instructions and (B) record such transfer on the books and records of the Custodian and, upon receipt of related proceeds, record the related payment for the account of the Fund on said books and records.
(d) Free Delivery of Assets.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and except as provided in Section 3 hereof, the Custodian, upon receipt of Special Instructions, will undertake to make free delivery of Assets, provided such Assets are on hand and available, in connection with a Funds transactions and to transfer such Assets to such broker, dealer, Subcustodian, bank, agent, Securities System or otherwise as specified in such Special Instructions.
(e) Exchange of Securities.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian will exchange Securities held by it for a Fund for other Securities or cash paid in connection with any reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, conversion, or similar event, and will deposit any such Securities in accordance with the terms of any reorganization or protective plan.
Unless otherwise directed by Instructions, the Custodian is authorized to exchange Securities held by it in temporary form for Securities in definitive form, to surrender Securities for transfer into a name or nominee name as permitted in Section 4(b)(2), to effect an exchange of shares in a stock split or when the par value of the stock is changed, to sell any fractional shares, and, upon receiving payment therefor, to surrender bonds or other Securities held by it at maturity or call.
(f) Purchases of Assets.
(1) Securities Purchases. In accordance with Instructions, the Custodian shall, with respect to a purchase of Securities, pay for such Securities out of monies held for a Funds account for which the purchase was made, but only insofar as monies are available therein for such purpose, and receive the Securities so purchased. Unless the Custodian has received Special Instructions to the contrary, such payment will be made only upon delivery of such Securities to the Custodian, a clearing corporation of a national securities exchange of which the Custodian is a member, or a Securities System in accordance
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with the provisions of Section 4(b)(3) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) in connection with a repurchase agreement, the Custodian may release funds to a Securities System prior to the receipt of advice from the Securities System that the Securities underlying such repurchase agreement have been transferred by book-entry into the Account maintained with such Securities System by the Custodian, provided that the Custodians instructions to the Securities System require that the Securities System may make payment of such funds to the other party to the repurchase agreement only upon transfer by book-entry of the Securities underlying the repurchase agreement into such Account; (ii) in the case of options, Interest Bearing Deposits, currency deposits and other deposits, and foreign exchange transactions, pursuant to Sections 4(h), 4(l), and 4(m) hereof, the Custodian may make payment therefor before receipt of an advice of transaction; and (iii) the Custodian may make payment for Securities or other Assets prior to delivery thereof in accordance with Instructions, applicable laws, generally accepted trade practices, or the terms of the instrument representing such Security or other Asset, including, but not limited to, Securities and other Assets as to which payment for the Security and receipt of the instrument evidencing the Security are under generally accepted trade practices or the terms of the instrument representing the Security expected to take place in different locations or through separate parties.
(2) Other Assets Purchased. Upon receipt of Instructions and except as otherwise provided herein, the Custodian shall pay for and receive other Assets for the account of a Fund as provided in Instructions.
(g) Sales of Assets.
(1) Securities Sold. In accordance with Instructions, the Custodian shall, with respect to a sale, deliver or cause to be delivered the Securities thus designated as sold to the broker or other person specified in the Instructions relating to such sale. Unless the Custodian has received Special Instructions to the contrary, such delivery shall be made only upon receipt of payment therefor in the form of: (a) cash, certified check, bank cashiers check, bank credit, or bank wire transfer; (b) credit to the account of the Custodian with a clearing corporation of a national securities exchange of which the Custodian is a member; or (c) credit to the Account of the Custodian with a Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(b)(3) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian may deliver Securities and other Assets prior to receipt of payment for such Securities in accordance with Instructions, applicable laws, generally accepted trade practices, or the terms of the instrument representing such Security or other Asset. For example, Securities held in physical form may be delivered and paid for in accordance with street delivery custom to a broker or its clearing agent, against delivery to the Custodian of a receipt for such Securities, provided that the Custodian shall have taken reasonable steps to ensure prompt collection of the payment for, or return of, such Securities by the broker or its clearing agent, and provided further that the Custodian shall not be responsible for the selection of or the failure or inability to perform of such broker or its clearing agent or for any related loss arising from delivery or custody of such Securities prior to receiving payment therefor.
(2) Other Assets Sold. Upon receipt of Instructions and except as otherwise provided herein, the Custodian shall receive payment for and deliver other Assets for the account of a Fund as provided in Instructions.
(h) Options.
(1) Upon receipt of Instructions relating to the purchase of an option or sale of a covered call option, the Custodian shall: (a) receive and retain Instructions or other documents, to the extent they are provided to the Custodian, evidencing the purchase or writing of the option by a Fund; (b) if the transaction involves the sale of a covered call option, deposit and maintain in a segregated account the
8
Securities (either physically or by book-entry in a Securities System) subject to the covered call option written on behalf of such Fund; and (c) pay, release and/or transfer such Securities, cash or other Assets in accordance with any notices or other communications evidencing the expiration, termination or exercise of such options which are furnished to the Custodian by the Options Clearing Corporation (the OCC), the securities or options exchanges on which such options were traded, or such other organization as may be responsible for handling such option transactions.
(2) Upon receipt of Instructions relating to the sale of a naked option (including stock index and commodity options), the Custodian, the appropriate Fund and the broker-dealer shall enter into an agreement to comply with the rules of the OCC or of any registered national securities exchange or similar organizations(s). Pursuant to that agreement and such Funds Instructions, the Custodian shall: (a) receive and retain Instructions or other documents, if any, evidencing the writing of the option; (b) deposit and maintain in a segregated account, Securities (either physically or by book-entry in a Securities System), cash and/or other Assets; and (c) pay, release and/or transfer such Securities, cash or other Assets in accordance with any such agreement and with any notices or other communications evidencing the expiration, termination or exercise of such option which are furnished to the Custodian by the OCC, the securities or options exchanges on which such options were traded, or such other organization as may be responsible for handling such option transactions. The appropriate Fund and the broker-dealer shall be responsible for determining the quality and quantity of assets held in any segregated account established in compliance with applicable margin maintenance requirements and the performance of other terms of any option contract.
(i) Segregated Accounts.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall establish and maintain on its books a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of a Fund, into which account or accounts may be transferred Assets of such Fund, including Securities maintained by the Custodian in a Securities System pursuant to Paragraph (b)(3) of this Section 4, said account or accounts to be maintained (i) for the purposes set forth in Sections 4(h) and 4(n); and (ii) for the purpose of compliance by such Fund with the procedures required by SEC Investment Company Act Release Number 10666 or any subsequent release or releases relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered investment companies, or (iii) for such other purposes as may be set forth, from time to time, in Special Instructions. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the determination of the type or amount of Assets to be held in any segregated account referred to in this paragraph, or for compliance by the Fund with required procedures noted in (ii) above.
(j) Depositary Receipts.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall surrender or cause to be surrendered Securities to the depository used for such Securities by an issuer of American Depositary Receipts or International Depositary Receipts (hereinafter referred to, collectively, as ADRs), against a written receipt therefor adequately describing such Securities and written evidence satisfactory to the organization surrendering the same that the depository has acknowledged receipt of instructions to issue ADRs with respect to such Securities in the name of the Custodian or a nominee of the Custodian, for delivery in accordance with such instructions.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall surrender or cause to be surrendered ADRs to the issuer thereof, against a written receipt therefor adequately describing the ADRs surrendered and written evidence satisfactory to the organization surrendering the same that the issuer of the ADRs has acknowledged receipt of instructions to cause its depository to deliver the Securities underlying such ADRs in accordance with such instructions.
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(k) Corporate Actions, Put Bonds, Called Bonds, Etc.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall: (a) deliver warrants, puts, calls, rights or similar Securities to the issuer or trustee thereof (or to the agent of such issuer or trustee) for the purpose of exercise or sale, provided that the new Securities, cash or other Assets, if any, acquired as a result of such actions are to be delivered to the Custodian; and (b) deposit Securities upon invitations for tenders thereof, provided that the consideration for such Securities is to be paid or delivered to the Custodian, or the tendered Securities are to be returned to the Custodian.
Unless otherwise directed to the contrary in Instructions, the Custodian shall comply with the terms of all mandatory or compulsory exchanges, calls, tenders, redemptions, or similar rights of security ownership of which the Custodian receives notice through data services or publications to which it normally subscribes, and shall promptly notify the appropriate Fund of such action.
The Fund agrees that if it gives an Instruction for the performance of an act on the last permissible date of a period established by the Custodian or any optional offer or on the last permissible date for the performance of such act, the Fund shall hold the Custodian harmless from any adverse consequences in connection with acting upon or failing to act upon such Instructions.
If a Fund wishes to receive periodic corporate action notices of exchanges, calls, tenders, redemptions and other similar notices pertaining to Securities and to provide Instructions with respect to such Securities via the internet, the Custodian and such Fund may enter into a Supplement to this Agreement whereby such Fund will be able to participate in the Custodians Electronic Corporate Action Notification Service.
(k) Interest Bearing Deposits.
Upon receipt of Instructions directing the Custodian to purchase interest bearing fixed-term certificates of deposit or call deposits (hereinafter referred to, collectively, as Interest Bearing Deposits) for the account of a Fund, the Custodian shall purchase such Interest Bearing Deposits with such banks or trust companies, including the Custodian, any Subcustodian or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Custodian (hereinafter referred to as Banking Institutions), and in such amounts as such Fund may direct pursuant to Instructions. Such Interest Bearing Deposits shall be denominated in U.S. dollars. Interest Bearing Deposits issued by the Custodian shall be in the name of the Fund. Interest Bearing Deposits issued by another Banking Institution may be in the name of the Fund or the Custodian or in the name of the Custodian for its customers generally. The responsibilities of the Custodian to a Fund for Interest Bearing Deposits issued by the Custodian shall be that of a U.S. bank for a similar deposit. With respect to Interest Bearing Deposits issued by any other Banking Institution, (a) the Custodian shall be responsible for the collection of income and the transmission of cash to and from such accounts; and (b) the Custodian shall have no duty with respect to the selection of the Banking Institution or for the failure of such Banking Institution to pay upon demand.
(m) Foreign Exchange Transactions.
(l) The Fund may appoint the Custodian as its agent in the execution of all currency exchange transactions. If requested, the Custodian agrees to provide exchange rate and U.S. Dollar information, in writing, or by other means agreeable to both parties, to the Fund.
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(2) Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall settle foreign exchange contracts or options to purchase and sell foreign currencies for spot and future delivery on behalf of and for the account of a Fund with such currency brokers or Banking Institutions as such Fund may determine and direct pursuant to Instructions. If, in its Instructions, a Fund does not direct the Custodian to utilize a particular currency broker or Banking Institution, the Custodian is authorized to select such currency broker or Banking Institution as it deems appropriate to execute the Funds foreign currency transaction. It is understood that all such transactions shall be undertaken by the Custodian as agent for the Fund.
(3) The Fund accepts full responsibility for its use of third party foreign exchange brokers and for execution of said foreign exchange contracts and understands that the Fund shall be responsible for any and all costs and interest charges which may be incurred as a result of the failure or delay of its third party broker to deliver foreign exchange. The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability with respect to the selection of the currency brokers or Banking Institutions with which a Fund deals or the performance or non-performance of such brokers or Banking Institutions.
(4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon receipt of Instructions the Custodian may, in connection with a foreign exchange contract, make free outgoing payments of cash in the form of U.S. Dollars or foreign currency prior to receipt of confirmation of such foreign exchange contract or confirmation that the countervalue currency completing such contract has been delivered or received.
(n) Pledges or Loans of Securities.
(1) Upon receipt of Instructions from a Fund, the Custodian will release or cause to be released Securities held in custody to the pledgees designated in such Instructions by way of pledge or hypothecation to secure loans incurred by such Fund with various lenders including but not limited to UMB Bank, n.a.; provided, however, that the Securities shall be released only upon payment to the Custodian of the monies borrowed, except that in cases where additional collateral is required to secure existing borrowings, further Securities may be released or delivered, or caused to be released or delivered for that purpose upon receipt of Instructions. Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian will pay, but only from funds available for such purpose, any such loan upon re-delivery to it of the Securities pledged or hypothecated therefor and upon surrender of the note or notes evidencing such loan. In lieu of delivering collateral to a pledgee, the Custodian, on the receipt of Instructions, shall transfer the pledged Securities to a segregated account for the benefit of the pledgee.
(2) Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian will release securities to a securities lending agent appointed by the Fund and designated in such Instructions. The Custodian shall act upon Instructions from the Fund and/or such agent in order to effect securities lending transactions on behalf of the Fund. For its services in facilitating a Funds securities lending activities through such agent, the Custodian may receive from the agent a portion of the agents securities lending revenue or a fee directly from the Fund. The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any losses arising in connection with the agents actions or omissions, including but not limited to the delivery of Securities prior to the receipt of collateral, in the absence of negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Custodian.
(o) Stock Dividends, Rights, Etc.
The Custodian shall receive and collect all stock dividends, rights, and other items of like nature and, upon receipt of Instructions, take action with respect to the same as directed in such Instructions.
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(p) Routine Dealings.
The Custodian will, in general, attend to all routine and operational matters in accordance with industry standards in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer, or other dealings with Securities or other property of the Fund, except as may be otherwise provided in this Agreement or directed from time to time by Instructions from any particular Fund. The Custodian may also make payments to itself or others from the Assets for disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses incidental to handling Securities or other similar items relating to its duties under this Agreement, provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the appropriate Fund.
(q) Collections.
The Custodian shall (a) collect amounts due and payable to the Fund with respect to Securities and other Assets; (b) promptly credit to the account of the Fund all income and other payments relating to Securities and other Assets held by the Custodian hereunder upon Custodians receipt of such income or payments or as otherwise agreed in writing by the Custodian and any particular Fund; (c) promptly endorse and deliver any instruments required to effect such collection; and (d) promptly execute ownership and other certificates, affidavits and other documents for all federal, state, local and foreign tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to Securities and other Assets, or in connection with the transfer of such Securities or other Assets; provided, however, that with respect to Securities registered in so-called street name, or physical Securities with variable interest rates, the Custodian shall use its best efforts to collect amounts due and payable to any such Fund. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the collection of amounts due and payable with respect to Securities or other Assets that are in default.
Any advance credit of cash or Securities or other Assets expected to be received shall be subject to actual collection and may, when the Custodian determines collection unlikely, be reversed by the Custodian.
(r) Dividends, Distributions and Redemptions.
To enable the Fund to pay dividends or other distributions to shareholders of each such Fund and to make payment to shareholders who have requested repurchase or redemption of their shares of each such Fund (collectively, the Shares), the Custodian shall release cash or Securities insofar as available. In the case of cash, the Custodian shall, upon the receipt of Instructions, transfer such funds by check or wire transfer to any account at any bank or trust company designated by each such Fund in such Instructions. In the case of Securities, the Custodian shall, upon the receipt of Special Instructions, make such transfer to any entity or account designated by each such Fund in such Special Instructions.
(s) Proceeds from Shares Sold.
The Custodian shall receive funds representing cash payments received for shares issued or sold from time to time by the Fund, and shall credit such funds to the account of the appropriate Fund. The Custodian shall notify the appropriate Fund of Custodians receipt of cash in payment for shares issued by such Fund by facsimile transmission or in such other manner as such Fund and the Custodian shall agree. Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall: (a) deliver all federal funds received by the Custodian in payment for shares as may be set forth in such Instructions and at a time agreed upon between the Custodian and such Fund; and (b) make federal funds available to a Fund as of specified times agreed upon from time to time by such Fund and the Custodian, in the amount of checks received in payment for shares which are deposited to the accounts of such Fund.
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(t) Proxies and Notices; Compliance with the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985.
The Custodian shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the appropriate Fund, or its designated agent or proxy service provider, all forms of proxies, all notices of meetings, and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to Securities or Underlying Shares owned by such Fund that are received by the Custodian and, upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall execute and deliver, or cause a Subcustodian or nominee to execute and deliver such proxies or other authorizations as may be required. Except as directed pursuant to Instructions, the Custodian shall not vote upon any such Securities or Underlying Shares, or execute any proxy to vote thereon, or give any consent or take any other action with respect thereto.
The Custodian will not release the identity of any Fund to an issuer which requests such information pursuant to the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 for the specific purpose of direct communications between such issuer and any such Fund unless a particular Fund directs the Custodian otherwise pursuant to Instructions.
(u) Books and Records.
The Custodian shall maintain such records relating to its activities under this Agreement as are required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve them for the periods prescribed in Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act. These records shall be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents (including independent public accountants) of the appropriate Fund during normal business hours of the Custodian.
The Custodian shall provide accountings relating to its activities under this Agreement as shall be agreed upon by the Fund and the Custodian.
(v) Opinion of Funds Independent Certified Public Accountants.
The Custodian shall take all reasonable action as the Fund may request to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from each such Funds independent certified public accountants with respect to the Custodians activities hereunder and in connection with the preparation of each such Funds periodic reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements of the SEC.
(w) Reports by Independent Certified Public Accountants.
At the request of a Fund, the Custodian shall deliver to such Fund a written report, which may be in electronic form, prepared by the Custodians independent certified public accountants with respect to the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Custodians accounting system, internal accounting control, financial strength and procedures for safeguarding cash, Securities and other Assets, including cash, Securities and other Assets deposited and/or maintained in a Securities System or with a Subcustodian. Such report shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail as may reasonably be required by such Fund and as may reasonably be obtained by the Custodian.
(x) Bills and Other Disbursements.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall pay, or cause to be paid, all bills, statements, or other obligations of a Fund.
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(y) Sweep or Automated Cash Management.
Upon receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall invest any otherwise uninvested cash of any Fund held by the Custodian in a money market mutual fund, a cash deposit product, or other cash investment vehicle made available by the Custodian from time to time, in accordance with the directions contained in such Instructions. A fee may be charged or a spread may be received by the Custodian for investing the Funds otherwise uninvested cash in the available cash investment vehicles or products.
The Custodian shall have no responsibility to determine whether any purchases of money market mutual fund shares or any other cash investment vehicle or cash deposit product by or on behalf of the Fund under the terms of this section will cause any Fund to exceed the limitations contained in the 1940 Act on ownership of shares of another registered investment company or any other asset or portfolio restrictions or limitations contained in applicable laws or regulations or the Funds prospectus. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from all losses, damages and expenses (including attorneys fees) suffered or incurred by the Custodian as a result of a violation by such Fund of the limitations on ownership of shares of another registered investment company or any other cash investment vehicle or cash deposit product.
5. SUBCUSTODIANS.
From time to time, in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Agreement, (i) the Custodian may appoint one or more Domestic Subcustodians, Foreign Subcustodians, Special Subcustodians or Interim Subcustodians (each as hereinafter defined) to act on behalf of the Fund; and (ii) the Custodian may be directed, pursuant to an agreement between a Fund and the Custodian (Delegation Agreement), to appoint a Domestic Subcustodian to perform the duties of the Foreign Custody Manager (as such term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) (Approved Foreign Custody Manager) for such Fund so long as such Domestic Subcustodian is so eligible under the 1940 Act. Such Delegation Agreement shall provide that the appointment of any Domestic Subcustodian as the Approved Foreign Custody Manager must be governed by a written agreement between the Custodian and the Domestic Subcustodian, which provides for compliance with Rule 17f-5. The Approved Foreign Custody Manager may then appoint a Foreign Subcustodian or Interim Subcustodian in accordance with this Section 5. For purposes of this Agreement, all Domestic Subcustodians, Special Subcustodians, Foreign Subcustodians and Interim Subcustodians shall be referred to collectively as Subcustodians.
(a) Domestic Subcustodians.
The Custodian may, at any time and from time to time, appoint any bank as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act or any trust company or other entity, any of which meets the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, to act for the Custodian on behalf of the Fund as a subcustodian for purposes of holding Assets of such Fund(s) and performing other functions of the Custodian within the United States (a Domestic Subcustodian). The Fund shall approve in writing the appointment of the proposed Domestic Subcustodian; and the Custodians appointment of any such Domestic Subcustodian shall not be effective without such prior written approval of the Fund(s). Each such duly approved Domestic Subcustodian shall be reflected on Appendix A hereto.
(b) Foreign Subcustodians.
(1) Foreign Subcustodians. The Approved Foreign Custody Manager may appoint any entity meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian, as such term is
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defined in Rule 17f-5(a)(1) under the 1940 Act, and which term shall also include a bank that qualifies to serve as a custodian of assets of investment companies under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act or by SEC order is exempt therefrom (each a Foreign Subcustodian in the context of either a subcustodian or a sub-subcustodian), provided that the Approved Foreign Custody Managers appointments of such Foreign Subcustodians shall at all times be governed by an agreement that complies with Rule 17f-5.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Approved Foreign Custody Manager determines that it will not provide delegation services (i) in a country in which a Fund has directed that the Fund invest in a security or other Asset or (ii) with respect to a specific Foreign Subcustodian which the Fund has directed be used, the Custodian shall, or shall cause the Approved Foreign Custody Manager to, promptly notify the Fund in writing by facsimile transmission, Electronic Communication, or otherwise of the unavailability of the approved Foreign Custody Managers delegation services in such country. The Custodian and the Approved Foreign Custody Manager (or Domestic Subcustodian) as applicable, shall be entitled to rely on and shall have no liability or responsibility for following such direction from the Fund as a Special Instruction and shall have no duties or liabilities under this Agreement save those that it may undertake specifically in writing with respect to each particular instance. Upon the receipt of such Special Instructions, the Custodian may, in it absolute discretion, designate, or cause the Approved Foreign Custody Manager to designate, an entity (defined herein as Interim Subcustodian) designated by the Fund in such Special Instructions, to hold such security or other Asset. In such event, the Fund represents and warrants that it has made a determination that the arrangement with such Interim Subcustodian satisfies the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including Rule 17f-5, if applicable). It is further understood that where the Approved Foreign Custody Manager and the Custodian do not agree to provide fully to the Fund the services under this Agreement and the Delegation Agreement with respect to a particular country or specific Foreign Subcustodian, the Fund may delegate such services to another delegate pursuant to Rule 17f-5.
(c) Special Subcustodians.
Upon receipt of Special Instructions, the Custodian shall, on behalf of a Fund, appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities designated in such Special Instructions to act for the Custodian on behalf of such Fund as a subcustodian for purposes of: (i) effecting third-party repurchase transactions with banks, brokers, dealers or other entities through the use of a common custodian or subcustodian; (ii) providing depository and clearing agency services with respect to certain variable rate demand note Securities, (iii) providing depository and clearing agency services with respect to dollar denominated Securities; and (iv) effecting any other transactions designated by such Fund in such Special Instructions. Each such designated subcustodian (hereinafter referred to as a Special Subcustodian) shall be listed on Appendix A attached hereto, as it may be amended from time to time. In connection with the appointment of any Special Subcustodian, the Custodian may enter into a subcustodian agreement with the Special Subcustodian.
(d) Termination of a Subcustodian.
The Custodian may, at any time in its discretion upon notification to the appropriate Fund(s), terminate any Subcustodian of such Fund(s) in accordance with the termination provisions under the applicable subcustodian agreement, and upon the receipt of Special Instructions, the Custodian shall terminate any Subcustodian in accordance with the termination provisions under the applicable subcustodian agreement.
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(e) Information Regarding Foreign Subcustodians.
Upon request of a Fund, the Custodian shall deliver, or cause any Approved Foreign Custody Manager to deliver, to the Fund a letter or list stating: (i) the identity of each Foreign Subcustodian then acting on behalf of the Custodian; (ii) the Eligible Securities Depositories (as defined in Section 5(f)) in each foreign market through which each Foreign Subcustodian is then holding cash, securities and other Assets of the Fund; and (iii) such other information as may be requested by the Fund to ensure compliance with rules and regulations under the 1940 Act.
(f) Eligible Securities Depositories.
(1) The Custodian or the Domestic Subcustodian may place and maintain a Funds Foreign Assets with an Eligible Securities Depository (as defined in Rule 17f-7, which term shall include any other securities depository for which the SEC by exemptive order has permitted registered investment companies to maintain their assets).
(2) Upon the request of a Fund, the Custodian shall direct the Domestic Subcustodian to provide to the Fund (including the Funds board of directors or trustees) and/or the Funds adviser or other agent an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining the Funds Foreign Assets with such Eligible Securities Depository utilized directly or indirectly by the Custodian or the Domestic Subcustodian as of the date hereof (or, in the case of an Eligible Securities Depository not so utilized as of the date hereof, prior to the placement of the Funds Foreign Assets at such depository) and at which any Foreign Assets of the Fund are held or are expected to be held. The Custodian shall direct the Domestic Subcustodian to monitor the custody risks associated with maintaining the Funds Foreign Assets at each such Eligible Securities Depository on a continuing basis and shall promptly notify the Fund or its adviser of any material changes in such risks through the Approved Foreign Custody Managers letter, market alerts or other periodic correspondence.
(3) The Custodian shall direct the Domestic Subcustodian to determine the eligibility under Rule 17f-7 of each foreign securities depository before maintaining the Funds Foreign Assets therewith and shall promptly advise the Fund if any Eligible Securities Depository ceases to be so eligible. Notwithstanding Subsection 17(c) hereof, Eligible Securities Depositories may, subject to Rule 17f-7, be added to or deleted from such list from time to time.
(4) Withdrawal of Assets. If an arrangement with an Eligible Securities Depository no longer meets the requirements of Rule 17f-7, the Custodian shall direct the Domestic Subcustodian to withdraw the Funds Foreign Assets from such depository as soon as reasonably practicable.
(5) Standard of Care. In fulfilling its responsibilities under this Section 5(f), the Custodian will exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence.
6. STANDARD OF CARE.
(a) General Standard of Care.
The Custodian shall exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties hereunder. The Custodian shall be liable to a Fund for all losses, damages and reasonable costs and expenses suffered or incurred by such Fund resulting from the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian; provided, however, in no event shall the Custodian be liable for attorneys fees or for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages arising under or in connection with this Agreement.
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(b) Actions Prohibited by Applicable Law, Etc.
In no event shall the Custodian incur liability hereunder if the Custodian or any Subcustodian or Securities System, or any Subcustodian, Eligible Securities Depository utilized by any such Subcustodian, or any nominee of the Custodian or any Subcustodian (individually, a Person) is prevented, forbidden or delayed from performing, or omits to perform, any act or thing which this Agreement provides shall be performed or omitted to be performed, by reason of: (i) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or of any foreign country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction (and neither the Custodian nor any other Person shall be obligated to take any action contrary thereto); or (ii) any Force Majeure, which for purposes of this Agreement, shall mean any circumstance or event which is beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian, a Subcustodian or any agent of the Custodian or a Subcustodian and which adversely affects the performance by the Custodian of its obligations hereunder, by the Subcustodian of its obligations under its subcustodian agreement or by any other agent of the Custodian or the Subcustodian, unless in each case, such delay or nonperformance is caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian. Such Force Majeure events may include any event caused by, arising out of or involving (a) an act of God, (b) accident, fire, water damage or explosion, (c) any computer, system outage or downtime or other equipment failure or malfunction caused by any computer virus or any other reason or the malfunction or failure of any communications medium, (d) any interruption of the power supply or other utility service, (e) any strike or other work stoppage, whether partial or total, (f) any delay or disruption resulting from or reflecting the occurrence of any Sovereign Risk (as defined below), (g) any disruption of, or suspension of trading in, the securities, commodities or foreign exchange markets, whether or not resulting from or reflecting the occurrence of any Sovereign Risk, (h) any encumbrance on the transferability of cash, currency or a currency position on the actual settlement date of a foreign exchange transaction, whether or not resulting from or reflecting the occurrence of any Sovereign Risk, or (i) any other cause similarly beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian.
Subject to the Custodians general standard of care set forth in Subsection 6(a) hereof and the requirements of Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act and Rules 17f-5 and 17f-7 thereunder, the Custodian shall not incur liability hereunder if any Person is prevented, forbidden or delayed from performing, or omits to perform, any act or thing which this Agreement provides shall be performed or omitted to be performed by reason of any (i) Sovereign Risk, which for the purpose of this Agreement shall mean, in respect of any jurisdiction, including but not limited to the United States of America, where investments are acquired or held under this Agreement, (a) any act of war, terrorism, riot, insurrection or civil commotion, (b) the imposition of any investment, repatriation or exchange control restrictions by any governmental authority, (c) the confiscation, expropriation or nationalization of any investments by any governmental authority, whether de facto or de jure, (d) any devaluation or revaluation of the currency, (e) the imposition of taxes, levies or other charges affecting investments, (f) any change in the applicable law, or (g) any other economic, systemic or political risk incurred or experienced that is not directly related to the economic or financial conditions of the Eligible Foreign Custodian, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or the Delegation Agreement, or (ii) Country Risk, which for the purpose of this Agreement shall mean, with respect to the acquisition, ownership, settlement or custody of investments in a jurisdiction, all risks relating to, or arising in consequence of, systemic and markets factors affecting the acquisition, payment for or ownership of investments,
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including (a) the prevalence of crime and corruption in such jurisdiction, (b) the inaccuracy or unreliability of business and financial information (unrelated to the Approved Foreign Custody Managers duties imposed by Rule 17f-5(c) under the 1940 Act or to the duties imposed on the Custodian by Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act), (c) the instability or volatility of banking and financial systems, or the absence or inadequacy of an infrastructure to support such systems, (d) custody and settlement infrastructure of the market in which such investments are transacted and held, (e) the acts, omissions and operation of any Eligible Securities Depository, it being understood that this provision shall not excuse the Custodians performance under the express terms of this Agreement, (f) the risk of the bankruptcy or insolvency of banking agents, counterparties to cash and securities transactions, registrars or transfer agents, (g) the existence of market conditions which prevent the orderly execution or settlement of transactions or which affect the value of assets, and (h) the laws relating to the safekeeping and recovery of a Funds Foreign Assets held in custody pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided, however, that, in compliance with Rule 17f-5, neither Sovereign Risk nor Country Risk shall include the custody risk of a particular Eligible Foreign Custodian of a Funds Foreign Assets.
(c) Liability for Past Records.
Neither the Custodian nor any Domestic Subcustodian shall have any liability in respect of any loss, damage or expense suffered by a Fund, insofar as such loss, damage or expense arises from the performance of the Custodian or any Domestic Subcustodian in reliance upon records that were maintained for such Fund by entities other than the Custodian or any Domestic Subcustodian prior to the Custodians employment hereunder.
(d) Advice of Counsel.
The Custodian and all Domestic Subcustodians shall be entitled to receive and act upon advice of counsel of its own choosing on all matters. The Custodian and all Domestic Subcustodians shall be without liability for any actions taken or omitted in good faith pursuant to the advice of counsel.
(e) Advice of the Fund and Others.
The Custodian and any Domestic Subcustodian may rely upon the advice of any Fund and upon statements of such Funds accountants and other persons believed by it in good faith to be expert in matters upon which they are consulted, and neither the Custodian nor any Domestic Subcustodian shall be liable for any actions taken or omitted, in good faith, pursuant to such advice or statements.
(f) Information Services.
The Custodian may rely upon information received from issuers of Securities or other Assets or agents of such issuers, information received from Subcustodians or depositories, information from data reporting services that provide detail on corporate actions and other securities information, and other commercially reasonable industry sources; and, provided the Custodian has acted in accordance with the standard of care set forth in Section 6(a), the Custodian shall have no liability as a result of relying upon such information sources, including but not limited to errors in any such information.
(g) Instructions Appearing to be Genuine.
The Custodian and all Domestic Subcustodians shall be fully protected and indemnified in acting as a custodian hereunder upon any Resolutions of the Board of Directors or Trustees, Instructions, Special
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Instructions, advice, notice, request, consent, certificate, instrument or paper appearing to it to be genuine and to have been properly executed and shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, be entitled to receive as conclusive proof of any fact or matter required to be ascertained from any Fund hereunder a certificate signed by any officer of such Fund authorized to countersign or confirm Special Instructions. The Custodian shall have no liability for any losses, damages or expenses incurred by a Fund arising from the use of a non-secure form of email or other non-secure electronic system or process.
(h) No Investment Advice.
The Custodian shall have no duty to assess the risks inherent in Securities or other Assets or to provide investment advice, accounting or other valuation services regarding any such Securities or other Assets.
(i) Exceptions from Liability.
Without limiting the generality of any other provisions hereof, neither the Custodian nor any Domestic Subcustodian shall be under any duty or obligation to inquire into, nor be liable for:
(i) the validity of the issue of any Securities purchased by or for any Fund, the legality of the purchase thereof or evidence of ownership required to be received by any such Fund, or the propriety of the decision to purchase or amount paid therefor;
(ii) the legality of the sale, transfer or movement of any Securities by or for any Fund, or the propriety of the amount for which the same were sold; or
(iii) any other expenditures, encumbrances of Securities, borrowings or similar actions with respect to any Funds Assets;
and may, until notified to the contrary, presume that all Instructions or Special Instructions received by it are not in conflict with or in any way contrary to any provisions of any such Funds Declaration of Trust, Partnership Agreement, Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws or votes or proceedings of the shareholders, trustees, partners or directors of any such Fund, or any such Funds currently effective Registration Statement on file with the SEC.
7. LIABILITY OF THE CUSTODIAN FOR ACTIONS OF OTHERS.
(a) Domestic Subcustodians
Except as provided in Section 7(d), the Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of any Domestic Subcustodian to the same extent as if such actions or omissions were performed by the Custodian itself.
(b) Liability for Acts and Omissions of Foreign Subcustodians.
The Custodian shall be liable to a Fund for any loss or damage to such Fund caused by or resulting from the acts or omissions of any Foreign Subcustodian to the extent that, under the terms set forth in the subcustodian agreement between the Custodian or a Domestic Subcustodian and such Foreign Subcustodian, the Foreign Subcustodian has failed to perform in accordance with the standard of conduct imposed under such subcustodian agreement and the Custodian or Domestic Subcustodian recovers from the Foreign Subcustodian under the applicable subcustodian agreement.
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(c) Securities Systems, Interim Subcustodians, Special Subcustodians, Eligible Securities Depositories.
The Custodian shall not be liable to any Fund for any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by such Fund resulting from or occasioned by the actions or omissions of a Securities System, Interim Subcustodian, Special Subcustodian, or Eligible Securities Depository unless such loss, damage or expense is caused by, or results from, the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian.
(d) Failure of Third Parties.
The Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred by any Fund resulting from or occasioned by the actions, omissions, neglects, defaults, insolvency or other failure of any (i) issuer of any Securities or Underlying Shares or of any agent of such issuer; (ii) any counterparty with respect to any Security or other Asset, including any issuer of any option, futures, derivatives or commodities contract; (iii) investment adviser or other agent of a Fund; or (iv) any broker, bank, trust company or any other person with whom the Custodian may deal (other than any of such entities acting as a Subcustodian, Securities System or Eligible Securities Depository, for whose actions the liability of the Custodian is set out elsewhere in this Agreement); or (v) any agent or depository (including but not limited to a securities lending agent or precious metals depository) with whom the Custodian may deal at the direction of, and behalf of, a Fund; unless such loss, damage or expense is caused by, or results from, the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian or the Custodians breach of the terms of any contract between the Fund and the Custodian.
(e) Transfer Agents.
The Custodian shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund resulting from the maintenance of Underlying Shares with a Transfer Agent except for losses resulting directly from the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Indemnification by Fund.
Subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian and its nominees from all losses, damages and expenses (including attorneys fees) suffered or incurred by the Custodian or its nominee caused by or arising from actions taken by the Custodian, its employees or agents in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any indemnification obligations undertaken by the Custodian under any relevant subcustodian agreement; provided, however, that such indemnity shall not apply to the extent the Custodian is liable under Sections 6 or 7 hereof.
If any Fund requires the Custodian to take any action with respect to Securities, Underlying Shares or other Assets, which action involves the payment of money or which may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to such Fund being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form, such Fund, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action, shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form satisfactory to it.
Each Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian for any action the Custodian takes or does not take in reliance upon directions, Instructions or Special Instructions, including but not limited
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to Instructions or Special Instructions to prepare, sign and submit Subscription Agreements or other Writings on behalf of the Manager or the Fund, except for such action or inaction resulting from the Custodians negligence or willful misconduct or if the Custodian follows an Instruction or Written Instruction expressly forbidden by this Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by Custodian.
Subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the Custodian agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund from all losses, damages and expenses (with the exception of those damages and expenses referenced in Section 6(a)) suffered or incurred by each such Fund caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian.
9. ADVANCES.
In the event that the Custodian or any Subcustodian, Securities System, or Eligible Securities Depository acting either directly or indirectly under agreement with the Custodian (each of which for purposes of this Section 9 shall be referred to as Custodian), makes any payment or transfer of funds on behalf of any Fund as to which there would be, at the close of business on the date of such payment or transfer, insufficient funds held by the Custodian on behalf of any such Fund, the Custodian may, in its discretion without further Instructions, provide an advance (Advance) to any such Fund in an amount sufficient to allow the completion of the transaction by reason of which such payment or transfer of funds is to be made. In addition, in the event the Custodian is directed by Instructions to make any payment or transfer of funds on behalf of any Fund as to which it is subsequently determined that such Fund has overdrawn its cash account with the Custodian as of the close of business on the date of such payment or transfer, said overdraft shall constitute an Advance. Any Advance shall be payable by the Fund on behalf of which the Advance was made on demand by Custodian, unless otherwise agreed by such Fund and the Custodian, and shall accrue interest from the date of the Advance to the date of payment by such Fund to the Custodian at a rate determined from time to time by the Custodian. It is understood that any transaction in respect of which the Custodian shall have made an Advance, including but not limited to a foreign exchange contract or transaction in respect of which the Custodian is not acting as a principal, is for the account of and at the risk of the Fund on behalf of which the Advance was made, and not, by reason of such Advance, deemed to be a transaction undertaken by the Custodian for its own account and risk. The Custodian and the Fund which are parties to this Agreement acknowledge that the purpose of Advances is to finance temporarily the purchase or sale of Securities for prompt delivery in accordance with the settlement terms of such transactions or to meet emergency expenses not reasonably foreseeable by a Fund. The Custodian shall promptly notify the appropriate Fund of any Advance. Such notification may be communicated by telephone, Electronic Communication or facsimile transmission or in such other manner as the Custodian may choose. Nothing herein shall be deemed to create an obligation on the part of the Custodian to advance monies to a Fund.
10. SECURITY INTEREST.
To secure the due and prompt payment of all Advances, together with any taxes, charges, fees, expenses, assessments, obligations, claims or liabilities incurred by the Custodian in connection with its or their performance of any duties under this Agreement (collectively, Liabilities), except for any Liabilities arising from or the Custodians negligence or willful misconduct, the Fund grants to the Custodian a security interest in all of the Funds Securities and other Assets now or hereafter in the possession of the Custodian and all proceeds thereof (collectively, the Collateral). A Fund shall promptly reimburse the Custodian for any and all such Liabilities. In the event that a Fund fails to satisfy any of the Liabilities as and when due and payable, the Custodian shall have in respect of the Collateral,
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in addition to all other rights and remedies arising hereunder or under local law, the rights and remedies of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code. Without prejudice to the Custodians rights under applicable law, the Custodian shall be entitled, without notice to the Fund, to withhold delivery of any Collateral, sell, set-off, or otherwise realize upon or dispose of any such Collateral and to apply the money or other proceeds and any other monies credited to the Fund in satisfaction of the Liabilities. This includes, but is not limited to, any interest on any such unpaid Liability as the Custodian deems reasonable, and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) incurred by the Custodian in connection with the sale, set-off or other disposition of such Collateral.
11. COMPENSATION.
The Fund will pay to the Custodian such compensation as is set forth on Schedule A hereto, or as otherwise agreed to in writing by the Custodian and each such Fund from time to time. In addition, the Fund shall reimburse the Custodian for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Custodian in connection with this Agreement, but excluding salaries and usual overhead expenses. Such compensation, and expenses shall be billed to each such Fund and paid in cash to the Custodian.
12. POWERS OF ATTORNEY.
Upon request, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian such proxies, powers of attorney or other instruments as may be reasonable and necessary or desirable in connection with the performance by the Custodian or any Subcustodian of their respective obligations under this Agreement or any applicable subcustodian agreement.
13. TAX LAWS.
The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on a Fund or on the Custodian as custodian for such Fund by the tax law of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof. The Fund agrees to indemnify the Custodian for and against any such obligations including taxes, tax reclaims, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption or refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed against the Fund or the Custodian as custodian of a Fund.
14. TERM AND ASSIGNMENT.
This Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to each Fund for a three-year period beginning on the date of this Agreement (the Initial Term). Thereafter, if not terminated as provided herein, the Agreement shall continue automatically in effect as to each Fund for successive annual periods (each a Renewal Term).
In the event this Agreement is terminated by the Fund prior to the end of the Initial Term of any subsequent Renewal Term, the Fund shall be obligated to pay the Custodian the remaining balance of the fees payable to the Custodian under this Agreement through the end of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable. Either party may terminate this Agreement at the end of the Initial Term or at the end of any successive Renewal Term (the Termination Date) by giving the other party a written notice not less than ninety (90) days prior to the end of the respective term. Upon termination of this Agreement, the appropriate Fund shall pay to the Custodian such fees as may be due the Custodian hereunder as well as its reimbursable disbursements, costs and expenses paid or incurred. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Custodian shall deliver, at the terminating partys expense, all Assets held by it hereunder to a successor custodian designated by the Fund or, if a successor custodian is not designated, then to the
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appropriate Fund or as otherwise designated by such Fund by Special Instructions. Upon such delivery, the Custodian shall have no further obligations or liabilities under this Agreement except as to the final resolution of matters relating to activity occurring prior to the effective date of termination. In the event that for any reason Securities or other Assets remain in the possession of the Custodian after the date such termination shall take effect, the Custodian shall be entitled to compensation at the same rates as agreed to by the Custodian and the Fund during the term of this Agreement as set forth in Section 11.
This Agreement may not be assigned by the Custodian or any Fund without the respective consent of the other.
15. ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
[RESERVED]
16. NOTICES.
As to the Fund, notices, requests, instructions and other writings delivered to [Primark Advisors, LLC, 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado 80206], postage prepaid, or to such other address as the Fund may have designated to the Custodian in writing, shall be deemed to have been properly delivered or given to a Fund.
Notices, requests, instructions and other writings delivered to the Custodian at its office at 928 Grand Blvd., 10th Floor, Attn: Peter Bergman, Kansas City, Missouri 64106, postage prepaid, or to such other addresses as the Custodian may have designated to the Fund in writing, shall be deemed to have been properly delivered or given to the Custodian hereunder; provided, however, that procedures for the delivery of Instructions and Special Instructions shall be governed by Section 2(c) hereof.
17. CONFIDENTIALITY.
The parties agree that all Information, books and records provided by the Custodian or the Fund to each other in connection with this Agreement, and all information provided by either party pertaining to its business or operations, is Confidential Information. All Confidential Information shall be used by the party receiving such information only for the purpose of providing or obtaining services under this Agreement and, except as may be required to carry out the terms of this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any other party without the express consent of the party providing such Confidential Information. The foregoing limitations shall not apply to any information that is available to the general public other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement, or that is required to be disclosed by or to any entity having regulatory authority over a party hereto or any auditor of a party hereto or that is required to be disclosed as a result of a subpoena or other judicial process, or otherwise by applicable laws.
18. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE.
The Fund represents and warrants that it has established and maintain policies and procedures designed to meet the requirements imposed by the USA PATRIOT Act, including policies and procedures designed to detect and prevent money laundering, including those required by the USA PATRIOT Act. The Fund agrees to provide to the Custodian, from time to time upon the request of the Custodian, certifications regarding its compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and other anti-money laundering laws. The Fund acknowledges that, because the Custodian will not have information regarding the shareholders of the Fund, the Fund will assume responsibility for customer identification and verification and other CIP requirements in regard to such shareholders.
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19. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) This Agreement is executed and delivered in the State of Missouri and shall be governed by the laws of such state.
(b) All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
(c) No provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived in any manner except in writing, properly executed by both parties hereto; provided, however, Appendix A may be amended from time to time as Domestic Subcustodians, Securities Systems, and Special Subcustodians are approved or terminated according to the terms of this Agreement.
(d) The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only, and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
(e) This Agreement shall be effective as of the date of execution hereof.
(f) This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and shall not be affected, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if this Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provision held to be illegal or invalid.
(h) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Delegation Agreement (if applicable), as amended from time to time, constitute the entire understanding and agreement of the parties thereto with respect to the subject matter therein and accordingly, supersedes as of the effective date of this Agreement any custodian agreement heretofore in effect between the Fund and the Custodian.
(i) The rights and obligations contained in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 17 of this Agreement shall continue, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement, in order to fulfill the intention of the parties as described in such Sections.
[Signature page to follow.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Custody Agreement to be executed by their respective duly authorized officers.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | ||||||||
Attest: |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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Date: |
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UMB BANK, N.A. | ||||||||
Attest: |
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By: |
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Name: | Peter Bergman | |||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||||
Date: |
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APPENDIX A
CUSTODY AGREEMENT
The following Subcustodians and Securities Systems are approved for use in connection with the Custody Agreement dated .
SECURITIES SYSTEMS:
Depository Trust Company
Federal Book Entry
SPECIAL SUBCUSTODIANS:
DOMESTIC SUBCUSTODIANS:
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (Foreign Securities Only)
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | UMB BANK, N.A. | |||||||
By: |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Name: | Peter Bergman | |||||
Title: |
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Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||
Date: |
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Date: |
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EXHIBIT 1
UMB BANK AGENCY NOTICE (the NOTICE) to [FORMAL NAME OF SUBSCRIPTION
AGREEMENT] (Subscription Agreement)
For Investment by
In
[UNDERLYING SHARE NAME]
UMB Bank, n.a., (UMB) is providing this [FORMAL NAME OF SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT] to which this Notice is attached solely as Custodian and agent for [FUND NAME](Investor) and at the direction of [FUND NAME], in connection with the investment by [NAME OF FUND] in interests (Interests) of [UNDERLYING SHARE NAME](Fund).
UMB is acting solely as Custodian in connection with the Investors investment in the Fund and holding of Interests. UMB does not exercise any investment responsibility or authority for the Investor, and can act in connection with the assets of the Investor only at the direction of the Investor, and only through authorized representatives of the Investor. UMB receives a fee to provide its services as custodian, but has no economic interest in the Fund.
Please be advised that:
(i) UMB is not the owner of, has no beneficial ownership interest in, and has no liability for the payment for any obligations or liabilities related to the Interests;
(ii) UMB will not be and is not liable to you, the Fund, the Funds investors or any other person or entity for any damages, costs, liabilities or expenses arising out of the investment by Investor in the Fund, or in connection with the Interests;
(iii) UMB has not made, is not responsible for, cannot verify the accuracy or completeness of, and in no way confirms, guarantees or supports any representations, warranties, covenants or similar assertions (collectively, Representations) made by Investor to the Fund or any other person or entity in connection with Investors investment in the Fund and purchase or purchases of Interests (including without limitation all Representations in any Subscription Agreement). Representations in any Subscription Agreement are made by the Investor;
(iv) Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary, UMB will not be deemed to have received any distribution or other asset of the Investor until that distribution or other asset of the Investor has in fact been received by UMB at the address and in the manner directed above; and
(v) Without limiting any of the foregoing, UMB makes no representations to the Fund or any other person or entity regarding the Investors qualifications to invest in the Fund, the Investors status under any anti-money laundering or similar statutes, the Investors financial status or condition, or any other information relating to the Investor. Representations regarding such matters in any subscription agreement or similar document are representations of the Investor. In this regard, other parts of UMB, and affiliates of UMB, may have business or other relationships with the Investor, and may have confidential or non-public knowledge about the Investor. UMB has no obligation to provide any such information to the Fund or any person or entity related to the Fund.
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This Notice is incorporated into and made a part of the Subscription Agreement. In the event of any conflict, express or implied, between any provision contained in this Notice and the Subscription Agreement, the terms of this Notice shall control.
UMB Bank, n.a.
By: |
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[Name] | ||
[Title] |
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RULE 17f -5 DELEGATION AGREEMENT
By its execution of this Delegation Agreement by and between UMB Bank, n.a. (the Custodian), a national banking association, with its principal office in Kansas City, Missouri, and each of the registered investment companies (on behalf of any series thereof, if applicable) listed on the Appendix to this Agreement, together with such additional companies as shall be made parties to this Agreement by the execution of a revised Appendix to this Agreement (such companies, and any series thereof, are referred to individually as a Fund and, collectively, as the Funds), the Funds hereby direct the Custodian to appoint Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., a limited partnership formed under the laws of the State of New York, as the Approved Foreign Custody Manager (the Delegate) under the terms of the Custody Agreement between the Funds and the Custodian to perform certain functions with respect to the custody of the Funds Assets (as defined in Section 13 of this Delegation Agreement) outside the United States of America.
WHEREAS, the Delegate has agreed to provide global custody services to the Custodian on behalf of the Funds through a Custodian Agreement; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Funds and Custodian agree as follows. Capitalized terms shall have the meaning indicated in Section 13 of this Delegation Agreement unless otherwise indicated.
1. Maintenance of Funds Assets Abroad. Each Fund, acting through its Board of Directors or Trustees (the Board), or its duly authorized representative, hereby instructs the Custodian to enter into a written agreement with the Delegate to place and maintain the Funds Assets outside the United States in accordance with instructions received from the Funds investment adviser. (An investment adviser may include any duly authorized sub-adviser to the Fund.) Such
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instruction shall represent a Special Instruction under the terms of the Custody Agreement between the Fund and the Custodian (the Custody Agreement). Each Fund acknowledges that: (a) the Custodian shall direct the Delegate to perform services hereunder only with respect to the countries where the Delegate provides custodial services to the Fund as indicated on the Delegate Global Custody Network Listing; (b) depending on conditions in the particular country, advance notice may be required before the Delegate, upon the Custodians direction, shall be able to perform its duties in or with respect to such country (such advance notice to be reasonable in light of the specific facts and circumstances attendant to performance of duties in such country); and (c) nothing in this Delegation Agreement shall require the Custodian to direct the Delegate to provide delegated or custodial services in any country, and there may from time to time be countries as to which the Delegate determines it will not provide delegation services.
2. Delegation. Pursuant to the provisions of Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act), and on behalf of and at the direction of the Funds, each Funds Board hereby directs the Custodian, and the Custodian hereby agrees, to appoint the Delegate to perform only those duties set forth in this Delegation Agreement concerning the safekeeping of each Funds Assets in each of the countries as to which Custodian has reported to the Funds that the Custodian shall have appointed the Delegate to act pursuant to Rule 17f-5. The Custodian is hereby authorized to take such actions, and to direct the Delegate to take such actions, on behalf of or in the name of the Funds as are reasonably required to discharge its duties under this Delegation Agreement, including, without limitation, to cause the Funds Assets to be placed with a particular Eligible Foreign Custodian in accordance herewith. Each Fund confirms that its Board or investment adviser has considered and accepted the Sovereign Risk and prevailing Country Risk as part of its continuing investment decision process.
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3. Selection of Eligible Foreign Custodian and Contract Administration. The Custodian shall direct the Delegate pursuant to a written agreement to perform the following duties with respect to the selection of Eligible Foreign Custodians and administration of certain contracts governing the Funds foreign custodial arrangements:
(a) Selection of Eligible Foreign Custodian. The Delegate shall place and maintain the Funds Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian; provided that, the Delegate shall be required to determine that the Funds Assets will be subject to reasonable care based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including without limitation:
(i) The Eligible Foreign Custodians practices, procedures, and internal controls, including, but not limited to, the physical protections available for certificated securities (if applicable), the controls and procedures for dealing with any Eligible Securities Depository, the method of keeping custodial records, and the security and data protection practices;
(ii) Whether the Eligible Foreign Custodian has the requisite financial strength to provide reasonable care for the Funds Assets;
(iii) The Eligible Foreign Custodians general reputation and standing; and
(iv) Whether the Funds will have jurisdiction over and be able to enforce judgments against the Eligible Foreign Custodian, such as by virtue of the existence of any offices of such Eligible Foreign Custodian in the United States or such Eligible Foreign Custodians appointment of an agent for service of process in the United States or consent to jurisdiction in the United States.
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The Delegate shall be required to make the foregoing determination consistent with the standard of care set forth in Section 8 of this Delegation Agreement.
(b) Contract Administration. The Custodian shall require that the Delegate cause that the foreign custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian be governed by a written contract that the Delegate has determined will provide reasonable care for the Funds Assets based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of the Funds Assets as specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1). Each such contract shall, except as set forth in the last paragraph of this subsection (b), include provisions that provide:
(i) For indemnification or insurance arrangements (or any combination of the foregoing) such that the Funds will be adequately protected against the risk of loss of assets held in accordance with such contract;
(ii) That the Funds Assets will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the Eligible Foreign Custodian or its creditors, except a claim of payment for their safe custody or administration or, in the case of cash deposits, liens or rights in favor of creditors of such Custodian arising under bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws;
(iii) That beneficial ownership of each Funds Assets will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration;
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(iv) That adequate records will be maintained identifying each Funds Assets as belonging to the Fund or as being held by a third party for the benefit of the Fund;
(v) That each Funds independent public accountants will be given access to those records described in (iv) above or confirmation of the contents of such records; and
(vi) That the Fund will receive sufficient and timely periodic reports with respect to the safekeeping of each Funds Assets, including, but not limited to, notification of any transfer to or from the Funds account or a third party account containing foreign assets held for the benefit of the Fund.
The Custodian may permit in its agreement with the Delegate that such contract may contain, in lieu of any or all of the provisions specified in this Section 3(b), such other provisions that the Delegate determines will provide, in their entirety, the same or a greater level of care and protection for the Funds Assets as the specified provisions, in their entirety.
(c) Limitation to Delegated Selection. Notwithstanding anything in this Delegation Agreement to the contrary, the agreement between the Custodian and the Delegate may provide that the duties under this Section 3 shall apply only to Eligible Foreign Custodians selected by the Delegate and shall not apply to any Eligible Foreign Custodian that the Delegate is directed to use pursuant to Section 7 of this Delegation Agreement.
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4. Monitoring. The Custodian shall enter into an agreement with the Delegate that requires the Delegate to establish a system to monitor the appropriateness of maintaining each Funds Assets with each Eligible Foreign Custodian that has been selected by the Delegate pursuant to Section 3 of this Delegation Agreement. The Custodian shall direct the Delegate to monitor the continuing appropriateness of placement of each Funds Assets in accordance with the criteria established under Section 3(a) of this Delegation Agreement and such Eligible Foreign Custodians actual performance in accordance with the written contract as provided in Section 3(b) of this Delegation Agreement. The Custodian shall direct the Delegate to monitor the continuing appropriateness of the contract governing each Funds arrangements in accordance with the criteria established under Section 3(b) of this Delegation Agreement.
5. Reporting. The Custodian shall enter into an agreement with the Delegate providing that, initially, prior to the placement of a Funds Assets with any Eligible Foreign Custodian, and thereafter, at least annually and at such other times as the Board deems reasonable and appropriate based on the circumstances of the Funds arrangements, the Delegate shall provide to the Board of each Fund, or to the Custodian for prompt provision to such Board, written reports specifying placement of the Funds Assets with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Delegate pursuant to Section 3 of this Delegation Agreement and shall promptly report as to any material changes to such foreign custody arrangements. Such reporting will include the appropriateness of maintaining the Funds Assets with a particular custodian under paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 and the performance of the contract under paragraph (c)(2) of Rule 17f-5. The agreement may provide that the Delegate will prepare such a report with respect to any Eligible Foreign Custodian that the Delegate has been instructed to use pursuant to Section 7 hereunder only to the extent specifically agreed with respect to the particular situation.
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6. Withdrawal of Fund Assets. The Custodian shall enter into an agreement with the Delegate providing that, if the Delegate determines that an arrangement with a specific Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Delegate consistent with Section 3 of this Delegation Agreement no longer meets the requirements of said Section, the Delegate shall give the Custodian prompt notice of such determination and upon instructions the Delegate shall withdraw each Funds Assets from the non-complying arrangement as soon as reasonably practicable. The Delegate shall use good faith to notify the Custodian as to any facts known to the Delegate, considering whether such withdrawal would require liquidation of any of the Funds Assets or would materially impair the liquidity, value or other investment characteristics of the Funds Assets. Any such instructions from the Fund or the Funds investment adviser to the Custodian regarding liquidation or withdrawal shall be in the form of Special Instructions.
7. Direction as to Eligible Foreign Custodian. Notwithstanding this Delegation Agreement, each Fund, acting through its Board, its investment adviser or its other authorized representative, may instruct the Custodian to direct the Delegate to place and maintain the Funds Assets in a particular country or with a particular Eligible Foreign Custodian, including without limitation with respect to investment in countries as to which the Delegate reasonably determines that it will not provide delegation services. In the event that the Delegate determines that it will provide delegation services in such country or with such Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian will comply with the provisions otherwise set forth in this Delegation Agreement. In the event that the Delegate reasonably determines that it will not provide delegation services in such country or with such Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian and Delegate shall be entitled to rely on any such instruction as a Special Instruction and shall have no duties or liabilities under this Delegation Agreement with respect to such arrangement save those that it
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may undertake specifically in writing with respect to each particular instance; provided that this Delegation Agreement and the Custodian Agreement shall not constitute the Custodian or the Delegate as the exclusive delegate of any of the Funds for purposes of Rule 17f-5 and, particularly where Custodian does not agree to provide fully the services under this Delegation Agreement and the Custody Agreement to a Fund with respect to a particular country, the Fund may delegate such services to another delegate pursuant to Rule 17f-5.
8. Standard of Care. In carrying out its duties under this Delegation Agreement, the Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for safekeeping the Funds Assets would exercise. In addition, the Custodian will enter into a written agreement with the Delegate providing that, in carrying out its duties under its agreement with the Custodian, the Delegate will exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for safekeeping of the Funds Assets would exercise.
9. Liability of the Custodian for Actions of Other Persons. The Custodian shall be liable for the actions or omissions of the Delegate or any Eligible Foreign Custodian as set forth in the Custody Agreement between the Custodian and the Funds, except as provided in Section 7 hereunder.
10. Representations. The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that it is a U.S. Bank and that this Delegation Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Custodian and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Custodian enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy laws and any other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and by
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equitable principles. The Custodian will enter into an agreement with the Delegate in which the Delegate will represent and warrant that it is a U.S. Bank and that the agreement between the Custodian and the Delegate has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Delegate and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Delegate enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy laws and any other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and by equitable principles.
Each Fund hereby represents and warrants that its Board has determined that it is reasonable to rely on the Custodian to direct the Delegate to perform the delegated responsibilities provided for herein and that this Delegation Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Fund enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy laws and any other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and by equitable principles.
11. Effectiveness; termination. This Delegation Agreement shall be effective as of October 21, 2019. This Delegation Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by written notice from the terminating party to the non-terminating party. Such termination shall be effective on the 60th day following the date on which the non-terminating party shall receive the foregoing notice. The foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, this Delegation Agreement shall be deemed to have been terminated concurrently with the termination of the Custody Agreement. The Custodian shall terminate its agreement with the Delegate pursuant to this Delegation Agreement concurrently with any termination of this Delegation Agreement.
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12. Notices. Notices and other communications under this Delegation Agreement are to be made in accordance with the arrangements designated for such purpose under the Custody Agreement unless otherwise indicated in a writing referencing this Delegation Agreement and executed by both parties.
13. Definitions. Capitalized terms in this Delegation Agreement have the following meanings:
a. Country Risk - shall mean, with respect to the acquisition, ownership, settlement or custody of investments in a jurisdiction, all risks relating to, or arising in consequence of, systemic and market factors affecting the acquisition, payment for or ownership of investments including (a) the prevalence of crime and corruption except for crime or corruption by the Eligible Foreign Custodian or its employees, directors or officers for which the liability of the Custodian, the Delegate or the Approved Foreign Custody Manager is not predicated upon recovery of such damages from the Eligible Foreign Custodian as set forth in the Global Custody Network Listing, (b) the inaccuracy or unreliability of business and financial information (unrelated to the Custodians duties imposed by Rule 17f-5(c) under the 1940 Act or to the duties imposed upon it by Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act), (c) the instability or volatility of banking and financial systems, or the absence or inadequacy of an infrastructure to support such systems, (d) custody and settlement infrastructure of the market in which such investments are transacted and held, (e) the acts, omissions and operation of any Eligible Securities Depository, it being understood that this provision shall not excuse the Custodians performance under the express terms of this Agreement and its liability therefore, (f) the risk of the bankruptcy or insolvency of banking agents,
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counterparties to cash and securities transactions, registrars or transfer agents, (g) the existence of market conditions which prevent the orderly execution or settlement of transactions or which affect the value of assets, and (h) the laws relating to the safekeeping and recovery of a Funds Assets held in custody pursuant to the terms of the Custody Agreement; provided, however, that, in compliance with Rule 17f-5, neither Sovereign Risk nor Country Risk shall include the custody risk of a particular Eligible Foreign Custodian of the Funds Assets.
b. Eligible Foreign Custodian - shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 17f-5(a)(1) and shall also include a bank that qualifies to serve as a custodian of assets of investment companies under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act.
c. Funds Assets - shall mean any of a Funds investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the Funds transactions in such investments.
d. Special Instructions - shall have the meaning set forth in the Custody Agreement.
e. Eligible Securities Depository - shall have the meaning for an Eligible Securities Depository as set forth in Rule 17f-7.
f. Sovereign Risk - shall mean, in respect of any jurisdiction, including the United States of America, where investments are acquired or held hereunder or under the Custody Agreement, (a) any act of war, terrorism, riot, insurrection or civil commotion, (b) the imposition of any investment, repatriation or exchange control
11
restrictions by any governmental authority, (c) the confiscation, expropriation or nationalization of any investments by any governmental authority, whether de facto or de jure, (d) any devaluation or revaluation of the currency, (e) the imposition of taxes, levies or other charges affecting investments, (f) any change in the applicable law, or (g) any other economic or political risk incurred or experienced that is not directly related to the economic or financial conditions of the Eligible Foreign Custodian, except as otherwise provided in this Delegation Agreement or the Custody Agreement.
g. U. S. Bank shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 17f-5(a)(7) under the 1940 Act.
14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction. This Delegation Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri. The parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal courts sitting in the State of Missouri.
15. Fees. The Custodian shall perform its functions under this Delegation Agreement for the compensation determined under the Custody Agreement. Neither the Custodian nor the Delegate shall receive separate compensation from a Fund for the performance of the duties and services set forth in this Delegation Agreement.
16. Integration. This Delegation Agreement supplements and/or amends the Custody Agreement with respect to the selection and monitoring of Eligible Foreign Custodians, the administration of contracts with Eligible Foreign Custodians, the withdrawal of assets from Eligible Foreign Custodians and the issuance of reports in connection with such duties; provided that, in the event that there are any inconsistencies between the Delegation Agreement and the
12
Custody Agreement, the provisions of the Delegation Agreement shall govern for the purpose of compliance with Rule 17f-5. The terms of the Custody Agreement shall apply generally as to matters not expressly covered in this Delegation Agreement, including dealings with the Eligible Foreign Custodians in the course of discharge of the Custodians obligations under the Custody Agreement, and the Custodians obligation to indemnify the Funds as set forth in the Custody Agreement, and the Funds obligation to indemnify the Custodian as set forth in the Custody Agreement, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Delegation Agreement to be duly executed.
Primark Private Equity Fund |
UMB Bank, n.a. |
|||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
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Name: |
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Name: | Peter Bergman | |||||
Title: |
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Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||
Effective Date: [ , 2020] |
13
APPENDIX
Primark Private Equity Fund
14
MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
This Master Services Agreement (this Agreement), dated [Date], is between Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust), a Delaware statutory trust, and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the state of Ohio.
Background
The Trust is a closed-end management investment company registered or to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act), and it desires that Ultimus perform certain services for each of its series listed on Schedule A (as amended from time to time) (individually referred to herein as a Fund and collectively as the Funds). Ultimus is willing to perform such services on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Terms and Conditions
1. |
Retention of Ultimus |
The Trust retains Ultimus to act as the service provider on behalf of each Fund for the services set forth in each Addendum selected below (collectively, the Services), which are incorporated by reference into this Agreement. Ultimus accepts such employment to perform the selected Services.
☒ Fund Accounting Addendum
☒ Fund Administration Addendum
☒ Transfer Agent and Shareholder Servicing Addendum
2. |
Allocation of Charges and Expenses |
2.1. |
Ultimus shall furnish at its own expense the executive, supervisory, and clerical personnel necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Ultimus shall also pay all compensation of any officers of the Trust who are affiliated persons of Ultimus, except when such person is serving as the Trusts chief compliance officer. |
2.2. |
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, assumes and shall pay or cause to be paid all other expenses of the Trust or a Fund not otherwise allocated under this Section 2, including, without limitation: organization costs; taxes; expenses for legal and auditing services; the expenses of preparing (including typesetting), printing and mailing reports, prospectuses, statements of additional information, proxy statements and related materials; all expenses incurred in connection with issuing and redeeming shares; the costs of custodial services; the cost of initial and ongoing registration or qualification of the shares under federal and state securities laws; fees and out-of-pocket expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of Ultimus or the investment adviser(s) to the Trust; insurance premiums; interest; brokerage costs; litigation and other extraordinary or nonrecurring expenses; and all fees and charges of investment advisers to the Trust. |
3. |
Compensation |
3.1. |
The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, shall pay for the Services to be provided by Ultimus under this Agreement in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, the fee letter attached to each addendum (each a Fee Letter), which may be amended from time to time. Each Fee Letter is incorporated by reference into this Agreement. |
3.2. |
If this Agreement becomes effective subsequent to the first day of a month, Ultimus compensation for that part of the month in which the Agreement is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth in the applicable Fee Letter. If this Agreement terminates before the last day of a month, Ultimus compensation for that part of the month in which the Agreement is in effect shall be equal to a full calendar months worth of fees as calculated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth in the applicable Fee Letter. The Trust shall promptly pay Ultimus compensation for the preceding month. |
3.3. |
In the event that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), or any other regulator or self-regulatory authority adopts regulations and requirements relating to the payment of fees to service providers or which would result in any material increases in costs to provide the Services under this Agreement, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith amendments to this Agreement in order to comply with such requirements and provide for additional compensation for Ultimus as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
3.4. |
In the event that any fees are disputed, the Trust shall, on or before the due date, pay all undisputed amounts due hereunder and notify Ultimus in writing of any disputed fees which it is disputing in good faith. Payment for such disputed fees shall be due on or before the tenth (10th) business day after the day on which Ultimus provides to the Trust documentation which reasonably supports the disputed charges. |
4. |
Reimbursement of Expenses |
In addition to paying Ultimus the fees described in each Fee Letter, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, agrees to reimburse Ultimus for its actual out-of-pocket expenses in providing services hereunder, if applicable, including, without limitation, the following:
4.1. |
Reasonable travel and lodging expenses incurred by officers and employees of Ultimus in connection with attendance at meetings of the Trusts Board of Trustees (the Board) or any committee thereof and shareholders meetings; |
4.2. |
All freight and other delivery charges incurred by Ultimus in delivering materials on behalf of the Trust; |
4.3. |
All direct telephone, telephone transmission and telecopy or other electronic transmission expenses incurred by Ultimus in communication with the Trust, the Trusts investment adviser(s) or custodian, counsel for the Trust or a Fund, counsel for the Trusts independent Trustees, the Trusts independent accountants, dealers or others as required for Ultimus to perform the Services; |
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4.4. |
The cost of obtaining secondary security market quotes and any securities data, including but not limited to the cost of fair valuation services; |
4.5. |
The cost of electronic or other methods of storing records and materials; |
4.6. |
All fees and expenses incurred in connection with any licensing of software, subscriptions to databases, custom programming or systems modifications required to provide any special reports or services requested by the Trust; |
4.7. |
Any expenses Ultimus shall incur at the direction of an officer of the Trust thereunto duly authorized other than an employee or other affiliated person of Ultimus who may otherwise be named as an authorized representative of the Trust for certain purposes; |
4.8. |
A reasonable allocation of the costs associated with the preparation of Ultimus Service Organization Control 1 Reports (SOC 1 Reports); and |
4.9. |
Any additional expenses reasonably incurred by Ultimus in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. |
5. |
Maintenance of Books and Records; Record Retention |
5.1. |
Ultimus shall maintain and keep current the accounts, books, records and other documents relating to the Services as may be required by applicable law, rules, and regulations, including Federal Securities Laws as defined under Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act. |
5.2. |
Ownership of Records |
A. |
Ultimus agrees that all such books, records, and other data (except computer programs and procedures) developed to perform the Services (collectively, Client Records) shall be the property of the Trust or Fund. |
B. |
Ultimus agrees to provide the Client Records to the Trust or a Fund, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, upon reasonable request, and to make such books and records available for inspection by the Trust, a Fund, or its regulators at reasonable times. |
C. |
Ultimus agrees to furnish to the Trust or a Fund, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, all Client Records in the electronic or other medium in which such material is then maintained by Ultimus as soon as practicable after any termination of this Agreement. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, rules, or regulations, Ultimus shall promptly turn over to the Trust or Fund or, upon the written request of the Trust or Fund, destroy the Client Records maintained by Ultimus pursuant to this Agreement. If Ultimus is required by applicable law, rule, or regulation to maintain any Client Records, it will provide the Trust or Fund with copies as soon as reasonably practical after the termination. |
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5.3. |
Ultimus agrees to keep confidential all Client Records, except when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or court process. |
5.4. |
If Ultimus is requested or required to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or court process, Ultimus shall, unless prohibited by law, promptly notify the Trust or Fund of such request(s) so that the Trust or Fund may seek, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, an appropriate protective order. |
6. |
Subcontracting |
Ultimus may, at its expense, subcontract with any entity or person concerning the provision of the Services; provided, however, that Ultimus shall not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement by the appointment of such subcontractor, and that Ultimus shall be responsible, to the extent provided in Section 10, for all acts of a subcontractor.
7. |
Effective Date |
7.1. |
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first above written with respect to each Fund in existence on such date (or, if a particular Fund is not in existence on that date, on the date such Fund commences operation) (the Agreement Effective Date). |
7.2. |
Each Addendum shall become effective as of the date first written in the Addendum with respect to each Fund in existence on such date (or, if a particular Fund is not in existence on that date, on the date such Fund commences operation). |
8. |
Term |
8.1. |
Initial Term. This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless earlier terminated by either party as provided under this Section 8, for a period of three (3) years from the date first above written (the Initial Term). |
8.2. |
Renewal Terms. Immediately following the Initial Term this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (a Renewal Term). |
8.3. |
Termination. A party may terminate this Agreement under the following circumstances. |
A. |
Termination for Good Cause. During the Initial Term or a Renewal Term, a party (the Terminating Party) may only terminate the Agreement against the other party (the Non-Terminating Party) for good cause. For purposes of this Agreement, good cause shall mean: |
(1) |
a material breach of this Agreement by the Non-Terminating Party that has not been cured or remedied within 30 days after the Non-Terminating Party receives written notice of such breach from the Terminating Party; |
(2) |
the Non-Terminating Party takes a position regarding compliance with Federal Securities Laws that the Terminating Party reasonably disagrees with, the Terminating Party provides 30 days prior written notice of such disagreement, and the parties fail to come to agreement on the position within the 30-day notice period; |
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(3) |
a final and unappealable judicial, regulatory, or administrative ruling or order in which the Non-Terminating Party has been found guilty of criminal or unethical behavior in the conduct of its business; |
(4) |
the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent, or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States Code, as then in effect. |
B. |
Out-of-Scope Termination. If a Trust or Fund demands services that are beyond the scope of this Agreement and any incorporated Addendum, and the parties cannot agree on appropriate terms relating to such out-of-scope services, Ultimus may terminate this Agreement upon 60 days prior written notice. |
C. |
End-of-Term Termination. A party can terminate this Agreement at the end of the Initial Term or a Renewal Term by providing written notice of termination to the other party at least 120 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or then-current Renewal Term. |
D. |
Early Termination. Any termination by the Trust or Fund other than termination under Section 8.3.A-C is deemed an Early Termination. The Trust or Fund that provides a notice of early termination is subject to an Early Termination Fee equal to the pro rated fee amount due to Ultimus through the end of the then-current term as calculated in the applicable Fee Letter, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts provided by Ultimus during the term of the Agreement. |
E. |
Final Payment. Any unpaid compensation, reimbursement of expenses, or Early Termination Fee is due to Ultimus within 15 calendar days of the termination date provided in the notice of termination. |
F. |
Transition. Upon termination of this Agreement, Ultimus will cooperate with any reasonable request of the Trust to effect a prompt transition to a new service provider selected by the Trust. Ultimus shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the compensation described in each applicable Fee Letter, (1) the amount of all of Ultimus cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trusts property, records, instruments, and documents, and (2) a reasonable de-conversion fee as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
G. |
Liquidation. Upon termination of this Agreement due to the liquidation of the Trust or a Fund, Ultimus shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the compensation described in each applicable Fee Letter, (1) the amount of all of Ultimus cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trusts property, records, instruments, and documents, and (2) a reasonable liquidation fee as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
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8.4. |
No Waiver. Failure by either party to terminate this Agreement for a particular cause shall not constitute a waiver of its right to subsequently terminate this Agreement for the same or any other cause. |
9. |
Additional Funds or Classes of Shares |
In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series or classes of shares after the Agreement Effective Date, each such series or class of shares shall become, at the discretion of the Trust and Ultimus, a Fund or class of shares of a Fund (as applicable) under this Agreement and shall be added to Schedule A and the applicable Fee Letter(s) as appropriate.
10. |
Standard of Care; Limits of Liability; Indemnification |
10.1. |
Standard of Care. Each partys duties are limited to those expressly set forth in this Agreement and the parties do not assume any implied duties. Each party shall use its best efforts in the performance of its duties and act in good faith in performing the Services or its obligations under this Agreement. Each party shall be liable for any damages, losses or costs arising directly or indirectly out of such partys failure to perform its duties under this Agreement to the extent such damages, losses or costs arise directly or indirectly out of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder. |
10.2. |
Limits of Liability |
A. |
Ultimus shall not be liable for any Losses (as defined below) arising from the following: |
(1) |
performing Services or duties pursuant to any oral, written, or electric instruction, notice, request, record, order, document, report, resolution, certificate, consent, data, authorization, instrument, or item of any kind that Ultimus reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed, presented, or furnished by a duly authorized representative of the Trust or any Fund (other than an employee or other affiliated persons of Ultimus who may otherwise be named as an authorized representative of the Trust for certain purposes); |
(2) |
operating under its own initiative, in good faith and in accordance with the standard of care set forth herein, in performing its duties or the Services; |
(3) |
using valuation information provided by the Trusts approved third-party pricing service(s) or the investment adviser(s) to the Fund for the purpose of valuing a Funds portfolio holdings; |
(4) |
any default, damages, costs, loss of data or documents, errors, delay, or other loss whatsoever caused by events beyond Ultimus reasonable control, including, without limitation, corrupt, faulty or inaccurate data provided to Ultimus by third-parties; and |
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(5) |
any error, action or omission by the Trust or other past or current service provider. |
B. |
Ultimus may apply to the Trust at any time for instructions and may consult with counsel for the Trust or a Fund, counsel for the Trusts independent Trustees, and with accountants and other experts with respect to any matter arising in connection with Ultimus duties or the Services. Ultimus shall not be liable or accountable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with such instruction or with the reasonable opinion of such counsel, accountants, or other experts qualified to render such opinion. |
C. |
A copy of the Trusts Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the Declaration of Trust) is on file with the Secretary of State (or equivalent authority) of the state in which the Trust is organized, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trust and not the Trustees individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust (or if the matter relates only to a particular Fund, that Fund), and Ultimus shall look only to the assets of the Trust (or the particular Fund, as applicable), for the satisfaction of such obligations. |
D. |
Ultimus shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any officer, agent, representative or employee of the Trust or any Fund, the Trusts or any Funds investment adviser or any of the Trusts or Funds other service providers until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust or Fund (as applicable). As used in this Agreement, the term investment adviser includes all sub-advisers or persons performing similar services. |
E. |
The Board has and retains primary responsibility for oversight of all compliance matters relating to the Funds, including, but not limited to, compliance with the Investment Company Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Internal Revenue Code), the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the policies and limitations of each Fund relating to the portfolio investments as set forth in the prospectus and statement of additional information. Ultimus monitoring and other functions hereunder shall not relieve the Board of its primary day-to-day responsibility for overseeing such compliance. |
F. |
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Trust agrees to limit Ultimus liability for the Trusts Losses (as defined below) to an amount that shall not exceed the total compensation received by Ultimus under this Agreement during the most recent rolling 12-month period or the actual time period this Agreement has been in effect if less than 12 months. This limitation shall apply regardless of the cause of action or legal theory asserted. |
G. |
In no event shall Ultimus be liable for trading losses, lost revenues, special, incidental, punitive, indirect, consequential or exemplary damages or lost profits, whether or not such damages were foreseeable or Ultimus was advised of the possibility thereof. Ultimus shall not be liable for any corrupt, faulty or inaccurate data provided to Ultimus by any third-parties for use in delivering Ultimus Services to the Trust or a |
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Fund and Ultimus shall have no duty to independently verify and confirm the accuracy of third-party data. The parties acknowledge that the other parts of this Agreement are premised upon the limitation stated in this section. |
10.3. |
Indemnification |
A. |
Each party (the Indemnifying Party) agrees to indemnify, defend, and protect the other party, including its trustees, directors, managers, officers, employees, and other agents (collectively, the Indemnitees and each an Indemnitee), and shall hold the Indemnitees harmless from and against any actions, suits, claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and reasonable costs, charges, and expenses (including attorney fees and investigation expenses) (collectively, Losses) arising directly or indirectly out of (1) the Indemnifying Partys failure to exercise the standard of care set forth above unless such Losses were caused in part by the Indemnitees own willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence; (2) any violation of Applicable Law (defined below) by the Indemnifying Party or its affiliated persons or agents relating to this Agreement and the activities thereunder; and (3) any material breach by the Indemnifying Party or its affiliated persons or agents of this Agreement. |
B. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the Trust or Fund shall indemnify Ultimus for Ultimus Losses arising from circumstances under Section 10.2.A. |
C. |
Upon the assertion of a claim for which either party may be required to indemnify the other, the Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Indemnifying Party of such assertion, and shall keep the Indemnifying Party advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of the Indemnitee to timely notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure. |
D. |
The Indemnifying Party shall have the option to participate with the Indemnitee in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of the Indemnitee. The Indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Indemnifying Party may be required to indemnify the Indemnitee except with the Indemnifying Partys prior written consent. |
10.4. |
The provisions of this Section 10 shall survive termination of this Agreement. |
11. |
Force Majeure. |
Neither party will be liable for Losses, loss of data, delay of Services, or any other issues caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, delays by third party vendors and/or communications carriers, acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, failure of the mails, transportation, communication, or power supply.
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12. |
Representations and Warranties |
12.1. |
Joint Representations. Each party represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that: |
(A) |
It is a corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized. |
(B) |
To the extent required by Applicable Law (defined below), it is duly registered with all appropriate regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations and such registration will remain in full force and effect for the duration of this Agreement. |
(C) |
For the duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, it is currently and will continue to abide by all applicable federal and state laws, including, without limitation, federal and state securities laws; regulations, rules, and interpretations of the SEC and its authorized regulatory agencies and organizations, including FINRA; and all other self-regulatory organizations governing the transactions contemplated under this Agreement (collectively, Applicable Law). |
(D) |
It has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions, duties, and responsibilities contemplated by this Agreement. |
(E) |
This Agreement constitutes a legal obligation of the party, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties. |
(F) |
Whenever, in the course of performing its duties under this Agreement, it determines that a violation of Applicable Law has occurred, or that, to its knowledge, a possible violation of Applicable Law may have occurred, or with the passage of time could occur, it shall promptly notify the other party of such violation. |
12.2. |
Representations of the Trust. The Trust represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that: |
(A) |
(1) as of the close of business on the Agreement Effective Date, each Fund that is then in existence has authorized unlimited shares, and (2) no shares of any Fund will be offered to the public until the Trusts registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and the Investment Company Act, has been declared or becomes effective and all required state securities law filings have been made. |
(B) |
It shall cause the investment adviser(s) and sub-advisers, prime broker, custodian, legal counsel, independent accountants, and other service providers and agents, past or present, for each Fund to cooperate with Ultimus and to provide it with such information, documents, and advice relating to the Fund as appropriate or requested by Ultimus, in order to enable Ultimus to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement. |
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(C) |
The Trusts Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, registration statement and each Funds organizational documents, and prospectus are true and accurate and will remain true and accurate at all times during the term of this Agreement in conformance with applicable federal and state securities laws. |
(D) |
Each of the employees of Ultimus that serves or has served at any time as an officer of the Trust, including the CCO, President, Treasurer, Secretary and the AML Compliance Officer, shall be covered by the Trusts Directors & Officers/Errors & Omissions insurance policy (the Policy) and shall be subject to the provisions of the Trusts Declaration of Trust and Bylaws regarding indemnification of its officers. The Trust shall provide Ultimus with proof of current coverage, including a copy of the Policy, and shall notify Ultimus immediately should the Policy be canceled or terminated. |
(E) |
Any officer of the Trust shall be considered an individual who is authorized to provide Ultimus with instructions and requests on behalf of the Trust (an Authorized Person) (unless such authority is limited in a writing from the Trust and received by Ultimus) and has the authority to appoint additional Authorized Persons, to limit or revoke the authority of any previously designated Authorized Person, and to certify to Ultimus the names of the Authorized Persons from time to time. |
13. |
Insurance |
13.1. |
Maintenance of Insurance Coverage. Each party agrees to maintain throughout the term of this Agreement professional liability insurance coverage of the type and amount reasonably customary in its industry. Upon request, a party shall furnish the other party with pertinent information concerning the professional liability insurance coverage that it maintains. Such information shall include the identity of the insurance carrier(s), coverage levels, and deductible amounts. |
13.2. |
Notice of Termination. A party shall promptly notify the other party should any of the notifying partys insurance coverage be canceled or reduced. Such notification shall include the date of change and the reasons therefore. |
14. |
Information Provided by the Trust |
14.1. |
Prior to the Agreement Effective Date. Prior to the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust will furnish to Ultimus the following: |
(A) |
copies of the Declaration of Trust and of any amendments thereto, certified by the proper official of the state in which such document has been filed; |
(B) |
the Trusts Bylaws and any amendments thereto; |
(C) |
certified copies of resolutions of the Board covering the approval of this Agreement, authorization of a specified officer of the Trust to execute and deliver this Agreement and authorization for specified officers of the Trust to instruct Ultimus thereunder; |
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(D) |
a list of all the officers of the Trust, together with specimen signatures of those officers who are authorized to instruct Ultimus in all matters; |
(E) |
the Trusts registration statement and all amendments thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act; |
(F) |
the Trusts notification of registration under the Investment Company Act on Form N-8A as filed with the SEC; |
(G) |
the Trusts current prospectus and statement of additional information for each Fund; |
(H) |
an accurate, current list of shareholders of each existing series of the Trust, if applicable, showing each shareholders address of record, number of shares owned and whether such shares are represented by outstanding share certificates; |
(I) |
copies of the current plan of distribution adopted by the Trust under Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act for each Fund, if applicable; |
(J) |
copies of the current investment advisory agreement and current investment sub-advisory agreement(s), if applicable, for each Fund; |
(K) |
copies of the current underwriting agreement for each Fund; |
(L) |
contact information for each Funds service providers, including, but not limited to, the Funds administrator, custodian, transfer agent, independent accountants, legal counsel, underwriter and chief compliance officer; and |
(M) |
a copy of procedures adopted by the Trust in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act. |
14.2. |
After the Agreement Effective Date. After the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust will furnish to Ultimus any amendments to the items listed in Section 14.1. |
15. |
Compliance with Law |
The Trust assumes full responsibility for the preparation, contents, and distribution of each prospectus of a Fund and further agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Securities Laws and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Trust or a Fund, including, but not limited to, the Internal Revenue Code, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, each as amended.
16. |
Privacy and Confidentiality |
16.1. |
Definition of Confidential Information. The term Confidential Information shall mean all information that either party discloses (a Disclosing Party) to the other party (a Receiving Party), whether in writing, electronically, or orally and in any form (tangible or intangible), that |
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is confidential, proprietary, or relates to clients or shareholders (each either existing or potential). Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to: |
(A) |
any information concerning technology, such as systems, source code, databases, hardware, software, programs, applications, engaging protocols, routines, models, displays, and manuals; |
(B) |
any unpublished information concerning research activities and plans, customers, clients, shareholders, strategies and plans, costs, operational techniques; |
(C) |
any unpublished financial information, including information concerning revenues, profits and profit margins, and costs or expenses; and |
(D) |
Customer Information (as defined below). |
Confidential Information is deemed confidential and proprietary to the Disclosing Party regardless of whether such information was disclosed intentionally or unintentionally, or marked appropriately.
16.2. |
Definition of Customer Information. Any Customer Information will remain the sole and exclusive property of the Trust. Customer Information shall mean all non-public, personally identifiable information as defined by Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, as amended, and its implementing regulations (e.g., SEC Regulation S-P and Federal Reserve Board Regulation P) (collectively, the GLB Act). |
16.3. |
Treatment of Confidential Information |
(A) |
Each party agrees that at all times during and after the terms of this Agreement, it shall use, handle, collect, maintain, and safeguard Confidential Information in accordance with (1) the confidentiality and non-disclosure requirements of this Agreement; (2) the GLB Act, as applicable and as it may be amended; and (3) such other Applicable Law, whether in effect now or in the future. |
(B) |
Without limiting the foregoing, the Receiving Party shall apply to any Confidential Information at least the same degree of reasonable care used for its own confidential and proprietary information to avoid unauthorized disclosure or use of Confidential Information under this Agreement. |
(C) |
Each party further agrees that: |
(1) |
The Receiving Party will hold all Confidential Information it obtains in strictest confidence and will use and permit use of Confidential Information solely for the purposes of this Agreement or as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, and consistent therewith, may disclose or provide access to its responsible employees or agents who have a need to know and are under adequate confidentiality agreements or arrangements and make copies of Confidential Information to the extent reasonably necessary to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; |
Primark Private Equity Fund Ultimus Master Services Agreement [Date] |
Page 12 of 16 |
(2) |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Receiving Party may release Confidential Information as permitted or required by law or approved in writing by the Disclosing party, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Receiving Party may be exposed to civil or criminal liability or proceedings for failure to release such information; |
(3) |
Additionally, Ultimus may provide Confidential Information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information regarding investment companies; and |
(4) |
The Receiving Party will immediately notify the Disclosing Party of any unauthorized disclosure or use, and will cooperate with the Disclosing Party to protect all proprietary rights in any Confidential Information. |
16.4. |
Severability. This provision and the obligations under this Section 16 shall survive termination of this Agreement. |
17. |
Press Release |
Within the first 60 days following the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust agrees to review in good faith a press release (in any format or medium) announcing the Agreement with Ultimus; provided that Ultimus must obtain the Trusts written consent prior to publication of such release, which consent shall not be unreasonably denied by the Trust.
18. |
Non-Exclusivity |
The services of Ultimus rendered to the Trust are not deemed to be exclusive. Except to the extent necessary to perform Ultimus obligations under this Agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict Ultimus right, or the right of any of Ultimus managers, officers or employees who also may be a trustee, officer or employee of the Trust, or persons who are otherwise affiliated persons of the Trust to engage in any other business or to devote time and attention to the management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to render services of any kind to any other person.
19. |
Arbitration |
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in Cincinnati, Ohio, according to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.
This arbitration provision shall be enforced and interpreted exclusively in accordance with applicable federal law, including the Federal Arbitration Act. Any costs, fees, or taxes involved in enforcing the award shall be fully assessed against and paid by the party resisting enforcement of said award. The prevailing party shall also be entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys fees and costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement.
Primark Private Equity Fund Ultimus Master Services Agreement [Date] |
Page 13 of 16 |
20. |
Notices |
Any notice provided under this Agreement shall be sufficiently given when either delivered personally by hand or received by electronic mail overnight delivery, or certified mail at the following address.
20.1. |
If to the Trust: |
Primark Private Equity Fund
Attn: Michael Bell
205 Detroit Street, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80206
Email: michael.bell.001@gmail.com
with a copy to:
Gregory C. Davis
Ropes & Gray
Three Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111-4006
Email: Gregory.Davis@ropesgray.com
20.2. |
If to Ultimus: |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC
Attn: General Counsel
4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100
Elkhorn, NE 68022
Email: legal@ultimusfundsolutions.com
21. |
General Provisions |
21.1. |
Incorporation by Reference. This Agreement and its addendums, schedules, exhibits, and other documents incorporated by reference express the entire understanding of the parties and supersede any other agreement between them relating to the Services. |
21.2. |
Conflicts. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and any Appendices or Addendum thereto, this Agreement shall control. |
21.3. |
Amendments. The parties may only amend or waive all or part of this Agreement by written amendment or waiver signed by both parties. |
21.4. |
Assignments. |
(A) |
Except as provided in this Section 21.4, this Agreement and the rights and duties hereunder shall not be assignable by either of the parties except by the specific written consent of the non-assigning party. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Ultimus Master Services Agreement [Date] |
Page 14 of 16 |
(B) |
The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall become automatically applicable to any investment company that is the successor to the Trust because of reorganization, recapitalization, or change of domicile. |
(C) |
Unless this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 8 of this Agreement, Ultimus may, to the extent permitted by law and in its sole discretion, assign all its rights and interests in this Agreement to an affiliate, parent, subsidiary or to the purchaser of substantially all of its business, provided that Ultimus provides the Trust at least 90 days prior written notice. |
(D) |
This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. |
21.5. |
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the state of Ohio, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control. |
21.6. |
Headings. Section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement. |
21.7. |
Multiple Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by email or other means of electronic transmission will be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original, signed copy of this Agreement. |
21.8. |
Severability. If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and not be affected by such determination, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provisions held to be illegal or invalid. |
Signatures are located on the next page.
Primark Private Equity Fund Ultimus Master Services Agreement [Date] |
Page 15 of 16 |
The parties duly executed this Agreement as of , 20 .
Primark Private Equity Fund | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Ultimus Master Services Agreement [Date] |
Page 16 of 16 |
SCHEDULE A
to the
Master Services Agreement
between
Primark Private Equity Fund
and
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC
Dated [Date]
Fund Portfolio(s)
Primark Private Equity Fund
Fund Accounting Addendum
for
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Fund Accounting Addendum, dated [Date], is between Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust), on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds listed on Schedule A to that certain Master Services Agreement dated [Date], and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
Fund Accounting Services
1. |
Performance of Daily Accounting Services |
Ultimus shall perform the following accounting services daily for each Fund, each in accordance with the Funds prospectus and statement of additional information:
1.1. |
calculate the net asset value per share utilizing prices obtained from the sources described in subsection 1.2 below; |
1.2. |
obtain security prices from independent pricing services, or if such quotes are unavailable, then obtain such prices from each Funds investment adviser or its designee, as approved by the Board; |
1.3. |
verify and reconcile with the Funds custodian cash and all daily activity; |
1.4. |
compute, as appropriate, each Funds net income and realized capital gains, dividend payables, dividend factors, and weighted average portfolio maturity; |
1.5. |
review daily the net asset value calculation and dividend factor (if any) for each Fund prior to release to shareholders, check and confirm the net asset values and dividend factors for reasonableness and deviations, and distribute net asset values and/or yields to NASDAQ and such other entities as directed by the Fund; |
1.6. |
determine unrealized appreciation and depreciation on securities held by the Funds; |
1.7. |
accrue income of each Fund; |
1.8. |
amortize premiums and accrete discounts on securities purchased at a price other than face value, if requested by the Trust; |
1.9. |
update fund accounting system to reflect rate changes, as received/obtained by Ultimus, on variable interest rate instruments; |
1.10. |
record investment trades received in proper form from each Fund or its authorized agents on the industry standard T+1 basis; |
1.11. |
calculate Fund expenses based on instructions from each Funds administrator; |
1.12. |
accrue expenses of each Fund; |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Addendum |
Page 1 of 4 |
1.13. |
determine the outstanding receivables and payables for all (1) security trades, (2) Fund share transactions and (3) income and expense accounts; |
1.14. |
provide accounting reports in connection with each Funds regular annual audit and other audits and examinations by regulatory agencies; |
1.15. |
provide such periodic reports as agreed to by the parties; |
1.16. |
prepare and maintain the following records upon receipt of information in proper form from each Fund or its authorized agents: (1) cash receipts journal; (2) cash disbursements journal; (3) dividend record; (4) purchase and sales-portfolio securities journals; (5) subscription and redemption journals; (6) security ledgers; (7) broker ledger; (8) general ledger; (9) daily expense accruals; (10) daily income accruals, (11) securities and monies borrowed or loaned and collateral therefore; (12) foreign currency journals; and (13) trial balances; |
1.17. |
provide information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies; |
1.18. |
provide accounting information to each Funds independent registered public accounting firm for preparation of the Funds tax returns; and |
1.19. |
cooperate with, and take all reasonable actions in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, to ensure that all necessary information is made available to, each Funds independent public accountants in connection with any audit or the preparation of any report requested by the Fund. |
2. |
Additional Accounting Services |
Ultimus shall also perform the following additional accounting services for each Fund.
2.1. |
Financial Statements. Ultimus will provide monthly (or as frequently as may reasonably be requested by the Trust or a Funds investment adviser) a set of Financial Statements for each Fund. For purposes of this Fund Accounting Addendum, Financial Statements include the following: (A) Statement of Assets and Liabilities; (B) Statement of Operations; (C) Statement of Changes in Net Assets; (D) Security Purchases and Sales Journals; and (E) Fund Holdings Reports. |
2.2. |
Other Information. Provide accounting information for the following: |
(A) |
federal and state income tax returns and federal excise tax returns; |
(B) |
reports with the SEC on Forms N-CEN, N-PORT, and N-CSR; |
(C) |
registration statements and other filings relating to the registration of shares; |
(D) |
Ultimus monitoring of the Trusts status as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code; |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Addendum |
Page 2 of 4 |
(E) |
annual audit by each Funds independent accountants; and |
(F) |
examinations performed by the SEC. |
2.3. |
Other Services |
(A) |
as appropriate, compute each Funds yields, total return, expense ratios, and portfolio turnover rate, and any other financial ratios required by regulatory filings. |
3. |
Special Reports and Services |
3.1. |
Ultimus may provide additional special reports upon the request of the Trust or a Funds investment adviser, which may result in an additional charge, the amount of which shall be agreed upon by the parties prior to the reports being made available. |
3.2. |
Ultimus may provide such other similar services with respect to a Fund as may be reasonably requested by the Trust, which may result in an additional charge, the amount of which shall be agreed upon between the parties prior to such services being provided. |
4. |
Tax Matters |
Ultimus does not provide tax advice. Nothing in the Master Services Agreement or this Fund Accounting Addendum shall be construed or have the effect of rendering tax advice. It is important that the Trust or a Fund consult a professional tax advisor regarding its individual tax situation.
5. |
Forms N-CEN and N-PORT |
5.1. |
If Ultimus provides fund administration to the Trust or Fund, Ultimus will prepare and file with the SEC the reports on Forms N-CEN and N-PORT. |
5.2. |
If Ultimus does not provide fund administration to the Trust or Fund, Ultimus will provide the fund administrator with accounting information for Forms N-CEN and N-PORT. |
Signatures are located on the next page.
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Addendum |
Page 3 of 4 |
The parties duly executed this Fund Accounting Addendum as of [Date].
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Addendum |
Page 4 of 4 |
Fund Accounting Fee Letter
for
the Funds listed on Schedule A
each a series of
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Fee Letter (this Fee Letter) applies to the Services provided by Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus) to Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust) for the Funds listed on Schedule A (individually referred to herein as a Fund and collectively as the Funds) pursuant to that certain Master Services Agreement dated [Date], and the Fund Accounting Addendum dated [Date] (the Agreement). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.
1. |
Fees |
2. |
Portfolio Price Quotation and Performance Reporting |
3. |
Monthly Per Trade Fee |
4. |
Term |
4.1. |
Initial Term. This Fee Letter shall continue in effect until the expiration of the Master Services Agreements Initial Term (the Initial Term). |
4.2. |
Renewal Terms. Immediately following the Initial Term, this Fee Letter shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (each a Renewal Term) unless Ultimus, the Trust, or the Adviser gives written notice of termination at least 90 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term. |
4.3. |
Termination. Ultimus or the Trust may terminate the Agreement entirely or on behalf of a Fund as set forth in the Agreement. Any such termination shall be treated as a termination of this Fee Letter with respect to each Fund as to which the termination applies, in which case the Adviser shall be responsible for payment of any amounts required to be paid under the Agreement, including, without limitation, any applicable Early Termination Fee, any reimbursements for cash disbursements made by Ultimus and any fee for post-termination de-conversion or liquidation services. |
4.4. |
Early Termination. Any Early Termination under the Agreement with respect to a Fund shall subject the Adviser to paying an Early Termination Fee equal to the fee amounts due to Ultimus through the end of the then-current term as calculated in this Fee Letter, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts provided by Ultimus during the then-current term. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Fee Letter |
Page 1 of 4 |
4.5. |
Liquidation. Upon termination of the Agreement with respect to a Fund due to the liquidation of the Trust or a Fund, Ultimus shall be entitled to collect from the Adviser the compensation described in this Fee Letter through the end of the then-current term, the amount of all of Ultimus cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trusts property, records, instruments, and documents, and a reasonable fee for post-termination liquidation services as mutually agreed to by Ultimus and the Trust. |
5. |
Fee Increases |
Ultimus may annually increase the fees listed above by an amount not to exceed the average annual change for the prior calendar year in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers - All Items (seasonally unadjusted) (collectively the CPI-U)1 plus 1.5%; provided that Ultimus gives 60-day notice of such increase to the Trusts Board of Trustees and the Adviser. Any CPIU increases not charged in any given year may be included in prospective CPI-U fee increases in future years.
6. |
Amendment |
The parties may only amend this Fee Letter by written amendment signed by all the parties.
Signatures are located on the next page.
1 |
Using 1982-84=100 as a base, unless otherwise noted in reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Fee Letter |
Page 2 of 4 |
The parties duly executed this Fund Accounting Fee Letter dated , 2020.
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
The undersigned investment adviser (the Adviser) hereby acknowledges and agrees to the terms of the Agreement.
Primark Advisors LLC | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Accounting Fee Letter |
Page 3 of 4 |
Fund Administration Addendum
for
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Addendum, dated [Date], is between Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust), on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds listed in Scheduled A to that certain Master Services Agreement dated [Date], and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
Fund Administration Services
1. |
Regulatory Reporting |
Ultimus shall provide the Trust with regulatory reporting services, including:
1.1. |
prepare, in consultation with Trust counsel, and supervise the filing of annual updates to prospectuses and statements of additional information in the Trusts registration statements; |
1.2. |
prepare and file with the SEC (i) the reports for the Trust on Forms N-CSR, N-Q (as applicable) and N-CEN, (ii) Form N-PX, and (iii) all required notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the Investment Company Act; |
1.3. |
prepare such reports, notice filing forms and other documents (including reports regarding the sale and redemption of shares of the Trust as may be required in order to comply with federal and state securities law) as may be necessary or desirable to make notice filings relating to the Trusts shares with state securities authorities, monitor the sale of Trust shares for compliance with state securities laws, and file with the appropriate state securities authorities compliance filings as may be necessary or convenient to enable the Trust to make a continuous offering of its shares; and |
1.4. |
cooperate with, and take all reasonable actions in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, to ensure that the necessary information is made available to, the SEC or any other regulatory authority in connection with any regulatory audit of the Trust or any Fund. |
2. |
Shareholder Communications |
Ultimus shall develop and prepare, with the assistance of the Trusts investment adviser(s) and other service providers, communications to shareholders, including the annual and semiannual reports to shareholders, coordinate the printing and mailing of prospectuses, notices and other reports to Trust shareholders.
3. |
Corporate Governance |
Ultimus shall provide the following services to the Trust and its Funds:
3.1. |
provide individuals reasonably acceptable to the Board to serve as officers of the Trust, who will be responsible for the management of certain of the Trusts affairs as determined and under supervision by the Board; |
3.2. |
coordinate the acquisition of and maintain fidelity bonds and directors and officers/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust in accordance with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and as such bonds and policies are approved by the Board; and |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Addendum |
Page 1 of 4 |
3.3. |
coordinate meetings of, prepare materials for, attend and write minutes of the Boards quarterly meetings. |
4. |
Other Services |
Ultimus shall provide all necessary office space, equipment, personnel, and facilities for handling the affairs of the Trust; and shall provide such other services as the Trust may reasonably request that Ultimus perform consistent with its obligations under the Master Services Agreement and this Fund Administration Addendum:
4.1. |
administer contracts on behalf of the Trust with, among others, the Trusts investment adviser(s), distributor, custodian, transfer agent and fund accountant; |
4.2. |
assist the Trust, each Funds investment adviser(s) and the Trusts Chief Compliance Officer in monitoring the Trust and its Funds for compliance with applicable limitations as imposed by the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations thereunder or set forth in the Trusts or any Funds then current prospectus or statement of additional information; |
4.3. |
perform all reasonable and customary administrative services and functions of the Trust to the extent such administrative services and functions are not provided to the Trust by other agents of the Trust; |
4.4. |
furnish advice and recommendations with respect to other aspects of the business and affairs of the Trust, as the Trust and Ultimus shall determine desirable; |
4.5. |
prepare and maintain the Trusts operating budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged to each Fund in order to calculate its daily net asset value; |
4.6. |
prepare, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports, including Fund budgets, expense reports, pro-forma financial statements, expense and profit/loss projections and fee waiver/expense reimbursement projections on a periodic basis; |
4.7. |
assist each Funds independent registered public accounting firm with the preparation and filing of the Funds tax returns; |
4.8. |
research and calculate the qualified dividend rate for income and short-term capital gain distributions and assist in the production of supplemental tax information letters for each Fund, if applicable; |
4.9. |
advise the Trust and its Board on matters concerning the Trust and its affairs including making recommendations regarding dividends and distributions; |
4.10. |
administer all disbursements for a Fund; and |
4.11. |
upon request, assist each Fund in the evaluation and selection of other service providers, such as independent public accountants, printers and EDGAR providers. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Addendum |
Page 2 of 4 |
5. |
Tax Matters |
Ultimus does not provide tax advice. Nothing in the Master Services Agreement or this Fund Administration Addendum shall be construed or have the effect of rendering tax advice. It is important that the Trust or a Fund consult a professional tax advisor regarding its individual tax situation.
6. |
Liquidity Risk Management Program. Ultimus will provide assistance in the adoption and maintenance of a Liquidity Risk Management Program (LRMP) which meets the requirements of Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act. The LRMP shall include the following services: |
Implementation Phase.
|
Develop and implement the Trusts written LRMP. |
|
Perform an in-depth evaluation of the adequacy of the advisers written LRMP to ensure compatibility with the Trusts LRMP. |
Ongoing Services (as applicable).
|
Assist with the preparation of periodic reporting and annual report to the Board, including collecting and incorporating investment adviser reports. |
|
Provide data from each Funds books and records. |
|
Assist in monitoring each Funds highly liquid investment minimum, if applicable, and each Funds level of illiquid investments (15% limit). |
|
Assist with arranging Board notifications. |
|
Assist in the preparation of Form N-LIQUID. |
|
Add advisers liquidity risk discussion to shareholder reports. |
7. |
Legal Representation |
Notwithstanding any provision of the Master Services Agreement or this Fund Administration Addendum to the contrary, Ultimus will not provide legal representation to the Trust or any Fund, including through the use of attorneys that are employees of Ultimus. The Trust acknowledges that in-house Ultimus attorneys exclusively represent Ultimus and will rely on outside counsel retained by the Trust to review all services provided by in-house Ultimus attorneys and to provide independent judgment on the Trusts behalf. The Trust acknowledges that because no attorney-client relationship exists between in-house Ultimus attorneys and the Trust, any information provided to Ultimus attorneys will not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure under certain circumstances. Ultimus represents that it will maintain the confidentiality of information disclosed to its in-house attorneys on a best efforts basis.
Signatures are located on the next page.
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Addendum |
Page 3 of 4 |
The parties duly executed this Fund Administration Addendum as of , 20 .
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Addendum |
Page 4 of 4 |
Fund Administration Fee Letter
for
the Funds listed on Schedule A
each a series of
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Fee Letter (this Fee Letter) applies to the Services provided by Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus) to Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust) for the Funds listed on Schedule A (individually referred to herein as a Fund and collectively as the Funds) pursuant to that certain Master Services Agreement dated [Date], and the Fund Administration Addendum dated [Date] (the Agreement). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.
1. |
Fees |
2. |
Out-Of-Pocket Expenses |
3. |
Term |
3.1. |
Initial Term. This Fee Letter shall continue in effect until the expiration of the Master Services Agreements Initial Term (the Initial Term). |
3.2. |
Renewal Terms. Immediately following the Initial Term, this Fee Letter shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (each a Renewal Term) unless Ultimus, the Trust, or the Adviser gives written notice of termination at least 90 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term. |
3.3. |
Termination. Ultimus or the Trust may terminate the Agreement entirely or on behalf of a Fund as set forth in the Agreement. Any such termination shall be treated as a termination of this Fee Letter with respect to each Fund as to which the termination applies, in which case the Adviser shall be responsible for payment of any amounts required to be paid under the Agreement, including, without limitation, any applicable Early Termination Fee, any reimbursements for cash disbursements made by Ultimus and any fee for post-termination de-conversion or liquidation services. |
3.4. |
Early Termination. Any Early Termination under the Agreement with respect to a Fund shall subject the Adviser to paying an Early Termination Fee equal to the fee amounts due to Ultimus through the end of the then-current term as calculated in this Fee Letter, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts provided by Ultimus during the then-current term. |
3.5. |
Liquidation. Upon termination of the Agreement with respect to a Fund due to the liquidation of the Trust or a Fund, Ultimus shall be entitled to collect from the Adviser the compensation described in this Fee Letter through the end of the then-current term, the amount of all of Ultimus cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus activities in effecting |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Fee Letter |
Page 1 of 4 |
such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trusts property, records, instruments, and documents, and a reasonable fee for post-termination liquidation services as mutually agreed to by Ultimus and the Trust. |
4. |
Fee Increases |
Ultimus may annually increase the minimum fees listed in section 1.1 above by an amount not to exceed the average annual change for the prior calendar year in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers - All Items (seasonally unadjusted) (collectively the CPI-U)2 plus 1.5%; provided that Ultimus gives 60-day notice of such increase to the Trusts Board of Trustees and the Adviser. Any CPIU increases not charged in any given year may be included in prospective CPI-U fee increases in future years.
5. |
Amendment |
The parties may only amend this Fee Letter by written amendment signed by all the parties.
Signatures are located on the next page.
2 |
Using 1982-84=100 as a base, unless otherwise noted in reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Fee Letter |
Page 2 of 4 |
The parties duly executed this Fund Administration Fee Letter dated , 2020.
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
The undersigned investment adviser (the Adviser) hereby acknowledges and agrees to the terms of the Agreement.
Primark Advisors LLC | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Fund Administration Fee Letter |
Page 3 of 4 |
Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum
for
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Addendum, dated [Date], is between Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust), on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds listed on Schedule A to that certain Master Services Agreement, dated [Date], and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services
1. |
Shareholder Transactions |
Ultimus shall provide the Trust with shareholder transaction services, including:
1.1. |
process shareholder purchase, redemption, exchange, and transfer orders in accordance with conditions set forth in the applicable Funds prospectus(es) applying all applicable redemption or other miscellaneous fees; |
1.2. |
set up of account information, including address, account designations, dividend and capital gains options, taxpayer identification numbers, banking instructions, automatic investment plans, systematic withdrawal plans and cost basis disposition method, |
1.3. |
assist shareholders making changes to their account information included in 1.2; |
1.4. |
issue trade confirmations in compliance with Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act); |
1.5. |
issue quarterly statements for shareholders, interested parties, broker firms, branch offices and registered representatives; |
1.6. |
act as a service agent and process income dividend and capital gains distributions, including the purchase of new shares, through dividend reimbursement and appropriate application of backup withholding, non-resident alien withholding and Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding; |
1.7. |
record the issuance of shares and maintain pursuant to Rule 17Ad-10(e) of the 1934 Act a record of the total number of shares of each Fund which are authorized, based upon data provided to it by the Trust, and issued and outstanding; |
1.8. |
perform such services as are required to comply with Rules 17a-24 and 17Ad-17 of the 1934 Act (the Lost Shareholder Rules); |
1.9. |
provide cost basis reporting to shareholders on covered shares (shares purchased after 1/1/2012), as required; |
1.10. |
withholding taxes on non-resident alien accounts, pension accounts and in accordance with state requirements; |
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum |
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1.11. |
produce, print, mail and file U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate forms required by federal authorities with respect to distributions for shareholders; |
1.12. |
administer and perform all other customary services of a transfer agent, including, but not limited to, answering routine customer inquiries regarding shares; and |
1.13. |
process all standing instruction orders (Automatic Investment Plans (AIPs) and Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWPs)) including the debit of shareholder bank information for automatic purchases. |
2. |
Shareholder Information Services |
Ultimus shall provide the Trust with shareholder information services, including:
2.1. |
make information available to shareholder servicing unit and other remote access units regarding trade date, share price, current holdings, yields, and dividend information; |
2.2. |
produce detailed history of transactions through duplicate or special order statements upon request; |
2.3. |
provide mailing labels for distribution of financial reports, prospectuses, proxy statements or marketing material to current shareholders; and |
2.4. |
respond as appropriate to all inquiries and communications from shareholders relating to shareholder accounts. |
3. |
Compliance Reporting |
3.1. |
AML Reporting. Ultimus agrees to provide anti-money laundering services to the Trusts direct shareholders and to operate the Trusts customer identification program for these shareholders, in each case in accordance with the written procedures developed by Ultimus and adopted or approved by the Board and with applicable law and regulations. |
3.2. |
Regulatory Reporting. Ultimus agrees to provide reports to the federal and applicable state authorities, including the SEC, and to the Funds auditors. Applicable state authorities are those governmental agencies located in states in which the Fund is registered to sell shares. |
3.3. |
IRS Reporting. Ultimus will prepare and distribute appropriate Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms for shareholder income and capital gains (including the calculation of qualified income), sale of fund shares, distributions from retirement accounts and education savings accounts, fair market value reporting on IRAs, contributions, rollovers and conversions to IRAs and education savings accounts and required minimum distribution notifications and issue tax withholding reports to the IRS. |
3.4. |
Market Timing Reports. Ultimus will provide quarterly market timing reports for each Fund. |
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3.5. |
Pay-to-Play Reports. Ultimus will provide quarterly reporting for Fund accounts subject to pay-to-play rules. |
4. |
Dealer/Load Processing |
For each Fund with a share class that charges a sales load (either front-end or back-end), Ultimus will:
4.1. |
provide reports for tracking rights of accumulation and purchases made under a letter of intent; |
4.2. |
account for separation of shareholder investments from transaction sale charges for purchase of Fund shares; |
4.3. |
calculate fees due under Rule 12b-1 plans for distribution and marketing expenses; |
4.4. |
track sales and commission statistics by dealer and provide for payment of commissions on direct shareholder purchases; and |
4.5. |
applying appropriate Front End Sales Load (FESL) breakpoint and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges (CDSCs) automatically during trade processing. |
5. |
Shareholder Account Maintenance |
For each direct shareholder account, Ultimus agrees to perform the following services:
5.1. |
maintain all shareholder records for each account in each Fund; |
5.2. |
as dividend disbursing agent, on or before the payment date of any dividend or distribution, notify the Funds custodian of the estimated amount of cash required to pay such dividend or distribution; prepare and distribute to shareholders any funds to which they are entitled by reason of any dividend or distribution and in the case of shareholders entitled to receive additional shares of the Fund by reason of any such dividend or distribution, make appropriate credit to their respective accounts and prepare and mail to such shareholders a confirmation statement with respect to such shares; |
5.3. |
issue customer statements on a scheduled cycle, and provide duplicate second and third-party copies if required; |
5.4. |
record shareholder account information changes; and |
5.5. |
maintain account documentation files for each shareholder. |
6. |
Other Services |
6.1. |
Ultimus shall perform other services for the Trust that are mutually agreed upon in a writing signed by the parties for mutually agreed fees, if any, and all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Ultimus; provided, however that the Trust may retain third parties to perform such other services. These services may include performing internal audit examination; mailing the annual reports of the Funds; preparing an annual list of shareholders; and mailing notices of shareholders meetings, proxies, and proxy statements. |
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7. |
National Securities Clearing Corporation Processing |
Ultimus will:
7.1. |
process accounts through Networking and the purchase, redemption, transfer and exchange of shares in such accounts through Fund/SERV (Networking and Fund/SERV being programs operated by the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the NSCC) on behalf of NSCCs participants, including the Trust), in accordance with, instructions transmitted to and received by Ultimus by transmission from NSCC on behalf of broker-dealers and banks which have been established by, or in accordance with the instructions of authorized persons, as hereinafter defined on the dealer file maintained by Ultimus; |
7.2. |
issue instructions to each Funds custodian for the settlement of transactions between the Fund and NSCC (acting on behalf of its broker-dealer and bank participants); |
7.3. |
provide account and transaction information from the affected Trusts records on an appropriate computer system in accordance with NSCCs Networking and Fund/SERV rules for those broker-dealers; and |
7.4. |
maintain shareholder accounts through Networking. |
8. |
Tax Matters |
Ultimus does not provide tax advice. Nothing in the Master Services Agreement or this Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum shall be construed or have the effect of rendering tax advice. It is important that the Trust or a Fund consult a professional tax advisor regarding its individual tax situation.
Signatures are located on the next page.
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum |
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The parties duly executed this Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum as of , 20 .
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
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By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum |
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Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Fee Letter
for
the Funds listed on Schedule A
each a series of
Primark Private Equity Fund
This Fee Letter (this Fee Letter) applies to the Services provided by Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus) to Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust) for the Funds listed on Schedule A (individually referred to herein as a Fund and collectively as the Funds) pursuant to that certain Master Services Agreement dated [Date], and the Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum dated [Date] (the Agreement). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.
1. |
Fees |
2. |
Out-Of-Pocket Expenses |
3. |
Term |
3.1. |
Initial Term. This Fee Letter shall continue in effect until the expiration of the Master Services Agreements Initial Term (the Initial Term). |
3.2. |
Renewal Terms. After the Initial Term, this Fee Letter shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (each a Renewal Term) unless Ultimus, the Trust, or the Adviser gives written notice of termination at least 90 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term. |
3.3. |
Termination. Ultimus or the Trust may terminate the Agreement entirely or on behalf of a Fund as set forth in the Agreement. Any such termination shall be treated as a termination of this Fee Letter with respect to the Fund(s), in which case the Adviser shall be responsible for payment of any amounts required to be paid under the Agreement, including, without limitation, any applicable Early Termination Fee, any reimbursements for cash disbursements made by Ultimus and any fee for post-termination de-conversion or liquidation services. |
3.4. |
Early Termination. Any Early Termination under the Agreement with respect to a Fund shall subject the Adviser to paying an Early Termination Fee equal to the fee amounts due to Ultimus through the end of the then-current term as calculated in this Fee Letter, including the repayment of any negotiated discounts provided by Ultimus during the then-current term. |
3.5. |
Liquidation. Upon termination of the Agreement with respect to a Fund due to the liquidation of the Trust or the Fund, Ultimus shall be entitled to collect from the Adviser the compensation described in this Fee Letter through the end of the then-current term, the amount of all of Ultimus cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trusts property, records, instruments, and documents, and a reasonable fee for post-termination liquidation services as mutually agreed to by Ultimus and the Trust. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Fee Letter |
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4. |
Fee Increases |
Ultimus may annually increase the fees listed above by an amount not to exceed the average annual change for the prior calendar year in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers - All Items (seasonally unadjusted) (collectively the CPI-U)3 plus 1.5%; provided that Ultimus gives 60-day notice of such increase to the Trusts Board of Trustees and the Adviser. Any CPI-U increases not charged in any given year may be included in prospective CPI-U fee increases in future years.
5. |
Amendment |
The parties may only amend this Fee Letter by written amendment signed by all the parties.
Signatures are located on the next page.
3 |
Using 1982-84=100 as a base, unless otherwise noted in reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Fee Letter |
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The parties duly executed this Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Fee Letter dated , 20 .
Primark Private Equity Fund on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Name: | |||||||
Title: | Title: |
The undersigned investment adviser (the Adviser) hereby acknowledges and agrees to the terms of the Agreement.
Primark Advisors LLC | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: |
Primark Private Equity Fund Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Fee Letter |
Page 3 of 4 |
SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS SERVICES AGREEMENT (the Agreement) is made effective as of [ ], 2020, between PINE Advisor Solutions, LLC, (PINE), and Primark Private Equity Fund (the Client).
WHEREAS, Client provides investment advisory and/or asset management services to clients, customers, funds, investment vehicles and/or other accounts (collectively, Client Accounts); and
WHEREAS, Client desires to retain PINE to perform the services referenced herein and wishes to enter into this Agreement in order to set forth the terms and conditions upon which PINE will render and implement the services specified herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Duties of PINE.
(a) From and after the effective date of this Agreement, PINE agrees to provide to Client the services (the Services) set forth in Appendix A attached hereto, which is herein incorporated by reference, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
(b) PINE undertakes to comply in all material respects with any laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the duties and Services to be performed by PINE hereunder. PINE will advise Client immediately of any violation or suspected violation and immediately discontinue any illegal conduct.
(c) PINE shall promptly notify Client of matters that may materially adversely affect the performance by PINE of the Services.
(d) PINE may employ or associate itself with such person or persons or organizations as PINE believes to be desirable in the performance of its duties and services hereunder; provided that, in such event, except as provided in the Proposal of Services, the compensation of such person or persons or organizations shall be paid by, and be the sole responsibility of, PINE, and Client shall bear no cost or obligation with respect thereto; and provided further that PINE shall not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement in such event and shall be responsible for all acts of any such person or persons or organizations taken in furtherance of this Agreement to the same extent it would be for its own acts.
(e) With respect to the Services, to the extent that PINE maintains books and records, whether created or received by it, on behalf of Client in the performance of the Services, including electronic books and records, PINE acknowledges that such books and records are the property of Client (although PINE may, at its option but subject to Section 5, keep copies). Upon request of Client, PINE shall provide copies of any such books and records to Client, including electronically readable or computer disk copies of any such books and records which are kept in such format. Client shall have the right to inspect such books and records during PINEs normal business hours upon reasonable notice, or at such other times as may be necessary. All such books and records shall be preserved by PINE for a period of at least seven (7) years or as otherwise required by the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, in each case, as amended from time to time, unless they are delivered to duly appointed successors to PINE or delivered to Client. PINE will deliver such books and records (including in electronically readable or computer disk format) to Client promptly upon reasonable request or upon termination of this Agreement, after which time, PINE shall have no responsibility to maintain the records.
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(f) PINE will, at all times, comply with and obey all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, statutes, and codes applicable to it, at its sole cost and expense. PINE will advise Client immediately of any violation or suspected violation.
(g) PINE will not fail to disclose any material fact or documents which would be material or would be helpful to Client in connection with its performance of the Services hereunder.
2. Duties of Client.
(a) Client shall furnish PINE with any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation deemed useful or necessary by PINE in the performance of the Services and shall give PINE prompt notice of any changes thereto. Client shall provide PINE with all documentation it needs to perform its duties and not withhold any material documents, facts or information. Client shall give timely instructions to PINE in regard to matters affecting the performance of the Services. Such instructions shall be in writing, or may be sent via e-mail or by such other means as may be agreed upon from time to time by PINE and Client. All oral instructions, to the extent permitted and feasible, shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Client shall certify to PINE in writing the names and specimen signatures of persons authorized to give instructions hereunder. PINE shall be entitled to rely upon the identity and authority of such persons until it receives written notice from Client to the contrary. PINE shall be entitled to rely fully on the accuracy and validity of any and all instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation furnished to it by Client and shall have no duty or obligation to investigate or to review the accuracy, validity or propriety of such instructions, explanations, information, specifications or documentation.
(b) Client will, at all times, comply with and obey all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, statutes, and codes applicable to it, at its sole cost and expense. Client will advise PINE immediately of any material violation or suspected violation.
(c) Client will not fail to disclose any material fact or documents which would be material or would be helpful to PINE in connection with its performance of the Services hereunder.
3. Compensation; Expenses.
In consideration for the Services to be performed hereunder by PINE, Client agrees to pay, and shall pay, PINE the fees listed in Appendix B, attached hereto, within thirty (30) days after the date of the billing without notice or bill.
4. Services Not Exclusive.
The Services provided by PINE hereunder are not exclusive. PINE and its affiliates may render services to other clients during the term of this Agreement, and such services may be the same or different or may rely on the same or different methods or processes as are utilized in the performance of the Services hereunder.
5. Confidentiality.
(a) PINE agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep confidential all accounting, customer, trading and other information, business records, business practices, financial data, procedures and policies, security protocols, agreements, communications and transactions of or relating to the Client and its affiliates (Client Confidential Information). For the avoidance of
2
doubt, Client Confidential Information includes information regarding Client Accounts, investors in such Client Accounts, all portfolio companies and other investments of the Client and/or Client Account and any affiliate of the foregoing, all books and records of Client, work product prepared or developed by PINE on behalf of Client, market positions, trade data, investments, portfolio holdings, trading strategies, and other proprietary and confidential information of Client, Client Accounts, investors in such Client Accounts, all portfolio companies and other investments of Client and/or Client Accounts and any affiliate of the foregoing. Client Confidential Information does not include information that (i) is in the public domain through no fault of or action by PINE; (ii) was rightfully available to PINE prior to its disclosure hereunder to PINE; (iii) was independently developed by PINE without any access to or use of Client Confidential Information; or (iv) became rightfully available from any third party not known to PINE to be under an obligation of confidentiality to Client.
PINE agrees that it shall: (i) use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of the Client Confidential Information; and shall not disclose such Client Confidential Information to any third party except as set forth herein; (ii) without limiting the foregoing, PINE shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep Client Confidential Information confidential; (iii) appropriately instruct employees and other authorized persons who may be accorded access to Client Confidential Information by PINE; and (iv) not use or process Client Confidential Information for any purpose other than in fulfillment of its obligations under this Agreement. PINE further represents that each of its officers, employees, directors, consultants and agents is aware of PINEs obligations pursuant to this Section and is subject to an obligation of confidentiality with respect to the Client Confidential Information, including that such individuals shall not trade securities based on Client Confidential Information. PINE shall promptly notify Client of any actual or suspected misuse, unauthorized release or access of Client Confidential Information.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, PINE may disclose Client Confidential Information (A) to service providers of PINE who have a need to access such information in order to provide services to PINE and who have agreed to confidentiality terms similar to those set forth in this Section 5(a); provided that PINE Advisors Solutions LLC shall remain liable to Client for any breaches of confidentiality by such service providers, and (B) in consultation with Client to the extent permitted under law, if disclosure is in response to a subpoena or order issued pursuant to a valid legal process or is otherwise required by law. In the event that PINE receives any such subpoena or order or is otherwise required by law to disclose Clients Confidential Information, such as by the production of documents or the provision of testimony, PINE shall, unless prohibited by law, promptly provide written notice thereof to Client so as to permit Client the opportunity to protect its privileges and interests at its own cost and expense. PINE shall take all steps reasonably necessary or appropriate under the circumstances to permit Client to assert all applicable rights and privileges with regard to the requested materials in the appropriate forums, and shall reasonably cooperate with Client in any proceeding relating to the disclosure sought. PINE shall be reimbursed by Client at PINEs then-standard billing rates for PINEs time and expenses incurred in connection with responding to such request. If, in the absence of a protective order or other remedy or the receipt of a waiver from Client, PINE is nonetheless legally required to disclose Confidential Information, PINE may, without liability hereunder, disclose only that portion of the Confidential Information that is legally required to be disclosed, provided that PINE exercises its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve the confidentiality of the Confidential Information, including, without limitation, by cooperating with Client to obtain an appropriate protective order or other reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to the Confidential Information. For the avoidance of doubt, PINE may receive inquiries into Clients business from outsiders and will refer all inquiries to Client, unless the inquires fall under items
3
5(a)(A) and 5(a)(B) above, provided that under 5(B), Client is promptly notified of such inquiry and PINE consults with Client regarding release of such information in accordance with 5(B). PINE may acknowledge a relationship exists between PINE and Client, and will refer any additional questions as to the extent of the relationship to Client unless PINE receives written approval to discuss the relationship in greater detail from Client. PINE will not utilize Clients name in any of its publicity or marketing without written approval by Client.
(b) Client acknowledges that the advice, information and documentation provided or prepared by PINE in the performance of the Services may be proprietary to PINE. Client agrees to keep confidential all advice, information and documentation provided or prepared by PINE (PINE Confidential Information). For the avoidance of doubt, PINE Confidential Information includes advice, templates, data bases, intellectual property, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, business strategies and operations, business records, relationships, know-how, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, concepts, and methods and processes of doing business. PINE Confidential Information does not include information that (i) is in the public domain through no fault of or action by Client; (ii) was rightfully available to Client prior to its disclosure hereunder to Client; (iii) was independently developed by Client without any access to or use of PINE Confidential Information; (iv) became rightfully available from any third party not known to Client to be under an obligation of confidentiality to PINE or (v) was developed specifically for Client. Client agrees that it shall: (i) maintain the confidentiality of PINE Confidential Information; (ii) appropriately instruct employees and other authorized persons who may be accorded access to PINE Confidential Information by Client; and (iii) not reproduce, use or process or disseminate or disclose to any third party PINE Confidential Information for any purpose other than in fulfillment of its obligations under this Agreement. Client further represents that each of its officers, employees, directors, consultants and agents is aware of Clients obligations pursuant to this Section and is subject to an obligation of confidentiality with respect to the PINE Confidential Information. Client shall notify PINE of any unauthorized release or access of PINE Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Client may disclose PINE Confidential Information (A) to service providers and/or customers of Client who have a need to access such information and who have agreed to confidentiality terms similar to those set forth in this Section, (B) in consultation with PINE to the extent permitted under law, if required or requested to so by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over Client or PINE or (C) to the extent required to do so by judicial or administrative process or by applicable law or regulation. For the avoidance of doubt, PINE Confidential Information does not include any Client work product or other Client Confidential Information.
(c) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, each party shall comply with all privacy and data protection laws and regulations that are or that may in the future be applicable to the Services hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, each party agrees that it shall not use or disclose to any third party any nonpublic personal information that it receives from a financial institution in connection with this Agreement, except in accordance with this Agreement. For purposes of this Section 5(c), the terms nonpublic personal information and financial institution have the meanings set forth in Section 509 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (P.L.106-102) (15 U.S.C. Section 6809) (the GLB Act). PINE represents that it is a nonaffiliated third party that is excepted from the Notice and Opt Out Requirements pursuant to the GLB Act.
(d) PINE shall implement and maintain technical, organizational and physical measures intended to protect Client Confidential Information (including any nonpublic personal information relating to an identifiable natural person contained therein) against anticipated threats or hazards to such information, including accidental or unauthorized disclosure, access, damage, destruction, alteration or loss, and other forms of unlawful processing. Such measures shall be effective to
4
comply with all laws and regulations applicable to Client. PINE further represents that it has implemented and will maintain a written information security plan consistent with applicable privacy and data security laws, including 201 C.M.R. 17.00, that specifies measures to mitigate reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to Clients Confidential Information. If PINE becomes aware of any actual or suspected unauthorized use of or access to Client Confidential Information (an Incident), PINE will take appropriate actions to contain and mitigate the Incident, including notification to Client as soon as possible (subject to any delays required by an appropriate law enforcement agency), to enable Client to expeditiously implement its response program. Upon request of Client, PINE will cooperate with Client to investigate the nature and scope of any Incident and to take appropriate actions to mitigate, remediate and otherwise respond to the Incident or associated risks. Without limiting the foregoing, Client shall make the final decision on, and assume the entire responsibility for, whether and how to notify any relevant clients, customers, investors, prospective investors, employees, consumers, the general public and/or other affected persons of any such Incidents, subject to applicable law.
(e) Client shall maintain the confidentiality of the fee arrangements set forth in this Agreement.
(f) The obligations of the parties hereto pursuant to this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement.
6. Ownership of PINE Intellectual Property.
PINE shall retain title to and ownership of any and all advice, templates, intellectual property, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, business strategies and operations, business records, relationships, know-how, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, concepts, and methods and processes of doing business, patents, copyrights, trade secrets and other related legal rights utilized by PINE in connection with the provision of the Services by PINE. For the avoidance of doubt, this paragraph does not apply to any Client Confidential Information.
7. Independent Contractor.
(a) PINE shall for all purposes be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as otherwise expressly authorized in this Agreement, have no authority to act for or represent Client in any way. Nothing herein shall be construed to constitute PINE as the agent or employee of Client or Client as the agent or employee of PINE, and neither party shall make any representation to the contrary. Employees and officers of PINE will not be employees or officers of Client or its affiliates.
(b) It is understood that PINE is not acting as a fiduciary to Client or to any person, including Client Accounts or investors in Client Accounts, and shall have no duties or liability to the current or future shareholders of Client or its affiliates, any Client Account or any current or future investor in any Client Account or any other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.
8. Nature of Services.
(a) With respect to any Services provided by this Agreement,
(i) Client acknowledges that the Services provided by PINE hereunder do not include any investment management or advisory services or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for any Client Account. No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of PINE, and PINE is not hereby agreeing, to (i) provide investment advisory, sub-advisory or management services to any Client
5
Account, (ii) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of securities or other instruments or (iii) render any opinions or recommendations of any kind with respect to purchasing or selling securities or other instruments or to perform any such similar services in connection with providing the Services hereunder.
(ii) The Services provided by PINE hereunder shall consist of advice and consulting services. All non-ministerial actions taken pursuant to the advice provided by PINE shall be subject to the overall discretion, direction, and control of Client and, subject to Section 8(a)(vii), all responsibility for such actions shall remain vested in Client at all times.
(iii) Client acknowledges that PINE is not a public accounting or auditing firm, is not a fiduciary of a public accounting or auditing firm, and does not provide, and the Services provided by PINE hereunder do not include, any public accounting or auditing services or advice. Client acknowledges that PINE is not providing any tax advice and Client shall make all of its own tax decisions.
(iv) Client acknowledges that PINE is not a law firm and is not engaged in rendering, and the Services provided by PINE hereunder do not include, any legal services or legal advice. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to appoint PINE and its officers, directors and employees as Clients attorneys, form attorney-client relationships or require the provision of legal advice. Client acknowledges that any attorneys of PINE exclusively represent PINE and Client may not rely on PINE attorneys. Because no attorney-client relationship exists between in-house PINE attorneys and Client, any information provided to PINE or its attorneys may not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure under certain circumstances in which case PINE shall provide Client prior notice of any such disclosure and cooperate fully with Client, should Client desire to defend against such disclosure.
(v) Client acknowledges that PINE is not rendering and will not render, and the Services provided by PINE hereunder do not and will not include, any tax advice. Client will rely solely on the advice of its own tax advisors. Any discussion by PINE of any tax matters in the course of, or in connection with, the provision of the Services is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provisions or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related matters.
(vi) Client shall be responsible for appointing its own Anti-Money Laundering Reporting Officer (if required to do so) and, other than as stipulated in this Agreement, including Section 8(a)(vii), under no circumstances shall PINE, its affiliates, or any of its employees, officers or directors, be responsible or liable for the Clients compliance with any anti-money laundering laws and regulations of any jurisdiction in which Client operates.
(vii) PINE will provide the Services outlined in the Proposal for Services to ensure state and SEC regulatory compliance requirements with respect to Client are met, and may provide advice and recommendations to Client, but all decisions in connection with the implementation of PINEs advice and recommendations shall be and remain the responsibility of the Client; provided that (1) PINE acknowledges that Client intends to rely on the Services, advice and recommendations (as applicable) provided by PINE in furtherance of Clients satisfaction of its compliance obligations, and (2) PINE shall be responsible for any failure to comply with such requirements that arises out of (x) the fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct (as such terms are defined below), in each case, with respect to the Services, advice or recommendations provided by PINE, or (y) a material breach of this Agreement by PINE.
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9. Liabilities.
(a) PINE shall at all times endeavor to exercise reasonable care and diligence and act in good faith in the performance of its duties hereunder, provided, however, that PINE shall assume no responsibility and shall be without liability for any loss, liability, claim or expense suffered or incurred by Client (including attorneys fees, disbursements, consequential, indirect, punitive, exemplary or special damages) except to the extent caused by fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct or a material breach of this Agreement by PINE. PINE shall be responsible for the performance of only such duties as are set forth in this Agreement and shall have no responsibility for the actions or activities of any other party, including other service providers to Client or its affiliates.. PINE shall have no liability arising from or relating to any third party hardware, software, information or materials selected or supplied by Client. For purposes of this Agreement, Recklessness means that PINE actually knew its actions would likely result in substantial harm to the Client; Gross Negligence means an act or failure to act which materially deviates from a reasonable course of conduct and which evinces a serious or substantial disregard of, or indifference to, the harmful consequences thereof; and Willful Misconduct means a wrongful, intentional act or failure to act with intentional disregard of the harm that could result thereof.
(b) The liability of Client to PINE for any and all claims relating to this Agreement or Services provided by PINE hereunder, whether a claim be in tort, contract, or any other theory of law, and whether by statute or otherwise, shall not, in the aggregate, exceed the total professional fees paid by Client to PINE under this Agreement, except to the extent that it is determined pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction that is not subject to a timely filed appeal that the claim resulted from the fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct of Client.
(c) Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither party shall in any event be liable for, nor shall it be considered a breach by such party of this Agreement with respect to, any loss or damage arising from causes beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, delay or cessation of Services or other obligations hereunder or any damages the other party resulting therefrom as a result of any work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, computer hacking, natural disaster, change in law or regulation or other governmental action, communications disruption (including the Internet or other networked environment), act of terrorism, fire, public health crisis, or other cause, whether similar or dissimilar to any of the foregoing, in the case of each of the foregoing, which was not within such partys reasonable control (Force Majeure Events).
(d) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS HEREUNDER OR UNDER ANY STATUTES, NEITHER PARTY NOR THEIR MEMBERS OR EMPLOYEES SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, RELATED ATTORNEYS FEES), WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY IS ASSERTED ON THE BASIS OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, WHETHER OR NOT FORESEEABLE, EVEN IF SUCH PARTY, ITS MEMBERS, OR ITS EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OR WERE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
(e) PINE is authorized and instructed to rely upon the information it receives from Client or its affiliates or any third party agent authorized by Client to provide such information to PINE. Client, its affiliates and any third party agents from which PINE shall receive or obtain certain records, reports and other data related to the Services provided hereunder, are solely responsible for the contents of such information, including, without limitation, the accuracy thereof. PINE has no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any such information and shall be without liability for any loss or damage suffered
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by Client as a result of PINEs reasonable reliance on and utilization of such information. PINE shall have no responsibility and shall be without liability for any loss or damage caused by the failure of Client, its affiliates or any third party agent to provide it with the information required.
(f) PINE shall have no liability for non-compliance by Client with all applicable requirements of any laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction over Client, including, for the avoidance of doubt, U.S. securities and/or international tax laws and regulations, as applicable; provided that Pine Advisor Solutions, LLC shall be liable to Client for any such non-compliance that arises out of the fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct or a material breach of this Agreement by PINE.
10. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Client represents to PINE as follows:
(i) Client has full power and authority and is permitted by applicable law to enter into this Agreement and to conduct its business as described in this Agreement.
(ii) The performance by Client of its obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with, violate the terms of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, management or advisory agreement, or other agreement or instrument to which Client is a party or by which Client is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Client is subject, or any order, rule, law, regulation, or other legal requirement applicable to Client or to the property or assets of Client.
(iii) Client has complied and will continue to comply with all laws, rules, and regulations having application to its business, properties and assets, the violation of which would be reasonably likely to materially adversely affect Clients and PINEs performance of their obligations under this Agreement.
(iv) Client is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction and is in good standing and qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its business requires such qualification.
(v) Client has completed, obtained and performed, and will maintain in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement, all registrations, filings, approvals, authorizations, consents, licenses or examinations required by any government, governmental authority or other regulatory agency necessary to conduct its business as described in this Agreement.
(vi) There is no administrative, civil or criminal proceeding pending or threatened against Client that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on Clients or PINEs business or financial condition or its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
The foregoing representations and warranties shall be continuing during the term of this Agreement and if at any time Client shall become aware of the occurrence of any event which could make any of the foregoing materially incomplete or inaccurate, Client shall promptly notify PINE of the occurrence of such event.
(b) PINE hereby represents and warrants to Client as follows:
(i) PINE has full power and authority and is permitted by applicable law to enter into and carry out the Services and its obligations under this Agreement and to own its properties and conduct its business as described in this Agreement.
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(ii) The performance by PINE of the Services and its obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with, violate the terms of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, or other agreement or instrument to which PINE is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of the property or assets of PINE is subject, or any order, rule, law, regulation, or other legal requirement applicable to PINE or to the property or assets of PINE.
(iii) PINE has complied and will continue to comply with all laws, rules, and regulations having application to its business, properties, and assets, the violation of which could materially adversely affect PINEs performance of the Services and/or its obligations under this Agreement. PINE has completed, obtained and performed all registrations, filings, licenses, approvals, and authorizations, consents or examinations required by any government or governmental authority to which PINE is subject, to perform the activities contemplated by this Agreement and will maintain the same in effect for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.
(iv) PINE is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the state of Colorado and is in good standing and qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its business requires such qualification.
(v) There is no investigation or administrative, civil or criminal proceeding pending or threatened against PINE that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on PINEs business or financial condition or its ability to perform the Services and/or its obligations under this Agreement.
(vi) The foregoing representations and warranties shall be continuing during the term of this Agreement and if at any time PINE shall become aware of the occurrence of any event which could make any of the foregoing materially incomplete or inaccurate, PINE shall promptly notify Client of the occurrence of such event.
(c) PINE MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, NOR SHALL PINE HAVE ANY LIABILITY, WITH RESPECT TO ANY THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS OR SERVICESSELECTED BY CLIENT.
(d) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, (I) THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY PINE IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND THE OBLIGATIONS OF PINE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, RUN ONLY TO CLIENT AND NOT ITS AFFILIATES, CLIENT ACCOUNTS, INVESTORS IN ANY CLIENT ACCOUNTS OR ANY OTHER PERSONS AND (II) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL ANY AFFILIATE, CLIENT ACCOUNT, INVESTOR IN ANY CLIENT ACCOUNT OR ANY OTHER PERSON BE CONSIDERED A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE ENTITLED TO ANY RIGHTS OR REMEDIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
11. Indemnification.
PINE agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Client, its officers, directors, and employees (collectively Client) against all damages, liabilities and costs, including reasonable attorneys fees, to the extent caused by fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct or a material breach of this Agreement by PINE or anyone for whom Consultant (as defined below) is legally liable. For purposes of this Agreement, Recklessness means that PINE actually knew
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its actions would likely result in substantial harm to the Client; Gross Negligence means an act or failure to act which materially deviates from a reasonable course of conduct and which evinces a serious or substantial disregard of, or indifference to, the harmful consequences thereof; and Willful Misconduct means a wrongful, intentional act or failure to act with intentional disregard of the harm that could result thereof.
Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless PINE, its officers, directors, and employees (collectively Consultant) against all damages, liabilities and costs, including reasonable attorneys fees, to the extent caused by fraud, bad faith, Recklessness, Gross Negligence, Willful Misconduct or a material breach of this Agreement by the Client or its contractors, subcontractors, consultants or anyone for whom the Client is legally liable. Neither the Client nor the Consultant shall be obligated to indemnify the other party in any manner whatsoever for the other partys own negligence.
The indemnification obligations of this Section 11 shall survive termination of this Agreement.
12. Non-Solicitation.
(a) During the term of this Agreement, and for a period of twelve (12) months after the expiration or termination hereof, Client and its affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, either for themselves or on behalf of any other firm, person or entity, solicit to employ, employ or retain as a consultant or independent contractor, any person who during the preceding twelve (12) month period was known by Client or its affiliates to be in the employment of PINE or its affiliates without a written agreement between PINE and Client.
(b) During the term of this Agreement, and for a period of twelve (12) months after the expiration or termination hereof, PINE and its affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, either for itself or on behalf of any other firm, person or entity, solicit to employ, employ or retain as a consultant or independent contractor, any person who during the preceding twelve (12) month period was known by PINE or its affiliates to be in the employment of Client or its affiliates.
(c) PINE and Client acknowledge and agree that, due to the uniqueness of the Services to be provided by, and access of, their respective employees, and the confidential nature of the information such employees will possess, the covenants set forth herein are reasonable and necessary for the protection of their business and goodwill. PINE and Client expressly acknowledge the importance to each of them of the covenants set forth in this Section, and recognize that each of them would not enter into this Agreement and/or would not permit the access to its services, records or confidential information without the others consent hereto.
(d) The obligations of this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement.
13. Term.
This Agreement shall commence on date hereof and shall continue in full force and effect (i) with respect to the initial services listed in Proposal of Services until the completion of such projects and (ii) with respect to the ongoing services listed in Proposal of Services, for a period of twelve (12) months from the commencement of the Services (the Initial Term) and thereafter shall be automatically extended for successive twelve (12) month terms (each, a Renewal Term), provided, however, that either party may terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 14 below (or as found elsewhere herein). The terms, fees and services provided under this agreement and Proposal of Services are subject to review every twelve months by PINE and the Client and can be mutually amended at that time, including the Term can be extended beyond twelve (12) month periods as agreed to by PINE and Client. Absent an increase in the scope of services provided by PINE, the cost of services provided shall not increase more than 3% every 12 months.
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14. Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall be terminated as follows:
(i) Upon at least ninety (90) days written notice from Client or upon at least ninety (90) days written notice from PINE; or
(ii) by Client, immediately upon written notice to PINE, if: (1) PINE commits any material breach of its obligations under this Agreement and if such breach is curable, shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by Client requiring it to cure such breach, to cure such breach; or (2) PINE is in material breach of its representations or warranties under this Agreement and if such breach is curable, shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by Client requiring it to cure such breach, to cure such breach; (3) PINE or its affiliates engage in activity or conduct which Client reasonably believes to be in violation of applicable law and if such breach is curable, shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by Client requiring it to cure such violation, to cure such violations; or (4) PINE becomes insolvent, goes into liquidation, bankruptcy or insolvency or if a receiver is appointed over any of the assets of PINE;
(iii) by PINE, immediately upon written notice to Client, if: (1) Client commits any material breach of its obligations under this Agreement and shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such breach, to cure such breach; (2) Client is in material breach of its representations or warranties under this Agreement and shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such breach, to cure such breach; (3) Client or its affiliates engage in activity or conduct which PINE reasonably believes to be in violation of applicable law and shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such violation, to cure such violation; (4) Client fails to provide necessary instructions, explanations, information, specifications and documentation deemed necessary by PINE in the performance of the Services, including, without limitation, information related to investment activity on behalf of Client Accounts, on an ongoing basis and shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such ongoing failure, to cure such ongoing failure; (5) Client refuses to follow advice provided by PINE with respect to accounting and/or compliance matters relating to Client Accounts, on an ongoing basis and shall fail, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such ongoing failure, to cure such ongoing failure, unless Client provides information to PINE explaining the basis for its refusal to follow PINEs advice and such information is deemed to be in compliance with applicable law and/or regulations; (6) Client becomes insolvent, goes into liquidation, bankruptcy or insolvency or if a receiver is appointed over any of the assets of Client; or Client is more than ninety (90) days in arrears on fees invoiced and duly owed and such default has not been cured within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice served by PINE requiring it to cure such breach, to cure such breach.
(b) For the avoidance of doubt, Client understands and agrees that to the extent, subsequent to the execution of this agreement, Client hires either internal or external resources to provide services duplicative of those listed in Services Listing hereto, such activity will in no way (i) excuse any payment obligation of Client for fees due under this Agreement as detailed in Pricing hereto, or (ii) affect in any way the term of this Agreement unless otherwise terminated in accordance herewith
In the event that Client decides to pursue services internal or external that are duplicative or Client decides to hire full time employment to perform the services rendered by PINE, Client will inform
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PINE of their intentions and start a process of renegotiating the terms of the services described in this agreement or otherwise will provide Client with notice of termination as described in Section 14. Termination. PINE agrees to work collaboratively with Client on a smooth transition of services and coverage.
(c) In the event of a termination of this Agreement, PINE agrees to (i) use reasonable efforts to assist Client and any successor service provider(s) appointed by Client in connection with the related transition to the new service provider(s) which includes providing 15 hours of training (or such amount of training as is deemed necessary and appropriate) to new employee or service provider and (ii) promptly return to Client any Confidential Information, including, without limitation, the books and records of Client in accordance with Section 1(f).
15. Assignment.
This Agreement shall bind, benefit and be enforceable by and against PINE and Client and, to the extent permitted hereby, each of their respective successors and assigns. Neither party hereto shall assign this Agreement or any of its rights hereunder without the others prior written consent.
16. GOVERNING LAW.
PINE AND CLIENT HEREBY AGREE THAT THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER AND SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE STATE OF COLORADO. PINE AND CLIENT FURTHER AGREE THAT SUBJECT TO SECTION 17 HEREOF, ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO OR IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO, AS PINE AND CLIENT, AS THE CASE MAY BE, MAY ELECT, AND, BY THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH OF PINE AND CLIENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY ACCEPTS WITH REGARD TO ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS.
17. Dispute Resolution.
(a) If any dispute arises under this Agreement, including any dispute as to the enforceability, or not, of this section 17(a), the parties will make a good faith effort to resolve the dispute before commencing any action, suit, or other proceeding. The parties will meet to discuss the dispute no later than 30 days after either party gives written notice to the other party that such a dispute exists. At such meeting, a Partner of PINE and an officer of Client who has authority to resolve the dispute will be in attendance. No action, suit, or other proceeding may be commenced before the parties have met pursuant to this Section and pursued best efforts to resolve the issue at hand. Both parties recognize that more than one meeting may be required to find a resolution. Both parties will commit to multiple meetings if need be.
(b) The parties hereby agree that if any matter arising under this Agreement, including any matter involving the enforceability, or not, of this section 17(a), is not settled by meeting pursuant to Section 17(a) within ninety (90) days of the date written notice that such a dispute exists, such matter shall be resolved by confidential arbitration in the State of Colorado, County of Denver by a single arbitrator experienced in dispute resolution regarding the securities industry in accordance with the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), as amended from time to time. To the extent the parties are unable to agree on a single arbitrator, or in the event that one party does not agree to participate in arbitration, the parties will, within three (3) days of either partys written demand, each nominate one arbitrator. In the event that both parties comply with the requirement to each nominate one arbitrator, the parties may then mutually agree to use either
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such arbitrator, but if no agreement is reached within three (3) days of the latter nomination, the two nominated arbitrators will meet and select a third arbitrator, who will arbitrate the dispute. In the event that only one party complies with the requirement of nominating an arbitrator (in the event of a disagreement over the selection of an arbitrator), or if only one party agrees to participate in arbitration in the first instance, then the arbitrator selected by that party shall preside. The arbitrators award shall be final and binding upon the parties that are party to the dispute, and judgment upon the award may be entered in any state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Colorado, or application may be made to such court for a judicial acceptance of the award and an enforcement as the law of such jurisdiction may require or allow. The parties mutually agree that the arbitrator shall have no authority to award punitive, consequential or similar damages to the prevailing party and shall only have authority to award actual, out-of-pocket losses. The prevailing party shall be entitled to the recovery of its attorneys fees and costs incurred in such arbitration. Unless and until a prevailing party is determined by the arbitrator, each party shall bear their own costs of arbitration during the course of the proceedings. Each party retains the right to seek judicial assistance: (i) to compel arbitration; (ii) to obtain interim measures of protection prior to or pending arbitration; (iii) to seek injunctive relief in the courts of any competent jurisdiction as may be necessary or appropriate; and (iv) to enforce any decision of the arbitrator, including the final award. The arbitration proceedings and arbitration award shall be maintained by the parties as strictly confidential, except as is otherwise required by court order or as is necessary to confirm, vacate or enforce the award and for disclosure in confidence to the parties respective attorneys, tax advisors and senior management and to family members of a party who is an individual. The parties hereto understand that any partys right to appeal or to seek modification of rulings in an arbitration is severely limited. The forbearance to enforce an agreement to arbitrate shall not constitute a waiver of any rights under this Agreement except to the extent stated in this Agreement.
18. Waiver of Jury Trial.
THE PARTIES HEREBY AGREE TO WAIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION RELATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT. THE PARTIES EACH ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE FOREGOING WAIVER IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT FOR EACH PARTY TO ENTER INTO A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, THAT EACH PARTY HAS ALREADY RELIED ON THE WAIVER INENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THAT EACH WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON THE WAIVER IN THEIR RELATED FUTURE DEALINGS. EACH PARTY FURTHER WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS THAT EACH HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL REVIEW THE WAIVER. THE WAIVER IS IRREVOCABLE, MEANING THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED EITHER ORALLY OR IN WRITING, AND THE WAIVER WILL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS AGREEMENT.
19. Amendment; Waiver.
This Agreement shall not be amended except by a writing signed by the parties hereto. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be implied from any course of dealing between the parties or from any failure by either party to assert its or his rights hereunder on any occasion or series of occasions.
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20. Notices.
All notices or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally, or if sent by U.S. First Class mail, postage pre-paid, or by other electronic means (such as email), addressed as follows (or such other addresses as to which notice is given):
To PINE:
Derek Mullins
PINE Advisor Solutions LLC
501 S. Cherry Street, Suite 1090
Denver, Colorado 80246
(720) 651-8002
derek@pineadvisorsolutions.com
To Client:
Michael Bell
Primark Private Equity Fund
Denver, CO 80206
(212) 802-8500
mbell@primarkcapital.com
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Date: | |||
Derek Mullins | ||||
Co-Founder and Managing Partner | ||||
PINE Advisor Solutions, LLC | ||||
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Date: | |||
Michael Bell | ||||
CEO | ||||
Primark Private Equity Fund |
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APPENDIX A
Fund Principal Financial Officer (PFO) Services
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Provide a qualified PFO to serve as the Fund PFO |
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General oversight of the Funds fund accounting agent, third party administrator, transfer agent and custodian and ensuring execution and timely delivery of all requirements by each service provider |
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Coordinate processing of expense payments and fees as prepared by the administrator |
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Coordinate and review regulatory filings as prepared by the administrator including Form N-Q, Form N-CSR, Form N-PORT, Form N-CEN, Form N-PX, Form N-23C3A, 486 (a) and (b) filings, and other filings, as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
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Conduct Disclosure Control meetings in conjunction with financial statement filings |
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Coordinate the Funds annual audit |
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Sign off and certify semi-annual and annual reports, Form N-Q, Form N-CSR, Form N-CEN and N-PORT |
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Review ASC 820 designations for each security for inclusion in financial statements |
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Review and approve fund budgets and ongoing accrual analysis as prepared by the administrator |
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Coordinate with the administrator and independent registered public accounting firm on the review of periodic income distributions, annual capital gain distributions, excise tax requirements, tax extensions and tax returns |
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Coordinate the review of repurchase or tender offers as required by the Funds registration statement |
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Assist with the preparation and review of the annual 15c materials |
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Review and assist with the filing of the annual fidelity bond (40-17G) |
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Attend and assist with monthly and ad-hoc fair valuation committee meetings |
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Attend quarterly Board and Audit Committee meetings telephonically or in person |
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CONSULTING AGREEMENT
THIS CONSULTING AGREEMENT (this Agreement) dated [Date] (the Effective Date), is entered into by and between PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND, a Delaware statutory trust having its office and principal place of business at 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado 80206 (the Fund), and NORTHERN LIGHTS COMPLIANCE SERVICES, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company having its office and principal place of business at 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022 (NLCS).
WHEREAS, the Fund is an investment company registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act).
WHEREAS, NLCS is in the business of assisting registered investment companies in complying with the Federal Securities Laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act (Rule 38a-1)) and meeting their responsibilities as outlined in Rule 38a-1.
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to enlist the services of NLCS on the terms and conditions set forth and as more specifically described in this Agreement, and NLCS is willing to provide such services on said terms and conditions.
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the Fund and NLCS agree as follows:
1. |
SERVICES |
NLCS will provide the Fund with compliance services in three separate phases as follows:
Phase I - Risk Management and Policies and Procedures Review
As part of the risk management and policies and procedures review, NLCS will perform the services listed below:
A. |
Evaluation of Internal Control Structure |
1
1. |
Conduct interviews with certain employees throughout the business lines of the Fund who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund in relation to compliance with the Federal Securities Laws by the Fund and each investment adviser, principal underwriter, administrator, and transfer agent of the Fund (collectively the Service Providers). |
2. |
Assess from the interviews the operational risks and compliance with stated policies and procedures of the Fund and its Service Providers. |
3. |
Review internal audit and other reports maintained by the Fund and, to the extent practicable, its Service Providers, related to compliance with the Federal Securities Laws. |
4. |
Review any written policies and procedures provided pursuant to Section 1(b) below to assess the appropriateness of such documents with respect to compliance with the Federal Securities Laws by the Fund and its Service Providers. |
B. |
Review of the Funds Policies and Procedures |
1. |
Conduct a detailed review and assessment of the Funds policies and procedures pertaining to compliance with the Federal Securities Laws. This review will cover among other things, the Funds policies and procedures relating to: |
a. |
Pricing of portfolio securities and Fund shares, with a focus on the following items within the pricing policies and procedures: |
(i) |
Monitoring for circumstances that may necessitate the use of fair value prices; |
(ii) |
Establishing criteria for determining when market quotations are no longer reliable for a particular portfolio security; |
(iii) |
Providing a methodology or methodologies by which the Fund determines the current fair value of the portfolio securities; and |
(iv) |
Reviewing the appropriateness and accuracy of the methodology used in valuing securities, including making any necessary adjustments. |
b. |
Identification of affiliated persons to ensure that any transactions with affiliated persons are executed in compliance with the Investment Company Act. |
c. |
Protection of nonpublic information, including: |
(i) |
Prohibitions against trading portfolio securities on the basis of information acquired by analysts or portfolio managers employed by the Fund or its Service Providers; |
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(ii) |
Disclosure to third parties of material information about the Funds portfolio, trading strategies, or pending transactions; and |
(iii) |
Purchase or sale of Fund shares by the Fund or its Service Providers personnel based on material, nonpublic information about the Funds portfolio. |
d. |
Compliance with fund governance requirements, including the procedures to guard against: |
(i) |
Improperly constituted board; |
(ii) |
Failure of the board to properly consider matters entrusted to it; and |
(iii) |
Failure of the board to request and consider information required by the Investment Company Act from the Fund and its Service Providers. |
e. |
Document retention and business continuity. |
The Fund assumes responsibility for ensuring that the Fund complies with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Investment Company Act and any laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities with jurisdiction over the Fund. The services of NLCS are intended to assist the Fund in carrying out its responsibility.
C. |
Review of Policies and Procedures of the Funds Service Providers |
1. |
Conduct a review of the policies and procedures of the following Service Providers to the Fund, as they relate to the Funds compliance with the Federal Securities Laws. |
a. |
Investment Adviser Review |
The review of the policies and procedures of the Funds investment adviser shall cover, among other things, to the extent applicable to the Fund, policies and procedures governing and/or applicable to:
(i) |
Portfolio management processes, including allocation of investment opportunities among clients and consistency of the portfolio with clients investment objectives, disclosures by the Fund, and applicable regulatory restrictions; |
(ii) |
Trading practices, including procedures by which the Fund satisfies its best execution obligation, uses client brokerage to obtain research and other services (soft dollar arrangements), and allocates aggregated trades among clients; |
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(iii) |
Portfolio trading of the Fund and personal trading activities of supervised persons; |
(iv) |
The accuracy of disclosures made to investors, clients, and regulators, including account statements and advertisements; |
(v) |
Safeguarding of client assets from conversion or inappropriate use by advisory personnel; |
(vi) |
The accurate creation of required records and their maintenance in a manner that secures them from unauthorized alteration or use and protects them from untimely destruction; |
(vii) |
Marketing of advisory services, including the use of solicitors; |
(viii) |
Processes to value client holdings and assess fees based on those valuations; |
(ix) |
Safeguards for the privacy protection of client records and information; and |
(x) |
Business continuity plans. |
It is understood that the chief compliance officer of the Funds investment adviser is primarily responsible for compliance by such organization with Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act), and for overseeing, with respect to the portfolios they advise, each of the foregoing items. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require NLCS to perform any service that could cause NLCS to be deemed an investment adviser for purposes of the Investment Company Act or the Advisers Act or that could cause the Fund to act in contravention of the Funds prospectus or any provision of the Investment Company Act.
b. |
Underwriter Review |
The review of the policies and procedures of the Funds underwriter shall cover, among other things, to the extent applicable to the Fund, policies and procedures governing and/or applicable to:
(i) |
The accuracy of disclosures made to investors, clients, and regulators, including account statements and advertisements; |
(ii) |
The accurate creation of required records and their maintenance in a manner that secures them from unauthorized alteration or use and protects them from untimely destruction; |
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(iii) |
Portfolio trading of the Fund and personal trading activities of supervised persons; |
(iv) |
The Funds selling agreement process; |
(v) |
Payments of 12b-1 fees to selling brokers; |
(vi) |
The prevention of money laundering; |
(vii) |
Advertising review process, submission of materials to FINRA and the maintenance of advertising review records; and |
(viii) |
Business continuity plans. |
c. |
Fund Administrator, Fund Accounting and Fund Transfer Agent Review |
The review of the policies and procedures of the Funds administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent shall cover, among other things, to the extent applicable to the Fund, policies and procedures governing and/or applicable to:
(i) |
Maintenance of Fund records including board materials and correspondence with regulators; |
(ii) |
Portfolio trading of the Fund and personal trading activities of supervised persons; |
(iii) |
Processes to ensure timely filing of Fund reports; |
(iv) |
Auditors comments noted in SSAE 18 reports; |
(v) |
The prevention of money laundering; and |
(vi) |
Business continuity plans. |
In conducting its review of the policies and procedures of the Funds Service Providers, as they relate to the Funds compliance with the Federal Securities Laws, NLCS may rely on summaries, reviews or statements prepared by the chief compliance officers of a Service Provider or a third party.
Each Service Provider is responsible for proper development and implementation of its policies and procedures. Although NLCS performs a review of each Service Providers policies and procedures, NLCS cannot ensure that all necessary policies are adopted and implemented by such Service Provider.
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Phase II - Amending and Drafting of Policies and Procedures for the Fund
D. |
Based on the analysis performed under Phase I of the engagement, NLCS will recommend amendments and draft policies and procedures for the Fund intended to address areas of weakness identified in Phase I, including amending the policies and procedures as they pertain to: |
1. |
Consistency with regulatory expectations of risk based policies and procedures; |
2. |
Maintaining compliance with the SECs regulations, under Rule 38a-1; and |
3. |
Consistency within the structure, organization, and format of the policies and procedures. |
Any amendments to the Funds policies and procedures drafted by NLCS will be based on industry best practices and regulatory pronouncements. Upon completion of Phase II, the Fund will have customized policies and procedures that are designed to assist the Fund in complying with Rule 38a-1. These procedures will be compiled in a manual that also will describe the overall implementation of the Funds Compliance Program (the Compliance Program Manual). This Compliance Program Manual will serve as the Funds primary policy and procedures manual.
Phase III Ongoing Monitoring and Board Reporting
E. |
Once the Funds Compliance Program Manual is complete, the Funds Chief Compliance Officer, (as provided by NLCS see Section 2 below) will present it to the Funds Board of Trustees (the Board) for approval. |
Thereafter, the Funds Chief Compliance Officer will create any appropriate records and monitor the Funds Compliance Program for effectiveness, including ongoing dialogue with key compliance personnel at the Funds Service Providers.
The Funds Chief Compliance Officer will conduct an annual review to assess compliance with the Funds Compliance Program and its overall effectiveness, and will prepare a written report to the Board annually that addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Fund and its Service Providers, any material changes made to those policies and procedures since the date of the last report, and any material changes to the policies and procedures recommended as a result of the annual review, and each Material Compliance Matter as defined in Rule 38a-1.
2. |
STAFFING |
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, NLCS will provide the services of the individual identified on the attached Schedule B, as may be amended from time to time by NLCS in its sole discretion (the Chief Compliance Officer), who shall be appointed by the Board as the Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund. In addition, NLCS will provide support staff to the Chief
6
Compliance Officer to assist him in all aspects of his duties under this Agreement. The Chief Compliance Officer will lead the engagement and will have overall supervisory responsibility for the ongoing obligations hereunder.
3. |
ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE AND SCOPE |
The timeline for this engagement, although subject to change, will be as follows:
ON-SITE
The on-site portion will consist primarily of reviewing the policies and procedures identified in Phase I above as well as interviews of the relevant personnel throughout the different business lines of the Fund.
Visits to Service Providers of the Fund will include:
1. |
On-site visit to the Funds administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent. |
2. |
On-site visit to the Funds principal underwriter. |
3. |
On-site visit to the Funds investment adviser. |
4. |
Visits to each of the foregoing Service Providers will include consultation with the chief compliance officer of the respective Service Provider. |
OFF-SITE
The off-site portion of this engagement will consist of NLCS devoting significant time reviewing notes from its visits with the Service Providers, continuing follow-up and communication with necessary Service Provider personnel, Fund officers, legal advisors, etc. and preparing any amendments and proposing drafts of policies and procedures as may be required under Phase II.
4. |
PAYMENT |
In consideration of the timely and satisfactory performance of the services described in Sections 1, 2, and 3 above (the Services), NLCS shall be compensated in the manner and amount prescribed by the attached Schedule A.
If NLCS shall be requested by the Fund or is required by governmental summons, subpoena, investigation, examination or other legal or regulatory process to perform services outside the scope of the Services (such services, hereinafter referred to as Extraordinary Services), the Fund shall compensate NLCS for the performance of such Extraordinary Services at NLCSs then current standard hourly billing rate for NLCSs professional time as set forth on Schedule A and reimburse NLCS for any out-of-pocket expenses, including attorneys fees, incurred by NLCS in connection therewith. By way of example, and without intending to limit the foregoing, if the Fund shall request that NLCS assist the Funds adviser in preparing for and/or responding to any information request or audit of any regulatory authority, the same shall constitute an Extraordinary Service, and NLCS shall, if it elects to provide such assistance, be entitled to be compensated at NLCSs then current standard hourly billing rate for NLCSs professional time and reimbursed for
7
any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection therewith. Additionally, in the event NLCS is requested, pursuant to subpoena or other legal process, or advised by its own legal counsel or legal counsel to the Fund in advance of having received any such request, to prepare for, provide testimony or produce any documents relating to its engagement under this Agreement, in connection with or anticipation of judicial or administrative proceedings to which NLCS is not a party, or in which NLCS is or may become a named party because of its engagement under this Agreement, NLCS shall promptly notify the Fund and shall be compensated by the Fund at NLCSs then current standard hourly billing rate for NLCSs professional time and reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses, including attorneys fees, incurred in responding to such request.
5. |
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR |
NLCS shall act as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the Fund. NLCS shall make no representation as an agent of the Fund, except that the Chief Compliance Officer shall act as an appointed officer of the Fund and shall be empowered with full responsibility and authority to develop and enforce appropriate policies and procedures for the Fund.
NLCS does not offer legal or accounting services and does not purport to replace the services provided by legal counsel or that of a certified public accountant. If contracts are provided, they will be forms only and the provision of such contracts does not constitute and should not be deemed to be legal advice. The representatives of NLCS are experts, and as such will make every reasonable effort to provide the services described in this Agreement. However, there is no guarantee that work performed by NLCS will be favorably received by any regulatory agency.
Though NLCSs work may involve analysis of accounting and financial records, at no time will work performed by NLCS be deemed to be an audit of the Fund in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or otherwise, nor will any work performed by NLCS consist of a review of the internal controls of the Fund.
Except to the extent necessary to perform NLCSs obligations under this Agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict NLCSs right, or the right of any of NLCSs managers, officers or employees who also may be a director, trustee, officer or employee of the Fund (including, without limitation, the Chief Compliance Officer), or who are otherwise affiliated persons of the Fund, to engage in any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to render services of any kind to any other corporation, company, firm, trust, fund, association or individual.
6. |
CONFIDENTIALITY |
NLCS and the Fund agree that all books, records, information, and data pertaining to the business of the other party or any Service Provider that is exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person, except that NLCS may release such information to the Board as contemplated by this Agreement and as permitted or required by law or approved in writing by the Fund, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where NLCS may be exposed to civil or criminal liability or proceedings for failure to release such information.
8
This provision shall not preclude NLCS from sharing its compliance reports about the Fund with other service providers to the Fund.
Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, in accordance with Title 17, Chapter II, part 248 of the Code of Federal Regulations (17 CFR 248.1 248.30) (Reg S-P), NLCS will not directly, or indirectly through an affiliate, disclose any non-public personal information as defined in Reg S-P, received from the Fund or any Service Provider to any person that is not affiliated with the Fund or such Service Provider; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, NLCS may disclose such information to an affiliate of NLCS if, but only to the extent, such affiliate has agreed to be bound by the same limits on non-disclosure as set forth herein.
7. |
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION |
A. |
Proprietary Information of NLCS. The Fund acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals maintained by NLCS on databases under the control and ownership of NLCS or a third party constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, NLCS Proprietary Information) of substantial value to NLCS or the third party. The Fund agrees to treat all NLCS Proprietary Information as proprietary to NLCS and further agrees that it shall not divulge any NLCS Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may be provided under this Agreement or as may be directed by NLCS or as may be duly requested by regulatory authorities. |
B. |
Proprietary Information of the Fund. NLCS acknowledges that all information regarding the Funds portfolio, arrangements with brokerage firms, compensation paid to or by the Fund, trading strategies and all such related information (collectively, Fund Proprietary Information) constitute proprietary information of substantial value to the Fund. NLCS agrees to treat all Fund Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Fund and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Fund Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may be provided under this Agreement or as may be directed by the Fund or as may be duly requested by regulatory authorities. |
C. |
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section 7. |
8. |
INDEMNIFICATION, RELIANCE, AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY |
A. |
Indemnification of NLCS. The Fund shall agree to indemnify and hold NLCS and each of its managers, directors, officers, employees, agents and any person who controls NLCS within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liabilities arising out of or attributable to: (i) the Funds breach of any obligation, representation, warranty, term or condition of this |
9
Agreement, (ii) the Funds lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Funds performance under or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact or any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated, in any registration statement or prospectus of the Fund, or (iv) all reasonable actions taken by NLCS hereunder in good faith without gross negligence, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of its duties. The Fund agrees to cover NLCS legal fees as they are incurred in accordance with its indemnification obligations hereunder. NLCS shall not be liable for, and shall be entitled to rely upon, and may act upon information, records and reports generated by the Fund, advice of the Fund, or of counsel for the Fund and upon statements of the Funds independent accountants, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such records and reports or advice; provided that such action is not, to the knowledge of NLCS, in violation of applicable federal or state laws or regulations, and, provided further, that such action is taken without gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of its duties. The Fund shall hold NLCS harmless in regard to any liability incurred by reason of the inaccuracy of such information provided by the Fund or its Service Providers or for any action reasonably taken or omitted in good faith reliance on such information. |
Additionally, and without limiting the Funds indemnification obligations under this Section 8(A), to the extent that the Chief Compliance Officer incurs any liability in connection with the performance of his duties under this Agreement, he shall be covered under the Directors and Officers Errors and Omissions insurance policy of the Fund, in accordance with the terms therein and the deductibles applicable to such policy shall be paid by the Fund.
B. |
Indemnification of the Fund. NLCS shall indemnify and hold the Fund and each of its trustees, officers, employees, agents, and any person who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liabilities arising out of or attributable to NLCSs refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or which arise out of NLCSs lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to NLCSs performance under or in connection with this Agreement; provided, however, that in no event shall NLCS be liable to indemnify the Fund for: (i) indirect, exemplary, incidental, special or consequential damages or costs, including loss of profit or goodwill, whether foreseeable or not, even if NLCS has been advised of the possibility of such damages; (ii) penalties, interest, fines, assessments, or taxes assessed by a governing, regulatory or taxing authority against the Fund; (iii) third party claims against the Fund ; or (iv) damages to the extent they arise because the Fund has failed to perform its responsibilities under this Agreement, or the Fund or any Service Provider contributed or acted as an intervening cause. |
10
C. |
Reliance. Except to the extent that NLCS may be liable pursuant to this Section 8, NLCS shall not be liable for any action taken or failure to act in good faith in reliance upon: |
1. |
advice of the Fund or of counsel to the Fund; |
2. |
any written instruction or resolution of the Board, and NLCS may rely upon the genuineness of any such document, copy or facsimile thereof reasonably believed in good faith by NLCS to have been validly executed; |
3. |
any signature, instruction, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, statement, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or other document reasonably believed in good faith by NLCS to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the Fund or other proper party or parties; or |
4. |
reasonable actions taken by NLCS based on information provided by the Fund or any Service Provider. |
NLCS shall not be under any duty or obligation to inquire into the validity or invalidity or authority or lack of authority of any statement, oral or written instruction, resolution, signature, request, letter of transmittal, certificate, opinion of counsel, instrument, report, notice, consent, order, or any other document or instrument which NLCS reasonably believes in good faith to be genuine.
D. |
Errors of Others. NLCS shall not be liable for the errors of any Service Provider, or any errors in information provided by an investment adviser or custodian to the Fund. |
E. |
Limitation of NLCS Liability. For all claims of damages relating to NLCSs performance under this Agreement, including penalties and interest, and regardless of the form of claim or action, whether in contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise, including, without limitation, claims for any NLCS error or other breach of its obligations hereunder, NLCSs total liability shall not exceed an amount equal to the fees paid under this Agreement during the immediately preceding twelve (12) month period (or the actual time period NLCS has been engaged if such time period is less than twelve (12) months). |
F. |
Limitation of Shareholder and Board Liability. The trustees and shareholders of the Fund shall not be liable for any obligations of the Fund under this Agreement, and NLCS agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement, it shall look only to the assets and property of the Fund in settlement of such rights or claims, and not to the trustees of the Fund or its shareholders. It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Fund personally, but bind only the property of the Fund. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Board and signed by the officers of the Fund, acting as such, and neither such authorization by the Board nor such execution and delivery by such officers shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the property of the Fund. |
11
9. |
OBLIGATIONS OF THE FUND |
A. |
The Fund shall maintain insurance coverage for the Fund, including a fidelity bond as required by Rule 17g-1 under the Investment Company Act, and commercially reasonable errors and omissions, directors and officers and professional liability insurance. Promptly following execution of this Agreement, the Chief Compliance Officer shall be named as an insured person under all such policies and bonds as an officer of the Fund, such coverage to be effective from the Effective Date of this Agreement. Additionally, the Fund shall cause the Chief Compliance Officer to be covered by the Funds directors and officers liability insurance policy and use reasonable efforts to ensure that such coverage be (i) reinstated should the policy be cancelled; (ii) continued after the Chief Compliance Officer ceases to serve as an officer of the Fund on substantially the same terms as coverage is provided for all other officers after such persons are no longer officers; and (iii) continued in the event the Fund merges or terminates, on substantially the same terms as coverage is provided for all other officers (and for a period of no less than six (6) years). The Fund shall furnish details of such coverage to NLCS upon its request, including a copy of the policy, the identity of the carrier, coverage levels and deductible amounts. The Fund will notify NLCS of any modification, reduction or cancellation of such coverage or of any material claims made against such coverage. The Fund shall cause the Chief Compliance Officer to be named an officer in the Funds corporate/trust resolutions such that the Chief Compliance Officer is subject to the provisions of the Funds declaration of trust and bylaws (collectively, as amended from time to time, Organizational Documents) regarding indemnification of its officers. |
B. |
The Fund will ensure that prior to the effectiveness of the Funds initial registration statement, the investment adviser for the Fund will appoint a chief compliance officer pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, to fulfill all required duties thereunder. |
C. |
The Fund shall timely deliver to NLCS copies of, and shall promptly furnish NLCS with all amendments or supplements to: (i) the Funds Organizational Documents; (ii) the Funds current registration statement, as amended or supplemented, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to the Securities Act, or the Investment Company Act (the Registration Statement); (iii) the Funds current prospectus and statement of additional information; (iv) each plan of distribution or similar document that may be adopted by the Fund under Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act and each current shareholder service plan or similar document adopted by the Fund; (v) copies of the Funds current annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders; and (vi) all policies, programs, and procedures adopted by the Fund. In addition, the Fund agrees to authorize and direct its applicable third-party service providers to cooperate fully |
12
with NLCS and provide in a timely manner any reasonable request for information from NLCS insofar as such information relates to any policy, procedure, contract or other matter subject to NLCSs ongoing services as herein set forth. |
10. |
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
The Fund covenants, represents and warrants to NLCS that: (i) it is a statutory trust duly organized and in good standing under the laws of Delaware; (ii) it is empowered under applicable laws and by its Organizational Documents to enter into this Agreement and perform its duties and obligations hereunder; (iii) all requisite corporate/trust proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into this Agreement and perform its duties and obligations hereunder; (iv) it is, or will be within a reasonable date, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act; (v) this Agreement, when executed and delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and (vi) a registration statement under the Securities Act and Investment Company Act is or will be effective and will remain effective and appropriate state securities law filings will be or have been made and will continue to be made with respect to the Fund.
11. |
TERM AND TERMINATION |
A. |
Term. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date and shall continue for a period of one (1) year (the Initial Term). This Agreement shall automatically continue for successive one year periods (each a Renewal Term) subject to approval of the Board, including approval by a majority of the independent trustees. |
B. |
Termination. This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund by the Board, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by NLCS at any time and for any reason upon not less than sixty (60) days advanced written notice; or upon written notice from either party of a material breach, provided that a party shall have a thirty (30) day cure period in which to remedy any claimed material breach. If the party attempting to cure any claimed material breach is unable to do so within the allotted thirty (30) day cure period, the parties agree to submit to arbitration in accordance with Section 13(M) of this Agreement. This Agreement also will terminate in accordance with Section 12(B) if the Board chooses to engage its own chief compliance officer following a decision by NLCS to dismiss the Chief Compliance Officer. If the Chief Compliance Officer voluntarily resigns, NLCS may elect to terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the Board that NLCS is not able to present the Board with a suitable candidate to replace the Chief Compliance Officer. |
C. |
Insolvency. NLCS may terminate this Agreement immediately and without notice upon: (i) the issuance by any federal, state or local regulatory or administrative body of any administrative or regulatory sanction or penalty against the Fund, (ii) |
13
a petition in bankruptcy is filed by or against the Fund, (iii) if the Fund has made an assignment for the benefit of creditors, (iv) if the Fund has voluntarily or involuntarily been adjudicated as bankrupt, (v) or if a petition is filed for the reorganization of the Fund. |
D. |
Fees Resulting From Termination. In the event of a termination of this Agreement, the Fund shall pay NLCS all compensation and fees owing through the date of termination or the date that the provision of services cease, whichever is later. |
E. |
Reimbursement of Expenses Incurred by NLCS in Effecting Any Termination. In addition to the fees owing in accordance with Section 4, if this Agreement is terminated for any reason, NLCS shall be entitled to collect from the Fund the amount of all of NLCSs reasonable labor charges and cash reimbursements for services in connection with NLCSs activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the labor costs and expenses associated with delivery of any compliance records of the Fund from its computer systems, and the delivery to the Fund and/or its designees of related records, instruments and documents, or any copies thereof. |
F. |
The provisions of Sections 4, 6, 7, 8, 11(F), and 13 shall survive any termination of this Agreement. |
12. |
EXCEPTIONS RESULTING FROM BOARD ACTION |
A. |
Termination. If the Board dismisses the Funds Chief Compliance Officer, this Agreement will either end immediately (subject to the provisions of Section 11) or, at the discretion of both parties, NLCS may present an alternative Chief Compliance Officer for Board consideration and approval to continue the Chief Compliance Officer duties set forth under this Agreement. |
B. |
Prevention of Termination. If NLCS wishes to dismiss the Chief Compliance Officer under the terms of NLCSs arrangement with the Chief Compliance Officer, NLCS, to the extent possible, will present its plan of action to the Board prior to taking such action. Under such circumstances, NLCS may, at its own discretion, offer to present another Chief Compliance Officer candidate to the Board that would work through NLCS. If the Board approves the new Chief Compliance Officer, this Agreement will continue and be deemed amended to reflect the new Chief Compliance Officer. If the Board chooses to engage its own chief compliance officer as a result of NLCS dismissing the Chief Compliance Officer under this Agreement, this Agreement will terminate, and the Fund will be obligated to pay NLCS only for fees and out-of-pocket expenses accrued up to the point in time when the Boards new chief compliance officer officially assumes responsibility. |
C. |
Change in Compensation. If the Board decides to increase the Chief Compliance Officers compensation or provide a bonus to the Chief Compliance Officer, then the fees paid to NLCS by the Fund will increase proportionately for any amounts it deems due to the Chief Compliance Officer above the amounts due to NLCS under this Agreement. |
14
D. |
Resignation by Chief Compliance Officer. If the Chief Compliance Officer voluntarily resigns, NLCS may, but shall not be obligated to, present an alternative Chief Compliance Officer for Board consideration and approval to continue Chief Compliance Officer duties under this Agreement. If the Board chooses to end its relationship with NLCS as a result of such voluntary resignation by the Chief Compliance Officer, this Agreement will terminate, and the Fund will be obligated to pay NLCS only for fees and out-of-pocket expenses accrued up to the point in time when the Chief Compliance Officers resignation becomes effective. |
13. |
MISCELLANEOUS |
A. |
Amendments. Except as otherwise provided herein, no provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both parties hereto. |
B. |
Waiver. A party may by written instrument signed on behalf of such party: (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of another party due to it, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties made to it contained in this Agreement, or (c) waive compliance with any covenants, obligations, or conditions in its favor contained in this Agreement. No claim or right arising out of this Agreement can be waived by a party, in whole or in part, unless made in a writing signed by such party. Neither any course of conduct or dealing nor failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power, or privilege under this Agreement will operate as a waiver of such right, power, or privilege, and no single or partial exercise of any such right, power, or privilege will preclude any other or further exercise of such right, power, or privilege or the exercise of any other right, power, or privilege. A waiver given by a party will be applicable only to the specific instance for which it is given. |
C. |
Binding Effect; Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither this Agreement, nor any right, duty nor obligation of any party hereunder, may be assigned or delegated by any party (in whole or in part) without the prior written consent of the other party hereto. Any purported assignment of rights or delegation of obligations in violation of this Section will be void. References to a party in this Agreement also refer to such partys successors and permitted assigns. |
D. |
No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as set forth in Section 8 hereof, nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the parties hereto, their successors and permitted assigns, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein or therein. |
15
E. |
Relationship of the Parties/No Fiduciary Duties. The parties shall perform all obligations under this Agreement as independent contractors, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any association, partnership, joint venture, or relationship of principal and agent or master and servant between the parties to this Agreement or any affiliates or subsidiaries thereof, or to provide either party with the right, power or authority, whether express or implied, to create any such duty or obligation on behalf of the other party. |
F. |
No Recourse Against Nonparty Affiliates. All claims, obligations, liabilities, or causes of action (whether in contract, common or statutory law, equity or otherwise) that arise out of or relate to this Agreement, or the negotiation, execution, or performance of this Agreement, may be made only against the parties that are signatories to this Agreement, as the case may be (Contracting Parties). No Person who is not a Contracting Party, including any officer, employee, member, partner or manager signing this Agreement or any certificate delivered in connection herewith or therewith on behalf of any Contracting Party (Nonparty Affiliates) shall have any liability (whether in contract, tort, common or statutory law, equity or otherwise) for any claims, obligations, liabilities or causes of action arising out of, or relating in any manner to, this Agreement or based on, in respect of, or by reason of this Agreement or the negotiation, execution, performance, or breach of the Agreement; and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, each Contracting Party hereby waives and releases all such liabilities, claims, causes of action, and obligations against any such Nonparty Affiliates. |
G. |
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of Nebraska. Any dispute, controversy, proceeding or claim arising out of or relating to: (i) this Agreement or the subject matter hereof, (ii) the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity of this Agreement, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this Agreement to arbitration, or (iii) the relationship among the parties hereto or thereto, in each case, whether in contract, tort, common or statutory law, equity or otherwise (collectively, a Dispute), shall be brought exclusively in either (1) the United States District Court for Nebraska, to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction, or (2) the Nebraska State District Court in Douglas County, Nebraska (the Designated Court). Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the Designated Court and agrees that it will not bring any action whether in tort, contract, common or statutory law, equity or otherwise arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the subject matter hereof in any court other than the Designated Court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the Designated Court, (b) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of the Designated Court or from |
16
any legal process commenced in such Designated Court (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise), and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in such Designated Court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper, or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such Designated Court. |
H. |
Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including all schedules and exhibits, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written. |
I. |
Counterparts. The parties may execute this Agreement on any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. |
J. |
Further Assurances. From and after the Effective Date, the parties shall do or cause to be done all such reasonable acts and things as may be necessary, proper or advisable, consistent with all applicable laws, to make effective the transactions herein contemplated. Without limiting the foregoing, each party shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such further documents and instruments, in each case as may be necessary or proper and reasonable to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Agreement. |
K. |
Severability. If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and not be affected by such determination, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if this Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provision held to be illegal or invalid. |
L. |
Force Majeure. Neither party shall be liable to the other for failure to perform if the failure results from a cause beyond its control, including, without limitation, fire, electrical, mechanical, or equipment breakdowns, delays by third party vendors and/or communications carriers, civil disturbances or disorders, terrorist acts, strikes, acts of governmental authority or new governmental restrictions, or acts of God. |
M. |
Arbitration. |
1. |
Exclusive Dispute Resolution. Any dispute, controversy, proceeding or claim arising out of or relating to: (a) this Agreement or the subject matter hereof, (b) the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity of this Agreement, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this Agreement to arbitrate, or (c) the relationship among the parties hereto or thereto, in each case, whether in contract, tort, common or |
17
statutory law, equity or otherwise (collectively, a Dispute) may only be resolved by arbitration as provided in this Section. No party hereto shall commence any litigation with respect to a Dispute except as expressly set forth in this Section 13(M). |
2. |
Arbitration. To resolve a Dispute, any party hereto may commence an arbitration to be administered by the American Arbitration Association pursuant to the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be conducted before a single arbitrator, in Omaha, Nebraska, selected jointly by the parties, or, if the parties cannot agree on the selection of the arbitrators, as selected by the American Arbitration Association In the event of a conflict between the rules of the selected arbitration firm and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final, binding on the parties hereto, and not subject to further review. |
3. |
Prevailing Party Fees. In any arbitration of a Dispute, the arbitrator shall award to the prevailing party, if any, the costs and attorneys fees reasonably incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the arbitration. If the arbitrator determines a party to be the prevailing party under circumstances where the prevailing party won on some but not all of the claims and counterclaims, the arbitrator may award the prevailing party an appropriate percentage of the costs and attorneys fees reasonably incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the arbitration. In the event that litigation is commenced to enforce an arbitration award, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys fees and costs whether or not such action proceeds to judgment. |
4. |
Enforcement. This arbitration provision shall be enforced and interpreted exclusively in accordance with applicable federal law, including the Federal Arbitration Act. Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in a Designated Court. |
N. |
Headings. Section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement. |
O. |
Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (a) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, (b) on the fifth Business Day following the date of mailing, if mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid to the party to receive such notice, (c) if dispatched via a nationally recognized overnight courier service (delivery receipt requested) with charges paid by the dispatching party, on the later of (i) the first Business Day following the date of dispatch, or (ii) the scheduled date of delivery by such service, or (d) on the date sent by electronic mail if sent during normal business hours of the recipient during a Business Day, and otherwise on the next Business Day, if sent after normal business hours of the recipient, provided that in the case of electronic mail, each notice or other communication |
18
shall be confirmed within one Business Day by dispatch of a copy of such notice pursuant to one of the other methods described herein, at the following addresses, or such other address as a party may designate from time to time by notice in accordance with this Section. |
To the Fund:
Primark Private Equity Fund Attn: Michael Bell 205 Detroit Street, Suite 200 Denver, CO 80206 Email: michael.bell.001@gmail.com |
To NLCS:
Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC Attn: General Counsel 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100 Elkhorn, NE 68022 Email: legal@ultimusfundsolutions.com |
With a copy to:
|
Gregory C. Davis Ropes & Gray Three Embarcadero Center San Francisco, CA 94111-4006 Email: Gregory.Davis@ropesgray.com |
P. |
Representation of Signatories. Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that they have full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof. |
Signature Page Follows
19
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized persons, as of the day and year first above written.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | NORTHERN LIGHTS COMPLIANCE SERVICES, LLC | |||||||
By: |
|
By: |
|
|||||
Name: | Brian Privor | |||||||
Title: | President |
20
Schedule A
FEES
This Schedule A is part of the Consulting Agreement (the Agreement), dated [Date], entered into by and between Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) and Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (NLCS). Capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined shall have the same meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.
1. Standard Service Fees:
2. Due Diligence Fee:
3. Procedures Development and Review:
4. Additional Service Fees:
5. Out-of-Pocket Expenses:
6. Payment Terms:
NLCS will invoice the Fund for all annualized fees owing to NLCS under the terms of the Agreement on a quarterly basis in advance. Invoices for Extraordinary Services and out-of-pocket expenses will be billed on a monthly basis in arrears. Each NLCS invoice shall include the amount due and a brief description of the services rendered. The payment of all fees and the reimbursement of all out of pocket expenses shall be due and payable within thirty (30) days of receipt of an invoice from NLCS (the Due Date). Interest may accrue, at the maximum amount permitted by law, on any invoice balance that remains unpaid after its Due Date.
Schedule A | Page 1
Schedule B
CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER
Lynn Bowley
Schedule B | Page 1
EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT dated as of [●], 2020, is made and entered into by and between PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND, a Delaware statutory trust (the Fund), and PRIMARK ADVISORS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Adviser).
WHEREAS, the Adviser has been appointed the investment adviser of the Fund pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement dated as of [●], 2020 by and between the Fund and the Adviser (the Investment Management Agreement); and
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Adviser desire to enter into the arrangements described herein relating to certain expenses of the Fund;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Fund and the Adviser hereby agree as follows:
1. The Adviser agrees, subject to Section 2 hereof, to (i) reduce the fees payable to it under the Investment Management Agreement (but not below zero) and (ii) pay any operating expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to limit the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses) to the annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of shares of the Fund) of:
Class I Shares: |
1.60 | % | ||
Class II Shares: |
2.00 | % | ||
Class III Shares: |
2.25 | % |
2. The Fund agrees to pay to the Adviser (i) the amount of fees that, but for Section 1 hereof, would have been payable by the Fund to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement and (ii) the amount of the operating expenses of the Fund that the Adviser paid pursuant to Section 1 hereof (collectively, Deferred Fees and Expenses), subject to the limitations provided in this Section 2. Such repayment shall be made monthly, but only if the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses), without regard to such repayment, are at an annual rate (as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable class of shares of the Fund) of less than 1.60% for Class I Shares, 2.00% for Class II Shares, and 2.25% for Class III Shares. Furthermore, the amount of Deferred Fees and Expenses paid by the Fund in any month with respect to a class of shares shall be limited so that the sum of (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the other operating expenses of the Fund with respect to such class of shares (exclusive of brokerage commissions and other similar transactional expenses, interest (including interest incurred on borrowed funds and interest incurred in
connection with bank and custody overdrafts), other borrowing costs and fees including interest and commitment fees, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed the foregoing annual percentage rate applicable to such class of shares.
Deferred Fees and Expenses shall not be payable by the Fund with respect to a class of shares to the extent that the amounts payable by the Fund with respect to such class of shares pursuant to the immediately preceding two sentences during the period ending three years after the end of the month in which such Deferred Fees and Expenses are incurred are not sufficient to pay such Deferred Fees and Expenses.
3. The initial term of this Agreement (the Initial Term) shall be for a period commencing on the date first above written and ending on [●], 2021. This Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive periods of one year after the Initial Term, unless written notice of termination is provided by the Adviser to the Fund not less than 10 days prior to the end of the then-current term. No such termination by the Adviser shall affect the obligation (including the amount of the obligation) of the Fund to repay amounts of Deferred Fees and Expenses with respect to periods prior to the date of such termination.
[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]
-2-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND | ||
By |
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|
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
PRIMARK ADVISORS LLC | ||
By |
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Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page Expense Limitation Agreement]
Appendix A
Code of Ethics
June 2020
1
Table of Contents
|
||||||
1. |
Introduction |
3 | ||||
2. |
Applicability |
4 | ||||
3. |
Compliance with Laws and Regulations |
4 | ||||
4. |
General Standards of Business Conduct |
4 | ||||
5. |
Conflicts of Interest |
5 | ||||
6. |
Insider Trading |
6 | ||||
7. |
MyComplianceOffice |
6 | ||||
8. |
Political Contributions |
6 | ||||
9. |
Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions |
7 | ||||
10. |
Gifts and Entertainment |
11 | ||||
11. |
Outside Business Activities |
12 | ||||
Appendix A - Glossary of Defined Terms |
14 |
2
1. |
Introduction |
This Code of Ethics (the Code) has been adopted by Primark Advisors, LLC (Primark or the Adviser, we or our)) to satisfy our fiduciary obligations and comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act) and with Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act (IA Act).
The Code applies to all Primark Supervised Persons as defined in the Advisers Act Section 202(a)(25). The Advisers Act defines Supervised Persons to mean any partner, officer, director (or other person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), employee of an investment adviser, or other person who provides investment advice on behalf of the investment adviser and is subject to the supervision and control of the investment adviser, defined herein as (Employees). All Employees are responsible for complying and being familiar with this Code and Primarks Compliance Manual as a requirement of their employment.
Primark and its Employees are prohibited from engaging in fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative conduct, and are subject to certain laws, rules and regulations governing personal securities trading, conflicts of interest, and treatment of client assets and information. The Code is designed to reinforce Primarks reputation for integrity by avoiding even the appearance of impropriety in the conduct of our business. This Code was developed to promote the highest standards of behavior and ensure compliance with applicable laws.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the Code may result in serious sanctions including, but not limited to, disgorgement of profits for applicable personal trading activities, termination of employment, personal criminal or civil liability and referral to law enforcement agencies or other regulatory agencies.
Primark has appropriately appointed a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). All Employees are required to promptly report any known violations of the Code to the CCO. This includes, without limitation, violations that come to their attention that may have been inadvertent and/or violations that other Employees may have committed. The CCO or designee will promptly investigate the matter and take action if needed. There will be no retribution for making such a report, to the CCO, or a regulator, and every effort will be made to protect the identity of the reporting individual to the extent permitted by law.
The provisions of the Code are not all-inclusive. Rather, they are intended as a guide for Employees in their conduct. In those situations where a Supervised Person may be uncertain as to the intent or purpose of the Code, they are advised to consult with the CCO. All questions arising in connection with personal securities trading should be resolved in favor of the client, even at the expense of the interests of Employees. Each Supervised Person is responsible for knowing their responsibilities under the Code. This Code does not supersede additional responsibilities Employees may have under other policies as required by the SEC or for those individuals registered with FINRA through Foreside, the Funds distributor FINRA.
Primark is required to provide each Employees with a copy of this Code and any amendments. All Employees must provide Primark with a written acknowledgment of their receipt of this Code and any amendments no less than annually.
3
Fiduciary Obligations
Primark and its Employees are subject to the following specific fiduciary obligations when dealing with Clients:
|
the duty to have a reasonable, independent basis for investments chosen; |
|
the duty to obtain best execution for a Clients transactions; |
|
the duty to ensure that investment advice is suitable to meeting the Clients objectives; and |
|
a duty to be loyal to Clients. |
In meeting its fiduciary responsibilities to its Clients, Primark expects every Supervised Person to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical conduct for continued employment with Primark.
2. |
Applicability |
Primark Employees
This Code is applicable to all Primark Employees as required by the applicable rules, regulations, or as determined by the CCO. All Primark Employees, are deemed to be Access Persons, as defined by the Advisers Act and defined in Appendix A, and are subject to additional restrictions, limitations, reporting requirements or other policies and procedures.
To ensure consistency, Primark decided to apply the definitions of Employees and Access Persons equally to all involved with the Adviser. This means that every partner, officer, director and employee of Primark (which might also include independent contractors and temporary employees) will be classified as Access Persons, and also as Employees. Further, Primarks Compliance will maintain a list of Employees and their position to be reviewed at least annually.
Connected Persons
The Code applies to Supervised Persons spouse or domestic partner, minor children, immediate family members residing in the same household as the Supervised Person (e.g., adult children or parents living at home), and any relative, person or entity for whom the Supervised Person directs the investments or securities trading unless otherwise specified (collectively, Connected Persons).
3. |
Compliance with Laws and Regulations |
All Employees must comply with applicable federal securities laws and the following activities are examples of violations of these laws:
|
to defraud such client in any manner; |
|
to mislead such client, including making a statement that omits material facts; |
|
to engage in any act, practice or course of conduct which operates or would operate as fraud or deceit upon such client; |
|
to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to such client; or |
|
to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to securities, including price manipulation. |
4. |
General Standards of Business Conduct |
Employees must at all times comply with the following standards of business conduct:
|
Clients Come First. Employees owe Clients a duty of loyalty and must avoid serving the Advisers or their own personal interests ahead of the Clients. A Supervised Person may not induce or cause a client |
4
to take action, or not to take action, for the Advisers or the Supervised Persons own benefit, rather than for the benefit of the client. The Adviser must make full and fair disclosure of all material facts, particularly where the interests of the Adviser or a Supervised Person may conflict with those of a client. |
|
Avoid Taking Advantage. Employees may not trade on the basis of inside information, usurp investment opportunities that should properly be made available to the firms Clients, or otherwise use their knowledge of the Advisers investment activities to profit on such activities at the expense of the firms Clients. |
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Avoid Inappropriate Relationships. In addition, Employees must avoid engaging in outside business activities and the receipt of investment opportunities, perquisites, or gifts from persons seeking to do business with the Adviser that could call into question a Supervised Persons ability to exercise independent judgment in the best interests the Advisers Clients. |
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Compliance with Applicable Law. Employees must comply with all applicable laws that apply to the business of the Adviser. |
Doubtful situations should at all times be resolved in favor of the Client. Technical compliance with the Codes procedures will not automatically insulate from scrutiny any activities that indicate an abuse of these governing principles.
5. |
Conflicts of Interest |
It is Primarks policy that all Employees have a responsibility and duty to identify and escalate any potential conflicts of interest that they, or the Adviser, may be subject to. Conflicts of interest will be managed in accordance with the following policy and guidelines.
Conflict of Interest Defined
A conflict of interest should be construed broadly to include anything that might give the Adviser or any Supervised Person a financial or other incentive to act in a manner that is contrary to the best interests of the Advisers Clients. Conflicts may exist even when no wrong has been done. The opportunity to act improperly may be enough to create a potential conflict of interest. The following are examples of situations that may give rise to a conflict of interest:
|
using the Advisers premises, assets, information or influence for personal gain; |
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accepting special favors as a result of your position with the Adviser from any person or organization with which the Adviser has a current or potential business relationship; |
|
competing with the Adviser or a client for the purchase or sale of property, services or other interests; |
|
having or acquiring an interest in a transaction involving the Adviser or a client; |
|
receiving a personal loan or guarantee of an obligation as a result of your position with the Adviser; |
|
working for a competitor of the Adviser while a Supervised Person; or |
|
directing securities-related business to a broker-dealer or other service provider owned or managed by, or that employs, a relative or friend. |
5
Management of Conflicts of Interest
The CCO, in consultation with legal counsel if determined necessary, shall be responsible for determining the most appropriate response to a conflict of interest in accordance with the following guidelines:
|
In general, to the extent a conflict of interest is of a nature that is already covered by the existing policy and procedure in this Code, the Primark Compliance Manual, or a Clients governing documents, such conflict of interest shall therefore be addressed and resolved in accordance with the most appropriate application of available policies and procedures. |
|
To the extent a conflict of interest may not be addressed in an appropriate manner under existing policies and procedures, the CCO shall determine the best means of addressing the conflict in accordance with the Advisers fiduciary obligations towards its client. The CCO shall also determine: |
|
what the Advisers disclosure obligations to Clients may be; and |
|
whether the informed consent of any client(s) may be necessary under applicable law or the governing documents relating to the Clients. |
6. |
Insider Trading |
The misuse of Material Nonpublic Information, or inside information, constitutes fraud under the securities laws of the United States and many other countries. Employees that are made aware of Material Nonpublic Information, or inside information may not trade, recommend, or in some cases must refrain from selling those securities whether personally or on behalf of others, including Clients and Connected Persons.
Primark and all Employees are prohibited from engaging in securities transactions for themselves or for others (including Clients) on the basis of inside information. The Adviser and all Employees are also prohibited from disseminating inside information to others who may use that knowledge to trade securities (tipping). These prohibitions apply to all Employees which extends to activities within and outside of their duties at the Adviser, and apply to transactions in the securities of any company, and not just those held by Clients.
7. |
MyComplianceOffice |
Primark utilizes MyComplianceOffice (MCO) for its Employees and Access Persons to disclose and report information as required by this Code, including:
|
reporting personal brokerage accounts; |
|
reporting personal holdings and transactions in Reportable Securities; |
|
obtaining Primarks approval before investing in an initial public offering (IPO), private placement, limited offerings and/or Reportable Securities; |
|
attesting to Primarks Code of Ethics and Compliance Manual; |
|
pre-approval and reporting of outside business activities; and |
|
pre-approval and disclosure of political contributions exceeding the de minimis exception. |
8. |
Political Contributions |
Primark has implemented the following restrictions to adhere to the Pay-to-Play Rule (Rule 206(4)-5) and to mitigate any associated risks.
Employees are prohibited from making political contributions without preapproval by the CCO or Designee for contributions in excess of the de minimis amount, as well as their Connected Persons. Preapproval for contributions in excess of the de minimis amount must be requested in MCO or by requesting approval directly from the CCO or Designee. However, the de minimis exception permits instances where contributions do not require preapproval when the monetary amount is below the following limits:
|
Up to $350 per candidate per election cycle, to incumbents or candidates for whom they are eligible to vote; and |
6
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Up to $150 per candidate per election cycle, to other incumbents or candidates. |
Upon commencement of employment, the CCO, or Designee, may request reporting of all recent political contributions, if applicable. The disclosure should include contributions made by Connected Persons as well. The report should include the individual or election committee receiving the contribution, the office for which the individual is running, the current elected office held (if any), the dollar amount of the contribution or value of the donated item and whether or not the Supervised Person is eligible to vote for the candidate. Contributions to Political Action Committees (PACs) and political parties should not be included in the reporting unless Primark is engaged in or considering engaging in business with an individual or organization which would be a beneficiary of such contribution.
9. |
Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions |
Pre-clearance for Reportable Securities and Exempt Transactions
Primark developed its policy to prohibit its Access Persons from knowingly engaging in a security transaction at any point in which Primark is actively considering, or trading in the same or equivalent security for a Client.
Watch List
Primark will maintain a Watch List consisting of the full universe of listed securities Primark may consider transacting in for a Client. Pre-clearance is not required for Reportable Securities that are not on the Watch List; however, such transactions must be reported through Access Persons Quarterly Transaction Report. It is the responsibility of all Access Persons to review the Watch List before transacting to ensure adherence with the pre-clearance Code exemption in all applicable instances.
The Watch List will be maintained as a shared online file which will be made available by Primark to all Access Persons. Each Access Person is responsible for ensuring that any Reportable Securities that may be purchased or sold within their non-exempt Personal Trading accounts, as well as the accounts of their Connected Persons, are properly pre-cleared before transacting when a Reportable Security is represented on the Watch List.
Pre-clearance requests must be submitted and approved with direct emails to and from the CCO. A Designee will approve the CCOs personal trades. Primarks CCO is responsible for approving any pre-clearance request for a security on the Watch List. Such request will only be approved if Primark is not actively trading or does not have immediate plans to trade the security in a Client account, among other determining factors.
Any granted approval is valid for one trading day after receiving approval to execute the trade, unless the approval is revoked for any reason by the CCO. If the request is made on a non-trading day, the pre-clearance approval is valid for the following trading day.
Restricted List
Members of the Compliance Committee may place certain securities on a restricted list. Access Persons are prohibited from personally, or on behalf of an advisory account, purchasing or selling these securities during any period they are listed. Securities issued by companies about which Primark is expected to regularly have material, nonpublic information should generally be placed on the restricted list. A Member of the Compliance Committee shall take steps to immediately inform all Access Persons of the securities listed on the restricted list.
7
Exempt Transactions
The following transactions are exempt and do not require pre-clearance in any instance:
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Participation in an ongoing automatic investment plan including 401K plans or an issuers dividend reinvestment or stock purchase plan; |
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Participation in any transaction over which no Supervised Person had any direct or indirect influence or control, involuntary transactions (such as mergers, inheritances, gifts, etc.); and |
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Shares of registered open-end investment companies other than shares of in the event Primark acts as the advisor or sub-adviser to the open-end investment companies |
Limit Orders
Primark prohibits its Access Persons to place a good until cancelled order or any limit order for a Reportable Security on Primarks Watch List. Pending good until cancelled orders for securities placed on the Watch List should be cancelled by the Access Person and the pre-approval process should be followed.
Pre-Clearance for IPOs, Private Placements or Limited Offerings
Rule 204A-1(c) requires Primark Access Persons to obtain Primarks approval in all instances and without exception, before directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in any security in an initial public offering, private placement or limited offering. Pre-clearance requests must be submitted and approved with direct emails to and from the CCO. A Designee will approve the CCOs personal trades.
Reporting Requirements
Primarks Employees, are subject to Initial, Quarterly and Annual Reporting requirements for personal account investing.
Under Rule 204A-1 Employees are required to disclose the existence of any account in which Reportable Securities transactions can be affected, as well as any account for a Connected Person.
Accounts and transactions will be subject to periodic review to identify potential conflicts.
All Initial, Quarterly and Annual Reporting requirements must be completed in MCO.
Initial Holdings Report
Within ten (10) calendar days of being designated as, or determined to be, a Supervised Person (which may be upon hire), each Supervised Person must provide a statement of all Reportable Securities Holdings and Reportable Accounts, including Connected Persons, via MCO. The information must be less than 45 days old. More specifically, each Supervised Person must provide the following information:
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the title, number of shares and principal amount of each Reportable Security in which the Supervised Person has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership; and |
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the name of any Financial Institution with whom the Supervised Person maintains an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Supervised Person. |
Quarterly Transaction Report
Each Primark Supervised Person is required to affirm all non-Exempt Reporting quarterly transactions via MCO within thirty (30) calendar days of each calendar quarter end. Non-Exempt Reporting transactions are any transaction with respect to securities held in accounts over which the Access Person, or Connected Person, has no direct or indirect influence or control.
8
Annual Holdings Report
Each Supervised Person is required to annually affirm in MCO a list of all Reportable Securities holdings and Personal Trading accounts, both exempt and non-exempt, which is current as of a date and reported no more than forty-five (45) calendar days after the end of the calendar year.
9
The table below is designed as a guide for all Access Persons regarding their responsibilities for personal transactions that must be pre-cleared, and the accounts that are subject to disclosure and reporting requirements, or are deemed exempt.
Personal Trading Requirements (for accounts with trading discretion) |
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Security / Holding (or derivatives of) |
Reportable per
Code of Ethics |
Pre-clearance
ALWAYS Required |
Pre-clearance
NEVER Required |
Pre-clearance
Required (per Watch List) |
||||
Primark Private Equity Fund |
YES | X | ||||||
Closed-end funds |
YES | X | ||||||
Commodities, futures (non-equity) |
NO | X | ||||||
Corporate Bonds |
YES | X | ||||||
ETFs |
NO | X | ||||||
Futures/options, currency futures |
YES | X | ||||||
Hedge Funds |
YES | X | ||||||
Initial Public Offering |
YES | X | ||||||
Municipal Bonds |
YES | X | ||||||
Open-end funds |
NO | X | ||||||
Private Placements/Limited Offerings |
YES | X | ||||||
REITs |
YES | X | ||||||
Shares issued by MM funds/UITs |
NO | X | ||||||
Stocks |
YES | X | ||||||
Account Reporting Requirements |
||||||||
Account Type |
Reportable per
Code of Ethics |
Initial
Disclosure |
Quarterly
Transactions |
Annual
Affirmation |
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Employee Brokerage Account
|
YES | X | X | X | ||||
Employee Brokerage Account
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YES | X | X | |||||
529 Savings Plans |
NO | |||||||
Connected Person Brokerage Account
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YES | X | X | |||||
Connected Person Brokerage Account
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YES | X | X | |||||
Employee/Connected Account
|
NO |
10
10. |
Gifts and Entertainment |
Gifts or Entertainment may create an actual or apparent conflict of interest, which could affect (or appear to affect) the recipients independent business judgment.
Employees are required to follow the standards below regarding the acceptance or giving of gifts and entertainment with respect to all Business Partners. Employees are expected to avoid any gifts or entertainment that:
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could create an apparent or actual conflict; |
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is excessive or would reflect unfavorably on Primark or its Clients; or |
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would be inappropriate or disreputable nature. |
Modest gifts and favors, which would not be regarded by others as improper, may be accepted or given on an occasional basis. Entertainment that satisfies these requirements and conforms to generally accepted business practices is also permissible.
Where there is a law or rule that applies to the conduct of a particular business or the acceptance of gifts of even nominal value, the law or rule must be followed.
A Gift is anything of value that is given with the intent to foster a legitimate business relationship. Gifts can include merchandise such as wine, gift baskets, or tickets if the giver does not attend. No Supervised Person may receive any gift, service or other thing of excessive value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of Primark. No Supervised Person may give or offer any gift of excessive value, determined to be amounts in excess of $500, to existing Clients, prospective Clients, or any entity that does business with or on behalf of Primark without pre-approval by the CCO. Employees may not accept a gift of cash or a cash-equivalent in any amount.
Entertainment is a meeting, meal or other activity where both the Supervised Person and the business partner are present and have the opportunity to discuss business or any participants employer bears the cost. It does not include events that have been organized by Primark directly, such as receptions following an industry gathering or multi-client entertainment. If the Business Partner will not be present for the event it will be considered a gift. No Supervised Person may provide or accept extravagant or excessive entertainment to or from a client, prospective client, or any person or entity that does or seeks to do business with or on behalf of Primark. A Supervised Person may provide or accept a business entertainment event, such as dinner, a sporting event, golf outings, etc. provided that such activities involve no more than customary amenities and the person or entity providing the entertainment is present.
A Business Partner, for the purpose of this Code, includes all current Clients, Portfolio Companies, and vendors with which Primark conducts business, any potential Clients, Portfolio Companies, or vendors with whom Primark could engage in business with, any registered broker-dealers, and any firms under contract to do business with Primark.
11
Disclosure of Gifts and Entertainment
For the purposes of disclosure of gifts and entertainment the following are exempt:
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usual and customary promotional items (e.g., T-shirts, caps, or pens marked with the vendors logo); |
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gifts or entertainment of nominal value (Gifts $250 or less, Entertainment $250 or less per person per event); |
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attendance and participation at industry sponsored events; or |
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usual and customary gifts given to or by Employees based on a personal relationship (e.g., the vendor and Supervised Person have a family relationship that preceded interaction at the Adviser). |
Gifts to be Given or Received by Employees |
Approval or Disclosure Required |
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Gifts given or received from the same Business Partner which would aggregate less than $500 /twelve months (and more than $250 per gift) | no approval required | |
Gifts given or received from the same Business Partner which would aggregate equal/more than $ 500 /twelve months | approval required | |
Entertainment provided for or by Employees |
Approval or Disclosure Required |
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Entertainment provided to a Supervised Person valued between $250 and $ 500 per person per event | no approval required | |
Entertainment provided to a Supervised Person at equal/more than $500 per person per event | approval required |
11. |
Outside Business Activities |
Without receiving approval via MCO, no Supervised Person shall:
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accept, directly or indirectly, compensation of any nature as a bonus, commission, fee, gratuity or other consideration in connection with any transaction on behalf of the Adviser or a client from any Person, firm, corporation or association, other than the Adviser or an affiliate thereof. |
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acquire, directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership or financial interest in any other organization engaged in any securities, financial or related business, except for (i) a minority equity or other ownership or other financial interest in any business that is publicly traded, or (ii) an equity or other ownership or financial interest through any account over which the Supervised Person has no direct or indirect influence or control. |
Employees must receive approval via MCO prior to engaging in any outside business activity that involves:
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a time commitment that would prevent the Supervised Person from performing his or her duties for the Adviser or that would otherwise be restricted or prohibited by the governing documents of a client; |
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active participation in any business in the financial services industry or otherwise in competition with the Adviser; or |
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serving as a director, officer, or general partner of any business, corporation or partnership (excluding family-owned businesses and charitable, professional and non-profit organizations). |
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12
An outside business activity may never:
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present a substantial risk of confusing Clients or the public as to the capacity in which the Supervised Person is acting; |
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pose a reputational risk for the Adviser; |
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inappropriately influence a Supervised Persons business dealings or otherwise create a conflict of interest vis-à-vis the interests of the Adviser or its Clients; or |
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involve use of information relating to the Adviser, any client or other proprietary information. |
13
Appendix A - Glossary of Defined Terms
Access Person - Anyoneassociated with Primark or its affiliates who:
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All Employees of Primark |
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Has access to non-public information regarding any Clients Transactions, or non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings of any fund(s) of a client or any Primark services; |
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Is involved in making Securities Transactions recommendations to Clients, or has access to such recommendations that are non-public; |
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In connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in or obtains information regarding a Clients Transactions or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to a Clients Transactions; |
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Obtains information regarding a Clients Transactions or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to a Clients Transactions; |
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Any other person designated by the CCO as necessary. |
For purposes of this Code all Employees (defined below) are considered Access Persons and subject to reporting and restrictions as defined by the Advisers Act.
Account Any accounts in which Securities (as defined below) transactions can be effected including:
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Any accounts held by any Supervised Person; |
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Accounts of the Supervised Persons immediate family members (any relative by blood or marriage) living in the Supervised Persons household or is financially dependent; |
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Accounts held by any other related individual over whose account the Supervised Person has discretionary control; |
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Any other account where the Supervised Person has discretionary control and materially contributes; and |
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Any account in which the Supervised Person has a direct or indirect beneficial interest, such as trusts and custodial accounts or other accounts in which the Supervised Person has a beneficial interest or exercises investment discretion. |
Automatic Investment Plan A program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined scheduled and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.
Beneficial Ownership For purposes of the Code, Beneficial Ownership or Beneficial Interest shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would be in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) in determining whether a person is subject to the provisions of Section 16 under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations there under. Generally speaking, beneficial ownership encompasses those situations where the beneficial owner has the right to enjoy some economic benefits which are substantially equivalent to ownership regardless of who is the registered owner. This would include, but is not limited to:
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Securities which a person holds for his or her own benefit either in bearer form, registered in his or her own name or otherwise, regardless of whether the securities are owned individually or jointly; |
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Securities held in the name of a member of his or her immediate family sharing the same household; |
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Securities held by a trustee, executor, administrator, custodian or broker; |
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Securities owned by a general partnership of which the person is a member or a limited partnership of which such person is a general partner; |
14
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Securities held by a corporation which can be regarded as a personal holding company of a person; and |
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Securities recently purchased by a person and awaiting transfer into his or her name. |
Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) The CCO as referenced is Michael Bell, so designated by Primark. The CCO may designate additional individuals, where appropriate, to operate in the capacity of the CCO as outlined in this Code.
Client The Primark Private Equity Fund.
Designee any member of Primarks Compliance Committee or a 3rd Party Compliance Consultant. The members of Primarks Compliance Committee are Michael Bell, Tyler Bain and Adam Goldman. The Compliance Committee is supported by PINE Advisor Solutions (PINE), Primarks 3rd party compliance consultant. PINE may act as a Designee for certain tasks as deemed appropriate by the CCO.
Employee Employees of Primark including directors, officers, any temporary worker, or other personnel as designated by the CCO.
Material Nonpublic Information Any information that has not been publicly disseminated, or that was obtained legitimately while acting in a role of trust or confidence of an issuer or that was obtained wrongfully from an issuer or such person acting in a role of trust or confidence that a reasonable investor would consider important in making a decision to buy, hold or sell a companys securities. Regardless of whether it is positive or negative, historical or forward looking, any information that a reasonable investor could expect to affect a companys stock price. Material Nonpublic Information may include:
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Projections of future earnings or losses; |
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News of a possible merger, acquisition or tender offer; |
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Significant new products or services or delays in new product or service introduction or development; |
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Plans to raise additional capital through stock sales or otherwise; |
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The gain or loss of a significant customer, partner or supplier; |
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Discoveries, or grants or allowances or disallowances of patents; |
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Changes in management; |
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News of a significant sale of assets; |
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Impending bankruptcy or financial liquidity problems; or |
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Changes in dividend policies or the declaration of a stock split |
Reportable Securities Rule 204A-1 treats all securities as reportable securities, with five exceptions designed to exclude securities that appear to present little opportunity for the type of improper trading on behalf of a Supervised Person in which the restrictions are designed to mitigate and /or uncover:
1. |
Transactions and holdings in direct obligations of the Government of the United States. |
2. |
Money market instruments bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, repurchase agreements and other high quality short-term debt instruments. |
3. |
Shares of money market funds. |
4. |
Transactions and holdings in shares of other types of mutual funds, unless the adviser or a control affiliate acts as the investment adviser or principal underwriter for the fund. |
5. |
Transactions in units of a unit investment trust if the unit investment trust is invested exclusively in unaffiliated mutual funds. |
15
Securities Transactions The term Securities Transactions as used within this Code typically refers to the purchase and/or sale of Securities, (as defined herein), by a Supervised Person. Securities Transactions shall include any gift of Covered Securities that is given or received by the Supervised Person, including any inheritance received that includes Covered Securities.
Supervised Persons The Advisers Act defines Supervised Person to mean any partner, officer, director (or other person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), or employee of an investment adviser, or other person who provides investment advice on behalf of the investment adviser and is subject to the supervision and control of the investment adviser. For purposes of this Code all Supervised Persons are considered Employees, and all Employees are Access Persons (defined above).
16
ATTACHMENT 12.B
CODE OF ETHICS
I. |
Introduction |
The Primark Private Equity Fund (the Fund) has adopted this Code of Ethics (the Code) in order to set forth guidelines and procedures that promote ethical practices and conduct by all of the Funds Access Persons and to ensure that they comply with the federal securities laws. To the extent that any such individuals are subject to compliance with the Code of Ethics of the Funds adviser, (the Adviser), Fund Administrator or Distributor (collectively the Service Providers), as applicable, whose Codes of Ethics complies with Rule 17j-1, compliance by such individuals with the provisions of the Code of the applicable Service Providers shall constitute compliance with this Code. Although this Code contains a number of specific standards and policies, there are four key principles embodied throughout the Code.
1. |
The interests of the Fund must always be paramount. Access Persons have a legal, fiduciary duty to place the interests of the Fund ahead of their own. In any decision relating to their personal investments, Access Persons must scrupulously avoid serving their own interests ahead of those of the Fund. |
2. |
Access Persons may not take advantage of their relationship with the Fund. Access Persons should avoid any situation (e.g. unusual investment opportunities, perquisites, accepting gifts of more than token value from persons seeking to do business with the Fund) that might compromise, or call into question, the exercise of their fully independent judgment in the interests of the Fund. |
3. |
All Personal Securities Transactions should avoid any actual, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest. Although all Personal Securities Transactions by Access Persons must be conducted in a manner consistent with this Code, the Code itself is based on the premise that Access Persons owe a fiduciary duty to the Fund, and should avoid any activity that creates an actual, potential, or apparent conflict of interest. This includes executing transactions through or for the benefit of a third party when the transaction is not in keeping with the general principles of this Code. |
Access Persons must adhere to these general principles as well as comply with the specific provisions of this Code. Technical compliance with the Code and its procedures will not automatically prevent scrutiny of trades that show a pattern of abuse of an individuals fiduciary duty to the Fund.
4. |
Access Persons must comply with all applicable laws. In both work-related and personal activities, Access Persons must comply with all applicable laws, including the federal securities laws. |
Any violations of this code should be reported promptly to the Chief Compliance Officer. Failure to do so will be deemed a violation of the code.
II. |
DEFINITIONS |
Access Person shall have the same meaning as set forth in Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) and shall include:
1. |
Any officers, trustees, general partner or employee (or persons occupying a similar status or performing a similar function) of the Fund; |
2. |
Any officers, general partner or employee (or persons occupying a similar status or performing a similar function) of the Adviser to the Fund; |
3. |
Any officer, director, general partner or employee of the Fund or the Adviser (or of any company controlling or controlled by or under common control with the Fund or the Adviser) who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of Covered Securities by the Fund, or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to the purchase or sale; and |
4. |
Any other natural person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Fund, the Adviser who obtains information concerning recommendations made to the Fund with regard to the purchase or sale of Covered Securities by the Fund. |
Adviser means Primark Advisors, LLC
Affiliated Person of an adviser includes (i) any person directly or indirectly owning, controlling, or holding with power to vote, 5 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of the adviser (this could be a person or a company, including any parent company; (ii) any person 5 percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, by the adviser (i.e., a company where the adviser owns 5 percent or more of the company); (iii) any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the adviser (e.g. if the adviser is owned by a parent company, any other companies owned by the parent); or (iv) any officer, trustee, partner, managing member, or co-partner of the adviser. Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. A non-officer employee of an adviser to an interval fund is not a Reporting Person. Rule 30h-1 under the 1940 Act.
Beneficial Ownership means in general and subject to the specific provisions of Rule 16a- 1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, having or sharing, directly or indirectly, through any contract arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the security.
Chief Compliance Officer means the Code of Ethics Compliance Officer of the Fund with respect to Trustees and officers of the Fund covered by this Code.
Code means this Code of Ethics.
Covered Security means any Security, except (i) direct obligations of the U.S. Government, (ii) bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements, and (iii) shares issued by open-end mutual funds, except funds services by Ultimus or NLCS.
Decision Making Access Person means any Access Person who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of a security by the Fund, or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales. Decision Makers typically are Adviser personnel.
Fund means the Primark Private Equity Fund
Immediate Family means an individuals spouse, partner, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, siblings, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law and should include adoptive relationships. For purposes of determining whether an Access Person has an indirect pecuniary interest in securities, only ownership by immediate family members sharing the same household as the Access Person will be presumed to be an indirect pecuniary interest of the Access Person, absent special circumstances.
Independent Trustees means those Trustees of the Fund that would not be deemed an interested person of the Fund, as defined in Section 2(a)(19)(A) of the 1940 Act.
Indirect Pecuniary Interest includes, but is not limited to: (a) securities held by members of the persons Immediate Family sharing the same household (which ownership interest may be rebutted); (b) a general partners proportionate interest in portfolio securities held by a general or limited partnership; (c) a persons right to dividends that is separated or separable from the underlying securities (otherwise, a right to dividends alone will not constitute a pecuniary interest in securities); (d) a persons interest in securities held by a trust; (e) a persons right to acquire securities through the exercise or conversion of any derivative security, whether or not presently exercisable; and (f) a performance-related fee, other than an asset based fee, received by any broker, dealer, bank, insurance company, investment company, investment manager, trustee, or person or entity performing a similar function, with certain exceptions.
Initial Public Offering means an offering of securities registered under Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 of Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act.
Investment Personnel means (i) any employee of the Fund or the Funds investment adviser (or any company in a Control Relationship with the Fund or its investment adviser) who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes or participates in making recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of securities by the Fund and (ii) any natural person who controls the Fund or its investment adviser and who obtains information concerning recommendations made to the Fund regarding the purchase or sale of securities by the Fund.
Limited Offering means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) or pursuant or Rule 504, Rule 505 or Rule 506 under the Securities Act.
Officer of an entity includes the entitys president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer (or, if there is no such accounting officer, the controller), any vice-president of the issuer in charge of a principal business unit, division or function (such as sales, administration or finance), any other officer who performs a policy-making function, or any other person who performs similar policy-making functions for the Fund, including the Chief Compliance Officer.
Pecuniary Interest means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from a transaction in securities.
Personal Securities Transaction means any transaction in a Covered Security in which an Access Person has a direct or indirect Pecuniary Interest.
Purchase or Sale of a Security includes the writing of an option to purchase or sell a Security. A Security shall be deemed being considered for Purchase or Sale for the Fund when a recommendation to purchase or sell has been made and communicated by a Decision Making Access Person, and, with respect to the person making the recommendation, when such person seriously considers making such a recommendation. These recommendations are placed on the Restricted List until they are no longer being considered for Purchase or Sale, or until the Security has been purchased or sold.
Restricted List means the list of securities maintained by the Chief Compliance Officer in which trading by Access Persons is generally prohibited.
Security means any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, or, in general, an interest or instrument commonly known as security, or any certificate or interest or participation in temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase (including options) any of the foregoing.
III. |
PROHIBITED ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES |
1. |
No Access Person shall purchase or sell directly or indirectly, any Covered Security in which he or she has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership and which he or she knows or should have known at the time of such purchase or sale; |
a. |
Is being considered for purchase or sale by the Fund, or |
b. |
Is being purchased or sold by the Fund. |
2. |
Decision-Making Access Persons, with the exception of the independent trustees, may not participate in any initial public offering of Covered Securities in any account over which they exercise Beneficial Ownership. All other Access Persons, with the exception of the independent trustees, must obtain prior written authorization from the Chief Compliance Officer prior to such participation; |
3. |
No Access Person, with the exception of the independent trustees, may purchase a Covered Security in which by reason of such transaction they acquire Beneficial Ownership in a private placement of a Security, without prior written authorization of the acquisition by the Chief Compliance Officer; |
a. |
An Access Person of the Fund who is also an access person of the Funds principal underwriter or its affiliates or an access person of the Funds Adviser may submit reports required by this Section on forms prescribed by the Code of Ethics of such principal underwriter, or investment adviser provided that such forms contain substantially the same information as called for in the forms required by this Section and comply with the requirements of Rule 17j-1(d) (1). |
4. |
Access Persons may not accept any fee, commission, gift, or services, other than de minimis gifts, from any single person or entity that does business with or on behalf of the Fund; |
5. |
Decision-Making Access Persons, with the exception of the independent trustees, may not serve on the board of directors of a publicly traded company without prior authorization from the Chief Compliance Officer based upon a determination that such service would be consistent with the interests of the Fund. If such service is authorized, procedures will then be put in place to isolate such Decision-Making Access Persons serving as directors of outside entities from those making investment decisions on behalf of the Fund. |
Advanced notice should be given so that the Fund and Adviser may take such action concerning the conflict as deemed appropriate by the Chief Compliance Officer.
6. |
Decision-Making Access Person, with the exception of the Independent Trustees, may not execute a Personal Securities Transaction involving a Covered Security without authorization of the Chief Compliance Officer or such persons who may be designated by the Chief Compliance Officer from time to time. |
7. |
It shall be a violation of this Code for any Access Person, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, of any Covered Security held or to be acquired by a Fund: |
a. |
to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Fund; |
b. |
to make to the Fund any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state to the Fund a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; |
c. |
to engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the Fund; or |
d. |
to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the Fund. |
8. |
EXEMPTED TRANSACTIONS. The provisions described above under the heading Prohibited Actions and Activities and the preclearance procedures under the heading Preclearance of Personal Securities Transactions do not apply to: |
a. |
Purchases or sales of Securities effected in any account in which an Access Person has no beneficial ownership; |
b. |
Purchases or sales of Securities which are non-volitional on the part the Access Person (for example, the receipt of stock dividends); |
c. |
Purchase of Securities made as part of automatic dividend reinvestment plans; |
d. |
Purchases of Securities made as part of an employee benefit plan involving the periodic purchase of company stock or mutual funds; and |
e. |
Purchases of Securities effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its Securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sale of such rights so acquired. |
IV. |
PRECLEARANCE OF PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS |
All Access Persons that are not covered by a Service Providers Code of Ethics wishing to engage in a Personal Securities Transaction must obtain prior authorization of any such Personal Securities Transaction from the Chief Compliance Officer or such person or persons that the Chief Compliance Officer may from time to time designate to make such authorizations. The Fund shall adopt the appropriate forms and procedures for implementing this Code of Ethics.
Any authorization so provided is effective until the close of business on the fifth trading day after the authorization is granted. In the event that an order for the Personal Securities Transaction is not placed within that time period, a new authorization must be obtained. If the order for the transaction is placed but not executed within that time period, no new authorization is required unless the person placing the order originally amends the order in any manner. Authorizations for good until canceled orders are effective unless the order conflicts with a Fund order.
If a person wishing to effect a Personal Securities Transaction learns, while the order is pending, that the same Security is being considered for Purchase or Sale by a Fund, such person shall cancel the trade.
Affiliated Persons and/or Officers are required to obtain pre-clearance for all personal securities transactions involving shares of the Fund from the Funds Chief Compliance Officer, and meet the Funds requirements for Section 16 reporting.
Investment Personnel of the Fund or Adviser must obtain approval from the Fund or Adviser before directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in any securities in an Initial Public Offering or a Limited Offering.
V. |
REPORTING AND MONITORING |
The Chief Compliance Officer or his designees shall monitor all personal trading activity of all Access Persons covered by this Code of Ethics pursuant to the procedures established under this Code. An Access Person of a Fund who is also an access person of the Funds principal underwriter or its affiliates or an Access Person of a Funds Adviser may submit reports required by this Section on forms prescribed by the Code of Ethics of such principal underwriter, or Adviser, provided that such forms comply with the requirements of Rule 17j-1(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.
1. |
Disclosure of Personal Brokerage Accounts. Within ten days of the commencement of employment or at the commencement of a relationship with the Fund, all Access Persons, except Independent Trustees, are required to submit to the Chief Compliance Officer a report stating the names and account numbers of all of their personal brokerage accounts, brokerage accounts of members of their Immediate Family, and any brokerage accounts which they control or in which they or an Immediate Family member has Beneficial Ownership. Such report must contain the date on which it is submitted and the information in the report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to that date. In addition, if a new brokerage account is opened during the course of the year, the Chief Compliance Officer must be notified immediately. |
The information required by the above paragraph must be provided to the Chief Compliance Officer on an annual basis, and the report of such should be submitted with the annual holdings reports described below.
Each of these accounts is required to furnish duplicate confirmations and statements to the Chief Compliance Officer. These statements and confirms for the Fund may be sent to its Adviser.
2. |
Initial Holdings Report. Within ten days of becoming an Access Person (and with information that is current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date that the person becomes an Access Person), each Access Person, except Independent Trustees, must submit (i) a holdings report that must contain, at a minimum, the title and type of Security, and as applicable, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, number of shares, and principal amount of each Covered Security in which the Access Person has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership and (ii) the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the Access Persons direct or indirect benefit as of the date they became an Access Person. This report must state the date on which it is submitted. |
3. |
Annual Holdings Reports. All Access Persons, except Independent Trustees, must supply the information that is required in the initial holdings report on an annual basis, and such information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date that the report was submitted. Such reports must state the date on which they are submitted. |
4. |
Quarterly Transaction Reports. All Access Persons, except Independent Trustees, shall report to the Chief Compliance Officer or his designees the following information with respect to transactions in a Covered Security in which such person has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the Covered Security: |
a. |
The date of the transaction, the title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, number of shares, and the principal amount of each Covered Security; |
b. |
The nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition); |
c. |
The price of the Covered Security at which the transaction was effected |
d. |
The name of the broker, dealer, or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and |
e. |
The date the Access Person Submits the Report. |
Reports pursuant to this section of this Code shall be made no later than 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction to which the report relates was effected, and shall include a certification that the reporting person has reported all Personal Securities Transactions required to be disclosed or reported pursuant to the requirements of this Code. Confirmations and Brokerage Statements sent directly to the appropriate address noted above is an acceptable form of a quarterly transaction report.
5. |
Quarterly New Account Reports. All Access Persons, except Independent Trustees, must submit a quarterly new account report with respect to any account established by such a person in which any securities were held during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person, no later than 30 days after the end of a calendar quarter. The Quarterly New Account Report shall cover, at a minimum, all accounts at a broker-dealer, bank or other institution opened during the quarter and provide the following information: |
a. |
the name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person has established the account; |
b. |
the date the account was established; |
c. |
the date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
An Independent Trustee need only make a quarterly transaction report if he or she, at the time of the transaction, knew, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a Trustee, should have known that during the 15-day period immediately preceding or following the date of the transaction by the Independent Trustee, the Covered Security was purchased or sold by a Fund or was considered for purchase or sale by a Fund. An Independent Trustee must also submit a quarterly transaction report with respect to transactions occurring in such quarter in Fund shares if such Trustee knew, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a Trustee of the Fund, should have known details of specific securities transactions made or being considered for the Funds portfolio on the date of and during the 15-day period immediately before or after the Trustees transaction in Fund shares.
An Access Person of the Fund who is also an Access Person of the Funds principal underwriter or an Access Person of a Funds Adviser may submit reports required by this Section on forms prescribed by the Code of Ethics of such principal underwriter or investment adviser, provided that such forms contain substantially the same information as called for in the forms required by this Section and comply with the requirements of Rule 17j-1(d)(1).
VI. |
ENFORCEMENTS AND PENALTIES |
The Chief Compliance Officer or his designee shall review the transaction information supplied by Access Persons. If a transaction appears to be a violation of this Code, the transaction will be reported to the Funds Board of Trustees.
Upon being informed of a violation of this Code, the Funds Board of Trustees may impose sanctions as it deems appropriate, including but not limited to, a letter of censure or suspension, termination of the employment of the violator, or a request for disgorgement of any profits received from a securities transaction effected in violation of this Code. The Fund shall impose sanctions in accordance with the principle that no Access Person may profit at the expense of its clients. Any losses are the responsibility of the violator. Any profits realized on personal securities transactions in violation of the Code must be disgorged in a manner directed by the Board of Trustees.
At least annually and at a regular meeting of the Board, the Chief Compliance Officer shall issue a report on Personal Securities Transactions by Access Persons. The report submitted to the board shall:
1. |
Summarize existing procedures concerning Personal Securities investing and any changes in the procedures made during the prior year; |
2. |
Identify any violations of this Code and any significant remedial action taken during the prior year; and; |
3. |
Identify any recommended changes in existing restrictions or procedures based upon the experience under the Code, evolving industry practices or developments in applicable laws and regulations. |
VII. |
RECORDKEEPING |
The Fund shall cause the records enumerated in this Section VII (a) through (e) below to be maintained in an easily accessible place and shall cause such records to be made available to the Commission or any representative of the Commission at any time and from time to time for reasonable periodic, special or other examinations.
Specifically, the Fund shall maintain:
a. |
a copy of the Code of Ethics adopted by the Fund that is in effect, or at any time within the previous five (5) years was in effect in an easily accessible place; |
b. |
a record of any violation of the Code of Ethics, and of any action taken as a result of such violation, in an easily accessible place, for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurs; |
c. |
a copy of each report made by an Access Person as required by this Code of Ethics for at least five (5) years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made or the information is provided, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place; |
d. |
a record of all persons, currently or within the past five years, who are or were required to make reports under Section V of this Code of Ethics, or who are or were responsible for reviewing these reports, in an easily accessible place; and |
e. |
a copy of each report required by Section V of this Code of Ethics, for at least five |
(1) |
years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made, the first two |
(2) |
years in an easily accessible place. |
The Fund must maintain a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, to approve the acquisition by Investment Personnel of securities under Section IV, for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval is granted.
VIII. |
ACKNOWLEDGMENT |
The Fund must provide all Access Persons with a copy of this Code. Upon receipt of this Code, all Access Persons must do the following:
All new Access Persons must read the Code, complete all relevant forms supplied by the Chief Compliance Officer (including a written acknowledgement of their receipt of the Code in a form substantially similar to the example below), and schedule a meeting with the Chief Compliance Officer to discuss the provisions herein within two calendar weeks of employment.
I certify that I have read and understand the Code of Ethics of and recognize that I am subject to it. [if an employee of the Adviser] I further certify I will fulfill my personal securities holdings and transactions reporting obligates through the procedures of the Adviser with respect to covered securities.
Printed Name: |
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Signature: |
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Date: |
Existing Access Persons who did not receive this Code upon hire, for whatever reason, must read the Code, complete all relevant forms supplied by the Chief Compliance Officer (including a written acknowledgement of their receipt of the Code), and schedule a meeting with the Chief Compliance Officer to discuss the provisions herein at the earliest possible time, but no later than the end of the current quarter.
All Access Persons must certify on an annual basis that they have read and understood the Code of Rule 23c-3.
PRIMARK PRIVATE EQUITY FUND
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each of the undersigned Trustees of Primark Private Equity Fund (the Trust) hereby constitutes and appoints Michael Bell, Derek Mullins, Marcie McVeigh and Jesse Hallee, each of them with full powers of substitution, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to execute in his or her name and on his or her behalf in any and all capacities the Registration Statements on Form N-2, and any and all amendments thereto, and all other documents, filed by the Trust or its affiliates with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), and (as applicable) the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (together with the 1940 Act, Acts), and any and all instruments which such attorneys and agents, or any of them, deem necessary or advisable to enable the Trust or its affiliates to comply with such Acts, the rules, regulations and requirements of the SEC, the securities, Blue Sky laws and/or corporate/trust laws of any state or other jurisdiction, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, and the regulatory authorities of any foreign jurisdiction, including all documents necessary to ensure the Trust has insurance and fidelity bond coverage, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC and such other jurisdictions, and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms as his or her own act and deed any and all acts that such attorneys and agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Any one of such attorneys and agents has, and may exercise, all of the powers hereby conferred.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands as of the 25th day of June 2020.
SIGNATURE | TITLE | |||
/s/ Brien Biondi |
Trustee | |||
Brien Biondi | ||||
/s/ Clifford Jack |
Trustee | |||
Clifford Jack | ||||
/s/ Sean Kearns |
Trustee | |||
Sean Kearns |