Corporate governance has evolved in the relatively short history of alternative funds. Investors now expect to be represented by directors who not only understand the world of alternative funds, but also add value to the companies with which they work. Many investors now carry out due diligence on a fund’s board and funds need to be sure their board members will pass this test.
The IPAF Group was founded in 2012 by Caroline Hoare and Stella Murrell in response to the need to provide Industry Professionals – independent, knowledgeable and experienced people - as non-executive directors to Alternative Funds.
Every available director on the IPAF panel has significant hands-on experience of working in the alternative funds industry and the commitment to make a real contribution to the funds on whose boards he or she serves. Each director has specialist areas of focus within alternative funds, including front office, regulation, legal, administration, operations, risk management, valuation and asset raising. IPAF can therefore assist funds with the process of selecting and constructing a balanced board with complementary skills.
All IPAF panel directors are available to serve as non-executive directors for both offshore and onshore companies and have considerable experience of the corporate governance of funds and their management companies. They are selected for the IPAF panel with enormous care and after rigorous due diligence.
The number of directorships any IPAF panel member takes on is limited, to ensure that every fund receives proper commitment.