Did you even know the years best attended sell-out conference exists?

For years now, the Global Fixed Income Institute (GFII), which is part of Institutional Investor, have held their "near-legendary" OTC Derivatives Summit at Pennyhill Park in Surrey.   Dedicated to the buy side to explore all aspects of best practice in OTC derivatives management, trading and operations, the event brings together all the main stakeholders in the industry (Asset Managers, CCPs, FCMs, SEFs/OTFs, Trade Repositories, Technology Platforms, Regulators, Industry Bodies and Consultants) on a highly practical and topical agenda driven by a buy-side Advisory Board. I have been involved in the event in the UK for many years and it gets sell-out attendance each year as it differs from your typical conference event.

They inaugurated their US event last year and it was equally popular.  I will be attending this year at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, NY on September 23rd and 24^th.  The Summit is jointly run by the Global Fixed Income Institute and their sister organisation in the US, the Fixed Income Forum.  I will be moderating a panel on "Clearing Master Class: What Should My FCM Be Doing for Me?” which should be entertaining.

There aren’t the usual marketing stands (although Sponsors provide a variety of marketing give-aways), nor are press allowed, and the size is kept down to enable people to really network by including an overnight residential stay.  The organiser, Stephen Glover, has shared the provisional agenda with me, as outlined below.  The overall theme is “Optimizing The Process”, reflecting a clear focus on the implementation challenges post Dodd-Frank, and the fact that there remains everything to play for between the buy side and all their counterparty relationships.  My experience is that this is an outstanding venue for building relationships and winning new or further business.  This is because the key buy side decision makers are there in numbers, discussions are focused on the practicalities, and the atmosphere is highly collegial.   I have participated as a sponsor on several occasions over the years.

OTC Derivatives Summit North America

Agenda Outline

• Measuring Market Reality: Liquidity, Volumes and Pricing
• New Perspectives on Collateral, Financial Connectivity and Monetary Policy
• Impact on the Sell Side: Old and New
• Impact on Regulation: From Rule Making to Enforcement
• Impact on the Buy Side: From Front to Back Office
• Impact on Risk: Macro and Micro
• Finding Best Execution and Making SEFs and OTFs Work for You
• Case Studies on the Resolution of Main Front Office and Operational Challenges
• Swap Futures in Perspective: Evolving Liquidity and Strategies
• 50 Shades of Grey: Aligning Documentation from Mandates to Clearing

There is an impressive group of people on the Advisory Board helping guide the details of the event including: