Investment funds provide an excellent tool for achieving investment goals, diversifying portfolios and mitigating risks. They are often the cornerstone of the investment portfolio of both retail and professional investors, and can be wrapped by insurers in insurance products. But what are investment funds exactly? And how do they work?

This one-day training is designed to equip you with knowledge about the following key aspects:

• the concept and types of investment funds;
• the fund’s ecosystem: organisational structure, governance and parties involved (including fee flows);
• the fund’s documentation & investor information;
• the link between investment funds and relevant themes such as sustainability, MiFID, pensions and taxation;
• the fund's market in Belgium and Europe.

Upon completion of this training, you will have a solid foundation for navigating the complex world of investment funds and related terminology, including UCITS & AIF, Sicav/Bevek & FCP/GBF, Sub-funds & shareclasses, Prospectus & factsheets, KIDs & KIIDs, Net Asset Value, Inducements, Management Companies & Custodians, and much more.

This training goes beyond theory by incorporating practical examples to ensure a thorough understanding of the concepts. At the end of the training, we will explore a sample of fund documentation and address key questions, providing you with the necessary guidance to approach similar questions in the future.

CONTENT

• Definition & Concept of investment funds
  • Umbrella fund
  • Sub-funds & investment strategies
  • Share-classes
• Types of investment funds
  • Funds with & without legal personality
  • Open- & Closed-end funds
  • Active & Passive funds
  • UCITS & AIF
• Organisation & Governance
  • Relationship between key stakeholders within the fund’s ecosystem (including fee flows)
  • Investment Fund
  • Management Company
  • Custodian
  • Distribution
  • External stakeholders
• Documentation & Information
  • Rules of incorporation
  • Prospectus
  • Key Investor information (UCITS KIID & PRIIPS KID)
  • (Semi-) Annual Report
  • Promotional materials (and regulatory supervision)
  • Notices to investors
  • Publication of Net Asset Value
• Related Themes
  • Sustainability (Law Mahoux, SFDR, Towards Sustainability-label)
  • Pensions
  • Taxation
  • MiFID (inducements, product governance)
• Funds Market
  • Belgian market & BEAMA (facts & figures)
  • European market & EFAMA (facts & figures)
• Practical Case
  • Dive into fund documentation (KID, factsheet) to answer some key questions (UCITS or AIF? Sicav or FCP? Active or Passive? What level of sustainability? Costs & charges? Which parties involved? Etc.)

PRACTICAL INFORMATION 

• Duration: 1 day of training (6 class hours)
• Hours: 09:00 to 17:00
• Language: This training will be given in English
• Location: Febelfin Academy: Phoenix building, Koning Albert II-laan/Boulevard du Roi Albert II 19, 1210 Brussels

You follow a ‘Classroom training’ face-to-face in a group. You, the other participants and the teacher are all present in the same classroom at an agreed time. There is an opportunity for interaction and feedback, both from the participants to the teacher and vice versa. The teaching material consists as a basis of a presentation via the MyFA learning platform, supplemented with various other items (such as digital syllabus, presentation, audiovisual fragments, etc.).

Training material: PowerPoint presentation (slides)

• For those who wish to go beyond the basics
• Learn in a group, in a motivating and targeted way
• Deepen your knowledge and obtain recognized continuing professional development hours

• Be on time for the training. It’s best to arrive 10 minutes before it starts.
• Unexpected delay? Inform your on-location contact.
• Febelfin Academy’s reception desk can be reached at +32 (0)2 507 69 61.
• We recommend to review the learning material in advance and prepare your questions.

• To receive your (CPD) participation certificate for a classroom training, your presence and active participation are required throughout the entire session. Interaction is key to our trainings.
• Your (CPD) participation certificate will be published on your MyFA account the day following the course.
• Febelfin Academy wishes you a great learning experience.

This training course can be followed by multiple target groups:

• professionals who desire a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental elements of investment funds, regardless of their prior knowledge or experience in the field;
• new entrees in the asset management, banking or insurance industry;
• professionals across various roles (such as sales, marketing, finance, or operations) who are seeking to familiarize themselves with investment funds;
• compliance officers & legal advisors;
• internal & external auditors;
• consultants;
• …