SEC Examining Oversight of Credit Rating Agencies

Looks like an interesting panel — anyone near D.C. on April 15 should consider going . . .

10:10 a.m. — Panel One: Current NRSRO Perspectives: What Went Wrong and What Corrective Steps Is the Industry Taking?

• Daniel Curry, DBRS
• Sean Egan, Egan-Jones Ratings
• Stephen Joynt, Fitch Ratings
• Raymond McDaniel, Moody’s Investor Service
• Deven Sharma, Standard & Poor’s

11:30 a.m. — Panel Two: Competition Issues: What are Current Barriers to Entering the Credit Rating Agency Industry?

• Ethan Berman, RiskMetrics Group
• James H. Gellert, RapidRatings
• George Miller, American Securitization Forum
• Frank Partnoy, University of San Diego
• Alex Pollock, American Enterprise Institute
• Damon Silvers, AFL-CIO
• Lawrence J. White, New York University

12:30 p.m. — Lunch Break

1:15 p.m. — Panel Three: Users’ Perspectives

• Deborah A. Cunningham, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
• Alan J. Fohrer, Southern California Edison
• Christopher Gootkind, Wellington Management
• James Kaitz, Association of Financial Professionals
• Kurt N. Schacht, CFA Institute
• Bruce Stern, Association of Financial Guaranty Insurers
• Paul Schott Stevens, Investment Company Institute

2:45 p.m. — Panel Four: Approaches to Improve Credit Rating Agency Oversight

• Richard Baker, Managed Funds Association
• Jörgen Holmquist, European Commission
• Mayree C. Clark, Aetos Capital
• Joseph A. Grundfest, Stanford Law School
• Glenn Reynolds, CreditSights
• Stephen Thieke, Group of Thirty

The roundtable is expected to end at approximately 4:15 p.m. with concluding remarks by Erik R. Sirri, Director of the SEC’s Division of Trading & Markets.

In the fall of 2006, Congress passed the Credit Rating Agency Reform Act, providing the SEC for the first time with authority to supervise credit rating agencies. Using this authority that became effective in June 2007, the Commission has adopted two major rulemakings, has conducted an extensive 10-month examination of three major credit rating agencies, and has several pending proposals to further the Act’s purpose of promoting accountability, transparency, and competition in the rating industry.

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SEC Roundtable to Examine Oversight of Credit Rating Agencies
2009-46
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2009/2009-46.htm

Washington, D.C., March 6, 2009 — The Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a roundtable on April 15 relating to its oversight of credit rating agencies. Discussion topics will include issues related to recent SEC rulemaking initiatives, such as conflicts of interest, competition, and transparency.

In the fall of 2006, Congress passed the Credit Rating Agency Reform Act, providing the SEC for the first time with authority to supervise rating agencies. Using this authority that became effective in June 2007, the Commission has adopted two major rulemakings, has conducted an extensive 10-month examination of three major credit rating agencies, and has several pending proposals to further the Act’s purpose of promoting accountability, transparency, and competition in the rating industry.

“Although our statutory authority to regulate rating agencies has only been effective for less than two years, it is clearly one of this agency’s most important responsibilities,” said SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro. “The SEC will hear from leading experts on credit rating agencies and the financial markets. Their insight will help the Commission as it continues its aggressive oversight of the industry, and considers whether to adopt the pending proposals.”

Roundtable participants will include leaders from investor organizations, financial services associations, government agencies, credit rating agencies, and academia. A final agenda including a list of panelists will be announced at a future date.

The roundtable will be held in the auditorium at the SEC’s headquarters at 100 F Street, NE, in Washington, D.C. The roundtable will be open to the public with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. The roundtable also will be webcast on the SEC Web site.