Global Custodian Spring 2020 | Page 29

[ I N - D E P T H | S E C U R I T I E S L E N D I N G ] "We have been working hard on giving clients more transparency and control to make those governance decisions more easily, and allow them to recall securities on loan when there is an important vote.” KEITH HABERLIN, HEAD OF THE GLOBAL SECURITIES LENDING GROUP, INVESTOR SERVICES, BBH They believe you cannot exercise your governance responsibilities if you lend your securities for short selling. In reality you can do both, and not lending at all and giving up the returns you can generate through securities lending is unnecessary,” says Haberlin. "We have been working hard on giving clients more transparency and control to make those governance decisions more easily, and allow them to recall securities on loan when there is an important vote. The days where you hand your portfolio to an agent lender and get a cheque at the end of the month with no control over the process is long gone. There is now the ability to have a tailored securities lending programme to balance governance responsibilities while gaining important returns.” Enhancing transparency Both industry and regulatory initiatives are aiming to improve transparency in the securities lending market. From April this year, Europe’s Securities Finance Transactions Regulation (SFTR) will take force, requiring firms to report their securities lending and repo trades on a T+1 basis. The regulation will provide substantial new insight into the operations of the lending industry, and in an industry first, give a real-time view of the positions held by borrowers and lenders. In preparation for the rules, beneficial owners are engaging with technology vendors to establish the necessary set-up for reporting. “Beneficial owners are aiming to increase the transparency into their lending arrangements, either though near-time reporting from agent lenders and custodians, or whether through mirroring the collateral receipt and deliver it into their systems,” said Carsten Kunkel, head of regulatory centre of excellence, SimCorp. Spring 2020 globalcustodian.com 29