On October 12th 2015, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) jointly held the first-ever ‘Advanced Financial Professionals Training Program’. It is the first time the SEC has conducted such a Program in Taiwan.
There are over 160 participants coming over to join this big event. It varied from 12 jurisdictions across Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, India and Sri Lanka. 70 representatives are from financial regulators, stock exchanges and depositories. Moreover, nearly 100 representatives from Taiwanese self-regulatory organizations, securities firms, futures commission merchants, securities investment trust and securities investment consulting enterprise attended as well.
The Program provided participants with a unique opportunity to learn from the regulatory experience of the world’s most high-profile financial regulator. Topics varied from compliance, market structure, conflict of interest, and enforcement, best practices and procedures. Speakers are Commissioner Michael S. Piwowar of the SEC; Mr. Mark T. Uyeda, counsel to the SEC Commissioner; Mr. Marc Wyatt, Acting Director of SEC’s Office of Compliance, Inspections and Examinations; Ms. Kara Novaco Brockmeyer, Chief of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit of the SEC’s Enforcement Division; and Ms. Erin McCartney, Senior Special Counsel in the SEC’s Office of International Affairs.
During the opening remarks, Mr. Ming-chung Tseng, Chairman of the FSC outlined that like many other Asian countries, Taiwan capital market is relatively new and has had to face many supervisory challenges. The wisdom of the SEC in overcoming various obstacles has always provided regulators with much inspiration. Mr. Tseng also expressed that Taiwan hopes to strengthen the cooperation with the SEC and all global partners. By means of increasing dialogue and exchange of ideas, we can achieve the value we hold: protecting investors, ensuring fair and efficient markets and facilitating capital formation.