Individual decision · SEC · 26 Sep 1995
The staff will not recommend enforcement action against Thomson Advisory Group L.P. affiliates, including PIMCO GP, PIMCO Inc., PPLP, PIMCO Partners Inc., and Managing Partners, if they do not register as investment advisers under Section 203 of the Advisers Act. This relief applies provided these entities do not conduct investment advisory activities separate from their roles as general partners to registered Adviser Partnerships, and their employees are deemed associated persons with access to investment recommendations. The Requesting Parties must maintain on-site personal securities transaction records, identify relevant individuals in Form ADV, and provide the Commission with access to books and records.
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Our .Ref. No. 9~-644-CC ~
. - Thomson Advispry
RESPONSE OF TH~ qFFICE OF CHIEF' COUNSEL' . Group. L. P'. . . . 'DIVISION OF. INVgSTMNT MAAGEMENT: ....-,.. 'F.:L.le No'~. 8Q1-.31227. . :lu"y.0ur letter.8 dated Septembe:i 7.., 1~.94 and-..Octoper 25; . '. . 1994,. s\ippQi:ted by .:a. memoraIiq.ui :dçlt.ed' October .:7, '1~:94, yo.u . . request - aS8uranC:ë . that . tlrêstaff wCl1ild :not recammenq. enfo.rcemeIit'.
action .to . the Commission if, as. mo~e ,fully described in your letters and .the memorandum, certain affiliates of Thomson
'Advis'ory Group L.P. ("TAG L.P. "), a Delaware: limited par.tnership
that .is. registered as an investment adviser-under the Investment Advisers Act"'9f. ';L~40 (the "Advisers Act"), do not'register as
investment 'aavisers under Section 203 'of the Advisers Act.
. As mora. :Eii.iy described in. y.our letters, and the memorandum:'. .
TAG L.P.', and certain of its affiliates, and Pacific Financial
Asset Management Corporation ("PFAMCo"), a California corporation . , that ls a. regist.èrad .inveßtment ?idviser, and certain of its. . '..: :". . :'.- ..affillå.t.~s, :arè co~s.tÜidatin.g. their' -tnvestmen.t adyi:soiy.. . :
... businesses: into 'a. .-iSter.'.linii fed. partn.ership.' 1./ under th.:ls.. . .master l:imit.ed partnërship' structúre~ .TAG L. P'" will cnange its
name. to PIMCO Advisors L.P:; and s.ix'''OperatiIig 'SUbpartne.rships" will be established. PIMCO Advisors L.P. and each Operating Subpartnership will. be registered as investment advisers under the Advisers .Act and will have investment advisory businesses ~eparate and apart from the advisory businesses of each other. You state that, under this structure, PIMCO Partners, G.P.
( "PIMCO GP" ) will be the sole general partner of PIMCO Advisors
L. P. PIMCO GP will be a general partnership consisting of two
partners: PIMCO Inc. and PIMCO Partners, L. P. ( "PPLP "). PIMCO
Partners Inc. will be the sole general partner of PPLP. PIMCO
GP, PIMCO Inc., PPLP, and PIMCO Partners Inc. will not engage in
any investment advisory activities separate or apart from the
activities of PIMCO Advisors L. P.
In addition, you state that each
Operating Subpartnership will be a general partnership. PIMCO Advisors L. P. will act as a
general partner to and will
'serve as a "Supervisory Partner" for each Operating Subpartnership. A wholly owned corporate
subsidiary of PIMCO Advisors L. P. will act as a general partner
to and will serve as a IIManaging Partnerll for each Operating
,. i/ You state that the corporate and partnership structure of
the consolidated group has been dictated in large part by
tax considerations arising from its status as a master
limited partnership, and the impact of this status on the
tax posture of its unitholders.
;'"
.,;1\ '1\ "," ~__,. l.ut).pÇlrt!ler~l).:ïp:. . :JI The Managing Partp~rs wiii. J3qt engage in any -:nyestmeht advisory ac:tivities t:eparate .or apa'rt..trom the . actlvities. of i:h~ . Operating - Subpa,rti:ershi.ps. .... ..... .'
You represent that al;L o.f thè corisolidated group's advisory .~ ~.. 0° . activities wil.l .~e ëondl.ctèd soleiy by ragistered entities,'. and
. -.all persons' who'.will be...e:i~aged. iri 'advisory a.cti~ities will, ~e . '. '. .employees, o~ficers and/or managing di~ectors of a registereq _
entity. You. there:Eore D-elieve 'that 'PIMCO GP, 'PIMCO Inc., .PPLP,
PIMCO Partners !nc. and the Managing Partners should not be
required to register separataly under tn~. Anvisers Act. (PIMCQ
GP, PIMCO' Inc., PPLP, PIMCO Partners Inc. and tne Managing '.
Partners are hereinafter .referred to a.s the "Requesting Parties."
PIMCO. Advisors L."P. and the .
Operating. Subpartnerships áre p.ereinafter referred to as "Adviser Partnerships. ''') Backqround . SeGtion 203 (a) of .th~ .Advisers .Act regulr~s any ~nv~stment
':'" ":.s:dvis~r~..tlta.t ;~3,es. t:te'United States '.iÙ;ils'..o,r 'anY..9th~r mearrs or.';. . . .:. instD#éntaility. .of.. in'terstate commèrcè...iIl' connec'tion. W.ith .it~' '.. .. business as an investment adviser to .register w~th the. . . Commiss~on, unless the adviser is exempt from registration.
Section 208 (d) of the Advisers Act provides that it shall be
unlawful for any person indirectly, or through or by any other
person, to do any act or thing that it would be unlawful .for such
person to do directly under the Advisers .Act,
In the past i the Commission has expressed concern about .
structural arrangements in which a registered investment adviser
is merely a conduit for advisory services provided by personnel
of an unregistered affiliate.;2/ Such arrangements raise the
question of whether the unregistered entity is engaging
indirectly in activities that would require it to register if
engaged in directly i in violation of Section 208 (d). Moreover,
these arrangements make it difficult for the Commission to police
conduct that may harm clients of the registered adviser. For
example, an unregistered entity could shield its own advisory
activities and employees from scrutiny under the Advisers Act and
engage undetected in activities that could adversely affect
clients of the registered entity_
~/ You state that, in addition to these general partners i one
of the Operating Subpartnerships also will have a limited
partner organized as a limited partnership, the general
partner of which will be PFAMCo or a wholly owned subsi~iary of PFAMCo. ,
J./ See Investment Advisers Act Release No. 353 (Dec. 18, 1972) i 38 FR 1649 (proposing Rule 202 - 1 under the Advisers Act) _ .'"
,., i.." l
~- '. On the oth~r harid,' thecommission has rec:ognized:. that ttiere .4 bften.are. val'id' b\isiness reasons ,for a cC?mpany to. .foi: a separate.'
reg~ß.tered entity:. . In'1912, the Co~is~ion pToposed Rule 2d~-1, whièh woüld have 'exempted' àffiliates. Of.. a' registered' advise.r from . . ,. regïst.ratioIi .undèr the. Adviaers .Act when ,.thè 'regis.trant 'met .' .certain conditions designed to enßure that. the. registered ad~iser . was operat~d,,'sE;parately' :Lr.om, and" 'inçiepènderttly of" it;s . . . . . . ;', unregis'ter'ed a:lfìliates; ~/ . The"'pr.oposal . refle.cted the. view that' " . "if an unregistered affiliate 'is operated separátèiy, the' ". registered adviser would be unable to use the affiliate to connuct 'advisory activities that should be aubject to regulation 'unÇier t.he Advisers ~ Act. . , .
. Although. the Comr;ission never adopted Rule 2.02-1, 2/ the'" . Division' of Investment ~a~agement has looked to th~ conditipns of . the propose~' rule in ~yaluating no-aqtibn requests on the issue .. of registration unde~he Advisers Act made by affiliates of. a regi.stered adviser. I ~~~. Richard Ellis (pub. avail. Sept. 17, .'
.,1981)., for. example,. t~e .Diviiaion con:Ei:rmed that ,it would, not
" recomrenQ. that' the Comis.sI.oIi take. enf.orç:ement act:Lon, against .the.. : ....
.. 'f6r.e1.gIi barent. .c"ompany o-l'. â:. reg,ist-ered a.dvi.sér .t:hçlt .did 'not' .. . : '. . itsélf ,register'unde.r the Advisers' Act if 't.ne registered advisér. '. was s-eparàte and independent of th~ parent.. In taking the .
position that the subsidiary was sufficiently separate and independent to make the registration of the parent company ~ unnecessary, the parent company stated that it would comply with
tonditions substantially similar to those included in proposed
Rule 202-1. Q/ U.S. affiliates of registered advisers have
~/ Id. Under the proposed rule, a registered entity would have
been deemed separate from its unregistered affiliate if the
registrant met the following conditions: (1) it had a
maj ority of directors that was independent of the
controlling entity or its affiliate; (2) it was adequately
capitalized; (3) its officers were independent of the
controlling entity or its affiliate; .(4) its advisory
representatives were independent of the controlling entity
or its affiliate, and made recommendations independent from
such persons; and (5) it did not use advice from the
controlling entity or its affiliate other than statistical
and factual information,
2/ The rule proposal was withdrawn in Investment Advisers Act
Rel. No. 497 (Feb. 19, 1976),41 FR 8498.
Q/ The Division .has since developed an alternative approach to the regulation of foreign advisers to allow them greate~
flexibility than permitted under Ellis in organizing U~S. registered subsidiaries. See,~, Murray Johnstone
Holdings Limited (pub. avail. Oct. 7, 1994); Mercury Asset
(continued, . . )
ll. .;'~' ..
'~reed.. to s.in-ilar. c"oIiditions. wh~n. ~eeking .confirmation that the Ji vision WQuld hot recòmmend that. tne Comm:Lss.iori t?-ke ènforcement..
acti.on;L.f the'. affiliates' do nót registe:i .nnder" thé.. Ady:i-sei:s.. .:' '.Aç't ~ 1/, . .... . .
'.
'. Anal;ysis . _. . .. ll .'0 . . '. ... ~ . . '..: = . .0' '. ..' " .. .. ". ."". . .0. . . . You. .be J:i eve that tne concerns. underlying '" the. condi tions "Of proposed. Ruie 202-1 and Ellis are not presented when an
unregistered affiliate of ~ registered adviser does not engage' in
advisory activities; .~I and, to the .extent its employees are '
involved in' ôr have access .to,the registrane' s aa.vis~ry .b.usiness, . they are deemed "associated persons" of the registi;ånt.' 91. You . . assert that, under these circumstances, noadvisd~ activities . take, place outside of the Commission's jurisdìqtion and, .for that re~son, t4ere is 'no .concern that an unregistered affiliate would
be engaging in activities that would' (1) require it to register under the Advisers Act, or (2) adversely affect the registrant' s s-/ ( . . . continued) Management pIc (pub. avail. Apr, 16, 1993) i Uniao de' Bancos
de Brasileiros S.A, (pub. avail. July 28, 1992), Foreign
advisers may Drganize their operations in reliance on either
Ellis or this alternative approach, based on their business
needs.
1./ See Sentinel Real Estate Corp. (pub. avail. Nov. 22, 1988) i
United Asset Management (pub. avail, Nov. 2, 1981).
~/ You represent that the Requesting Parties do not conduct
investment advisory activities apart from the performance of
their duties as general partners to (1) their respective Adviser Partnerships, (2) the general partners to the respective Adviser Partnerships, or (3) the general partners
to the general partners to the respective Adviser
Partnerships, as the case may be.
2/ Section 202 (a) (17) of the Advisers Act defines a "person
associated with an investment adviser" as including a
partner, officer, or director of the adviser (or any person
performing similar functions), or any person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by the adviser,
including the adviser's employees. Under some
circumstances i the term may include independent contractors,
See Corinne E. Wood (pub, avail. Apr. 17, 1986), A '
registered adviser is obligated reasonably to supervise the activities of its associated persons. See,~, Sections 203 (e) (5) and 204A of the Advisers Act. .'"
il' 1.1 1(..1 ..
',,,d;isory clíents. 101 AccÖrdin..ïy., you b~lieve '.that .'"a '. tegistrant' p' qomestic' affiliates not engaged 'in 'aqvisory .
activities should 'Bot be required.to 'regist.~r .separàtely und~r .
: 'the.'.Advise.rs .Act, notwithStanding ,thåE .
¿-hey. are"nqt"òperåted. iïl, . .acC0rdån:c~..with the Ellis' condìtio:is~ .Under'your praposal,".the , '. '. . .... tqmm.is.sion. wc?~ld have.. access tó ,persqtial sec~rifies. transaction '. . . .records of each. affiliate. and:each 'emplnyee"of a:n"affi:liate' '.:. ",invòl ved in or' having 'acces-s tô toe registrant' ~ . aqvisory . ,.
activities, èo the extent necessaFy to monitor conduct that 'may harm the registrant's clients.
.. In ~onnection with' their ~equest, thè parties make the'
tollowing repreßentations:
.7' .1...' it wiii deem'as an'l'associated person" each Requesting
Each Adviser Pårtnership .represents. that:
. . . . .
Party and each e~ployee of a Requesting Party .havlng access to the investment ..reconiendatio.ns of the Adviser. ParEne:çsnip. or . . .' '" infqI:tion..conce'rriing thé.' recommendätions priQr, to-, th:ë', ë:ife.ctiyè . '.tlsseminat.ion .of the recomIenda:tions; 11/ a~d ", :..:... . . .'. ..,
. 2. pursuant to Rule 204-2 (a) (12). .ùnder tne 'Advis~rs Act, it.. will obtain and maintain on-site personal securities. transaction records for each of its "advisory representatives." 12/
Each Requesting Party represents that:
A. it will not conduct investment advisory activities
outside of the scope of its activities as a general partner to
(1) its respective Adviser Partnership, (2) the general partner t.o the respective Adviser Partnership, or (3) the general partner 10/ This situation is distinguishable from that of a foreign
adviser establishing aU. S. advisory affiliate. A foreign
adviser engages in advisory activities apart from those of
the registered domestic affiliate, but these activities take
place outside of the Commission's jurisdiction.
11/ Telephone conversation between John V. 0' Hanlon and Robert
W. Helm on September 18, 1995.
12/ Rule 204-2 (a) (12) defines an advisory representative as including, among others, any partner, officer or director of
the adviser, and certain employees and certain other persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations
made by the adviser prior to the effective disseminatioq of
the recommendations. We note that all persons deemed ~o be
associated persons of an Adviser Partnership under the
representation in Paragraph 1 above also will be advisory
representatives of the Adviser Partnership.
,'"
~), "r.ià~i ,.~d lI
\0 the general partnèr to' the respective' Ad.viser Pa~trierships, as
lhe case may be¡ . or advise 'clients separately ih reliance on.
Secti~:m.203 (~) of. the .Ad:vise:rs. ~ct. 131 .. .:
.. ". ..... . . :. . :. ."... . "
'E': ,eaqlÌ. inçli vidual wbå,.' 'as . oÓ:ièe~ ~ . director, partner '.oJ:' . ~mploy~e of 'a. Requesting Party. (othe~ tnan .an individual .whose
. du.ties .are solely' of a' Ihini-steriEll .or clericaL. nature and ~l1o."is .: ..n6t "Ìnxolved."in. the investment piöcess and does n:Ç)thave access .to 'the investment. decisions or recommendations of' the Advisèr Partnership) engages in the business or affairs of an Adviser
Partnership will' do so .ßubject to the supervision,. direction a~d
cO~trol of that. Advìser ,Partnership tò tRè 'same 'extent as would
b~ required ~nder the Advisers Act if such individual .engaged
therein as 'an iIld'ividuçil general. partner, 'officer': or. employee of that Adviser' Partnership.; . .. '. . C. each .individual identified in Parågraph B' above 'wiii be . . identified in the Form ADV .of its respective Adviser . Partnership to . the s~e extent as- would be requireq under the AdviserS Act if such. indivi~ual was. àn ïndìviduai gerièral. partne:t, . 9ffi.cei; or' . . . èmployee; .o.f tha,t Adviser Part.ne~ship;.: ..... '. .. .
. D. . each indivïdual identìfied in Paragraph B above will be subject to the conflict of interest, insider trading and personal
securities transaction reporting requirements of the Adviser
lartnership to the same extent as would be required under the
~dvisers Act if such individual was an individual general
partner, officer or employee of that Adviser Partnership; and
E. it will provide the Commission staff with access to its
books and records, and will instruct each individual identified
in Paragraph B above to cooperate fully with the Commission
staff. 14/ The Requesting Party's books and records will be
maintained at the site of the Requesting Party's respective
13/ Telephone conversation between John V. 0' Hanlon and Robert
D. Guiod on September 20, 1995.
14/ Telephone conversation between John V. 0' Hanlon and Robert
D. Guiod on September 22, 1995, Because the only business
of each Requesting Party is to manage its respective Adviser
Partnership, most, if not all, of each Requesting Party's
books and records will relate to its Adviser Partnership.
In contrast, when an unregistered affiliate of a registered
adviser is engaged in some other business, the Commiss~n
staff would need access only to those books and records
regarding transactions relating to the business of the
registered adviser, if any such transactions occur.
. , , I ~. .1".' ;..
"",dviser PartnEZrship,' or: wlll. promptly be produced to the. . i)~issiop upon. recnes.t. 15/ . .
~.We. belie;e that the -concerns undei:iying. the..'coIiditiQns. of' ,..,. . .proposed Jlule'.202.;.i 'find Eìlis~' and, S'ec'tïon.208(d) o~ the Ap-viser.s ,.,. Aqt, are ~dequåtely addressed when .~iJ. thé unregisterea affiliate
of a r~giste:rea. adviser OOéS, nbt provide investment advice.; ~ ii) . the' ~nregistered aftiliate and 'each 9f its. ~mprqya~s ara'deemed "associated persons" :of the 'registrant when they have access to ' the investment' recommendations of. the registered adviser or .
informtion concerning the recommendations 'prior to the effective
diéisem:Ination' of. the redommendat.ions; and (:lii) 'the Commission . has 'access to the unregistered affiliates' books ~nd records to tpe extent necessary to €xaine the busines~: öf the règisterèd advi,se'r. Accordingly, on the basis of the facts and' representations
in your letters and the supporting memorandum, we would not
recommend that the Commission take any enforcement action undei
. Sections :203 and .208. Of the .Advi;sers 'Act it: the.Re~estIng, .. .' .. . PartIes do not register under. the Adyisers Act. . bi£ferent tacts or repre~entations may require a di~ferent conclusion. ' 1\ n . n .i~~r- I J tJ~ Alison E. Baur ILi Tuill rnior Counsel
,. 15/ Telephone conversation between John V. 0' Hanlon and Robert
W. Helm on September 18, 1995,
;'"
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, . O"NE !NTe:R.NATlo'NAL PLACE
BOSTON. MA~t3Acl'l-US'E~TS 02.1 i 0- 2624 .' ..... ... ..... 'fO.OI~~SÑ~S.YL.vANIA'AVEI)!E'. N., W. ..'30 KËNl'~l?Y PLAZA '... .... '. (~1"7.) 9S~: 7q~Ó. :' . . PROVIDENCE, R. i. 029D;3 . .. '. :. .' .'5U'IT~ 1200 ;lÙî.1- .
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.. . ...... ." ....;-.. '. :TELECÒPIE"R:. (Z02) 626:3961. ,. . ,," . .... .. Writer's Direct òial 'Number: ,(617) 951-7394
..
September 7', 'J.994
ACT . ..' "fA ~
./
Dorothy M. Donohue i Esq. . . :SE()T~.,.; '.1._).03 ~ . Assistarit Chief Counsel . '. '. RULE Division 9f Investment'Management "
United States. Securities and Exchange Commissi~n PUBLIC IL . AV~. 9 J.d b". 9 5 45Q Fifth, Street7 'N.W.
'; ,".Washiiigtòi:,.'DÇ '20549 .. i . _'. 0. . . . . . ~ .
~e ~ .'':l'b.~r~~~ . Ådvi'so~ . Group. L. P , and Affi:liatéa .' Dear Ms, Donohue:
As counsel for Thomson Advisory Group L.P. ("TAG L.P."), and
bn behalf of TAG L. P. and certain of its present and future
¡affiliates identified below, we are writing to request written
confirmation freim the Staff of the Securities and ExchangE:
Commission (the "Commission") that the Staff will not recommend
that the Commission take any enforcement action against TAG L ~ P.
or any of its affiliates if they proceed in the manner described
below without certain of TAG L. P . 's general partners and certain
of the general partners of various of TAG L. p, 's general partners
and investment adviser affiliates registering as investment
advisers under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(the "Act"). Enclosed are seven (7) additional copies of this. request letter.
BACKGROUN
TAG L. P. is a Delaware limited partnership organized in 1987
and registered as an investment adviser under the Act. TAG L. p,
provides investmenc management and advisory services to private
accounts of institutional and individual clien~s and to mutual
funds. It serves as investment adviser to institutional and
individual clients through its Columbus Circle Investors ("CCI")
di vision. It also serves as investment manager for 12 mutual
funds included within two open-end investment companies, th~
Thomson Fund Group and Cash Accumulation Trust (collectively i the
"Thomson Funds") .
At present, Thomson Advisory Group Inc. ("TAG Inc. ") is the sole general partner of TAG L. p, and is also registered as an
;'"
.. ." '~." . ....: .... . '. ..:- -.". ... . . .
. . ~:::;d~:t;::.'..:.J:;.':. ," .... -... -. ...... -.' .... .... . ...". . .:. ...... .' . . ~'.' . ."". ".-.." i' . . .. ..~. ". ~..: .". o' ~ . ., ." 1-.' ,Y ¡'I '. . . . R'iPES' &. GRAY '.
. . '-. , .. ." . ~.()rO~h!..M:...~.?~O.~'::',:.t:~q.~ ._.. -~- . September.?,..: :t9~4 ....
. '. ....in~ëst~ént. ad~iser' under 'th~ :Act'. : .A. p.ortion :of .the ,iimited" ': . '. .... .. .pa;rtnershïp interests .,of. TAG',:L~'l::' is' qwned 'by .the public and . ..... .' . "tra4ed :Oil. .t.he ..Néw:. Y9rk. ..&t:qc~.' Ex.change _. . .Th'oInson:. Irtye'st.or $ei:,!io'aa. :::. '.~' .' Inc:. '(u'I"ISI") ~ 'a .b:ioker:.-dealer' registered w.ith .tha C.ommissipn .. .; :.... .. undèr'.'Bection" 15 . of the 'Securities 'Exchange Act. of. 1934 (the. '
"E:::change Act") and a subsidiary of TAG Inc., serves .as the
distributor for the Thomso~ Funds.
paci.fiÇ; Finan.cia.l Asset Måriagement. Corporatiön (UPFAMèö") is . . a' California .corporation and 'a. whdlly-owned, indirect subsidïary òf Pacific Mutual L..fe Insurance, Company ("Pacifiê Mut'la.l"), a
Califòrni:.a'mutua) lif.e irii3u-..ance . company . Pacif.ic, Investment :
.' Management Company ("pIMCO"Inc,"),' Cadence Capital Ma'Ilagement
Corporation, ("Cadence"),' NFJ Investment Group, Inc '.. ("NFj"), Parame.triè Portfolio' Assoç:iat~s,. Inc. . ('fParam~tricii) and . . Bl'airlogi.a '. Cap;ital...t1an.agemënt: .Limi.t.ed' ("B.ia.irlogie".l. are':. .'.' '. .'
',. ". subsidia.ricas : o~f. 'PFÀMCo.. ." C:Cadeñce, Pa'rametriè, NFu'. and Blair.lògi,e:
. are .sometimes r~ferred tb cc'llect¡i vely hérein as the' :'PFAMCo ....: . '"Management Gompanies"'. )PFAMCo, ~IMCO Inc. and' the PFAMCo .;.' Månagement Companies offer investment management services across
a range of asset classes and investment disciplines. Their
plients include institutional investors and high net worth
~ndi viduals. PFAMCo, PIMCO Inc. and the PFAMCo Management
Companies also advise mutual funds sponsored by PFAMCo (the "PFAMCo Funds"), by PIMCO Inc, (the IIpIMCO Funds") and other
affiliated and unaffiliated entities. PFAMCo, PIMCO Inc. and
each of the PFAMCo Management Companies is registered as an
investment adviser under the Act.
THE CONSOLIDATION
TAG L. P " TAG Inc., PFAMCo, PIMCO Inc. and the PFAMCo
Management Companies, and PIMCO Partners,G. P. ("PIMCO GP") , PIMCO Partners, L. P. ("PPLP"), the present Managing Directors of
PIMCO Inc. and certain stockholders of TAG Inc, have entered into
an Agreement and Plan of Consolidation for PIMCO Advisors L. P. , effective as of July 11, 1994 (the "Consolidation Agreement") ,
Insofar as relevant to this request, the following changes will
result from the Consolidation: (1) the principal businesses of
PFAMCo and the businesses of PIMCO Inc., Cadence, NFJ, Parametric
and Blairlogie will be contributed to TAG L. P. in exchange for
the issuance of units of TAG L.P.; (2) TAG L.P. will change its
name to "PIMCO Advisors L.P."; (3) TAG Inc. will withdraw as a
general partner and PIMCO GP will become the sole general partner
of "PIMCO Advisors L. P. "; (4) "PIMCO Advisors L. P." will tra~fer
the businesses formerly conducted bv PIMCO Inc., Cadence, NFJ,
Parametric, Blairlogie and the CCI division of TAG L, P. to
corresponding "Operating Subpartnerships"; and (5) the combined
businesses will be conducted in the following ways: (i) PIMCO
Advisors L. P. will continue to perform directl v the
;'"
~.. . " . ". .... '., .. .. .~~.~. . . . . . . -' . ~. , :" 0" ..' .. ':.. . ....:. "'. ':. ;. ..::,.:.. '. :. ." ,.."
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'Rb.p!,s &.GRAY::.: ;. '. .' . .. ,.
;0. . . .. .~
i
::.Ð.~tat~?, ~.". Ðqnohue, Essi. . . ~3-:'., .' . '! ~e:pté~be'~. .7:. .19~4.: ."
I . .
. '.. .. .. . ..' ' . . . . . . . . . . .
ådministtat.iv~,' account.ing. and legal 'fuhcti6~s 'ånd 'th.e .e?Ci:sting. : . , . mutual '..fun.cì b~sin-est. ..1 in~ltla.t.ng "~cting. as the.. manager. qf the' . , . ::'Thømson. Funds) ..formerly'.coi:ducted '.by . it- .:as' 'T~G L~.P ..:'. (j:i).' P'rMCO.r .:. ';. Ádvisòrs :L~'P.. '.w'ilF'p~'rtórm directlY certain thutùal :fund' " ", ': . :'" ,
businesses formerly conèucted by PFAMCo; '(iii)' the' ïnvestment management businesses formerly conducted by PIMCO Inc., Cadence,
NFJ, Parametric.,. ,Blal:rlogie and the. CCI. division wi~l be', , ."
conducted .through si~. new .
Operating .Subpartrierships, and (iv.) the '. :Tnutual funq distribution business 'of TISI will continue to 'be . . . . . .... . . '. '. cond:ucted by TISI,. but as' a ,subs:idiary of 'PIMCO 'Advisqrs 'L..P,. . . ORGANIZATION OF' INVSTMENT ADVISERS AFTER, THE 'CONSOLIDATION . Thus, as indicated above; the investment advisory businesses
of' th.e cons.qlidated group will. be conducted: by .PIMCQ .Actvisors. .e. L:¡.p~" (.f.9.:tèrly,.. TAG.L'r?)' .an~: its six .0iYe.ratl:hg: sUQpärtners.liips,;... ~ . ." '. .- . " . .... ":'. . .. . . . . ....... . ~. , .' . . '. . . . .' .
PIMCO Àdviso"rs' i.,.P. .' PIMCÖ Advisors:':L.P.. wil:C' have' .an ' . 'investment 'advisç;r) business sep.åråte and apårtfrorn the. '. investment advisory businesses of its Operating Subpartnerships; it will act as investment manager for various mutual funds after
,the consolidation. PIMCO Advisors L. P. will continue to be
)t:egistered as an investment adviser under the Act. PIMCO GP will /be the sole general partner of PIMCO Advisors L. P. PIMCO GP will
be a general pa:itnership consisting of two partners: (1) PIMCO
Inc., a subsidiary öf. PFAMCo and an indirect, wholly-owned
subsidiary of Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company; and (2)
PPLP i a limited partnership the sole general partner of which
will be PIMCO Partners Inc, Although PIMCO Advisors L. p, will
separately engage in business as an investment adviser,. neither PIMCO GP, its general partners or the general partner or parent
corporation of its general partners will engage in any investment Advisors L. P , . adviser activities separate or apart from the activities of PIMCO
Operatinq Subpartnerships. Each of the six new Operating
Subpartnerships will have an investment advisory business
separate and apart from the investment advisory businesses of
PIMCO Advisors L, P. and the other Operating Subpartnerships,
Each Operating Subpartnership will be registered as an investment
adviser under the Act. Each Operating Subpartnership will be
organized as a partnership. Except for Blairlogie, 'each
operating Subpartnership will be a general partnership having two
partners: (1) one of the general partners will be PIMCO Advisors
L. P. which will serve as the "Supervisory Partner, 11 and (2) ...he
other general partner will be wholly-owned corporate subsidiary
of PIMCO Advisors L. ~, which will serve as the "Managing 11 The Blairlogie Subpartnership will be a limited Partner. partnership with two general partners and one limited partner: as
with the other Operating Subpartnerships, (1) one of the general
,1
:. ..
. ..
~ .'.
.... I .': .:".. .. :..= . .". .... . ....... :"- . :. '.;~; '. . .,. . . . .. ., '.. . ."' ~.' .... .04:.:' :.'~: .:~'. ':'. ..¡..:....~;.. J: .'. ..... .... .:;. :: . .. . :::.- ..:. ;.; '.!" .-~ '.:.: ..~,:'.~ . :-'.:: ':'! . '. .... ~ /.' : .. . . ~ ." " ~ . ":". ~,. 'i 'i:'~,; : i.: :',: .. . . R0P:E.S'&. G RÀY .' . , .' ,. . . Dorothy M.. Donoh.u~, .l?~q.':. .' '-4- ". . September' 7..; i994",. . ~. . ': .' .. '.. .' .' .: .'. .". .. ..,I. . . .... . '.. . "p~rtne.r~' .wiI"i.. b~",'pIMèo Áçltrisors.'i.. P. 'wÍiicl.':w:Lii servë ~s the . . '. ,.::'. ~ISuper~i-soi: .Pa.rtne'r¡" '(2)':.the .otlter..,garie':ia~ P?trtner .wi.1:L be ...."..
. whôl).y-o~ned :cò:rpo~ate. s~bsid~.a.y o,f Ï?I'MCO: A9Visorl? L'..P.. which .... ".~ ':~'. ::'.' '. ,. wilÌ s.er:E( as the: I~Mëiíjaging". Pârtne'r,¡." -and (3)" th'e, 'lÌlnited .pcirì:ner
wiii 'be ,:a' liT1ited :partnership .the "general partner of . which 'wilI ,. be PFAMCo or a wholly-owned subsidiary of PF.AMCo and the limited
partn~rs of which wiii be .the current, ~anag~ng directors of, .
"Blairl.ogi"ë. As ind:Lcated above; the ,lISupe'rvisory Partner" (PIMCO
"Advisors L. P.) of each Operating Subpartnei;ship will' also be
. registered 'a.san in,vestment" adyìser under. the Act. in' cònnection with its separate 'buainess as': an ïnvestmeF.t ',advisër. The ' respeçtï ve ~ManagingRàrtners" .of each. Öperating 'Subpartnership will not engage in ariy'investment adviser activities separate or
apart from the activities of the Operating .Subpartnership.. . ..' "...
,.':'. ':'ht.tå.ch~d::.as. Åppe.ndix'Ä 'i.~' an organizat"ioIi.' ch~t:t':r~f.i~ct:iÏig ,the' :gêner.aÏ 'p~rtnèrs ~.of the. vari.oûs :partnerships': in'" i:lië'::c.ø.mb:lne-d ,'. " . grQup. .( För tlie. pllrposes. 'of' simplifyipg .the ,chart, invést~eIit :.
interests' have' bee.n 6mitt.éd~). . ....
MAAGEMENT OF INVSTMENT ADVISERS AFTER, THE CONSOLIDATION ), PIMCO,Adv~sors L.P. Following the consolidation, PIMCO GP
will exercise its powers as the sole general partner of PIMCO
Advisors L. P. tbrough, and will delegate substantially all of its
powers to, a 12-member "Operating Board" which will be composed
of management representatives of PIMCO Advisors L. P. and the
Operating Subpartnerships, The Operating Board will possess all.
governance authority not reserved to the various Operating
Subpartnerships, subj ect to the power of an "Equity Board" to review and approve certain material, extraordinary transactions
siich as issuing securities or incurring certain indebtedness.
The Operating Board will delegate day-to-day operational issues
to an "Operating Committee" which will be composed of the chief
executive officers of PIMCO Advisors L.P., the PIMCO
Subpartnership and the CCI Subpartnership~ The Equity Board will
include certain representatives of PIMCO Advisors L, P. and the
Operating Subpartnerships as well as disinterested directors,
representatives of PFAMCo and representatives of certain investors. The Operatino Subpartnerships. Following the consolidation, the day-to-day manágement of the business of each Operating
Subpartnership will be conducted by the Managing Directors o~ its Managing Partner. ,
REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT
As indicated above, PIMCO Advisors L, P. and each of the
Operating Subpartnerships will be registered as an investment
;'"
, .' . '. ....... .~ , ". . ". .... ... .
. ':," ." .. ...; ".. ......... 4. '.. :."..:: :........ .:.. ~...~_...; .. .,. ...... . ..'; '.:"::."~\ :.~.,. ~.;':-:, :~,~~:~':':".-~~~.:.. ~. ..~ .. t. .. ~' "1
Rtl i=E.S' & GRAY. ..
.
Do:iothy M. .
Donohue , E'sq. -5- Septembt:r 7, 199~'.' . .' .... .'. ....., .. . . . .. ' J'. . " .. .1 .1 :
. 'adviser under..the 'Act.: PIMCÒ .GP (the .:solé 'gener'al partne:i o:E' :. . ... . . FIMCO Advïsors L. p'~ ) , . PIMCO. Ine,. and PP.Ll? (the 'sole general,: .
.... .
partners.'. o¡' 'l?IMCO .'GP): ançl i?tMÇO. par.t,!le.rs .I,I-t"~. :.(th~' S9~~ ge:ner.a.l,:'... '.. ..' . ...: ,partner.':öf". PPLl?)" :.are' nt)t 'planning: on: regj,st:eriag"?iS'.. investmeht ':. advisers' un'der .the i,ct :" TAG Inc: is planning .on 'discontinuing' . its registration as an investment adviser under the Act. Si~ilarlYi' while it is interid~d that each. of the Operating , Subpartnerships will be. register~d as 'i~y~stment, ?av:fsers under
. the Act, each of the Managxng Pa~tners of the Operating
'. "Subpartnerships. i.s ;not d planning on registe'ring as :an invest~!:Ilt: adviser under the Act. . DISCUSSION We believe. that' P"IMCO' GP, PIMCO Inc., PPL'P 'and PIMCO . ..
'. :: :Pår-tnérs Inc~.' should. not. be r~qu1'req: \0 separate.iy regïst:er, under' . : the .1-bt.: solely for the- pu:iåse 'of ën.gaging.' through P'IMCÒ. AdvisorS.' . ~. . L. P. . in.:. the' advisory. bus~ness of' PIMCO Advisors L...P. Sxmilarly-, we believe.. that the Managing Partners 'of the -Operating: .. Subpartnerships should not be required to separately register
under the Act solely for the purpose of engaging through their respecti ve Operating Subpartnerships in the advisory business of J:he Operating Subpartnership. (PIMCO GP, PIMCO Inc. ,PPLP, PIMCO
Partners Inc. and the Managing Partners of the Operating
Subpartnerships are hereinafter sometimes referred to.a.s the "Requesting Parties"; and PIMCO Advisors L. P. and the Operating
Subpartnerships are sometimes hereinafter referred to as the
"Adviser Partnerships. ")
Each of the Requesting Parties is a Ilperson associated with
an investment adviser" and, thus, is not required to be
separately registered. Under Section 203 (a) of the Act, each
"investment adviser" is required tö register with the Commission.
The term "investment adviser" is defined in Section 202 (a) (11) to mean "any person who, for compensation, engages in the business
of advising others, either directly or through publications or
writings, as to the value of seçurities or as to the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, "The Commission and its staff have on numerous occasions confirmed the
view that a "person associated with an investment adviser," as
that term is defined in Section 202 (a) (17), will not be required
to be separately registered as an adviser with respect to the
activities undertaken on behalf of the adviser in the person's
capaci ty as an associated person. See, e. g" Investment Advisers
Act Release No, 615 (February 2, 1978) (", ,a solicitor wno
engages in solicitation activities in accordance with the
provisions of .
(Rule 206 (4) -3) will be, at least with
respect to these activities, an associated person of an
investment adviser and therefore would not be required to
register under the Act individually solely as a result of these
;'"
i. ~ ~: . . .... .;" .""
. '.1,, f~ - 1 ..: . .f. .
.~." '. '. ..:'. ~.- -. . -... . '. :.. :..f.~'::~' ::.~ :.. .' t. . ..."..:'~.- . ., .... . Rt) l:E.S' & .G 8~'( '. . " .' .. :1 . '. ~: '. ..' . . . .,.. " i ,/ Dorothy M. Donohue, Eaq: . 4 . ~ . : t. . .' . . . . -6- .septe~~r". 7,'.. '1~94' ~ëtiviti-es'."");' Mon~ta . Group' iIi~est~ent Advisors., .Inc:" :(:Ñ6:Actioii.'-: .' . .. Letter; p. a; d. . OCtobei. 1~, , ï~93 ~; G... 'SerafiIli .invès'tnteItt' : . . .' :'
.'. .. Consultants, .Inc. . .(No Acti.on Ii~.tt~r i' p: a ..d.. Noyemqer .?7',. 1:97.6)' . ", .' ,...
:' .... Th~' te.i: Ilpe,I"sòn ,associated .with . ån' inyestmen:t. ådviser)~.' 1'8 .:., , .: .0.. : :,h ,:.; " . . definea. to mean llany partner., . offi:cer i qr' director 'of such investment adviser (or any pérson performing s.imilar functions), or any person 'dirßctly or in~irectly controlli~g or ~Qntrolled by
such investment adviser, including aiiy emp19yee of suck. .',
'investmenE adviser,'.. . . ", Thus, tro the extent that Ç)i:e of 'the' "
Requesting .P~rties èngages in the. Dusiness ,of ;one ot the Adviser Pat'tiierships .of ~hich it is a general partner, it- would. be 'within
: the definition of the term "person 'associated with an investmellt.,:
adviser." .Furthermore, to the extent that one of the Requesting Parties engages in the business of one of the Adviser . . Partnerships.. with respect to wh,ich it .:Ls. a,general partner. of a . :.
'. gèJjeral..partn~r,itwould åppear, tO:pë a..llpe~s9n .perfoJ;ming ,... . .;-......:;.,.. .' siinilar. f.u~ctions" as .a 'partIjer.and, ..tliús.,..witrnlg".t'h:~. ~er'irifti9n' . .
extent to which persons engaging in the business of a ,registered
~ntity are subject to the supervision, direction and control of
):he entity, See, e. g., Connecticut Investment Management Inc.
'(No Action Letter; p.a.d. February 11, 1977). In this regard,
each of the Requesting Parties represents that (1) each of the
Requesting Parties will not hold itself out as providing
investment advice separate or apart from its Adviser Partnership;
and (2) each individual (including the members of the Operating
Board and Operating Committee of PIMCO Advisors L.P. and the
Managing Directors with respect to each Operating Subsidiary) who
represents a Requesting Party as an officer, director, partner or
employee (other than one whose duties are solely of a ministerial
or clerical nature and who is not involved in the investment
process and does not have access to the investment decisions or
recommendations of the Adviser Partnership) of the Requesting
Party in engaging in the business or affairs of its Adviser
Partnership will (i) do so subject to the supervision, direction
and control of that Adviser Partnership to the same extent as
would be required under the Act and the regulations and forms
adopted thereunder if such individual engaged therein as an
individual general partner i officer or employee of that Adviser
Partnership; (ii) will be identified in the Form _~v of that
Adviser Partnership to the same extent as would be required under
the Act and the regulations and forms adopted thereunder if such
indi vidual engaged therein as an individual general partner~. officer or employee of that Adviser Partnership; and (iii) will
be subj ect to the conflict of interest i insider trading and
personal securities transaction reporting requirements of the
~dviser Partnership to the same extent as would be required under
the Act and the regulations and forms adopted thereunder if such
¡'"
':.'. ",.. '. . '.. ". .........
-.. '. . .. ..... .. ....'. .~.. .';'.~ .":'::::::. :'..:. ~.~.~,;.:~': "::;:~ :.,:. 1 . ~ : ':'.,:.: .-:;~.:.::X: ::....-?~.?:;..~"if,...;;!.. .,.::£::...; '::/. ,. R9PES.& G'R~Y
.1' . : . . )
Dor~thy M. 'Donohue, Esq. d -7- Septe.mber 7 ~ '19:94, d:
. . . .' :'.. ..' .. .'. . .1:.. . . .
6ff icer .0;i . ~mployee of .th,at; Adv:iser. .P'artner,~hi'p.. ..,. ..':'.: '... . O. . .. :'. .. .;. ..' : : ~. .. .,. :.: ....... . '. ~..'. 0 .' .:'. . . .'. . " To #lot. 're,gui.r~ ',S~påTåt:è ':t=.egisti:~-titln'.òf ..the Rl?~est.il1g".: " .,' " Parties would. be. consistent .with. the' p~blic. interest without compromising investor protection. The public interest is
certainly. served ny the ayoidance of, unneçessa~ duplication of registration,' disclosu:ie, report:ing and .other regu~atory: " requirements. The Requeßt.iiig Parties believe that unnec~s.sary
Gonfusion will result, i.f" ,ror ~xampie, fl. separate, .'I.bro,cliure" . '(e~g., Part II of Form ADV) of each Manågirig PaFtner is required .' .' to' accom)?ariy the bróchure., of the ~Opera.'ting Subpartners.hip. Clients may become confused as to which' entity is their
investment adviser ,Contractual requirements may further .confuse
. clients if. the Requesting Parties are required to be reg~stered~ :. .F.9r exàmplel" it n1lght l:e å:rgued. .ttla.t::the R;~qle$'ting.p~rt)i wC?u:ld,:......
. '. have. .to..'be.'a pa.r~y. to 'èaëh 'eiient:"'coritr~Gt '.iti. its, .QW1 . b~ha.lf. in. ;.
; ordei. to' :satisfy"v'ariói.s'. requireJIen.t's such. as".. those impösed.'by . .,.. . Se.ctiön '205 of. the Act. and Rule .2,06. (3') -2. under the. Act. .' Reco:id- :' keeping requirements would be duplicative if each Requesting
Party were treated as a separate registrant and thus required to
separately comply with the provisions of Rule 204-2.
The avoidance of such unnecessary duplication is also an
enormous factor at the state level since many state securities
laws ("blue sky" laws) are required to be interpreted in a manner
consistent with the ii. . . related federal regulation," See,
e.g., the Massachusetts Uniform Securities Act, §415 (M.G.L.A. c. 110A, §415). Several of the Operating Subpartnerships are or will be registered in the majority of states. If the Requesting
Parties are required to be separately registered at the federal
level', it is likely that applicable Blue Sky laws will be
interpreted to require registration and the resulting costs and
duplicative regulatory burden would be enormous,
Investor protection will not be compromised if the
Requesting Parties do not register separately, As indicated
above, each individual who represents a Requesting Party as an
officer, director, partner or employee (other than certain
ministerial or clerical employees) will be supervised by the
respective Adviser Partnership to the same extent as would be
required under the Act and the regulations and forms adopted
thereunder if such individual engaged there in as an individual
general partney, officer or employee of that Adviser Paytnership,
Furthermore, since each of the Requesting Parties is a gene,~i
partner of an Adviser Partnership, the financial responsibility
of each registered entity with which a particular client has a
relationship will be no less than if the respective Requesting
,Party were also required to be registered and to enter into a
direct client relationship with that particular client.
;'"
" ....
~ . " ...... .. ,. . - . . .... .. :' .~: ~ . -. .' ~. ... :.. :~.::. 1 . . ,-.l '., " " .:. .' . ;:.~.. :..~ ::: ~::. .. ::.,:..., ~:.. .;';':,,;. .J,:.....":':... . -. :.:/ .... .~.~. .":.::" .:~ . :: '::' ~..'::~;':,:~..::~:;.'.":~~~:..:. I i '. .R.ÇPES &.t?RAY. . ...~. ; . i . '. '. 'l' . .' Dor'öthy M..'pònohue, Esq;' .-8- Se.p~ern~r.7, 1994
. . i ... _ .". .. ... "... '. ........... :. .....
.d. . AlthOl1g); .t-lère do' no.t p.ppea;t. to :be any .no:-act'ì:on or.,.: .. .' .
ÌIit"erpretativè lé'tt:ers.':from. the Staff~ dí:ieót'iy in.point, therè ': ..:'
have been' s'everal.. nò~acti.on. le'tters grp.nting. Telièf . to 'bráker-.', .. .'
,'.. . dèalers"'see,inng 'to .irttraduce'. dorpo:ta:te .gerie.ràl,: p'artIiers .iri iiIacê ,': ...:'..: . " ~f .the .'ind.iviàual owners. bf t.he. cdi;poi!at.e ..entities.- ,See, e.g.;". .,' 'Grayson, Burger. & Co. (No Action Letter; p.a.d. July ii, 1987); Montg9mery Securities (No Action Letter;'p.a,d. June. 21, 1980)~'
Boettcher.'& Co. (No:Act:ion Létter; p:a.d.. J~nuary 18, 3.980), . 11 . '. .. . .. . . ..".. .... . . . . . '.
For'the foregoing reasons, we beliave that registration' of the' Requesting Parties under the Act is not. ~nd ,should not be' . requ:tred. . . .,-....--~- '.. . . . REQUESTED RELIEF
For the.. reasop.s' stat.ed :above¡:.'we. .respectfully. .request,. :on:
, : benalf 'ôf the..Reqest.ing. Partl~s: .:.(PIMCO:,ql.',:.~:rl:CQ. .I.~'C., 'P.?tP.~'.'.: ,....'.. " PIMCO Pai:tners Inc'; .and the .Managing Partners of the"Öperating .
. Subpartnerships),. that. the Dívisíon of. ,IIivestm.~i:t Management
.... confirm that it wíii not recommend enforcement. action to the Commission under the Act if the Requesting Parties proceed to act as general partners (or general partners of i or general partners of general partners of; general partners) under the circumstances
described above without separate registration of the Requesting
Parties as investment advisers under the Act.
We would be pleased to meet with you to discuss this
request, and we respectfully request the opportunity to do so if
you have any questions. In the event that you find that for any
reason you cannot issue the requested no-action letter on the
basis of the matters described herein, we would appreciate the
opportunity to discuss these matters with you or your colleagues
personally before you formally respond to this request.
Yours very~
Robert D, Guiod
RDG / mm : RDGNOAC. TM
Enclosures cc: Newton B. Schot t , Esq, . , Mart in E. Lybecker i Esq,
;'"
, . 1I1H..VI 11\. I\lAJl\., 1\1'0 l.l\ lIUJ'l . 'DI~\ FT 7-/2R :
'" For Disf . ..1,.
General Partners ~'lieir Pai;cntsl:'.
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Pacific Mutual Lire Insiirance Company lOOY, Slock PF AMCO lnc, I 100% . Stock
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PIMCQ ADVISORS L.P, (Formcrly, Thomson Advisory dro~¡r, L:p: or "TÀG LP") . . ' ~- . " .; ".: . .' .. .' ... '.: :; ...:... L ,. : ..: i \ ~. " . i aml,IQck Iro%~iOCk IOO%ISIOCk I OOo/FIOC~': . .' :.. :. i OO%IS~O~k :. ~:., i oo:vhi~,c,k:.' . . .t~'" . ' . .' l' -=
(Cadence (paramelric INFJ Côrp. . ICGI Corp, . '; (PIMCO (7.1 (1',~ G.P, n.r. G.I'. G.P. . .' ('. n.p. 1'.' . .,. " Ltd. '.: . rr'iirogie inlC'rt$l) Corp. G.P.j Corp. G.P.j G.P.J' G.P;) Corp: .G.P.) ; I . ..-. . " (.1% G.!',.. .:: ' .'. . G.P. illlC'e~t) I C;.I'. '\ I (i.l'. IG.r. -i 0,1', .- I . . . . .' .f' :
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'. Parametric .. 81airlogie NFJ. .....: eei .' . plMCO : . I\visor L.P. Advisor Advisor AdVi~or:: .: Advis.or . Advisor" . . L Cadence , . .'.f-t This cli;ii( docs nol renect ÎIl'cstmciil inlercsls (i.e., limited p;iriiicrship intcrests) in ihc sc'cral )¡mitM~pårlncrships. . ..,.
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. .:. .1500.K 'STREET, N,W: :' ~. ': :.. . . .:~ .!' ;. .... " . 40 BEÌ:ÂTIANC TOwE . WASJ-GTON, DC 200S-12ÓS ' e a..... . . 'PÍUCEN PIK'OORPRATE CE. . 1717 ARGH ST ' . . '., . P.O,.BQX5U8 . '.'. .,'. 'PHADE.HIA, P A 19103-2793' . .. ..' PRICEN, NJ'08S43:5218, '. . (215) '~4-'. ::. .. ;.:'.',' aa. . .'. . a.. : .'" '. ' : ; .(6~).!3~. ; .' ... . .TEJ.ÉPR-ONE:" (102j (;16:3300 . , ....-.: :'... .' . ..a. . . .. .. a" . : ~~ 1lTYNOR'_ , " 65 A VF LOUI HARRURG, PA 17101-1603. . " FÂX: (202) G26-3334 . . . 1050' BRUSEL, BELGIU (717) 237-200 . (32-2) 535-5411 .. ~ M E M O.R'A N.O U M , 1T SA DECT. " 2 SE' IN October 7, 1994 LOND ECY.1L1; ENGL (4471) 583-5353
-
. '
TO: Heidi Stam, Assistant Chief counsei
John O'Hanlon, .Special Counsel
'.~elice ,E,ou.nGos, A'ttorrey~' .
'. e..
. . Division 9f :':&nvestment ,Management' .. " . . ." . 'Se~rities ,and. .Exchange "eoÏiiss'ion' '. . .... a . . :
FROM: Jeffery S. Puré.tz'
Robert w. Helm ~r- Larry B. stoller~LL5.
L_.
,~. Request for No-Action by Thomson Advisory Group L.P. and Affiliates Introduction As counsel for Pacific Mutual Life Insurance
Company and Pacific Financial Asset Management Corporation and
certain affiliated entities, we are writing in support of the
request for "no-action" submitted by Thomson Advisory Group L.P.
("TAG") and its affiliates to the staff on September 7, 1994,
concerning issues raised under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 (the "Advisers Act") in connection with a consolidation
involving TAG and Pacific Financial Asset Management Corporation
and its affiliates' as described in the original letter and below.
This also responds to Mr. O/Hanlon / s request for additional
information concerning the structure of the proposed investment advisory operations following the consolidation. Description of the Consolidation Transaction
The consolidation transaction contemplates tqe
consolidation of the investment advisory businesses currentfy
carried on by subsidiaries of Pacific Financial Asset Management
Corporation (lPFAMCo") with the investment advisory and mutual
\ifund distribution activities currently carried on by TAG. As
noted in the original submission, PFAMCo is currently a
California corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
¡'"
"
..-. : . .'
. . , .
b.cific. r-utual. Life' IIts\lra'nèe.. comp.any c"pacifid Mutt.al"), ana: .TAG.' .l" .:.' ....
..S a publicly' traded Delawar~. limited .partnershìp..whose units of'.:
,.' : J.,iipited pa:ttn~r t.ntei-å'st are.,listed "on tb~ .New. 'YQrk...Sto~k ..,:., "
'. ' Exchant¡e. P"FAMCÖ'¡ s" .i'nve.stment 'clè:ivisory :Qusinesses a+e' conduc1:èd '.' ,
. primårily' through its separate whoiiy own~d' subsidiaries; each' of ~
. ". ~iii.çh .'~.s reg~~te.r-.ed ':as: an .i~v.e.s~ii~ne ~dvisè;r;' witll the :S~urit.í~.s .,.:'... .
'. . ',ant::'Eilcha.nge C()pisSión:' (!'Coinis-si6,l'fl).~,. .'lh~se'.,~ubsidiari:es Giitë:.:' .,., '., '~'. Pacific . Invéstmerit. Månagement 'c.omp;.ny. (,"PIMCQ"ri Pai:äl1etrie' .~., '
Portfolio Associates Inc.' ("Pãrametric"); Cadéncè Capital '.
. Managem~nt Corporation ("Cadence"); NFJ Investment Group, Inc.
,. ("NFJII); an~ 'Blairlögie'capital ManJ;gement Ltd. ("Blairl:ogle")... P.FAMCo also perform~ investment advlso~,servicès and is itseif registered' as an' investmentådviser with the Comission. The ' investment, advisor- buslness of TAG is carried out primarily " tllraugh its Columus Circle"Imtestors. division (¡ICCI"), altlough,
:rAG al.so performs irivestment'. aavlsorY services in. its own iiam~. '; TAG is registered as an adviser with the Commission. . . . . . .
, '. .' .: '. . " ,':rroDi . å . strnöt1;ra;L . standp~i~r. i ~,t:tie cpns~,l.i~ati:on'..: . :. .' . :.. ,i:uIl". be.. a'9pomp~lshed thr0'!gh' ~Ý'erai: steps,'. inclttdinq "(:1)" .ttie.:. ". ~ .'.:' ~ .' '. tr.a'ns¡fer of 'eadh. å.f ,tle PFAMCo ïnve~tleq:t. adviS9i: busine-sses '." ':' '( ì . e. .,. the aavisorY :buain!åsses' of 'PFAMCo, PTMCO i Parametric,.' , c;adence; NFJ, and Blãi:rlogief to TAG "in return for u~i ts of' . .
partner interest 'of TAG, and the organization of each of PIMCO,
Parametric, Cadence, NFJ and Blairlogie as a separate operating
lubsidiary partnership of TAG ("New PIMCO", "New Parametric",
¡New Cadence", "New NFJ", and "New Blairlogie"); and (2) the
transfer of the investment advisory business of CCI to a separate
operating subsidiary partnership of TAG ("New CCI"). The current
investment advisory business of PFAMCo will be combined with that
of TAG and carried on through TAG, which will be renamed PIMCO
Advisors, L.P. ("PIMCO Advisors"). (Each of New PIMCO, New
Parametric, New Cadence, New NFJ, New Blairlogie and New CCI is
referred to as an "Advisory Subsidiary".) The consolidation
contemplates the continuity of management and autonomy of each
Advisory Subsidiary within the new structure so that, with
respect to client relationships maintained by each adviser, the
client will be assured that the consolidation will have no
material adverse effect on the current management or operations
of the Advisory Subsidiary and that the same persons who managed
the client's account prior to the consolidation will continue to
do so after the consolidation.
Each new Advisory Subsidiary (other than New
Blairlogie) will be structured as a general partnership with two
general partners, one of which will be PIMCO Advisors and oné of
which will be a corporation wholly owned by PIMCO Advisors. 1
,.
New Blairlogie will be aU. K. limited partnership with
two general partners (PIMCO Advisors and a wholly owned
( continued. . . )
;'"
;~0iJ~,i~."!:~1t~lf.~:f,~é'~:~;'~~~'¡':Pfl.t~'~:"",:~~~~~~!'.~~~~~;.~~~:;;~~~~~~~~);~r;f~r~~~t;!~~~~;'¡~:;~::C;~:,;,t,,;;'ii,.'::,:,~::~~~;~~~~~tl-tlj~.;'~.'ti~~~~~~.'. ¡,_ . I " . . : . ," .. . '. .. ,... :.. . . .' , . ...." . .....',. . .
~ch corporate; general. partnér. ~ill func~ion à¿ tne technicål. " iahicle".through whicb'.thé.partnership is managed', i.~., .the
.,.. afr~c~rs ,an.~ ..d.ir!.pto~s...o~: :ttie.. 9'en~rål. pc\rtr-er: wt.l.l.. axe.rci.~e.... .. .' :'. . managèment. fUÍlctions wi;th respect. 'to".1:he.. partnei:ship'. . .However,. ., :'. , , ;, . in, each instance, g.qvernanCe': o~' the Adv.ís"or,: Subis:id"iary will be' . . .,. ,delegated,'to '.a '.inanage1len:t 'bòard 'of":~hè. par.tnership....\inder..:the. . ':' :..... ::. .' ". ,'t.r-S of the, 'p~r-l-neat .partnl'ip' ::aqŽ'ee:ièrits~',;. iilie: '~lrø~£oi;s"anti" : . :.". officers. of ,t:lie -corporatia .general partner wl ..e~ch .b~..' ..'. . indi viduals who'! currently serve in similar cåpaci tie~' with the Advisory Subsidiary' and will occupy similar 'positions as
employees of. 'each suph. firi., ' A complet~ list o.f' these
'indívic;uals( and :their, "èu'rrent and' future positiohs'"is att,a.ched,., ' as 'EiØlbi t Ä. ' " .. . .
.'
. ' ., . PIMCO ~dvisors itself will. åiso be.:register~d as . an ìnvestment aàviser' ~it~ . the, Commission and will 'perform :, limited investment advisory services directly. Although .
. . .manpgement. and control. of PIMCO Advisors technically will reside
. in its g~ne+al partner,."~IMGQ .~artner-s G;P., (itself a' genera.l .' , . '.' paar~lip l?etween.'~Il. e1'tï:ty.,çønttol.i by.;~aèi:~!e. l(tual',: ..:'.' ,,' ..... ... . ?iIMCO;. ..Inc.: , . c:nd an ent:i ~y . 'dontr!Jlle~" by 'a.. group. com~r~sed' of the" . cur~e~t managing' directo~s Of PIMCO¡ PIMCO Partners L.P~; the.. . . singlegenerål partner of. which is .PIMCÓ Partners' inc.), .actual management'responsibility for..PIMCO Advisors will be delegated
under the terms of its partnership agreement, as amended, to
1anagement boards comprised primarily of representatives of the idvisory Subsidiaries. These boards are (1) an Equity Board and
(2) an Operating Board. The Operating Board will, in turn,
delegate the day-to-day functions of operating the partnership to
an operating Committee, which will be comprised solely of persons
associated with PIMCO Advisors and the Advisory Subsidiaries.
The members of each board and committee of PIMCO Advisors and
their present and future affiliations are outlined in Exhibit B.
1 ( . . . continued) corporate subsidiary of PIMCO Advisors, Blairlogie
Holdings Ltd. (U. K. )) and one 1 imi ted partner, organized as a Delaware limited partnership, of which
PFAMCo will be the general partner and the current
managing directors of Blairlogie wiii be limited
partners. References in this memorandum to the
"corporate general partner" of an Advisory Subsidiary
include the corporate general partner of New Blairlogie
(Blairlogie Holdings Ltd. (U.K.)). As in the case of
the other Advisory Subsidiaries, governance of New
Blairlogie will be delegated to a management board .of
the partnership under the terms of its partnership
agreement, comprised of the current managing directors
of Blairlogie.
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: . l.,: '. ',. , . ,.0. . .
. . .' . .0. '. .
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TAG . in .reques-ting::. ..... ~ . . '.' .' pac.ific "Mùtual anEl...PFAMCo j'oin . ~hat the staff agree- to' take -"no-action" .if. 'each advisory .fif. ..describeÇl above. (each ,Adyisory SUbsid,iary ,and .PIM99 .~dviso~s) '.' .
'. .~. . registers. with ;the Commission as. ån . invëstm~~'t adviser., .büt' .t'f ' :.. '. , . ' each g~nè~~l rtnér ~f å. r7st~red . ~nvestm~nt advïšår' describe~
. : 'abaye:. (Qtl.er' than PJ;MCO'.AdyisQ:r$) ~ P.ir-CO.,.'IIlc.~,. PIr-czo..~artl1e:is ,,'
;. 'L~.P.... and~ ;lIMCO J?a.rtner:s;'.:'IllQ.. .~.~.,does net :.so :r~giste,r of..... :.ïr1iis "wp:nl~' . :
mean. th~tl w~il~ PIMCO Advisqrs., New PIMCOI New' Parametric, New , ". . ".. " .
-Caaence,' NeW' NFJ, New Blairì.ogie. and .New CCI would 'each be .. .
, regis~ered as an investment adviser, the managing general partner
'of ~ach .su~h entity Qthe~ than PIMCO' Advisors would not bs so registered. . , '. ' , " . The - corpo~ate' and, parthe'~~hip :stru9:t\ir~ ',Ç.f PIMCO Advisors has been dictated in large pa~t by tax .considerations arising from its status. as'a master l.iinited 'Pçirtnership, ançi, th~, ' impåct of such status on the tax posture of its uni tholders. It .
. has not b~en diçtated by any desire or: intention' ta conduct : " ':. :aclvl.st)r.. ac:t.~vities' th;rç)U9h.,1Ínr~i~t,e:td".eIit.;Ltìe.s., .to. snl.eld._ .,.. .....
" ..~,,-. co:qtto1..pel?~ons.. fro~ '.Cammissi~R oy~r~i9'ht or .enforaement¡ C?r ,.... " " .o"therwise 't.(, èv~då re;gu-1ation. :~nder the ACLvisers Äct...., .:indeed, . åll. advisØry,"e:ëtivities will be CåIiduct~Çl solely' by registered . entities,' 'and .all pø~sons' who .will ,bë engaged in advisory' . activities will be employees, officers and/or managing directors
of an entity that will be registered as an investment adviser.
~he structure that will exist after the closirig of the
transaction will, in each case other than PFAMCo, be nothing more
than the continuation of present advisory operations, which are
and will be conducted only through a registered investment
adviser. In that regard, the officers of each Advisory
Subsidiary existing at the conclusion of the transaction are
expected to be the same individuals who currently conduct the advisory operations of each of the existing registered advisers.
In the case of PFAMCo, its investment advisory business will be
combined with certain activities of TAG within PIMCO Advisors,
and its employees that render advisory and related services will
become employees of PIMCO Advisors, which will be a registered
adviser. Each entity that will be engaged .in an advisory
business will be registered with the Commission, and each control
person or person for whom information on Schedule D of Form ADV
would be required will provide such information to the
Commission.
Request
We join TAG in requesting that the Commission
Staff indicate that it would not recommend enforcement action to
the Commission if, for the reasons and on the conditions set.
forth below, the corporate general partners of New PIMCO, N~W
Cadence, New NFJ, New Blairlogie, New Parametric, and New CCI,
the single general partner of PIMCO Advisors, PIMCO Inc., PIMCO
fartners L. P. and PIMCO Partners Inc. (the "Manag ing General
;"'
rartrÚ~rs") . dO not, in reJ. ia;n~e .:,on adv ice o.f coún~al;.' ~epär-a t~.l y '. . iegisterundèr ,the Advis~rs 'Act. . , . . eo l . .,... . .. .
. ..... ,~..
., Discussion ., . . -. ' :. .. .. ..
.0.. .'
" i.:. .: Tli~' N~nagi:ntJ. .G.~nè~~l ~artners Will' Not Carty:. . . ., . .t.,... .'. : . . '.Q.ri.' Any . separàte Iip~stiiertt, ACNit?9+Y' B~sin.ess'. : . , .' '. :'Antl'Therefbre.,No'IIIntegrat:ion!1 With "The. . 'Corresp.onding Registered Investment Advisers Is Required. . , .
Unlike a: 'corporåtioI1~ which has" a board of , -,
directors, management oversight of a partnership. 'must be :
, exercised by one or more of its general. partners. .' In tbe' case. of
the Ädvisory SebsidiaTies, and .PIllCO .
Advisors , the Managing .' ,. General Partners will servé this function. Hòwever, ,although , " månagement and control or each 'of these registered" investment advis~rs technipally, will reside. in i ts Managing G~neral Partn.er, . ~acq Managing, Gen~l!al' Part1\er. lt~ll. in .:ef;feqt. ,t)e ~ m~rely. ~ . shell .
.', ,.., 'éntitye: . Ac:t.ual,: manaqem~Îlt '..i:éspons.ibilit,y. .for:: ea:ca..~of .tlie. '. .;:, ". .,: ..
. , '. : r~gistered :investment. advisorý partn.e;rships'lii,ii reside in each;" '. " '.' adviser"s "managèmertt board,:". 'f:ubjeçt 1:0. the oversight of. the. '.
~qui ty Board and Operating Board of 'PIMCO Advisors. Actual
management responsibility for PIMCO Advisors will reside in its
Operating Board and Equity Board. The management boards of the
ldvisory Subsidiaries will be comprised primarily of the Imanaging. directors" of each registered adviser (and, in the case
of New CCI,. its Chief Executive Officer). The Operating Board of
PIMCO Advisors will consist of certain senior advisory personnel
of the investment advisory partnerships, and the Equity Board
will consist of certain of the same individuals, plus non-
executive directors otherwise affiliated with PIMCO Advisors or
its affiliates. The management board of each Advisory Subsidiary
and the Operating Board of PIMCO Advisors will be delegated all
power and authority necessary to carry out the operation and
management of the business of each adviser (with the exception of
certain significant actions which will require the approval of
the Equity Board). The management board of an Advisory
Subsidiary may establish an executive and compensation committee
to carry out certain functions, and may appoint such officers,
including a chief executive officer, as the management board
believes appropriate. The Operating Board of PIMCO Advisors will
exercise its authority through an Operating Committee and the
authori ty of the Operating Board and the Operating Committee to take certain actions will be subj ect to the approval of its Equi ty Board.
To the extent that a Managing General Partner.
engages in the investment advisory business it will do so olly
through its corresponding registered investment adviser. No
Managing General Partner will engage in any investment advisory
activities separate or apart from the activities of its
;"
;~~~~~~~~;~,~¡.~;;:",~~~)t1~;~::;'~~'it.!~~0~:~~~~i;~~~~~~¡r '.',1~:.:'.:,.;~:~:.~:::" ::.;('tÇj~';"~:./: :~'ß~'4¡:":;';k.:Fi:'~:';;;;:¡.'~ .:.: '::: '.~i; ~;..':: ;i'..; .'... :,:.:: ,,;.:.: 3?lt.. ,:~d :i":. .::'.+:: .::. ;. :::-:~1 ' . ... ' , ' . . . .'.. ,. . . ., ..
04. . . ... '. '. .,... . .
)"orrespo~diIlg regi:ster-èd inve~tm~J1t adviser.. Farther i 'the . ... .;' .. , persons wh.o engage in the day-to-day' Qperat;ions of.. an -investm~:mt; .' . ,. advis.ory. business. wiii. be eiupløyaes: of 'a :regist~rea iTlyestmarit... ; :.'
,'. adv.is~r.~. Thus.; because 'aiï':at1v.i$ory,:åctivities ,w1ii: occur-)..n the' :'.. .: . ragistered .investment adv'ise.rs,. and all "å..ssociated person's" who' :. ": " ., eng.age in': the;':cay-to-d~ activ;ities of the. advisétS wi,l:1.l;e.. ", . ' :::.-... . '. èmpI9y~e's 9.f a :.regi~tèr.e.d 'inves'tn~iit aàyiser', 'no".açiv"iso'i'. .., ..... '",. , 'acti vi tias . butsi:de of..:j:he' Commission's j urisdJbtion to supervise'...f.. ' will taka place. since the Managing GeneraI Partners will not
engage directly in any investment advisory operations, this
situation. is' easily ~istinguish'ed from' the. "inte'gration" issues.:.. confr6ntéd by tle staff in' 2 . , the Richard'Ellis letter"and its.' progeny ~ '. . ... ... ." , . ~ :
. In 'Richard Ellis ,'. the staff aa.dressed th,e ;issu~ of . . '. :. .whether a foreign .parent company engaged "indireçtly" in an: investment advisory business in the United states through aU. s. . ,subsidiary company ~hat. was r~gistered under the Advisers Act was
, J;t$elf "requii:e.d..to :reg:l.st~T. under :the. A~visei:s' Act, .on the, tbeori....., ...: ". . . :: tpat '1:n~' på~ent. iiight . i;~ . engag.in:g. . in.dii:ectly in å u. S. advisgry ,.' . .: .... ~ :'. .... .. business .on'an:tl:re.gistéred h~s'is.... .The"staff ooncluded in..: ,.,. ',.
Richard ElYis that. a foreign' paren~ would. not ~e required: to régister. îf the parent' and subsidiary were sUfficiGntly sèparatè,
and set forth a five-part test for determining "separateness. ,,3 .
On the basis of a recommendation in its Protectinq Investors
2 Richard Ellis (pub. avail. Sept. 17, 1981).
3 Under the Richard Ellis factors, a subsidiary will be deemed SUfficiently separate if it: (1) is adequately capitalized; (2) has a buffer, such as a board of directors a maj ori ty of whose members are independent of the parent, between the subsidiary's ,.personnel and the parent; (3) has employees, officers and directors who, if engaged in providing advice in the day~to-day business of the subsidiary entity, are not otherwise engaged in an investment advisory business of the parent; (4) itself makes the decisions as to what investment advice is to be communicated to, or is to be used on behalf of, its clients and has and uses sources of investment information not limited to the parent; and (5) keeps its investment advice confidential until communicated to its clients. These factors were derived from proposed Rule 202-1 under the Advisers Act, which would have established virtually identical conditions under which an affiliate formed to provide advisory services would be deemed an autonomous e~tity. Investment Advisers Act Rel. No. 353 (Dec. 18, 1972). The Commission withdrew the rule proposal in 1976. Investment Advisers Act Rel. No. 497 (Feb. 19, 1976) ¡'"
: ~ . . :~~ ~~~'¡~l'~''~\ ' " :'':"'!;''''~'~':" :',~:.~ .': ,.'.t '.;~,;~':':~' . '. . .... .... .:~'..:' . . ~ '.1:' . ".-~ ',' '... .. ~ ..~'.~''''. .~. ~'" ~':-'.. .:~. ,:".,.... , .'... , - '.' ,. .. .':. report'~ 4 th~ staf'f '.ove~ th~' past 't~o :.y~~'~s. has. .further i:efhied" .. the'.Richard..Ellis test to permit 'qre~ter integration betw~en á.
registere~' a£riiiate . and .~~ ~nregtste+e~ ~oL~ign ~~~lliat~.' ~ .,' provided generall'y that ',the. uni:egister~d",af+iliate ,cons.ents:..to '. .. ' U.S. 'jqrisdiction ånd agreeS to prpv~de ~he Commission with" ~ . ,acçess tQ. any" :baoks, 'record~ '~Iid personne:J..o'f 'ths ~ffi:liå:te:: ..'
. ,conne'cted.: with.::the 'pi;ov.-isio.r:'of advi,cè-"to U'~S'. 'qlien"ts.~." ....
. ..' ...... ". .,' .. . '. .'" . , ' .' . _.
..... . . .. .... Since ea~h Managing G~ne'ral pa~tnèr ~iii be an .. . unregistered affiliate of a registered investment adviser, we recog~"ize that, "on.its -face, this..may appear to raise tn~ . . ~: .' poteritial application of the Richard" Ellis and unib~mco letters .:' in a domestic contèit. .However. two concerns reflected in.thos~ . . letters. arè not presented here. . The Managing Gen~ral Partners . . will not directly engage in ,any investment advisqrý buGiness~ "
Further, to :the extènt-.,thatany employees of a' Managing' Generai,..
Partner engage. in the investment advisory business, thêy 'will do
so only through a registered invèstment adviser. This. is in
. . direct c€mtrâst. to Richard..Eli-is ai:d unibanco, i.n. which' the. .. " . '" . .':' unr~glstered .par'ent .or affiliàt~d ':cpmpaI1Y',iteii¡f..conducted " . . . '.. .. 'investment adv.isory operatiò~ns' olit~ide. of .i~s. cårrêsP.nding .. . ,.. . register~d 'investment .adviser..' Consequently, .unlike the. .
'situations that led to the Richard Ellis and Unibanco letters;
there is no concern here. that the Managing General Partners, or
their officers and directors,. would be able to do indirectly
'anything that they could not do directly in contravention of
Section 208 (d) of the Advisers Act.
Sacrificed If The Managing General Partners
Do. Not Register
We appreciate that the Staff has legitimate reason
to be concerned any time a proposed corporate structure of an
adviser sacrifices any of the investor protections imposed by the Advisers Act. This could occur, for example, if advisory personnel were able, through an unregistered entity, to engage in
conduct prohibited under the Advisers Act or to avoid the scope
of the Commission's jurisdiction for purposes of monitoring and
enforcing the requirements of the Advisers Act. Here, however,
no sacrifice of investor protections will occur. The only
entities that will be conducting investment advisory operations
will be the registered investment advisers; each of these
entities will be subject to all of the provisions of the Advisers
4 SEC Division of Investment Management, Protectinq
Investors: A Half Century of Investment Company ,. Regulation, Chapter 5 (May 1992).
5 See, ~, Uniao de Bancos de Brasileiros S.A. (pub.
avail. July 28, 1992) (IIUnibancoll).
;'"
'i' 'i ~ ..:' .~I ..
;.t, incl ~ding tbe. C~~issiori ì S e~amina tión and e~forcement.
. ..'
. .
. d.uthori'by. 'IIi ë;ll c'ases" any emplo¥ee 'of' a' Managing General.
, .Partner . will be an "assoc.iated person" of .a. regi'st~red investment :: . ..adv.iser. uncler SëatioI1 ,202 (a) (17). of .the Ady,iserer"Act~ 'an"? .aii 'of . '. ~.their advisory" activitìés 'will be carried. put only.. through a :' .' .' reg;ister~d'..imia.stmeiit, aQviser.. .." .', ',. . ' : ., . .'0 ': '. .... ." . .... .....:..~t: ..... " .... ;':. ..~.: ..... ..., ~ '.:'"' .,:: .:" ....: .: . .'.:
. . .'. vie'.r-écognizè that :tii~' Commission 'and ståff ,would .'
be concerned 'if an unregistered affiliate that is beyond the .
Commission's . sup~rvision or. authori ty is able to' engage in
conduct that harms. u.s. advisory c.lients. .or u.S....markets. Here~ however, sinc~' the Managing General Par.tners will, not engage ,~irectly. in' anyinvestmant advisory business, . an~ all advisory operations 'will be carried out solely by and through the . registered investment advise~s and. their. associated persons, none . . of the potential ',abuses. 'that might' 'caùse the Staf,f to conclude that the Managing General Partners must 'be registered are
. .p~e~~~t.. : . '. , ...'. , .. . . . " '. ..
'.: . ..':, ,. :.,', ..... "3..:.. Tlie:.Burden 0+ compiy.inq 'wi:tli. ~ separåte , '. ..,.. '. RegIstrati.on' R~qûl..rellEmt WOUld.. Be., Costly and
If each of the Managing General Partners were
'Sérve No Purpose..' . ;. '.
, .
required to register as an investment. adviser with the .
joinission, it would create a costly compliance burden upon PIMCO
~dvisors and its affiliates with no apparent investor protection
benefits. We are particularly concerned that a requirement that
federal registrations be filed for each Managing General Partner
may create a similar .obligation in the states.
Flexibility When Additional Registrations
Under The Advisers Act Would Not Serve Any
Meaningful Purpose
On several previous occasions, the staff has
demonstrated a willingness to be flexible in not requiring
related entities to register under the Advisers Act when these
addi tional registrations would not serve any meaningful purpose.
In Glenwood Associates, Inc. (pub. avail. Aug. 6, 1992), for
example, the staff, among other things, agreed that a iimited
partnership need not register under the Advisers Act
notwithstanding the fact that the limited partnership would
engage in the advisory business by virtue of its role as a
general partner to a private investment company. The staff
recognized in Glenwood that, because the managing general partner
would solely control the daily business operations of the limited
partnership and the managing general partner itself already'was a
registered investment adviser, no purpose was served in requiring
an essentially duplicate registration by the limited partnership.
'~oreover, in Price Waterhouse (pub. avail. Oct. 1, 1987), the
;"
~
. .' ~
" ", . I'
, ..
. .
.it'~:ef agreed. 'that .th~' accounting f"iri Qf Pride' Waterh.ouse need jot, register if an affiliate of Price Waterhouse; PWIA" . -.
. ragisterea Qn~er the Anvisers. Act.~ 9~~e again; stnce all. ...,'.
. ".ådvi:soq 'actlvities 'WOuld ,bå'c:onducted:within P.WIA¡ .ånd': ali;',. ." . 'personn~l performing these activities would b~ persons ~ssociated.
, .: with' PWIA 'under Sectión' 2.02 (a) .(:17)',. no purpose :would be served. in. re~íri:ng 'Pri¿~: ~~terliolls~ ),ts'elf, :~I:so.. t~ 'l;~gistë:t~. : ., . . ' . . . .. . ' ,,"
We bèlieve that Glenwo~d' and' pri~e wåterhousè provide -appropriate analogies' to the situätion here, in that the
qommisslo:K already will have. jurisdi9tion over' and there~ore :.
access to .tlie books, records and personnel' of each Advisory .' ' SQbsidi:ary and PIMCO ~dvisers, and. n~ trading and other acti vi ty'
with potential' for client abuse. will be beyond th~ Commission's'
supervisiÐn or, authority. As in th.e case of Gleriwood and Price.
waterhouse" ther:et,ore, we ,believe thåt reqairing the Mana.g1i:g ,'General Partners to register under the Advisers Act would not ' , serve any meaningful purpose and would only be duplicative of the
~ reglstråt~on of the regtst~red . investment a.dvisers. , . .' .,:0". : : .::. . :.~ ," ...... ....' ~ '":.. :.....:.',., 00' ,.... " "." . 0.- . Cóndlusion' '.... . ,'. ",.... ....:
. . , In conclusion, for the reasons :set. forth ~bove,. we
do not believe that. .registration of the Managing Genèral Partners
under the Advisers Act is necessary or appropriate. Therefore,
ve would respectfully request that you not obj ect if the Managing
;eneral Partners do not register under the Advisers Act in .
reliance on advice of counsel that such registration is not
required.
Please contact Lawrence B. Stoller at 212/326 3575, Robert w. Helm at 202/626-3356, or Jeffrey S. Puretz at
202/626-3358 if you have any questions concerning this matter or
if you need any further information.
cc: Sharon A. Cheever (Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company)
Newton B. Schott (Thomson Advisory Group L. P.)
Robert Guiod (Ropes & Gray)
Ernest L. Schmider (Pacific Investment Management Company)
Patrick A. Seaver (Latham & Watkins)
David C. Mahaffey (Gibson Dunn & Crutcher)
,.
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~rmtin Ab.ot Paåfc Intmt ~.
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Magement ~mpa ("IMCOj .
. . 0' ." Pac .lntient Ma~nt ",
. ,
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'.' ., QJmpa, a Gene Pàerhip' .
.. ':'" ("ew PIMCOj " '.'
Cut Position with Positid with PIMCO Positin with New .
Name PIMCO ~l!t. In i PIMCO
Da!Ïd 1:: Edington Managïg Direcor Direèor ' 'Managig Diréëór
. 'Wilam H.: Gro' Managig Direcor and Óirecoi Managig Dtrecor Direcor . John L.Ma/gue . Managig' Diror Direcor Managig Direcor Brent R.. Haqi Ma.nagig Direco~ Direcor ~anagig DirecC?i:
'. : ~ pean S~ ~eilg. .Managmg Dk~or, . . .Directår " Mapagig pirecor '. :. . ,. 0 ° ; '~aii~ F.Ma,' Ma~aglg:"Dli~or aiÌø '. .: .,: . D.i~~i.', .' :Månagig DiIècor Direcor , Wilam F. Podlich il Managig Direcor and Direcor Managig Direcor Direcor Yilam C. Powers Managig Direcor Direcor Managig Director Frank B, Rabinovitch Managig Direcor. Direcor Managig Director Willam S. Thompsn, Jr. Chief Exective Offcer, Direcor Chief Exectie Offcer Managig Direcor and and Managig Direcor Direcor ,.
i. Managing General Partner of New PIMCO.
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. .. .
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. John 1. Jobn.n
Jack C. Najork
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Nam
(¡llam B, Bannck
David B, Bree
. '1n0rilÏon Abut NF Intn~Qt Group~ Ine.
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"NF Intmt .Group a.Gener
. Parership tNew.NF ..,
'. Pnsiti With NF .
:eurrnt PÒSÌion with NF. .:.; Ma~e~t..Ine.2.'.. .Positin with N~"ÑF' , . Direcor and' Managing Director .' Managing Direcor Director Direcor and Managig . Direcor'. h' Man.agig D¡f~or . " Dfrectar :' . . '.'.
, . Ðiror~and' .~aiiagig. '-Direcor .' Managig Direcor Direcor . Inrmtin Abut Ca Capita '. .' " ,: . . :.. 0:.:. '. '..:. ,°0 :. '. . . " ~t Corpratia. r~") '.. , ... '. .~ c3i~ Ma~ å ~ . . Pahi ~ew Ca")
Cut Positin with Positin with Ca Positin with New Ca Capita Ma~t. In3 Ca Direcor and Managig Director Managig Direcor, Managig Direcor, Direcor Managig Direcor Chief Exective Offcer Chief Investment Offcer ,.
2. Managing General Partner of New NFJ.
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..;10 lnòrmtioïi.Åut Paretrc Portolio .'
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.. ..-. .' Pareaic Portlio As~' a . .' - 4 . . . '. .':.. Gera Paership' l-eW Paetic" . Cut Pqsitil. widi , P~itîn Witi 'P~"~' Positin with NeW' : . . .', .. ... 0 ~:. '.:'.Naìe'
....
"0 ' .. Patetr .: 0 i . . 2Cent. c. , ' .nu.iU",~ ' .' , . . .' , . Ma'. In 4 '. '" Ð:_..j.t-;' . :. ~. . WiIiam':E. Cornelius Directnr',äiid Managig . DiÌectÒf. Managig Direetçr
Director
Mark W. England~Markun . Direcor, Managig Director Mallagig Director ,. . i
Direcor . '.' .
Chef Exective Offcer
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Inricin Abut Blagi Capita ' '.
Mat, Lite ("lagi"). " '.
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Gut P~itin. with Posicin With Blape .
Nam BIal! HoldiDrs Lt (U.K). Posicin With New BIa Gavi R. Dobsòn Director and Chief Direcor Chief Exective Offcer Executive Offcer James G,S, Smith Director and Chief Direcor Chief Investment Offcer Investment Offcer John R. W. Stevens Direcor and Chief Direcor Chief Fmancial Offcer Fmancial Offcer ,.
4. Managing General Partner of New Parametric.
5. Managing General Partner of New Blairlogie.
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.' lnrmti9ß Åöut. Coiumb~ Cie lntgfS. ."
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. , .. .
. . . . '. . . CÚrrn:f p~lt~ .With 00"
Irn F. Smith . ChairaÎi and Chief '.
Executive Offcer
. .. . .- .
Donald A..G:hiõouca .. , Managig Direcor and Pre!ident.
'Daníel So" Pìckett Managig Direcr
Amy Mae Hogan Managig Direcoi;
'Loui P. Çelcmiano.
'. 'Maiiagi~.-Dir~or, -.. .
, ' . . . . .' CÖlum~us .Cie Into~ 3: . .
':..' , Genera Parel'p t'ew'CC'
. .. , fosition with' Còlumbus .
. Cie M:arni-ømt. I"' .
Direcor '
.,Direcor '
.'
D.iecòr .
. Direcor
-Dirêçor .'
Position with New cc .
Chairan, Clief
Executive Offcer,
Chief Investment
Offcer
Managig Direcor
¥anåglg Dtiecol' .
. Managig Direcor
Maii~gig Direçot.
. ...
,.
6. Managing General Partner of New Cei.
A-4
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., Operati.n!! Board
. . 'Nàm~ '.
Wiliam S. 'Fompsòn;Jr.
,Wiliam H. Gross
. Brent R. Harr' .
Dean S. Mellg
. ':. ,Janies ~~ ~a .'
.. . ..
'. Wuiiani Fe Pod~~~. W
Wilam C. Powers
.1 iwin F. Smith
Donald A. Chibouca
Daniel S. Pickett
David B. Bree
Wilam D, Cvengros
Opera tin!! Commttee
Name
Wiliam D, Cvengr
Wiliam S, Thompsn
Irwn F, Smith
Equity Board
Name
Willam S, Thompson
Nillam D, Cvengros
EXIT B
"
PO-CNSOLIATION MAAGEM BÖAR OF
'. . .p.~CO.AP~RS.LP.:.~IMCON)VIRSj..
'.
.... :, . Principal bccup~tioil:. .
Director. PIMCO Inc.. Managig Director, New . .
PIMCO
Dir~or. PIMCO 1m;. Managig Direcor, Ne\
PIMCO . .
. .' Direcor. PIMCO Inc.. l4anagig 'Direcor; New PIMCO , ' . . ,
Direcor. P~CO Iic.. Managig Direcor, New .
PIMCO
.' -Direcor, PIMCO Iaç... Månagig Direcor, New . .. . :: ..pIMco." :..., . . .. '. . .,' '.' :.: ~ .. .' .' .
Direçor. PiMCO Inc.. Maaagig Direcor. Név . : . PIMCO .. . .
Director. PIMCO Inc.. Managig Direcor. New PIMCO Chairan. Chief Exective and Financial Offcer, New
CCI
Managig Direcor. New CCI
Managig Direcor. New CCI
Direcor. Cadence Inc.. Managig Direcor. New PIMCO Chief Exective Offcer, PIMCO Advrs Pnncipal Occupations
. Chief Exective Offcer, PIMCO Adviors
Director, PIMCO Inc., Chief Executive Offcer and Managig Director, New PIMCO Chairan. Chief Exective Offcer and Chief Financial
Offcer, New CCI
. Principal Occpations ,
Direcor, PIMCO Inc.. Chief Executive Offcer and Managig Direcor, New PIMCO Chief Executive Offcer, PIMCO Advors I' .' . ' '. t'
.' f" ~~.
..... .
-~lter ll, Gerken.- :: Former Director, PIMCO 4 homas .c. .Sutton- .. . ., 'Glenn S. Schaffer- . '. Vlillm. H.. Grös. ., " . . . . . .
Wiliam F.. PodU:~h, iii "
. . "
Ir P. Smith
DonaldK. Mier- ..~'
Walter E. Auch, Sr.
. Donald R. Kur ". . .. .'. .
'.
~.
Former Direèor, PFAMCO, NFJ, Cadence, Parame.triè a.iiq Bia~rlogie " '. ' '.' " . ' . .' .i~,Ç Finäal Offcer, 'PaClñc Mutual' e;O , Direcot, PiMCO 'Inc.,' Måpaging DiIectai:,. New PIMCO . . . ".'
Direcor, PIMCO InC:, Managig Director, New 'Chairan, Chi~f Execive Offce and Chief Financial . PIMCO . . . . Offcer, New GCI Former'Diredår, Vice 'CbaIran, Thomsn Adviory , ...
qrou'p LP.
Former Direcor, Thomsn Advry Group L.P.
Former D.~c:0r, Tho~n.Adry ~roup L.P. . ..0.
: .. .,'.
. ' . .
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'R'OPES..& .GRÄY
. ?NE I~TE~NATIO.NAL PLACE ~.
. . BOSTqN, MASSACHUSETTS 021'10-262.~
1001 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE. N. W. 30 KÊNNEDY PLAZA , . ~ '" '. . '.' . (61":) 9;1.-7t:aO .. ". : 5VITE 1200 sou!.., . . PROVlo-~'ÑCE, 'R. i. 029.03 TE-LEC6PIE:R: (617) 95.t'705b . .WA5FiIN.GTON. D. C..~0004 (4.01) 455'.4400 : .
T.EL£COPIER: (401) 455:440l. " . (202) 6£6.3900
:TELEC:OPIE.R: (~02) 626.39~¡¡
.... .'. :. .
. '. .. .... --. ." ..- ;, .. ',' . Wr.:i"t~r.' s Direct Di-al Number;. '(611)' 95:i-ï3~4 . '.. . '.' October 25, 1994 " . " .' . ., Heidi Stam, Esq. '. Assistant Chief Counsel
Office of the Chief Counsel
Di v~sion of I~vestment Manpgement
..:...,. .'...-Un-i-ted States..S'èc;u't,..'t-ies and. Exchatge Co:tis s.Iqn. '. ..' .. . .' .:.- .ir~o. Fi.ftìi .Street" N. ".W.:. . ..:.:.. '. . , 'Washington, D.C. .20549 " Re: Thomson Advisory Group L. P. and Affiliates
?ear Ms. Starn:
Reference 1s made to my letter, datedSepteroer 7, 1994, to'
Dorothy M. Donohue, Esq. (the "September 7 Letter") requesting a
no-action position of the Staff with respect to .the nonregistration under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the
"Act") of certain present or future affiliates of Thomson
.z~dvisory Group L. P. ("TAG L. P. "), and the supporting memorandum, dated October 7, 1994, of Messrs. Puretz, Helm and Stoller of
Dechert Price
& Rhoads submitted on behalf of Pacific Mutual Life
InsUrance Company and Pacific Financial Asset Management
Corporation. The purpose of this letter is to respond to certain
questions which you and your staff raised in a telephone
conversation with Mr. Stoller and me on October 17, 1994.
Defined terms used herein have the same meanings as given in the
September 7 Letter,
?irst, you asked whether all employees of the Requesting
Parties (i, e, r PIMCO GP, PIMCO I~c" PPLP, PIMCO ?artDers IDC,
and the Managing Partners of the Operating Subsidiariesj who will
have access to the invesLment recoT~endations of t~e registe¡ed
advisers will be required to f~r~ish personal sec~ri ties '
~ransac~io~ reports LO ~he advisers. Each of TAG ~,P, and Lhe
Operating SubparLnerships (referred to for this purpose as a
\~egistered Adviser") intends to comply with the requ:.rements of
¡Rule 204-2 (a) (12) (the "Record-K'2eping Rule") ur.der the P.ct.
.'"
I' ,i~," . ~. \ 'l'
R.OPES & GRAY. "
~ .~ !
Heidi. Stam, Esq. :- 2;. .' Octbber~ 25, 1994 . , .. .
.. ,. . .
Á~cord.ingly'l.. pursUant tò the. :R.ecÐrd:-Ke$ping .R\ll~, each Registerèd ' ,'. ~ '. Ad-viser . íntençi.s t.o 'obtain and mairitai'n' .personal 'secur'i ties . .'
t"rärisactioii records for ea"ch' \advi~o.ry': representathrei, (às' " , .. defined, in the. Record-Keeping Rule) including 'ani o£ the' following persons who obtain informati9n concerning securì ties . recommendations being 'made by the Registered Adviser prior to the
effective di.ssemination of such recommeiidations or of'the. .'
.ínformatiC;n concerning'snch recommendations: (i): any Requesting . 'Party ånd (ïi). any aff~iiated person åf such Requesting Party, includin~ .any . officer I.director or employee of such a Requesting Party. . . .
. In response to you,t; ~eFond qu~stion, p~è'ase be advised. that '..
the Requestlng .Pa~t~es dö' not ~int~nd .to :conpuct investme~t ., .
advisory ,a'ct-Iv:ities';.'(oth~ri:håñ the p~rfo'rinance oftheir.'dut.les.. .... .. ås: geIier~l :p'artners1)' and,.acc'ordin.gly, . the Requesting..Partias' do. not intend .'to relý' on'the provisions öf Sectio"n 203(b) (3)" (": . fewer than fifteen clients and who neither holds himself out generally to the .public. as an investment adviser nor acts as an investment adviser to any investment company. . . .") of the Act.
)
In response to your third question, the Requesting Parties
agree to provide members of the Staff with access to the
Requesting Parties' books and records just as if the Requesting
Parties were registered under the Act.
I trust that the foregoing is responsive to your questions
and concerns, but if you or Öther members of the Staff have any
further questions I hope that you will not hesitate to call me or
Larry Stoller at Dechert Price & Rhoads.
Yours very truly,
¡/ (ì--¡ 9f~-~
t'-~ ~."" . ~
Robe:it D, Guiod
RDG/ii~: RDGNOACS. TM
,.
1 I include within the scope of che te~m l'general partner"
the funct ions of second (e. g" PIMCO GP), third (e, g" PIMCO
Inc.) and fourth (e, g., PIMCO Partners Inc.) tier general
partners.
;'"
.- '(,11-.' (Ó' 'I
. 'ROPES & G.RAY'
~~id~ ,.S.tain, .E.s~.
, ., I. . ., . ".' ,'. " : ."
". ~C .:.. . MårtiIi ,.E .' 'Lybècker, . Ešq. NewtQa B. SchÖtt~ Esq....
. Sharon A'.. .:Cheever, .. Es q.:
, Ernest;L ~ Scnmider, Esq.
Jeffr~y, ~. : Pu~etz, Esq.
Robert W. Helm, Esq.
Larry B. ?tolla~, Esq.
" .
~
October 25, 1994
'.
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,.
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