Almost half of hedge fund investors believe that increased regulation and greater scrutiny of the alternative investment sector will bring about positive change in the industry, compared with only 23% of hedge fund managers.
The findings come from a survey conducted in December 2012 for the 2013 Preqin Global Hedge Fund Report and reveal a sharp contrast between the expectations some investors and fund managers have about the growing tide of regulation being introduced.
Preqin said the 49% of investors who believed regulation would be a positive for the industry cited benefits including increased transparency and oversight of hedge funds. The company added that investors also feel further regulations will improve the pool of managers to choose from when investing in hedge funds.
There was one point however on which both parties agreed – improving performance should be a key concern for the hedge fund industry this year.
“Operating in a new regulated environment poses many challenges for hedge fund managers, and many of those interviewed by Preqin have demonstrated concerns about the impact it will have on their performance, a key challenge they face in 2013,” said Amy Bensted, head of hedge fund products at Preqin.
“Hedge fund managers have had to comply with the increased regulatory and registration requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act. The AIFMD, which will involve additional registration and disclosure requirements, will affect managers within the European Union, as well as those which seek capital from investors within European Union member states.”