The Belgian GIPS Country Sponsor

The objectives of GIPS Country Sponsors and the role of BEAMA

BEAMA was approved as the Belgian GIPS Country Sponsor at the end of 2007, after successful completion of the application procedure.

The role of the GIPS Country Sponsor first of all consists in providing an important link between the GIPS EC, i.e. the governing body for the GIPS Standards, and the local markets in which investment (fund and asset) managers operate. The GIPS Country Sponsor has the following objectives:

• Nominate a representative to sit on the RIPS (for Belgium, this is RIPS Emea) and the GIPS Council. The representative must take care of voicing local issues and concerns in international meetings of GIPS and of ensuring appropriate local market expertise on the use of / compliance with GIPS Standards in order to discuss relevant issues.
• Promulgate locally the GIPS Standards and maintain their integrity.
• Provide local market support for the GIPS Standards by organizing meetings, enhancing public awareness (website, news articles, educational programs), etc.

The link to the GIPS bodies is taken care of by the Secretary General of BEAMA (josette.leenders@febelfin.be).

BEAMA also has two official GIPS representatives for Belgium among its members (Chris Muyldermans, KBC Asset Management: chris.muyldermans@kbc.be and Bart De Cock, Dexia Asset Management: bart.decock@dexia.com).

BEAMA is also member of EFAMA, the European Fund and Asset Management Association. EFAMA also has a link with GIPS via its associate membership in RIPS Emea. This evolution was considered to be necessary now that the GIPS Standards, as an instrument of performance and risk presentation, are confronted with EU and other regulation dealing with similar matters (e.g. MiFID, UCITS).