The 2026 ICI Investment Management Conference reflected the industry's continued momentum under an encouraging regulatory environment. IM Director Brian Daly emphasized modernization and deregulation as key priorities and urged the industry to proactively engage with the SEC during the current administration's remaining tenure. Commissioner Hester Peirce, delivering keynote remarks in what she framed as a bookend to her tenure, called for a move away from a "misery" model of regulation in favor of a framework aligned with the practices of well-run firms. Key themes included expanding retail access to private markets, the rapid proliferation of ETF share classes, AI-driven transformation across compliance and operations, tokenization of financial assets, and fund proxy reform. Among attendees, there was a strong sense of forward motion, with firms actively pursuing innovative product structures and engaging regulators on long-sought modernization efforts.
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