AXA Rosenberg Investment Management LLC - s. 218 of the Regulation

Headnote

Application to the Commission for an order, pursuant to section 218 of Regulation 1015 of the Securities Act (Ontario), that the requirement in section 213 of the Regulation, which provides that a registered dealer that is not an individual must be a company incorporated, or a person formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada, shall not apply to the Applicant. The order sets out the terms and conditions applicable to a non-resident limited market dealer.

Applicable Statutes

Ontario Regulation 1015, R.R.O. 1990, sec. 213, 218.

May 3, 2005.

IN THE MATTER OF

THE SECURITIES ACT, R.S.O. 1990,

CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED (the ACT)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 1015,

AS AMENDED (the REGULATION)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

AXA ROSENBERG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC

ORDER

(Section 218 of the Regulation)

UPON the application (the Application) of AXA Rosenberg Investment Management LLC (the Applicant) to the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission) for an order, pursuant to section 218 of the Regulation, exempting the Applicant from the requirement in section 213 of the Regulation that the Applicant be incorporated, or otherwise formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada, in order for the Applicant to be registered under the Act as a dealer in the category of limited market dealer;

AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;

AND UPON the Applicant having represented to the Commission that:

1. The Applicant is a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware. The head office of the Applicant is located in Orinda, California.

2. The Applicant is currently registered in the United States as an investment adviser under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a registrant in good standing of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

3. The Applicant is currently registered under the Act as an adviser in the category of international adviser. Pursuant to such registration, the Applicant provides investment counselling or portfolio management services to "permitted clients" within the meaning of Rule 35-502 Non-Resident Advisers. The Applicant also manages certain investment funds which it may from time to time offer as agent to investors in Ontario, thereby managing the assets of such investors on a pooled rather than segregated account basis. It may also offer funds or other pooled investment vehicles managed by affiliates or unrelated third parties. The Ontario investors purchasing such funds or other vehicles will generally be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 45-501 Exempt Distributions of the Commission. By offering such funds to investors in Ontario, the Applicant may be acting as a market intermediary, such that a limited market dealer registration may be necessary.

4. The Applicant intends to apply to the Commission for registration under the Act as a dealer in the category of limited market dealer.

5. Section 213 of the Regulation provides that a registered dealer that is not an individual must be a company incorporated, or a person formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada.

6. The Applicant is not resident in Canada and does not require a separate Canadian company in order to carry out its proposed limited market dealer activities in Ontario. It is more efficient and cost-effective to carry out those activities through the existing company.

7. Without the relief requested the Applicant would not meet the requirements of the Regulation for registration as a dealer in the category of limited market dealer as it is not a company incorporated, or a person formed or created, under the laws of Canada or a province or territory of Canada.

AND UPON being satisfied that to make this order would not be prejudicial to the public interest;

IT IS ORDERED THAT, pursuant to section 218 of the Regulation, and in connection with the registration of the Applicant as a dealer under the Act in the category of limited market dealer, section 213 of the Regulation shall not apply to the Applicant for a period of three years, provided that:

1. The Applicant appoints an agent for service of process in Ontario.

2. The Applicant shall provide to each client resident in Ontario a statement in writing disclosing the non-resident status of the Applicant, the Applicant's jurisdiction of residence, the name and address of the agent for service of process of the Applicant in Ontario, and the nature of risks to clients that legal rights may not be enforceable.

3. The Applicant will not change its agent for service of process in Ontario without giving the Ontario Securities Commission 30 days prior notice of such change by filing a new Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service of Process.

4. The Applicant and each of its registered directors or officers irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative tribunals of Ontario and any administrative proceedings in Ontario, in any proceedings arising out of or related to or concerning its registration under the Act or its activities in Ontario as a registrant.

5. The Applicant will not have custody of, or maintain customer accounts in relation to securities, funds, and other assets of clients resident in Ontario.

6. The Applicant will inform the Director immediately upon the Applicant becoming aware:

(a) that it has ceased to be registered in the United States as a broker-dealer; or

(b) of its registration in any other jurisdiction not being renewed or being suspended or revoked; or

(c) that it is the subject of an investigation or disciplinary action by any financial services or securities regulatory authority or self-regulatory authority; or

(d) that the registration of its salespersons, officers or directors who are registered in Ontario have not been renewed or have been suspended or revoked in any Canadian or foreign jurisdiction; or

(e) that any of its salespersons, officers or directors who are registered in Ontario are the subject of an investigation or disciplinary action by any financial services or securities regulatory authority or self-regulatory authority in any Canadian or foreign jurisdiction.

7. The Applicant will pay the increased compliance and case assessment costs of the Commission due to the Applicant's location outside Ontario, including the cost of hiring a third party to perform a compliance review on behalf of the Commission.

8. The Applicant will make its books and records outside Ontario, including electronic records, readily accessible in Ontario, and will produce physical records for the Commission within a reasonable time if requested.

9. If the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Applicant's books and records are located prohibit production of the books and records in Ontario without the consent of the relevant client the Applicant shall, upon a request by the Commission:

(a) so advise the Commission; and

(b) use its best efforts to obtain the client's consent to the production of the books and records.

10. The Applicant will, upon the Commission's request, provide a representative to assist the Commission in compliance and enforcement matters.

11. The Applicant and each of its registered directors or officers will comply, at the Applicant's expense, with requests under the Commission's investigation powers and orders under the Act in relation to the Applicant's dealings with Ontario clients, including producing documents and witnesses in Ontario, submitting to audit or search and seizure process or consenting to an asset freeze, to the extent such powers would be enforceable against the Applicant if the Applicant were resident in Ontario.

12. If the laws of the Applicant's jurisdiction of residence that are otherwise applicable to the giving of evidence or production of documents prohibit the Applicant or the witnesses from giving the evidence without the consent or leave of the relevant client or any third party, including a court of competent jurisdiction, the Applicant shall:

(a) so advise the Commission; and

(b) use its best efforts to obtain the client's consent to the giving of the evidence.

13. The Applicant will maintain appropriate registration and regulatory organization membership, in the jurisdiction of its principal operations, and if required, in its jurisdiction of residence.