Singapore, 15 December 2021… The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today published a consultation paper to raise the standards of conduct of corporate finance (CF) advisers1 by introducing baseline requirements for due diligence work performed. These requirements will improve the quality of disclosures from entities seeking to raise funds from the public, thus allowing investors to make informed decisions.

2 CF advisers are currently required to have effective internal controls to address the risks associated with their activities and mitigate conflicts of interests that may arise from these activities. The proposed requirements set out the minimum standards which CF advisers should adhere to when conducting due diligence on CF transactions. Under the proposal, CF advisers will be required to –

• Exercise reasonable judgement in determining the scope of the due diligence work to be performed on a CF transaction;

• Assess the veracity of information obtained in the course of their due diligence;

• In relation to their role as issue managers of initial public offerings (IPOs), satisfy additional requirements such as assessing the suitability of listing the applicant and conducting an independent review of the due diligence performed by the team responsible for advising on a specific IPO. This is to better safeguard the interests of retail investors.

3 Mr Lim Tuang Lee, Assistant Managing Director (Capital Markets), MAS, said, “Corporate finance advisers play an important gatekeeping role in safeguarding the integrity of our capital markets. The proposed requirements are consistent with best practices in major jurisdictions and seek to strengthen investor confidence in our capital markets.”

4 The consultation paper is available on MAS’ website . MAS invites interested parties to submit their comments on the proposals here by 15 February 2022.

Source: Monetary Authority of Singapore