WORK EXPERIENCE
From 2007 – 2017, Marla Roeser worked at two wealth management firms that provided asset and wealth management, financial planning, tax planning, financial management, estate planning, charitable planning, and consolidated performance reporting services to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families. Mrs. Roeser had a broad range of responsibilities including:
Regulatory compliance: Implement, maintain and enhance the firm’s regulatory compliance program including SEC, CFTC, DOL, NFA compliance requirements, including oversight of portfolio management, marketing, client servicing, research and due diligence, committees, operational policies and procedures, Code of Ethics, client agreements, investment policy statements, and disclosures. Advised senior executives regarding regulatory consequences of business activities.
Internal Controls: Facilitating the development of policies and procedures that include appropriate internal controls to prevent errors, violations of securities laws, and harm to clients.
Enterprise Risk Management: Developed an enterprise risk management program to assess firm risks and conflicts of interest and manage mitigation efforts.
Fund Governance: Chair risk management oversight committee tasked with overseeing the portfolio managers for six internal private funds, portfolio oversight, manager due diligence, operational due diligence, valuation, concentration risk, and other investment risk issues. Manage independent board of trustees to private funds by running Board meetings, creating agenda’s, ensuring adherence to the funds’ operating agreements, and advising the board on legal issues.
Operational Due Diligence: determine the operational due diligence policies and procedures, conduct interviews with managers, review large amounts of data, and compare to industry standards. Document the facts and findings, including opinions and recommendations.
Audits: Plan and execute internal compliance and operational audits/reviews/forensic testing based on risk assessments in all business units, periodic compliance program testing, managing annual parent company audits, and undergo SEC and CFTC audits and mock audits.
From 1999-2007, Marla Roeser worked at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. at headquarters and the Pacific Regional Office in Los Angeles, CA. While at the SEC, Mrs. Roeser:
Investment Adviser Examinations: Performed examinations of investment advisers, hedge funds, and registered investment companies by gathering information and conducting analysis to evaluate compliance with federal securities laws.
Policy Making: Interpreted and advised Commission staff, outside counsel, and other securities professionals on anti-fraud and anti-manipulation rules governing short sales, securities distributions and underwritings, publications of quotations in quotation mediums, mergers and acquisitions, tender offers, and issuer repurchases. Reviewed and recommended action regarding requests for exemptive and no-action relief. Examined issues for the short sale rule modernization project and drafted portions of a proposed rulemaking.
Enforcement Actions: Analyzed Division of Enforcement memoranda (e.g., formal orders, civil action proceedings, settlement orders) for broker-dealer regulation, manipulation, and other market regulation issues and make recommendations to Enforcement’s Office of Chief Counsel.
President (2016-17 and 2017-18), Carderock Springs Elementary School Educational Foundation, board member (2015 - present)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Investment Advisor Association Fall Workshop panelist, Washington DC, October 2017
"Compliance Testing" Investment Advisor Association Annual Compliance Conference, 2016
"Compliance Training Techniques" Investment Advisor Association, Webinar, 2015
"Compliance 101- Building a Compliance Testing Program" Investment Advisor Association, Annual Conference, 2015
"Advertising and Social Media" Investment Advisor Association, Annual Conference, 2014
"Beyond Compliance: Enterprise Risk Management" ACA Compliance Group Fall Conference, 2013
"Managing Compliance in Sub-Advisory Relationships" ACA Compliance Group Spring Conference, 2013
"Workshop for Medium Advisors - Due Diligence of Managers" Investment Advisor Association, Annual Conference, 2013
"Utilization of Social Media by Advisors" ACA Compliance Group Fall Conference, 2011
"Insider Trading" ACA Compliance Group Spring Conference, 2011
"Risk Management: New Strategies for Addressing Today's Risks" Investment Advisor Association and ACA Compliance Group Conference, 2010
"Advertising and Marketing" ACA Compliance Group Conference, March 2008
SEC Pacific Regional Office’s Chief Compliance Officers Outreach seminars, 2005-2007
EDUCATION
B.A. UC Santa Barbara, 1995,Law and Society
JD Pepperdine University, 1999, Cum laude
Literary Editor, Pepperdine Law Review
ADMITTED
Maryland
California