Taiwan Depository & Clearing Corporation

Investor Services Task Force (ISTF) was founded by Taiwan Depository & Clearing Corporation (TDCC) in 2018 at Asia Pacific Central Securities Depository Group (ACG) with the objective of promoting and optimizing investor services among Asian CSDs by new technology. To further boost the information exchange among ACG members, TDCC, the ISTF convener, held the first ISFT workshop on November 14th at the Swissotel in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop was successfully held together with the Asia Fund Standardization Forum (AFSF) 2019 by Korea Securities Depository (KSD) and Thailand Securities Depository (TSD). More than 70 delegates from the Asia-Pacific Central Securities Depository Group (ACG) members, ICSDs, custodian banks, asset management companies and information service providers attended this great event.

The ISTF Workshop focused on the theme of “e-Services of Annual General Meeting (AGM)” to follow the global trend of enhancing corporate governance and increasing shareholder activism in the capital market. Industry experts and specialists were invited to address CSDs’ considerations for new technology applications and market demand for AGM services. In addition, representatives from ACG members and custodian banks also shared their experiences and insights of AGM e-Services and discussed challenges and opportunities in the financial sector. During the panel discussion, KSD talked about its technical attempt and direction for AGM services; CDSL introduced e-voting and AGM services; HKEX updated the newly-launched hybrid virtual meeting practice in Hong Kong; and TDCC shared its successful promotion of e-Voting in Taiwan and depicted the e-Voting ecosystem in the Taiwan market.

At the workshop, TDCC also released the “e-Services of AGM” survey results. The survey findings received many positive feedbacks from all participants, and provided reference for CSDs to develop AGM services. The key takeaways are as follows:

1. The key factor in the prevalence of AGM e-Services is the regulatory support.

2. Technologies and artificial intelligence will be widely used in AGM matters. The integrated portal for one-stop service is the most optimal AGM service model for the CSDs.

Moreover, in the AFSF session, TDCC introduced its new visualized fund services for announcements and inquiries on the integrated web portal “FundClear,” and shared how this service applies innovative technology to elevate the transparency in funds market and how it assists investors to instantaneously grasp the market dynamics, successfully attracting the attention of other CSDs in Asia.

TDCC spares no efforts on international exchange and cooperation, including hosting many momentous international conferences, serving as an executive committee and the convener of the ISTF in the ACG, participating in AFSF events, while building and maintaining the ACG official website. TDCC’s long-term involvement and contributions have been recognized by its peers. This September, TDCC Chairman & CEO Sherman Lin was elected as the ACG Vice chairman, and this ISTF Workshop was an extended continuance of his commitment to make ACG a platform for co-prosperity. He envisions this as an interactive and informative workshop that can encourage more CSDs to develop AGM services, and in the meantime discover more possible collaborative opportunities. In 2020, TDCC will be the host of “AFSF 2020” and the “22nd Cross Training Seminar of ACG.” TDCC is continuously promoting international cooperation and working with ACG members to build better capital markets in Asia.