INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), dated as of ________ __, 2011 between FQF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (“Trust”), and FFCM, LLC a Delaware limited liability company (“Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Company Act”);
WHEREAS, Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”);
WHEREAS, the Trust is and will continue to be a series fund having one or more investment portfolios, each with its own investment objectives, investment policies and restrictions;
WHEREAS, the Investment Company Act prohibits any person from acting as an investment adviser to a registered investment company except pursuant to a written contract; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Trust (collectively, the “Trustees,” and each member individually, a “Trustee”) wishes to appoint Adviser as the investment adviser of the Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trust and Adviser hereby agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF ADVISER
The Trust hereby appoints Adviser as the investment adviser for each of the Funds of the Trust specified in Appendix A to this Agreement, as such Appendix A may be amended from time to time (“Funds”), subject to the oversight of the Trustees of the Trust and in the manner and under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services and to assume the obligations set forth in this Agreement commencing on its effective date in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act and in accordance with each Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in the Trust’s Trust Instrument, By-Laws and Compliance Manual, and such Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) as is from time to time in effect. Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent unless authorized in this Agreement or writing by the Trust and Adviser.
2. DUTIES OF ADVISER
A. Scope of Authority. Subject to the oversight and supervision of the Trustees: Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for each Fund and shall determine what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained, sold or loaned by each Fund and what portion of such assets will be invested or held uninvested as cash. To carry out such decisions, Adviser is authorized, as agent and attorney-in-fact for the Trust, for the account of, at the risk of and in the name of the Trust, to place orders and issue instructions with respect to transactions for each Fund. Adviser, in consultation with any appropriate Sub-Adviser(s), will initially establish and make subsequent modifications to the lists of securities required to be tendered and accepted in connection with Fund creations and redemptions, respectively. Adviser will have the authority to act for each Fund in the same manner and with the same force and effect as such Fund itself might or could do with respect to purchases, sales and other transactions for the Fund, as well as all other things necessary or incidental to the furtherance of such purchases, sales and other transactions.
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B. Delegation of Authority. The Trust acknowledges and agrees that Adviser may select and contract with one or more investment affiliated or unaffiliated advisers (“Sub-Advisers”) to manage the investment operations and portfolio composition of each Fund and render investment advice to each Fund, including the purchase, retention, and disposition of the investments, securities and cash contained in each Fund, in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act and in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in the Trust’s Trust Instrument, By-Laws and Compliance Manual, and such Fund’s Prospectus and SAI as is from time to time in effect; provided, that any contract with a Sub-Adviser (a “Subadvisory Agreement”) shall be in compliance with and approved as required by the Investment Company Act or in accordance with any exemptive relief granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Investment Company Act. Under such circumstances, Adviser will have (A) overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of each Fund’s assets; (B) discretion to select new or additional Sub-Advisers for each Fund; (C) discretion to enter into and materially modify existing Subadvisory Agreements; (D) discretion to terminate and replace any Sub-Adviser; and (E) investment discretion to make all determinations with respect to the investment of a Fund’s assets not then managed by a Sub-Adviser, subject in the case of clauses (B) through (D) to applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act or any exemptive relief therefrom. In connection with any such delegation, Adviser will oversee the performance of delegated functions by each Sub-Adviser, directly or indirectly supervise each Sub-Adviser and be responsible for compensating each Sub-Adviser, directly or indirectly in the manner specified in the Subadvisory Agreement.
C. Exercise of Rights. Adviser, unless and until otherwise directed by the Trustees, will exercise all rights of security holders with respect to securities held by each Fund, including, but not limited to, voting proxies.
D. Reports to the Trustees. Upon request, Adviser shall provide to the Trustees such analyses and reports as may be required by law or otherwise reasonably required to fulfill its responsibilities under this Agreement.
E. Adviser will also furnish to the Trust, at its own expense and without remuneration from or other cost to the Trust, the following:
(i) Office Space. Adviser will provide office space in the offices of Adviser or in such other place as may be reasonably agreed upon by the parties hereto from time to time, and all necessary office facilities and equipment;
(ii) Personnel. Adviser will provide necessary executive and other personnel, including personnel for the performance of clerical and other office functions, exclusive of those functions: (a) related to and to be performed under the Trust’s contract or contracts for administration, custodial, accounting, bookkeeping, transfer agency, and dividend disbursing agency or similar services by any entity, including Adviser or its affiliates, selected to perform such services under such contracts; and (b) related to the services to be provided by any Sub-Adviser pursuant to a Subadvisory Agreement;
(iii) Preparation of Prospectus and Other Documents. Adviser will provide other information and services, other than services of outside counsel or independent accountants or services to be provided by any Sub-Adviser under any Subadvisory Agreement required in connection with the preparation of all registration statements, Prospectuses, Prospectus supplements, SAIs, all annual, semiannual, and periodic reports to shareholders of the Trust, regulatory authorities, or others, and all notices and proxy solicitation materials, furnished to shareholders of the Trust or regulatory authorities, and all tax returns; and
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(iv) Cooperation with Trust Agents. Adviser agrees to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Trust, any Trust custodian or foreign sub-custodians, any Trust pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Trust, such information with respect to the Funds as they may reasonably request from time to time in the performance of their obligations, provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons and establish appropriate interfaces with each so as to promote the efficient exchange of information and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Adviser may enter into arrangements with its parent or other persons affiliated or unaffiliated with Adviser for the provision of certain personnel and facilities to Adviser to enable Adviser to fulfill its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
F. Section 11 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Trust hereby agrees that any entity or person associated with Adviser that is a member of a national securities exchange is authorized to effect any transaction on such exchange for the account of a Fund to the extent and as permitted by Section 11(a)(1)(H) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”).
G. Section 28(e) of the 0000 Xxx. The Adviser will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for each Fund either directly with the issuer or through other brokers. In the selection of brokers and the placement of orders for the purchase and sale of Fund investments for the Funds, the Adviser shall use its best efforts to obtain for the Funds the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as described below. In using its best efforts to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, the Adviser, bearing in mind the Trust's best interests at all times, shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker involved and the quality of service rendered by the broker in other transactions. Subject to appropriate policies and procedures approved by the Trustees, Adviser may, to the extent authorized by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, cause a Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage or research services to Adviser, a Sub-Adviser, the Trust and the Fund an amount of commission for effecting a Fund transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if Adviser determines, in good faith, that such amount of commission is reasonable in relationship to the value of such brokerage or research services provided in terms of that particular transaction or Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund, the Trust or its other investment advisory clients. To the extent authorized by said Section 28(e) and the Trustees, Adviser shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of such action.
H. Compliance with Rule 38a-1. The Adviser shall maintain policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal securities laws, and shall employ personnel to administer the policies and procedures who have the requisite level of skill and competence required to effectively discharge its responsibilities. The Adviser shall also provide the Trust’s chief compliance officer with periodic reports regarding its compliance with the federal securities laws, and shall promptly provide special reports in the event of any material violation of the federal securities laws.
3. ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES
A. Expenses Paid by Adviser:
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(i) Salaries, Expenses and Fees of Certain Persons. Adviser (or its affiliates) shall pay all salaries, expenses, and fees of the Trustees and officers of the Trust who are officers, directors/trustees, partners, or employees of Adviser or its affiliates; and
(ii) Assumption of Trust Expenses. The payment or assumption by Adviser of any expense of the Trust that Adviser is not required by this Agreement to pay or assume shall not obligate Adviser to pay or assume the same or any similar expense of the Trust on any subsequent occasion.
B. Expenses Paid by the Trust: The Trust will pay all expenses of its organization, operations, and business not specifically assumed or agreed to be paid by Adviser, as provided in this Agreement, or by a Sub-Adviser, as provided in a Subadvisory Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trust shall pay or arrange for the payment of the following:
(i) Preparing, Printing and Mailing of Certain Documents. The costs of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing of Prospectuses, Prospectus supplements, SAIs, annual, semiannual and periodic reports, and notices and proxy solicitation materials required to be furnished to shareholders of the Trust or regulatory authorities, and all tax returns;
(ii) Officers and Trustees. Compensation of the officers and Trustees of the Trust who are not officers, directors/trustees, partners or employees of Adviser or its affiliates;
(iii) Registration Fees and Expenses. All legal and other fees and expenses incurred in connection with the affairs of the Trust, including those incurred with respect to registering its shares with regulatory authorities and all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, setting in type, printing, and filing with necessary regulatory authorities of any registration statement and Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements that may be made from time to time, including registration, filing and other fees in connection with requirements of regulatory authorities;
(iv) Custodian and Accounting Services. All expenses of the transfer, receipt, safekeeping, servicing and accounting for the Trust’s cash, securities, and other property, including all charges of depositories, custodians, and other agents, if any;
(v) Independent Legal and Accounting Fees and Expenses. The charges for the services and expenses of the independent accountants and legal counsel retained by the Trust, for itself or its Independent Trustees;
(vi) Transfer Agent. The charges and expenses of maintaining shareholder accounts, including all charges of transfer, bookkeeping, and dividend disbursing agents appointed by the Trust;
(vii) Brokerage Costs. All brokers’ commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Trust in connection with securities transactions to which the Trust is a party;
(viii) Taxes. All taxes and corporate fees payable by or with respect to the Trust to federal, state, or other governmental agencies, including preparation of such documents as required by any governmental agency in connection with such taxes;
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(ix) Trade Association Fees. Any membership fees, dues or expenses incurred in connection with the Trust’s membership in any trade association or similar organizations, as approved by the Trustees;
(x) Bonding and Insurance. All insurance premiums for fidelity and other coverage, as approved by the Trustees;
(xi) Shareholder and Board of Trustees Meetings. All expenses incidental to holding shareholders and Trustees meetings, including the printing of notices and proxy materials and proxy solicitation fees and expenses;
(xii) Pricing. All expenses of pricing of the net asset value per share of each Fund, including the cost of any equipment or services to obtain price quotations; and
(xiii) Nonrecurring and Extraordinary Expenses. Such extraordinary expenses, such as indemnification payments or damages awarded in litigation or settlements made.
The Trust agrees that Adviser may, but is not obligated to, enter into a separate letter agreement with the Trust, pursuant to which Adviser would reimburse a Fund’s expenses or waive a portion of Adviser’s fee to the extent necessary to maintain the Fund’s expense ratio at an agreed-upon amount for an agreed-upon period of time. To the extent and on the terms provided in such separate letter agreement, Adviser may recoup such expenses reimbursed or waived by it, which a Fund was obligated to pay, and such recoupment will not be considered to be a part of the Adviser’s compensation under section 4 of this Agreement.
4. COMPENSATION OF ADVISER
For its services performed hereunder, the Trust will pay Adviser with respect to each Fund the compensation specified in Appendix A to this Agreement. Such compensation shall be paid to Adviser by the Trust monthly; however, the Trust will calculate this charge on the average daily net asset value of each Fund and accrue it on a daily basis. If this Agreement becomes effective or terminates with respect to any Fund before the end of any month, the fee for the period from the effective date to the end of the month or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion that such period bears to the full month in which such effectiveness or termination occurs.
5. NON-EXCLUSIVITY
The services of Adviser are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and Adviser shall be free to render investment management, advisory or other services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities so long as the services provided hereunder by Adviser are not impaired. It is understood and agreed that the directors, officers and employees of Adviser are not prohibited from engaging in any other business activity or from rendering services to any other person, or from serving as partners, officers, directors/trustees, or employees of any other firm or corporation, including other investment companies.
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6. LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY
A. Adviser. Adviser will exercise its best judgment in rendering its services to the Trust, and the Trust agrees, as an inducement to Adviser’s undertaking to do so, that Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, but will be liable only for willful misconduct, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties or obligations in rendering its services to the Trust as specified in this Agreement. Any person, even though an officer, director, employee or agent of Adviser, who may be or become an officer, Trustee, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be deemed, when rendering services to the Trust or when acting on any business of the Trust, to be rendering such services to or to be acting solely for the Trust and not as an officer, director, employee or agent, or one under the control or direction of Adviser, even though paid by it.
B. Trustees and Shareholders. Adviser is hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Trust Instrument and agrees that obligations assumed by the Trust pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the Trust and its assets, and if the liability relates to one Fund, the obligations hereunder shall be limited to the respective assets of that Fund. The Adviser further agrees that it shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any individual shareholder of the Fund, nor from the Trustees or any individual Trustee of a Trust. This Agreement is executed by each Trust’s Trustees and/or officers in their capacities as Trustees and/or officers and the obligations of this Agreement are not binding upon any of them or the shareholders individually; rather, they are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust.
C. Consequential Damages. Neither party shall be liable to the other party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.
7. BOOKS AND RECORDS
The Adviser shall maintain records for each Fund relating to portfolio transactions and the placing and allocation of brokerage orders as are required to be maintained by the Trust under the Investment Company Act. The Adviser shall prepare and maintain, or cause to be prepared and maintained, in such form and in such locations as may be required by applicable law, all documents and records relating to the services provided by the Adviser pursuant to this Agreement required to be prepared and maintained by the Trust pursuant to the rules and regulations of any national, state or local government entity with jurisdiction over the Trust, including the Internal Revenue Service. The records relating to the services provided under this Agreement shall be the property of the Trust and shall be deemed to be under its control; however, the Trust shall furnish to Adviser such records and permit it to retain such records (either in original or in duplicate form) as it shall reasonably require in order to carry out its duties. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, such records shall promptly be returned to the Trust by Adviser free from any claim or retention of rights therein, provided that Adviser may retain copies of any such records that are required by law. Adviser shall keep confidential any information obtained in connection with its duties hereunder, including information concerning the holdings, transactions or business activities of the Trust or any of its portfolios, and disclose such information only if the Trust has authorized such disclosure, or if such disclosure is in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Trust or is expressly required or lawfully requested by applicable federal or state regulatory authorities.
8. DURATION OF AGREEMENT
With respect to each Fund, this Agreement shall become effective upon the date indicated in Appendix A, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has been approved: (i) by a vote of a majority of those trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) (“Independent Trustees”) of any party to the Agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the Trust’s outstanding securities. The Agreement will continue in effect for two years from the date of its effectiveness and may be continued for successive annual periods thereafter so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually either by (i) the Trustees or (ii) by the vote, as appropriate, of either a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of any affected Fund.
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9. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT
No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and no material amendment of this Agreement as to a given Fund shall be effective until approved by the Trustees and such Fund shareholders to the extent required by the Investment Company Act.
10. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or, with respect to any affected Fund, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to Adviser, or by Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Trust. This Agreement will automatically terminate, without payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment.
11. PROVISION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY ADVISER
Adviser will notify the Trust of the occurrence of any of the following events:
A. Adviser fails to be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in which Adviser is required to be registered as an investment adviser in order to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
B. Adviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Trust; and/or
C. A change in control or management of Adviser is anticipated.
12. NAMING RIGHTS
The Trust and each Fund may use the name “FQF Trust,” “FFCM” and “QuantShares” for only so long as this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment hereof remains in effect, including any similar agreement with any organization which shall have succeeded to the business of the Adviser. At such time as such an agreement shall no longer be in effect, the Trust and each Fund will (to the extent that it lawfully can) cease to use any name derived from FFCM, LLC or any successor organization.
13. FORCE MAJEURE
Adviser shall not be liable for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, work stoppages, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riot, or failure of communication or power supply. In the event of equipment breakdowns beyond its control, Adviser shall take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions but shall have no liability with respect thereto.
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14. GOVERNING LAW
The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (without giving effect to its conflict of laws principles), or any of the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions in this Agreement, conflict with applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control. Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the Investment Company Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the Investment Company Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the Investment Company Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act unless otherwise stated herein. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the Investment Company Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or of general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
15. HEADINGS
The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.
16. INTERPRETATION
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust to take any action contrary to its Trust Instrument or By-Laws, or any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements to which it is subject or by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Trustees of their responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust.
17. SEVERABILITY
Should any portion of this Agreement for any reason be held to be void in law or in equity, the Agreement shall be construed, insofar as is possible, as if such portion had never been contained herein.
18. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the parties.
19. NOTICES
All notices required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be delivered or mailed to the last known business address of the Trust or Adviser in person or by registered mail or a private mail or delivery service providing the sender with notice of receipt. Notice shall be deemed given on the date delivered in accordance with this section.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date first mentioned above.
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By:
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FFCM, LLC
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By:
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APPENDIX A
TO THE
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
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Fund
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Effective Date
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Fee Rate
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Momentum Fund – (MOM)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Value Fund – (CHEP)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Beta Fund – (BTAH)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Size Fund – (SIZ)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Quality Fund – (QLT)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Momentum Fund – (NOMO)
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___%
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QuantShares U.S. Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund – (BTAL)
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___%
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