Trading Code of Ethics The Adviser has adopted a written Code of Ethics that is applicable to all of its members, officers and employees, as well as officers and employees of its affiliates and certain independent contractors (collectively, “Adviser Personnel”). The Code of Ethics, which is designed to comply with Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act, establishes guidelines for professional conduct and personal trading procedures, including certain pre-clearance and reporting obligations. Adviser Personnel and their families and households purchase investments for their own accounts, including the same investments as are purchased or sold for a Fund, subject to the terms of the Code of Ethics. Under the Code of Ethics, Adviser Personnel are also required to file certain periodic reports with the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer as required by Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act. The Code of Ethics helps the Adviser detect and prevent potential conflicts of interest. Adviser Personnel who violate the Code of Ethics may be subject to remedial actions, including, but not limited to, profit disgorgement, fines, censure, demotion, suspension or dismissal. Adviser Personnel are also required to promptly report any violation of the Code of Ethics of which they -17-
become aware. Adviser Personnel are required to annually certify compliance with the Code of Ethics. A copy of the Code of Ethics is available to any client or prospective client upon written request to Walter Wiacek, Chief Compliance Officer, Fenway Partners, LLC, 108 Airport Road, Suite 103, Westerly, RI 02891. Participation or Interest in Client Transactions Certain employees and affiliates of the Adviser have invested alongside the Funds, either through the General Partners, as direct investors in the Funds or otherwise. The General Partner will not charge any Advisory Fee or Carried Interest related to investments held by such persons. For further details regarding these arrangements, as well as conflicts of interest presented by them, please see “Conflicts of Interest” immediately below. Due in part to the fact that potential investors in a Fund (including purchasers of a limited partner’s interests in a secondary transaction) or a co-investment opportunity (see below) ask different questions and request different information, the Adviser has from time to time provided certain information to one or more prospective investors that it has not provided to all of the prospective investors or limited partners. Conflicts of Interest The Adviser and its related entities engage in a broad range of activities, including investment activities for their own account and for the account of other investment funds, and providing transaction-related, investment advisory, management and other services to Funds and operating companies. In the ordinary course of conducting its activities, the interests of a Fund will from time to time conflict with the interests of the Adviser, other Funds or their respective affiliates. Certain of these conflicts of interest, as well as a description of how the Adviser addresses such conflicts of interest, can be found below. The Adviser has in the past and may in the future establish certain investment vehicles through which certain employees of the Adviser or its affiliates, certain business associates, other “friends of the firm,” or other persons have invested alongside one or more Funds in one or more investment opportunities. Such vehicles, referred to herein as “co-investment vehicles,” may, in certain circumstances, be contractually required to purchase and sell certain investment opportunities on substantially the same terms as the applicable Fund that is invested in that investment opportunity. Such co-investment vehicles do not pay Advisory Fees or Carried Interest. In particular, a Fund’s general partner generally designates an additional amount of capital that it intends to contribute to the Fund (an “Additional GP Investment Amount”). In addition, employees and officers of the Adviser and certain affiliates and former affiliates (including, without limitation, investment vehicles and trusts established for such persons) (together, the “CoInvestment Group”) invest substantial additional capital alongside the Fund. In the aggregate, over the life of the investment program of a Fund, the sum of the capital commitment of the general partner to the Fund, plus the aggregate of all Additional GP Investment Amounts, plus the aggregate co-investment amounts of the Co-Investment Group will represent at least 4% of the capital invested in such investment program. The co-investment amount of the Co-Investment -18-
Group and the Additional GP Investment Amount must be specified annually by March 31 and will not exceed 10% of the securities available to the Fund in that year. The Co-Investment Group must invest ratably in every investment made by the Fund during that year and the Co-Investment Group’s participation must be on the same terms and conditions as the Fund’s participation, except as is necessary or advisable because of different legal or regulatory constraints. The Funds enter into transactions with the members of the Co-Investment Group so as to effect such ratable investment, including without limitation a purchase by a Fund of a portion of an investment originally made by members of the Co-Investment Group or a purchase by members of the CoInvestment Group of a portion of an investment originally made by a Fund. To the extent that any such purchase is required, such purchase shall occur not later than January 30 of the year following the year in which the investment was originally made and the purchase price shall be the original cost of the portion of the investment being purchased plus interest on such amount calculated from the date such investment was originally made to the date of such purchase. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Fund’s advisory board shall have the power and authority to approve variations in the Co-Investment Amount, Additional GP Investment Amount and the procedures described above. The terms and conditions of such co-investments are set forth in more detail in a Fund’s limited partnership agreement. The material conflicts of interest encountered by a Fund include those discussed below, although the discussion below does not necessarily describe all of the conflicts that are faced by a Fund. Other conflicts may be disclosed throughout this brochure and the brochure should be read in its entirety for other conflicts. Resolution of Conflicts In the case of all conflicts of interest, the Adviser’s determination as to which factors are relevant, and the resolution of such conflicts, will be made using the Adviser’s best judgment, but in its sole discretion. In resolving conflicts, the Adviser considers various factors, including the interests of the applicable Funds with respect to the immediate issue and/or with respect to their longer term courses of dealing. Certain procedures for resolving specific conflicts of interest are set forth below. When conflicts arise, the following factors generally mitigate, but will not eliminate, conflicts of interest: (1)
The Adviser will consider the appropriateness of an investment from the viewpoint of a Fund;
(2)
Many important conflicts of interest will generally be resolved by set procedures, restrictions or other provisions contained in the Organizational Documents for the Funds;
(3)
Generally, each Fund has established an advisory committee, consisting of representatives of investors not affiliated with the Adviser. The advisory committees meet as required to consult with the Adviser as to certain potential conflicts of interest. On any issue involving actual conflicts of interest, the Adviser will be guided by its good faith discretion;
(4)
Where the Adviser deems appropriate, unaffiliated third parties will be used to help resolve conflicts, such as the use of an investment banker to opine as to the fairness of a purchase or sale price; -19-
(5)
The Adviser has adopted and implemented certain policies and procedures designed to reduce certain conflicts of interest; and
(6)
Prior to subscribing for interests in a Fund, each investor receives information relating to significant potential conflicts of interest arising from the proposed activities of the Fund.
While the Adviser endeavors to resolve all conflicts in a fair and impartial manner, there can be no assurance that its own interests will not influence its conduct and decisions. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will identify or resolve all conflicts in a manner that is favorable to the Funds and the Funds’ investors may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the actual occurrence of conflicts or have any right to consent to them as they arise. Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among Clients In connection with its investment activities, the Adviser will encounter situations in which it must determine how to allocate investment opportunities (including follow-on investments) among various clients and other persons, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Funds (including those established for the purpose of participating in a “continuation transaction”);
Clients advised by the Adviser or its personnel in the future; and
Any co-investors or co-investment vehicles that have been formed to invest side-by-side with one or more Funds in all or particular transactions entered into by such Fund(s) (the co-investors or investors in such co-investment vehicles which include employees, business associates and other “friends and family” of the Adviser or its personnel (“Adviser Investors”), individuals and entities that are also investors in one or more Funds, and/or individuals and entities that are not investors in any Funds (“Third Parties”)).
While the Funds generally are only permitted to invest in follow-on investments, to the extent the Adviser encounters a situation in which it must determine how to allocate investment opportunities, the Adviser makes allocation determinations consistent with the Funds’ Organizational Documents and in accordance with its written policies and procedures. The Funds are generally subject to investment allocation requirements (collectively, “Investment Allocation Requirements”). Investment Allocation Requirements are generally set forth in the Fund’s Organizational Documents. To the extent the Investment Allocation Requirements of a Fund do not include specific allocation procedures and/or allow the Adviser discretion in making allocation decisions among the Funds, the Adviser will follow the process set forth below. The Adviser must first determine which Funds and/or other parties are eligible to participate in an investment opportunity. The Adviser assesses whether an investment opportunity is appropriate for a particular Fund(s), based on the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and structure, which are typically reflected in such Fund’s Organizational Documents. Prior to making any allocation to a Fund of an investment opportunity, the Adviser determines what additional factors may restrict or limit the offering of an investment opportunity to the Fund. Possible restrictions include, but are not limited to: -20-
Obligation to Offer: the Adviser may be required to offer an investment opportunity to one or more Funds.
Related Investments: the Adviser may offer an investment opportunity related to an investment previously made by a Fund(s) to such Fund(s) to the exclusion of, or resulting in a limited offering to, other Funds.
Legal and Regulatory Exclusions: the Adviser may determine that certain Funds or investors in such Funds should be excluded from an allocation due to specific legal, regulatory and contractual restrictions placed on the participation of such persons in certain types of investment opportunities. For example, the fact that the Funds are outside of their investment periods.
Once the Adviser identifies the Funds that are eligible to participate in a particular investment, the Adviser, in its discretion, decides how to allocate such investment opportunity among the identified Funds. In allocating such investment opportunity, the Adviser will consider some or all of a wide range of factors, which include, but are not necessarily limited to, one or more of the following:
Each Fund’s investment objectives and investment focus;
Transaction sourcing (and with respect to an investment opportunity originated by a third party, the relationship of a particular Fund to or with such third party);
Each Fund’s liquidity and reserves (including whether a Fund is able to commit to invest all capital required to consummate a particular investment opportunity);
Each Fund’s diversification (including the actual, relative or potential exposure of a Fund to the type of investment opportunity in terms of its existing portfolio);
Lender covenants and other limitations;
Amount of capital available for investment by each Fund as well as each Fund’s projected future capacity for investment (including whether a Fund is able to invest all capital required to consummate a particular investment opportunity) and anticipated coinvestment (if any);
The size, liquidity and duration of the investment;
Each Fund’s targeted rate of return;
Stage of development of the prospective portfolio company or other investment and anticipated holding period of the portfolio company;
Composition of each Fund’s portfolio and each Fund’s investment concentration parameters (including, without limitation, parameters such as geography, industry, issuer, volatility, leverage or other similar risk metrics);
The suitability as a follow-on investment for a current portfolio company of a Fund or to upsize an existing investment;
Timing expected necessary to execute an investment;
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The use of leverage in the proposed capital structure;
The availability of other suitable investments for each Fund;
Risk considerations;
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