The documentation supporting the majority of the world’s derivatives transactions has been standardized to some extent since the introduction of the first form of ISDA Master Agreement in 1987.  The ever-evolving landscape of regulations, products and market innovations, however, have required a growing yet nuanced architecture of comprehensive derivatives documentation to ensure the market can operate in the most safe and efficient manner possible.

This comprehensive two-day course will introduce you to the key uses and risks of derivatives and provide an in-depth review of the foundational documents related to derivatives transactions. You will learn to identify key elements of derivatives documents including the ISDA Master Agreement, initial margin and variation margin credit support documentation, gain an understanding of key considerations related to negotiating these documents, and learn how to use the ISDA Create platform to turn those negotiations into legal documents.  This course will also cover special document-related developments emerging in derivatives, including those related to environmental trading, securities financing transactions, and digital currencies.

Led by a team of seasoned industry practitioners, the ISDA Masterclass on Documentation will equip you with a deep practical knowledge of the key elements of ISDA’s documentation and support your confidence in negotiating these documents, as well as provide insight into the latest developments in market documentation.

This course is designed to be both instructional and interactive. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions throughout and will be given the opportunity to work first hand with ISDA Create to simulate a real contract negotiation. If there is something specific you would like to learn in this course you can submit your question to the speakers ahead of the conference and we will do our best to have them answered the day of the event.

Derivatives are evolving and standard-setters have developed new accounting requirements to manage the associated risks and make the derivatives markets safer and more efficient. This comprehensive two-day in-person masterclass in accounting for derivatives will provide you with the essential knowledge you need to navigate this complex area and is open to professionals with all levels of expertise.

The first day will begin with an overview of fundamental concepts, starting with the various derivative products (i.e., futures, forwards, options, and swaps) and their functionality and accounting impact. The overall focus will be to introduce you to the foundations behind accounting for derivatives, how entities use these instruments in practice, along with their respective balance sheet presentation (e.g., netting and offsetting requirements) and measurement under US GAAP and IFRS. The course will also provide an overview of the valuation of derivatives and the requirements for recognizing valuation adjustments such as credit valuation adjustment (CVA), debit valuation adjustment (DVA), funding valuation adjustment (FVA) and other valuation adjustments (XVAs). In addition to these educational sessions, there will be an interactive panel discussion led by high-calibre speakers who will be discussing the key recent market developments in derivative use.

The second day will be a deep-dive into more advanced topics. This course intends to teach attendees how to designate hedge accounting relationships, assess hedge effectiveness, prepare journal entries, and draft the required disclosures. Through various sessions, you will learn about the different hedge accounting models and the requirements to qualify for hedge accounting including portfolio hedging, and how to navigate the issues pertaining to the bifurcation of hybrid instruments with embedded derivatives, noting differences between IFRS and US GAAP. The course will provide updates on recent developments on projects from both the FASB, related to definition of a derivative and hedge accounting improvements, and IASB related to Dynamic Risk Management and the Classification and Measurement of Financial Instruments. Finally, it will discuss the latest developments in accounting for environmental, social and governance (ESG) instruments and digital assets. There will also be a brief session providing market updates related to the recent banking and liquidity crisis.

Led by a team of senior industry practitioners and accounting specialists, this in-person course will equip professionals with a deep practical knowledge of core accounting issues and strategies, as well as insights into emerging trends reshaping the derivatives business.

*Course developed jointly with EY*

Collateral risk mitigation regulation has evolved around the world, and the field of collateral operations is becoming more complex with day-to-day operations.

This comprehensive 2-Day ISDA Masterclass in Collateral Management was developed to help participants learn (i) the terminology of collateral, securities, and related documentation, (ii) relevant regulatory history and current market practice, especially with regard to the post-Uncleared Margin Requirements landscape, and (iii) a practical explanation of tasks and responsibilities for OTC margin managers.

ISDA’s Masterclasses are intentionally designed to provide a small group, interactive, intensive learning opportunity. Attendees receive personal attention from instructors, hands-on examples of concepts and real-time feedback. Attendees are encouraged to submit any personal course goals or questions ahead of the event which helps instructors prepare remarks especially relevant to you and your needs.