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Fair Oaks Income Limited

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FY2015 Annual Report · Fair Oaks Income Limited
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FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED
ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2015

Contents

Highlights

Summary Information 

Chairman’s Statement 

Investment Adviser’s Report 

Board of Directors 

Disclosure of Directorships in Public Companies 
Listed on Recognised Stock Exchanges 

Directors’ Report 

Corporate Governance 

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities 

Directors’ Remuneration Report 

Report of the Audit Committee 

Independent Auditor’s Report 

Financial Statements:

Statement of Comprehensive Income 

Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity 

Statement of Financial Position 

Statement of Cash Flows 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Management and Administration 

1

2

4

9

10

11

15

19

20

21

24

25

26

27

28

29

51

•  Board  announced  intention  to  pay  monthly  dividends  of 
0.7 US cents per ordinary share, supplemented by a larger 
twelfth interim dividend. Dividends of 9.926 US cents per 
ordinary share have been paid in respect of the year.

•  Strong  interest  from  investors.  US$90  million  of  ordinary 
share  capital  was  raised  in  the  first  half  of  2015  and  an 
additional  US$102  million  was  raised  in  August  2015 
through the issue of a new C share class.

•  Dividends of 2.354 US cents per C share have been paid in 

respect of the period.

Subsequent to the year end:

•  C  shares  were  converted  into  ordinary  shares,  using  the 
conversion ratio of 1.0611 ordinary shares for every one C 
share held on 26 January 2016.

Financial 
Highlights 

31 December 
2015 

31 December
2014

Total Net Assets 

US$277,591,973  US$124,215,131

Net Asset Value  
per ordinary share 

Net Asset Value  
per C share 

Ordinary share price  
at year/period end 

US$0.8663 

US$1.0204

US$0.9191 

N/A

US$0.9500 

US$1.0430

C share price at year end 

US$0.9900 

N/A

Premium to Net Asset  
Value (ordinary shares) 

Premium to Net Asset  
Value (C shares) 

9.66% 

2.21%

7.71% 

N/A

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSSummary Information

Principal Activity
Fair  Oaks  Income  Fund  Limited  (the  “Company”  or  “FOIF”) 
was registered in Guernsey under the Companies (Guernsey) 
Law,  2008  on  7  March  2014.  The  Company’s  registration 
number is 58123 and it is regulated by the Guernsey Financial 
Services Commission as a registered closed ended collective 
investment scheme. The Company is listed and began trading 
on the Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange 
on 12 June 2014.

The Company is a feeder fund and will pursue its investment 
objective  and  policy  by  investing  in  FOIF  LP  (the  “Master 
Fund”),  in  which  the  Company  is  the  only  limited  partner. 
The general partner of the Master Fund is Fair Oaks Income 
Fund  GP  Limited  (the  “General  Partner”).  Consequently,  the 
Company’s investment objective and policy mirror those of the 
Master Fund.

Fair  Oaks  Founder  LP,  a  Guernsey  limited  partnership  has 
been established to act as the Founder Limited Partner of the 
Master Fund.

Investment Objective and Policy
The  investment  objective  of  the  Company  is  to  generate 
attractive,  risk-adjusted  returns,  principally  through  income 
distributions.

The  investment  policy  of  the  Company  is  to  seek  exposure 
to US and European Collateralised Loan Obligations (“CLOs”) 
or  other  vehicles  and  structures  which  provide  exposure  to 
portfolios consisting primarily of US and European floating-rate 
senior  secured  loans  and  which  may  include  non-recourse 
financing. 

If  at  any  time  the  Company  holds  any  uninvested  cash,  the 
Company may also invest on a temporary basis in the following 
Qualifying Short Term Investments:

•  cash or cash equivalents; 
•  government or public securities (as defined in the Financial 

Conduct Authority (“FCA”) Rules); 

•  money market instruments; 
•  bonds; 
•  commercial paper; or 
•  other  debt  obligations  with  banks  or  other  counterparties 
having a ‘‘single A’’ (or equivalent) or higher credit rating as 
determined by any internationally recognised rating agency 
selected by the Board (which may or may not be registered 
in the EU). 

The aggregate amount deposited or invested by the Company 
with  any  single  bank  or  other  non-government  counterparty 
(including  their  associates)  shall  not  exceed  20%  of  the  Net 
Asset Value (“NAV”) at the time of investment. The Company 
cannot  make  any  other  types  of 
investments  without 
shareholder  consent  to  a  change  of  investment  policy  by 
ordinary resolution at a general meeting of the Company.

1

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSChairman’s Statement

Introduction
The  independent  Board  of  the  Company  is  pleased  to 
present its set of Financial Statements for the year ended 31 
December 2015. We are pleased to confirm that the Company 
continued  to  raise  additional  capital  to  take  advantage  of 
what the General Partner of the Master Fund considers very 
attractive investment opportunities. The Company completed 
two additional offering of ordinary shares in February and May 
2015 and a C share issue in August 2015. The Company paid 
a dividend of 9.926 US cents per share for the period.

Cash flow and dividends
The  Master  Fund  received  US$27.0  million  worth  of  cash 
flows  from  its  investments  and  distributed  a  combined 
US$28.8 million of income to the Company (US$5.2 million of 
2014 income and US$23.6 million of 2015 income, of which 
US$10.3 million was outstanding as at 31 December 2015). 
The Company paid eleven monthly dividends of 0.7 US cents 
per ordinary shares and declared a final dividend of 2.226 US 
cents per ordinary share for December, or a total of 9.926 US 
cents per ordinary share for the year.

The Company is a feeder fund and will pursue its investment 
objective  and  policy  by  investing  in  FOIF  LP  (the  “Master 
Fund”).  The  Master  Fund’s  investment  period  will  end  on  12 
June  2016  after  which  date  the  Master  Fund  will  distribute 
to  the  Company  all  income  and  principal  received  from  its 
underlying investments.

Performance
The Company generated a total NAV return of -1.5% over the 
period  despite  the  weakness  suffered  by  the  market  in  the 
last  quarter  of  2015.  The  total  return  based  on  share  price 
was  4.7%  and  the  Company’s  ordinary  shares  ended  the 
year trading at a 9.7% premium to NAV. The Company shares 
outperformed the US bank loan and high yield indices in the 
period.

Relative Performance (Share Price)

10%

5%

0%

-5%

-10%

Dec-14

Feb-15

Apr-15

Jun-15

Aug-15

Oct-15

Dec-15

FAIR Total Return (Share Price)

CS US Loan Index

CS High Yield Index

Source: Bloomberg, Credit Suisse, March 2016

Total dividends per share since inception

e
r
a
h
s

r
e
p
s
t
n
e
c
D
S
U

16.0

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0
–

14.9

14.2

11.3

10.6

12.0

9.9

9.2

8.5

7.8

6.4

5.7

7.1

5.0

4.3

Dec
2014

Jan
2015

Feb
2015

Mar
2015

Apr
2015

May
2015

Jun
2015

Jul
2015

Aug
2015

Sep
2015

Oct
2015

Nov
2015

Dec
2015

Jan
2016

Material events
During February 2015, the Board of the Company announced 
it  had  raised  US$44.7  million  (before  costs  and  expenses) 
through  the  issue  of  45  million  new  ordinary  shares  at 
US$0.9932 per ordinary share, representing c.2.5% premium 
to the NAV per ordinary share as at 31 January 2015.

On 7 May 2015, the Board of the Company announced it had 
raised  US$44.5  million  (before  costs  and  expenses)  through 
the issue of 45 million new ordinary shares at US$0.9895 per 
ordinary share, representing c.2.5% premium to the NAV per 
ordinary share as at 30 April 2015.

In August 2015 an additional US$101.8 million was raised in 
August 2015 through the issue of a new C share class.

Subsequent events
For  details  of  significant  events  subsequent  to  the  year  end, 
refer to Note 14.

2

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
Chairman’s Statement (continued)

Outlook
The Master Fund will end its investment period in June 2016. 
We  believe  that  the  Master  Fund  continued  to  benefit  from 
the  resources  of  the  Investment  Adviser  to  source,  analyse 
and negotiate attractive investment opportunities through the 
course  of  2015.  The  independence  and  broad  investment 
policy  of  the  Master  Fund  has  made  the  Master  Fund  a 
preferred  partner  for  a  large  number  of  CLO  managers  and 
underwriting banks and has resulted in structural innovations. 
The  value  added  by  the  General  Partner  and  Investment 
Adviser  in  terms  of  analysing  and  monitoring  the  underlying 
portfolios, optimising the CLO’s structure and minimising fees 
and expenses for the Master Fund has resulted in no default 
losses  to  the  end  of  2015  and  cash  flows  above  original 
expectations.  Furthermore,  strong  sourcing  capabilities 
resulted in selective but faster than expected ramp up of new 
capital during 2015.

Professor Claudio Albanese
Chairman

7 April 2016

3

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSInvestment Adviser’s Report

Back  in  June  2014,  the  Directors,  General  Partner  and  the 
Investment Adviser believed that a two-year investment period 
would  be  optimal  to  take  advantage  of  what,  in  their  view, 
was one of the most attractive opportunities available in credit 
markets. As the Master Fund reaches the end of its investment 
period  in  June  2016,  it  is  pertinent  to  re-assess  our  original 
views:

during  the  reinvestment  period,  it  has  also  caused  volatility 
in  the  CLO  market.  US  CLO  portfolios  should  benefit  from 
good  diversification,  favourable  sector  positioning  and  par 
building opportunities given loan price volatility and higher new 
issue  discounts  on  loans.  During  2015  the  loan  market  also 
benefitted  from  significantly  lower  exposure  to  commodities 
than the high yield market.

•  We  believed  that  senior  secured  bank  loans  offered 
attractive  value  at  this  advanced  stage  in  the  credit  cycle 
and that, given valuations in credit markets, CLOs offered 
an efficient way to enhance the attractive relative value of 
senior  secured  loans  using  non-recourse,  non-mark-to-
market, long-term financing

As  at  the  time  of  publication  our  key  original  base  case 
assumptions (primarily default rate and recovery rate in case 
of default) have proven conservative, reinforcing our belief that 
the  original  target  returns  will  be  achieved  at  the  maturity  of 
the  Master  Fund.  Furthermore,  even  on  a  mark-to-market 
basis  and  despite  the  extreme  volatility  experienced  by  the 
CLO market at the end of 2015, the Company’s shares have 
outperformed other credit assets in 2015.

•  We  highlighted  that  CLOs  require  detailed,  bottom-up 
credit analysis and that positive credit selection would be 
a  key  tool  to  outperform  given  the  size  of  CLO  portfolios 
(150-300 issuers) vs the market (several thousand issuers)

The Master Fund cumulative default rate as at 31 December 
2015 was zero (0.03% as at the end of January 2016) vs. a 
lagging twelve-month issuer-weighted default rate for the US 
loan  market  of  1.19%  as  at  end  of  December  2015  (1.50% 
as at end of January 2016). Exposure to energy and metals/
mining issuers was limited to 2.1% and 0.6% of the portfolio 
respectively, as at 31 December 2015. The average bid price 
for loans in the Company’s portfolios was 95.33c significantly 
above the 91.43c average for the Credit Suisse leveraged loan 
index at the end of December.

•  We  expressed  the  view  that  the  loan  market  would  be 
characterised  by  significant  price  volatility  and  highlighted 
how  the  long  term,  non-mark-to-market,  floating  rate 
financing  that  characterise  CLOs  had  the  potential  to 
generate  returns  primarily  driven  by  actual  credit  losses, 
rather than this mark-to-market volatility

We  have  seen  loan  price  volatility  increase  and  higher 
correlation  between  inflow/outflows  in  open-ended  vehicles 
and  loan  prices.  While  this  has  the  potential  to  be  beneficial 
for CLOs, allowing them to reinvest principal in cheaper loans, 

4

Bank Loan and High Yield Spreads

800

750

700

650

600

550

500

450

Jan-15

Mar-15

May-15

Jul-15

Sep-15

Nov-15

CS LEVERAGED LOAN INDEX

CS HIGH YIELD INDEX

Source:  Credit  Suisse,  March  2016  (loan  spread  based  on  bid  price  and  to  3  year 
maturity)

•  We believed that the implementation of US and, to a lesser 
extent,  European  risk  retention  regulations  would  create 
opportunities  either  by  US  managers  trying  to  print  deals 
ahead  of  the  regulations  in  the  US  or  by  allowing  the 
Company to act as an originator in Europe

After record breaking new issuance volumes in 2014, US CLO 
issuance continued at a fast pace during 2015 as managers 
launched transactions ahead of the US risk retention deadline 
(24 December 2016). This resulted in what could be described 
as a “buyers-market” which we believe benefited the Master 
Fund.  In  Europe,  despite  the  Company’s  ability  to  act  as  an 
Originator, the reduced new issuance and lack of compelling 
arbitrage  meant 
the  Master  Fund’s  geographical 
investment profile was marginally different from what the GP 
had envisioned at IPO.

that 

•  We also highlighted our belief that the Master Fund’s focus 
on control positions would be a key driver of returns. We 
firmly believed that the independence of the General Partner 
of  the  Master  Fund  and  the  Investment  Adviser  from  the 
CLO managers would guarantee that there are no conflicts 
of interest when deciding whether to wind down CLOs

Active  dialogue  with  managers  and  arrangers,  supported  by 
the  independence  of  the  General  Partner  and  Investment 
Adviser  has  resulted  in  savings  and  structural  innovations 
with the potential to enhance the Master Fund’s risk-adjusted 
returns:

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSInvestment Adviser’s Report (continued)

•  Average  arranger  fees  and  CLO  management  fees  of 

0.20% and 0.27% respectively

recovery.  The  Master  Fund’s  default  losses  remained  at  zero, 
reinforcing the value of diligent credit selection.

•  First CLO with “step-down” CLO manager fees which will 
be  triggered  if  the  CLO  is  not  made  compliant  with  risk 
retention regulations when the control equity investor wants 
to refinance liabilities, post December 2016

•  Short  maturity  CLOs  aiming 

to 

take  advantage  of 

advantageous AAA financing and lower loan prices

•  The  Master  Fund  participated  in  one  loan  warehouse 
facility which was subsequently rolled into a majority equity 
position (Ares XXXV)

The  Master  Fund’s  investment  period  (two  years  from  the 
Company’s IPO) was designed to maximise the Master Fund’s 
ability to take advantage of the opportunities identified by the 
Investment Adviser. Furthermore, the fixed investment period 
has proved an attractive feature to investors with the maturity 
reflecting  the  underlying  assets’  self-liquidating  features  and 
offering shareholders a clear exit strategy.

Bank loan market overview
The  institutional  loan  primary  market  experienced  a  second 
consecutive annual decline in issuance activity in 2015 as new 
volume  totalled  US$326  billion,  a  30%  decline  from  2014’s 
total issuance of US$467 billion, which was down 30% from 
the previous year’s record US$670 billion. However, the year’s 
total  was  still  the  fourth  largest  annual  volume  on  record, 
trailing only the last two years as well as 2007’s US$388 billion 
(J.P. Morgan, January 2016).

Throughout the course of 2015 we saw the macro backdrop 
deteriorate  and  by  the  end  of  2015  it  appeared  increasingly 
likely that the credit cycle was nearing a turn. In the first half 
of the year, leveraged loans provided steady returns as benign 
supply and demand dynamics – light new-issue activity, record 
CLO  volumes  and  moderate  retail  outflows  –  seeming  to 
provided relative immunity to macro concerns. In the second 
half of the year however, retail outflows accelerated alongside 
concerns  regarding  US  rate  increases,  commodities  and 
global  growth.  The  second  half  of  2015  experienced  what 
could  be  described  as  a  bifurcation  driven  by  commodity 
issuers, with lower rated credits significantly underperforming 
higher rated credits, notably split B/CCCs posted a -18.86% 
loss, underperforming single-Bs (+0.06%) and BBs (+2.44%) 
(J.P. Morgan, January 2016).

Poor fourth quarter performance during 2015 resulted in full year 
negative  US  bank  loan  and  high  yield  returns,  with  European 
High Yield and bank loans outperforming. The 12-month lagging 
default rate reached 1.19% by number of issuers in December 
2015, well within the long-term average default rate (2.79% by 
number of issuers) reflecting the slow but steady US economic 

2015’s  default  activity  was  dominated  by  companies  in  the 
Energy and Coal sectors, with the commodity sectors accounting 
for three-quarters of the year’s total default volume. The Master 
Fund remains underweight to commodities in line with the belief 
that lending to borrowers reliant on a single commodity price is 
not optimal. CLOs have benefitted from lower exposure to the 
Energy  and  Metals  and  Mining  sectors  relative  to  the  broader 
loan and high yield markets (6.3% and 18.2% respectively). The 
level of exposure to both sectors has been quite different among 
CLO  managers  ranging  from  1.6%  to  19.5%  (7.3%  arithmetic 
average)  according  to  JP  Morgan.  The  Master  Fund’s  CLOs’ 
combined  exposure  to  the  energy  and  metals/mining  sectors 
was 2.7% as at the end of December.

Loan Market Default Rate

12%

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%

8
9
/
2
1

9
9
/
6
0

9
9
/
2
1

0
0
/
6
0

0
0
/
2
1

1
0
/
6
0

1
0
/
2
1

2
0
/
6
0

2
0
/
2
1

3
0
/
6
0

3
0
/
2
1

4
0
/
6
0

4
0
/
2
1

5
0
/
6
0

5
0
/
2
1

6
0
/
6
0

6
0
/
2
1

7
0
/
6
0

7
0
/
2
1

8
0
/
6
0

8
0
/
2
1

9
0
/
6
0

9
0
/
2
1

1
1
/
6
0

1
1
/
2
1

2
1
/
6
0

2
1
/
2
1

3
1
/
6
0

3
1
/
2
1

4
1
/
6
0

4
1
/
2
1

5
1
/
6
0

Default Rate (by Principal)

Default Rate (by Count)

Source: S&P Capital IQ LCD, January 2016

While  the  market  expects  default  rates  to  increase  in  2016, 
led by commodity-sensitive borrowers, we expect that loans 
will  continue  to  benefit  from  their  seniority,  strong  cash  flow 
coverage  and  significantly  lower  commodity  exposure  than 
the  unsecured  high  yield  market.  The  Investment  Adviser 
continues  to  monitor  the  underlying  loans  of  each  CLO 
portfolio  and  remains  comfortable  with  original  base  case 
default assumptions.

Average cash-flow coverage of outstanding loans

Average

Weighted Average

4.0x

3.5x

3.0x

2.5x

2.0x

1.5x

1.0x

0.5x

0.0x

4Q12 1Q13 2Q13 3Q13 4Q13 1Q14 2Q14 3Q14 4Q14 1Q15 2Q15 3Q15 4Q15

Source: S&P Capital IQ LCD, March 2016

5

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSInvestment Adviser’s Report (continued)

CLO market overview
According to J.P. Morgan, US CLO volume totalled US$109.6 
billion  in  2015,  which  was  the  second  highest  annual  total 
on record, trailing only a record-breaking US$131.9 billion in 
volume during 2014.

CLO new issue and total outstandings ($ billion)

CLO 1.0

CLO 2.0

CLO 3.0

Remaining CLO 3.0 Issuance

Forecast

500

400

300

200

100

0

Portfolio Breakdown by CLO Manager

3i (1)

CVC Apidos (1)

Och-Ziff (1)

Axa IM (1)

Covenant Credit Partners (1)

AIMCO (1)

AMMC (1)

TPG Credit (1)

Alcentra (1)

Ares Capital (2)

Arrowpoint (2)

5
0
/
1
0

5
0
/
7
0

6
0
/
1
0

6
0
/
7
0

7
0
/
1
0

7
0
/
7
0

8
0
/
1
0

8
0
/
7
0

9
0
/
1
0

9
0
/
7
0

0
1
/
1
0

0
1
/
7
0

1
1
/
1
0

1
1
/
7
0

2
1
/
1
0

2
1
/
7
0

3
1
/
1
0

3
1
/
7
0

4
1
/
1
0

4
1
/
7
0

5
1
/
1
0

5
1
/
7
0

6
1
/
1
0

6
1
/
7
0

Neuberger Berman (2)

Source: BAML

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

% Portfolio (ex cash)

in 

the 

last  Unaudited 

Interim  Financial 
As  discussed 
Statements,  US  risk  retention  regulations  will  be  applicable 
from 24 December 2016. Over 15% of the new issue CLOs 
priced in 2015 were already compliant, while others included 
mechanisms  to  ensure  compliance  if  and  when  the  control 
equity investor wants to refinance debt tranches.

The Master Fund’s investments benefit from long-term, fixed 
spread,  financing  which  is  unaffected  by  fluctuations  in  loan 
prices.  We  continue  to  believe  that  the  Master  Fund’s  CLO 
portfolios will also benefit from good diversification, favourable 
sector  positioning  and  par  building  opportunities  given  loan 
price volatility and higher new issue discounts. Loan portfolios 
continue  to  see  reasonable  levels  of  prepayments  and  as  a 
result, CLOs have the opportunity to reinvest principal receipts 
(during the reinvestment period) in loans at lower prices during 
periods  of  loan  market  volatility.  The  benefit  of  the  higher 
weighted  average  yield  on  the  loan  portfolio  spread  will  be 
received by the income note investor. The loan market volatility 
experienced in the second half of the year, also created very 
attractive investment windows to ramp up new CLO portfolios.

Portfolio update
$205.8  million  was  invested  in  2015,  into  eighteen  new 
investments  made  into  eleven  transactions  (including  nine 
new  CLOs).  Exposure  was  taken  to  six  new  managers 
(AIMCO,  Alcentra,  Ares,  CVC,  Neuberger  Berman  and  TPG) 
taking  the  total  number  of  managers  to  twelve.  The  Master 
Fund  opportunistically  added  mezzanine  positions,  further 
diversifying  the  portfolio  while  maintaining  a  14.2%-16.0% 
weighted average expected gross return for 2015 investments. 
The  Master  Fund  participated  in  one  warehouse  which  was 
subsequently rolled into a majority equity position (Ares XXXV).

6

In terms of gross portfolio exposure, the Master Fund had, as 
at the end of December 2015, exposure to over 1,000 issuers, 
with  an  average  loan  spread  of  USD  Libor  +  4.4%  including 
the impact of Libor floors. The top ten issuers represented an 
aggregated 6.6% exposure (vs. 6.2% as at end of December 
2014),  with  the  largest  (First  Data)  representing  0.9%.  The 
long-term  financing  of  the  underlying  CLOs  had  a  weighted 
average cost of funding of USD Libor + 2.2% (compared with 
2.1%  as  at  December  2014).  The  Master  Fund’s  portfolio 
remains  biased  towards  nimble  managers  with  very  strong 
credit discipline who are able to react quickly and effectively to 
price movements in the loan market. The Investment Adviser 
is  pleased  with  the  level  of  diversity  that  has  been  achieved 
in  the  portfolio  and  continues  to  monitor  each  CLO  portfolio 
continuously and discuss individual loans with the respective 
CLO managers.

The  Master  Fund  received  US$79.6  million  in  2015,  slightly 
ahead of expectations. This included the early amortisation of 
T2 Income Fund CLO (“T2”) which was intiated by the Master 
Fund as controlling equity investor. Excluding T2, the Master 
Fund  received  US$27.0  million  from  its  CLO  investments  in 
2015.

The decline in NAV over 2015 was caused by positions being 
marked down as CLO investors focused on the decline in the 
prices  of  loans  within  CLO  portfolios.  While  there  is  merit  in 
using market values to monitor CLOs, ultimate realised returns 
will be based largely on the default performance of the Master 
Fund’s  investments  which  the  General  Partner  continues  to 
expect to be in line with, or better than, its original expectations.

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSInvestment Adviser’s Report (continued)

Risk management
The Master Fund benefits from an experienced and dedicated 
team  of  research  analysts  who  review  the  initial  portfolio  of 
any  new  CLO  and  monitor  current  investments.  The  Master 
Fund has invested primarily in control positions, thus enabling 
it  to  veto  any  borrowers  in  the  initial  portfolio  and  facilitating 
close  cooperation  with  CLO  managers  to  ensure  efficient 
monitoring  of  the  investments.  As  an  example,  the  Master 
Fund’s exposure to the oil and gas sector is significantly below 
the  loan  index’s.  The  low  exposure  to  oil  and  gas  issuers  is 
an example of the value generated by the initial due diligence 
and  ongoing  fundamental  analysis  of  the  portfolios  by  the 
Investment Adviser’s internal credit team. It also highlights the 
importance of selecting CLO managers whose size does not 
prevent efficient and timely fine-tuning of the portfolios and who 
are subject to the right set of incentives to review and adjust 
the  loan  portfolios  regularly.  The  Investment  Adviser  believes 
that, in order to manage risk effectively, it is critical to balance 
diversity and control. Although diversity in the underlying pool 
of borrowers is very important, holding an excessive number 
of  individual  CLOs  may  create  a  false  sense  of  security  and 
compromise the ability to closely monitor each portfolio.

Geographical and Currency Breakdown
(based on par value of loans in gross portfolio)

Netherlands

0.8%

1%

United Kingdom

1.2%

Canada

1.6%

Luxembourg

2.2%

USD

EUR

99%

United States

91.9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Rating Breakdown
(based on par value of loans in gross portfolio)

Industry Diversifications (Top 10)

Industrial Equipment

Cable & Satellite Television

Retailers (except food & drug)

Telecommunications

Financial Intermediaries

Leisure Goods / Activities / Movies

Chemical & plastics

Electronics / Electrical

Health Care

Business Equipment & Services

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

The  Geographical  Currency  Breakdown,  Rating  Breakdown 
and Industry Diversification charts above form an integral part 
of the audited Financial Statements. Refer to note 5.

As  at  31  December  2015,  the  Master  Fund  was  exposed 
to  a  1,078  issuers  through  22  investments  in  15  CLOs  (12 
managers). We believe that this level of look-through diversity 
is comparable to our peers, whereas the General Partner and 
Investment  Adviser’s  ability  to  closely  monitor  and  control  a 
smaller number of CLO investments is superior. 

Outlook
As per our original base case, we expect defaults to increase in 
the US loan market and trend towards their long term average. 
We expect CLOs on average to have lower defaults than the 
market, given their diversity. We also expect to see increasing 
differentiation  in  performance  among  CLO  managers,  as 
evidenced by the range of exposure to the oil and gas sector 
for example. We continue to believe that technical factors will 
hold  loan  price  volatility  high,  benefitting  the  Master  Fund’s 
CLO income note investments throughout their reinvestment 
periods.

CCC+
1%

NR
2%

BBB
0%

BBB-
1%

B-
7%

BB
5%

B
46%

BB+
3%

BB-
13%

B+
22%

7

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSInvestment Adviser’s Report (continued)

Outlook (continued)
The  Company,  General  Partner  and  Investment  Adviser 
continue to believe that the Master Fund offers a particularly 
attractive  investment  opportunity  in  the  current  market 
environment:

•  The General Partner’s and Investment Adviser’s involvement 
in  the  initial  portfolio  selection  and  monitoring  of  CLO 
loan portfolios has already benefitted the Master Fund by 
enabling it to avoid deteriorating loans and industry sectors; 
•  The  General  Partner’s  and  Investment  Adviser’s  sourcing 
and  structuring  of  the  Master  Fund’s  investments  have 
resulted  in  substantially  lower  fees  and  expenses  for  the 
Master Fund’s investors than its peers. The General Partner 
estimated  that  the  weighted  average  structuring  and 
management fees incurred by the Master Fund were 0.20% 
and 0.27% respectively as at 31 December 2015; and
•  The  General  Partner’s  independence  and  alignment  of 
interests  will  allow  the  Master  Fund  to  benefit  from  its 
control  strategy,  as  exemplified  by  the  liquidation  of  T2  in 
2015.

Fair Oaks Capital Limited
7 April 2016

8

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSBoard of Directors

The Directors of the Company, all of whom are non-executive 
and independent, are listed as follows:

Professor  Claudio  Albanese  (Chairman)  (age  53)  is  the 
CEO  of  Global  Valuation  Limited  and  Visiting  Professor 
of  Mathematical  Finance  at  King’s  College  London  (since 
Autumn  2008).  He  received  a  PhD  in  Theoretical  Physics 
from  ETH  Zurich  in  1988.  He  has  held  faculty  positions  at 
numerous  academic  institutions  including  ETH  Zurich,  CLA, 
the Courant Institute at NYU, and Princeton University. In 1994 
he  joined  the  University  of  Toronto  as  Associate  Professor 
of  Mathematical  Physics  and  in  that  year  he  redirected  his 
career towards Mathematical Finance. In 1998 he spent one 
year at Morgan Stanley at the credit derivatives trading desk. 
In  2004  he  joined  Imperial  College  London  as  Professor  of 
Mathematical  Finance.  Claudio  consults  for  several  banks, 
financial  service  organisations  and  hardware  manufacturers, 
speaks  at  numerous  conferences  and  has  published  over 
50  articles  in  academic  and  professional  journals.  Global 
Valuation’s  products  include  a  combined  software  hardware 
solution for the simulation of banks’ OTC portfolios and XVA 
metrics, a market data service for calibrated derivative models 
and  a  cloud  based  XVA  benchmarking  service.  Claudio  was 
non-Executive Director at Carador Income Fund Plc from 2006 
to 2013. Claudio is a UK resident.

Jonathan  (Jon)  Bridel  (Chairman  of  the  Audit  Committee) 
(age  51)  is  currently  a  non-executive  chairman  or  director  of 
various listed and unlisted investment funds and private equity 
investment managers. These include listings on the premium 
segment  of  the  Official  List  of  the  UK  Listing  Authority.  He 
was until 2011 Managing Director of Royal Bank of Canada’s 
investment businesses in the Channel Islands. This role had a 
strong  focus  on  corporate  governance,  oversight,  regulatory 
and  technical  matters  and  risk  management.  Jon  worked 
with  Price  Waterhouse  Corporate  Finance  in  London  and 
subsequently  served  in  a  number  of  senior  management 
positions in London, Australia and Guernsey in corporate and 
offshore  banking  and  specialised  in  credit  and  investment 
management.  He  was  also  chief  financial  officer  of  two 
private multi-national businesses, one of which raised private 
equity. He holds qualifications from the Institute of Chartered 
Accountants in England and Wales where he is a Fellow, the 
Chartered  Institute  of  Marketing  and  the  Australian  Institute 
of  Company  Directors.  He  graduated  with  an  MBA  from 
Durham University in 1988. Jon is a chartered marketer and a 
member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of 
Directors and is a chartered fellow of the Chartered Institute for 
Securities and Investment. Jon is a Guernsey resident.

Nigel  Ward  (Chairman  of  the  Risk  Committee)  (age  59)  has 
over 40 years’ experience in international investment markets, 
credit and risk analysis, portfolio management, corporate and 
retail  banking,  corporate  governance,  compliance  and  the 
managed funds industry. He is currently an independent non-
executive chairman or director on the board of several offshore 
funds and companies, including London and CISE listings, with 
investment  mandate  experience  ranging  across  distressed 
debt,  European  SME  private  debt,  ground  rents,  agricultural 
land,  student  accommodation,  commodities,  equity  income 
and  UK  activist  equity.  Nigel  was  a  founding  Commissioner 
of  the  Guernsey  Police  Complaints  Commission,  and  is  an 
Associate  of  the  Institute  of  Financial  Services,  a  member 
of the Institute of Directors and holder of the IoD Diploma in 
Company Direction. Nigel is a Guernsey resident.

9

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDisclosure of Directorships in Public Companies 
Listed on Recognised Stock Exchanges

The following summarises the Directors’ directorships in other public companies:

Company Name 

Claudio Albanese
None

Stock Exchange

Jon Bridel
Alcentra European Floating Rate Income Fund Limited 
DP Aircraft 1 Limited 
Funding Circle SME Income Fund (appointed 19 August 2015) 
Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income 
Fund Limited (appointed 6 January 2015) 
Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited 
The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited 

London Stock Exchange – Main Market
London Stock Exchange – SFM 
London Stock Exchange – Main Market

London Stock Exchange – Main Market
London Stock Exchange – Main Market
London Stock Exchange – Main Market

Nigel Ward
Acorn Income Fund Limited 
Braemar Group PCC Limited 
Crystal Amber Fund Limited 
Emerging Manager PCC Limited 

London Stock Exchange – Main Market
Channel Islands Securities Exchange
London Stock Exchange – AIM
Channel Islands Securities Exchange

10

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDirectors’ Report

The  Directors  of  Fair  Oaks  Income  Fund  Limited  (the  “Company”)  are  pleased  to  submit  their  Annual  Report  and  the  Audited 
Financial  Statements  (the  “Financial  Statements”)  for  the  year  ended  31  December  2015.  In  the  opinion  of  the  Directors,  the 
Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements are fair, balanced and understandable and provide the information necessary for 
shareholders to assess the Company’s performance, business model and strategy.

The Company
The  Company  was  incorporated  and  registered  in  Guernsey  on  7  March  2014  under  the  Companies  (Guernsey)  Law,  2008. 
The Company’s registration number is 58123 and it is regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (“GFSC”) as a 
registered closed-ended collective investment scheme. The ordinary shares were listed on the Specialist Fund Market (“SFM”) of 
the London Stock Exchange (“LSE”) on 12 June 2014.

Going Concern
The Company has been incorporated with an unlimited life. On or before 31 May 2019, being the planned end date of the Master 
Fund, an ordinary resolution will be proposed by the Board to shareholders that the Company continues as a Registered Closed-
Ended  Collective  Investment  Scheme  (“Continuation  Resolution”).  If  the  Continuation  Resolution  is  passed  by  shareholders,  a 
further Continuation Resolution will be proposed on the nearest Business Day falling every two years thereafter. If the Continuation 
Resolution is not passed, the Board shall draw up proposals for the voluntary liquidation of the Company. 

After a review of the Company’s holdings in cash and cash equivalents, investments and a consideration of the income deriving 
from those investments the Directors believe that it is appropriate to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the Financial 
Statements as the Company has adequate financial resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due. 

Viability Statement
The Directors have conducted a robust assessment of the viability of the Company over a three year period to May 2019, taking 
account of the Company’s current position and the potential impact of the principal risks documented below. 

In making this statement, the Directors have considered the resilience of the Company, taking into account its current position, 
the  principal  risks  facing  the  Company  in  severe  but  plausible  scenarios  and  the  effectiveness  of  any  mitigating  actions.  This 
assessment has considered the potential impacts of these risks on the business model, future performance, solvency and liquidity 
over the period.

The Directors have determined that the three year period to May 2019 is an appropriate period over which to provide its viability 
statement as this is the planned end date of the Master Fund (unless an ordinary resolution is passed by shareholders that the 
Company continues as a Registered Closed-Ended Collective Investment Scheme). 

In making their assessment, factors taken into consideration by the Directors included the Company’s NAV, net income, capital 
repayments  and  resulting  cash  flows  and  dividend  cover  over  the  period.  These  metrics  were  subjected  to  stress  tests  which 
involved flexing a number of main assumptions underlying the forecast. Where appropriate, this analysis was carried out to evaluate 
the potential impact of the Company’s principal risks actually occurring, primarily, severe changes to macro economic conditions, 
increased defaults, deterioration in underlying credit ratings and downgrading or illiquidity of non-investment grade loans.

Based on this assessment, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company will be able to continue in operation 
and meet its liabilities as they fall due over the period to May 2019.

Risks and uncertainties
In respect to the Company’s system of internal controls and reviewing its effectiveness, the Directors:
•  are satisfied that they have carried out a robust assessment of the principal risks facing the Company, including those that 

would threaten its business model, future performance, solvency or liquidity; and

•  have reviewed the effectiveness of the risk management and internal control systems including material financial, operational 
and compliance controls (including those relating to the financial reporting process) and no significant failings or weaknesses 
were identified.

The Risk Committee reviews the Company’s overall risks at least four times a year and monitors the risk control activity designed 
to mitigate these risks. 

11

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDirectors’ Report (continued)

Risks and uncertainties (continued)
The risks associated with the Company include:
•  Operational risk - The Board is ultimately responsible for all operational facets of performance including cash management, 
asset management, regulatory and listing obligations. The Company has no employees and so enters into a series of contracts/
legal agreements with a series of service providers to ensure that both operational performance and regulatory obligations are 
met. The Board performs on-going internal monitoring of operational processes and controls and receives regular reports from 
the administrators of the Company, along with a report from the external auditors. 

•  Investment risk - The Risk Committee formally monitors the investment performance of the Company four times a year, when 
the Investment Adviser reports on the performance of the Company’s portfolio at the Board meetings. The Investment Adviser 
carries  out  extensive  due  diligence  on  the  Master  Fund’s  underlying  investments  and  monitors  performance  regularly.  The 
investment guidelines and restrictions, as detailed in the prospectus of the Company, ensures adequate diversification of the 
Master Fund’s underlying investments is regularly monitored by the Investment Adviser.

•  Regulatory risk - The Company is required to comply with the Prospectus Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and 
the Market Abuse Directive (as implemented in the UK through Financial Services and Markets Authority). Any failure to comply 
could  lead  to  criminal  or  civil  proceedings.  The  Investment  Adviser  and  Administrator  monitor  compliance  with  regulatory 
requirements and the Administrator presents a report at quarterly Board meetings.

•  Financial risk - The financial risks, including market, credit and liquidity risk, faced by the Company, where appropriate, are 
set out in note 5. These risks and the controls in place to mitigate these risks are reviewed at each Risk Committee meeting.

Results and Dividends
The results for the year are shown in the Statement of Comprehensive Income on page 25.

The Directors declared dividends of US$27,039,255 (Ordinary shareholders: US$24,642,883, C shareholders: US$2,396,372) for 
the year ended 31 December 2015. Further details of dividends declared or paid are detailed in note 4.

The Board paid dividends to shareholders representing an amount in aggregate at least equal to the gross income from investments, 
which are received from the Master Fund in the relevant financial period attributable to the Company’s investment in the Master 
Fund, and Qualifying Short Term Investments less expenses of the Company.

On 16 January 2015, the Directors announced that the Company changed the frequency of its dividends from quarterly to monthly. 

Independent Auditor
KPMG Channel Islands Limited were appointed on 12 May 2014 and served as Auditor during the financial year. A resolution to 
re-appoint KPMG Channel Islands Limited as Auditor will be put to the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (“AGM”). 

Investment Adviser
The  Directors  are  responsible  for  the  determination  of  the  Company’s  investment  policy  and  have  overall  responsibility  for  the 
Company’s activities. The Company has, however, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement with Fair Oaks Capital Limited 
(the “Investment Adviser”) under which the Investment Adviser has been appointed to provide investment advisory services, which 
include analysing the progress of all assets and investments of the Company and advising the Company on liquidity and working 
capital retention issues, subject to the overriding supervision of the Directors.

The  Directors  consider  that  the  interests  of  shareholders,  as  a  whole,  are  best  served  by  the  continued  appointment  of  the 
Investment Adviser to achieve the Company’s investment objectives. A summary of these terms, including the investment advisory 
fee and notice of termination period, is set out in note 8 of the Financial Statements.

Custody Arrangements
On 15 December 2015, BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A., Guernsey Branch (the “new Custodian”), replaced Royal Bank 
of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited (the “former Custodian”) as Custodian. The Company’s assets, excluding the investment into 
the Master Fund, are held in custody by the new Custodian, pursuant to an agreement dated 15 December 2015. A summary of 
the terms, including fees and notice of termination period, is set out in note 8 of the Financial Statements. 

The Company’s assets, excluding the investment into the Master Fund, are registered in the name of the new Custodian in each 
case within a separate account designation and may not be appropriated by the new Custodian for its own account.

12

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDirectors’ Report (continued)

The Board conducts an annual review of the custody arrangements as part of its general internal control review. The Board also 
monitors  the  credit  rating  of  the  new  Custodian,  to  ensure  the  financial  stability  of  the  new  Custodian  is  being  maintained  to 
acceptable levels. As at December 2015, the credit rating of the new Custodian as reported by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s is 
Aa1 and AA+ respectively, which is deemed to be an acceptable level.

Directors and Directors’ Interests
The Directors, all of whom are independent and non-executive, are listed on page 9.

None of the Directors have service contracts with the Company and no such contracts are proposed. Each independent non-
executive Director is entitled to a basic fee of £32,000 (or £37,000 if the NAV of the Company is greater than US$250 million at the 
beginning of any calendar quarter in which such fees are paid) each per annum. In addition, a one-off payment of £7,500 was paid 
to them relating to work performed prior to Admission to the Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange.

The Directors had the following interests in the Company at 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014, held either directly or 
beneficially:

Name

Claudio Albanese (Chairman)

Jon Bridel

Nigel Ward

31 December 2015

31 December 2014

No. of ordinary
shares

Percentage

No. of ordinary
shares

Percentage

10,000

10,000

20,000

0.01%

0.01%

0.02%

10,000

10,000

20,000

0.01%

0.01%

0.02%

There have been no changes to the Directors’ shareholdings since 31 December 2015.

Substantial Shareholdings
As at 14 March 2016, the Company had the following shareholdings in excess of 5% of the issued share capital:

Name

No. of ordinary shares

Percentage

Old Mutual Global Investors

Coller Investment Management

Seven Investment Management

Smith & Williamson

Wirral BC

55,560,273

34,298,425

24,544,240

17,888,681

16,269,355

17.34

10.70

7.66

5.58

5.08

Related Parties
Details of transactions with related parties are disclosed in note 8 to these Financial Statements.

Listing Requirements
Throughout the period, since being admitted to the Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange, the Company has 
complied with the Prospectus Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and the Market Abuse Directive (as implemented in 
the UK through Financial Services and Markets Authority).

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) became effective on 1 January 2013. The legislation is aimed at determining 
the ownership of US assets in foreign accounts and improving US tax compliance with respect to those assets. On 13 December 
2013,  the  States  of  Guernsey  entered  into  an  intergovernmental  agreement  (“IGA”)  with  US  Treasury,  in  order  to  facilitate  the 
requirements under FATCA. The Company registered with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on 21 November 2014 as a Foreign 
Financial Institution (“FFI”) and a Sponsoring Entity.

13

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDirectors’ Report (continued)

United Kingdom-Guernsey Intergovernmental Agreement
On  22  October  2013  the  Chief  Minister  of  Guernsey  signed  an  intergovernmental  agreement  with  the  United  Kingdom  (“UK-
Guernsey IGA”) under which certain disclosure requirements may be imposed in respect of certain shareholders in the Company 
who are, or are entities that are controlled by one or more, residents of the United Kingdom. The UK-Guernsey IGA is implemented 
through Guernsey’s domestic legislation, in accordance with guidance which is currently published in draft form.

Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (“AIFMD”)
The  Company  is  categorised  as  a  non-EU  Alternative  Investment  Fund  (“AIF”)  and  an  internally  managed  non-EU  Alternative 
Investment  Fund  Manager  (“AIFM”)  (as  defined  in  the  AIFMD)  for  the  purposes  of  the  AIFMD  and  as  such  neither  it  nor  the 
Investment Adviser will be required to seek authorisation under the AIFMD. However, following national transposition of the AIFMD 
in a given EU member state, the marketing of ordinary shares in AIFs (as defined in the AIFMD) that are established outside the EU 
(such as the Company) to investors in that EU member state will be prohibited unless certain conditions are met. Certain of these 
conditions are outside the Company’s control as they are dependent on the regulators of the relevant third country and the relevant 
EU member state entering into regulatory co-operation agreements with one another.

The Company is an internally managed non-EU AIFM for the purposes of AIFMD. The Directors have appointed the Risk Committee 
to  manage  the  relevant  disclosures  to  be  made  to  investors  and  the  necessary  regulators.  On  18  February  2015,  the  FCA 
confirmed that the Company was eligible to be marketed via the FCA’s National Private Placement Regime and the Company 
complied with Article 22 and 23 of the AIFMD for the year ended 31 December 2015.

There have been no material changes to the Company’s Prospectus, other principal documents and operations since the Company 
disclosed to its investors the matters it is required to disclose to them under Article 23 of AIFMD on 28 May 2015. As the Board of 
the Company is the AIFM, the details of the Company’s remuneration policy for the Directors is outlined on pages 13 and 20 and 
accords with the principles established by AIFMD.

Non-Mainstream Pooled Investments
The Company’s ordinary shares and C shares are considered as “excluded securities” for the purposes of the FCA Rules regarding 
the  definition  and  promotion  of  non-mainstream  pooled  investments  (“NMPI”)  because  the  returns  to  investors  holding  the 
Company’s ordinary shares are, and are expected to continue to be, predominantly based on the returns from ordinary shares and 
debentures held indirectly by the Company. The Board therefore believes that independent financial advisers can recommend the 
Company’s ordinary shares to retail investors, although financial advisers should seek their own advice on this issue.

Reporting Fund regime
The  Company  was  accepted  into  the  UK  Reporting  Fund  regime  with  effect  from  7  March  2014.  Under  this  regime,  which 
effectively replaced the UK Distributor Status regime, an offshore investment fund operates by reference to whether it opts into the 
reporting regime (“Reporting Funds”) or not (“Non-reporting Funds”).

A UK investor who disposes of an interest in a Reporting Fund should be subject to tax on any gains realised as capital gains 
rather than income. Such investors will also be subject to income tax on the distributions received from the offshore fund and 
their share of the excess of the offshore fund’s reported income over the distributions made (i.e. they will be subject to income tax 
on their share of the offshore fund’s income regardless of whether this is distributed or not). Shareholders should seek their own 
professional advice as to the tax consequences of the UK Reporting Fund regime.

By order of the Board

Jon Bridel
Director

7 April 2016

14

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCorporate Governance

Compliance
The Board has taken note of the Code of Corporate Governance issued by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (“Guernsey 
Code”). The Guernsey Code provides a governance framework for GFSC licensed entities, authorised and registered collective 
investment schemes. Companies reporting against the UK Corporate Governance Code (the “UK Code”) or the Association of 
Investment  Companies  Code  of  Corporate  Governance  (“AIC  Code”),  which  was  published  in  February  2015,  are  deemed  to 
satisfy the provisions of the Guernsey Code. The UK Code is available on the Financial Reporting Council website, www.frc.org.uk.

As  a  Guernsey  incorporated  company  and  under  the  SFM  Rules  for  Companies,  it  is  not  a  requirement  for  the  Company  to 
comply with the UK Code. However, the Directors place a high degree of importance on ensuring that high standards of corporate 
governance are maintained and have considered the principles and recommendations of the AIC Code by reference to the AIC 
Corporate Governance Guide for investment companies (“AIC Guide”). The AIC Code, as explained in the AIC Guide, addresses 
all the principles set out in the UK Code. The Board considers that reporting against the principles and recommendations of the 
AIC Code, and by reference to the AIC Guide (which incorporates the Code), will provide better information to shareholders. The 
AIC code is available on the AIC website, www.theaic.co.uk.

For the year ended 31 December 2015, the Company complied substantially with the relevant provisions of the AIC Code and it 
is the intention of the Board that the Company will comply with those provisions throughout the year ending 31 December 2016, 
with the exception of the provisions listed below:

•  The appointment of a Senior Independent Director: Given the size and composition of the Board it is not felt necessary to 
separate the roles of Chairman and Senior Independent Director. The Board considers that all the independent Directors have 
different qualities and areas of expertise on which they may lead where issues arise and to whom concerns can be conveyed.
•  Internal audit function: The Board has reviewed the need for an internal audit function and due to the size of the Company and 
the delegation of day-to-day operations to regulated service providers, an internal audit function is not considered necessary. 
The Directors will continue to monitor the systems of internal controls in place in order to provide assurance that they operate 
as intended.

Composition and Independence of Directors
As at 31 December 2015, the Board of Directors comprised three non-executive and independent Directors as set out below.  
The Company has no executive Directors or any employees. The biographies of the Board are disclosed on page 9.

Claudio Albanese is the Chairman of the Board, the Management Engagement Committee and of the Nomination and Remuneration 
Committee.

Jon Bridel is the Chairman of the Audit Committee.

Nigel Ward is the Chairman of the Risk Committee.

In  considering  the  independence  of  the  Chairman,  the  Board  has  taken  note  of  the  provisions  of  the  AIC  Code  relating  to 
independence and has determined that Claudio Albanese is an Independent Director.

Under the terms of their appointment, all non-executive Directors are subject to re-election at the first Annual General Meeting 
(“AGM”) and annually thereafter. At the first Annual General Meeting of the Company on 28 May 2015, shareholders re-elected all 
the Directors of the Company.

Although no formal training is given to Directors by the Company, the Directors are kept up to date on various matters such as 
Corporate Governance issues through bulletins and training materials provided from time to time by the Company Secretary, the 
AIC and other professional firms.

15

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCorporate Governance (continued)

Composition and Independence of Directors (continued)
The Board receives quarterly reports and meets at least quarterly to review the overall business of the Company and to consider 
matters specifically reserved for its disposal. At these meetings the Board monitors the investment performance of the Company. 
The Directors also review the Company’s activities every quarter to ensure that it adheres to the Company’s investment policy. 
Additional ad hoc reports are received as required and Directors have access at all times to the advice and services of the Company 
Secretary, who is responsible for ensuring that the Board procedures are followed and that applicable rules and regulations are 
complied with.

The Board monitors the level of the share price premium or discount to determine what action is desirable (if any). 

The Board and relevant personnel of the Investment Adviser acknowledges and adheres to the Model Code of Directors Dealings 
contained in the Listing Rules.

Directors’ Performance Evaluation
The Board has established an informal system for the evaluation of its own performance and that of the Company’s individual 
Directors. It considers this to be appropriate having regard to the non-executive role of the Directors and the significant outsourcing 
of services by the Company to external providers.

The Directors undertake, on an annual basis, a verbal assessment of the effectiveness of the Board particularly in relation to its 
oversight and monitoring of the performance of the Investment Adviser and other key service providers. The evaluations consider 
the balance of skills, experience, independence and knowledge of the Company. The Board also evaluates the effectiveness of 
each of the Directors. 

Directors’ Remuneration
With  effect  from  27  August  2015,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  the  Nomination  and  Remuneration  Committee  to  determine  and 
approve  the  Directors’  remuneration,  having  given  the  matter  proper  consideration,  having  regard  to  the  level  of  fees  payable 
to  non-executive  Directors  in  the  industry  generally,  the  role  that  individual  Directors  fulfil  in  respect  of  Board  and  Committee 
responsibilities  and  the  time  committed  to  the  Company’s  affairs.  The  Chairman’s  remuneration  is  decided  separately  and  is 
approved by the Board as a whole. 

No Director has a service contract with the Company and details of the Directors’ remuneration can be found in the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report on page 20.

Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance
The Company maintains insurance in respect of Directors’ and Officers’ liability in relation to their acts on behalf of the Directors. 

Relations with Shareholders
The Company reports to shareholders twice a year by way of the Interim Report and the Annual Report and Audited Financial 
Statements. In addition, NAVs are published monthly and the Investment Adviser publishes monthly reports to shareholders on its 
website www.fairoaksincomefund.com.

The  Board  receives  quarterly  reports  on  the  shareholder  profile  of  the  Company  and  regular  contact  with  major  shareholders 
is  undertaken  by  the  Company’s  corporate  brokers  and  the  executives  of  the  Investment  Adviser.  Any  issues  raised  by  major 
shareholders are reported to the Board on a regular basis.

The Chairman and individual Directors are willing to meet major shareholders to discuss any particular items of concern regarding 
the performance of the Company. Members of the Board, including the Chairman and the Audit Committee Chairman, and the 
Investment Adviser are also available to answer any questions which may be raised by any shareholder at the Company’s Annual 
General Meeting.

16

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCorporate Governance (continued)

Directors’ Meetings and Attendance
The table below shows the attendance at Board, Audit and Risk Committee meetings during the year. There were four formal 
Board  meetings,  four  Audit  Committee  meetings,  four  Risk  Committee  meetings,  one  Management  Engagement  Committee 
meeting, one Nomination and Remuneration Committee meeting and ten informal Board meetings held during the year ended  
31 December 2015.

Name

Board

Audit
Committee

Risk
Committee

Management
Engagement
Committee

Nomination & 
Remuneration 
Committee

Number of meetings held

Claudio Albanese (Chairman)

Jon Bridel (Audit Committee Chairman)

Nigel Ward (Risk Committee Chairman)

14

9

12

12

4

4

4

4

4

N/A

4

4

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Board Committees
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee comprises all Board members, and meets at least three times a year. Jon Bridel is Chairman of the Audit 
Committee.  As  all  Directors  are  non-executive  whilst  also  taking  into  account  the  size  and  composition  of  the  Board,  it  was 
deemed appropriate that all Board members are also members of the Audit Committee. 

The key objectives of the Audit Committee include a review of the Financial Statements to ensure they are prepared to a high 
standard  and  comply  with  all  relevant  legislation  and  guidelines,  where  appropriate,  and  to  maintain  an  effective  relationship 
with  the  external  auditor.  With  respect  to  the  external  auditor,  the  Audit  Committee’s  role  will  include  the  assessment  of  their 
independence, review of auditor’s engagement letter, remuneration and any non-audit services provided by the auditor. For the 
principal duties and report of the Audit Committee please refer to the Report of the Audit Committee on page 21.

Management Engagement Committee
The Management Engagement Committee will meet at least once a year. It comprises the entire Board and is chaired by Claudio 
Albanese. The Management Engagement Committee is responsible for the regular review of the terms of the Investment Advisory 
Agreement and the performance of the Administrator and the Investment Adviser and also the Company’s other service providers. 
The first Management Engagement Committee meeting was held on 30 November 2015.

Risk Committee
The Risk Committee will meet at least four times per year. It comprises of Nigel Ward and Jon Bridel and is chaired by Nigel Ward. 
The principal function of the Risk Committee is to identify, assess, monitor and, where possible, oversee the management of risks 
to which the Company’s investments are exposed, principally to enable the Company to achieve its target investment objective 
of a total return of 12% to 14% per annum over the planned life of the Company, with regular reporting to the Board. As the 
Company is an internally managed non-EU AIFM for the purposes of AIFMD, the Directors have appointed the Risk Committee to 
manage the additional risks faced by the Company as well as the relevant disclosures to be made to investors and the necessary 
regulators. On 18 February 2015, the FCA confirmed that the Company was eligible to be marketed via the FCA’s National Private 
Placement Regime and the Company complied with Articles 22 and 23 of the AIFMD for the year ended 31 December 2015.

Nomination and Remuneration Committee
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee was formed on 27 August 2015 and will meet at least once a year. It comprises the 
entire Board and is chaired by Claudio Albanese. The Nomination and Remuneration Committee is responsible for reviewing the 
structure, size and composition of the Board, to consider the succession planning for directors and senior executives, reviewing 
the leadership needs of the organisation, identifying candidates for appointment to the Board, agreeing a framework for Director 
remuneration, ensuring management of the Company are appropriately incentivised to enhance performance and reviewing the 
appropriateness of the remuneration policy on an on-going basis. The first Nomination and Remuneration Committee meeting was 
held on 30 November 2015.

17

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCorporate Governance (continued)

Internal Control Review and Risk Management System
The Board of Directors is responsible for putting in place a system of internal controls relevant to the Company and for reviewing 
the effectiveness of those systems. The review of internal controls is an on going process for identifying and evaluating the risks 
faced by the Company, and which are designed to manage risks rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve the Company’s 
objectives.

It is the responsibility of the Board to undertake risk assessment and review of the internal controls in the context of the Company’s 
objectives that cover business strategy, operational, compliance and financial risks facing the Company. These internal controls are 
implemented by the Company’s three main service providers: the Investment Adviser, the Administrator and the Custodian. The 
Board receives periodic updates from these main service providers at the quarterly Board meetings of the Company. The Board 
is satisfied that each service provider has effective controls in place to control the risks associated with the services that they are 
contracted to provide to the Company and are therefore satisfied with the internal controls of the Company.

The Board of Directors considers the arrangements for the provision of Investment Advisory, Administration and Custody services 
to the Company on an on-going basis and a formal review is conducted annually. As part of this review the Board considered the 
quality of the personnel assigned to handle the Company’s affairs, the investment process and the results achieved to date. 

Anti-bribery and Corruption
The Board acknowledge that the Company’s international operations may give rise to possible claims of bribery and corruption. 
In consideration of The Bribery Act 2010, enacted in the UK, at the date of this report the Board had conducted an assessment 
of the perceived risks to the Company arising from bribery and corruption to identify aspects of business which may be improved 
to mitigate such risks. The Board has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards bribery and has reiterated its commitment to carry 
out business fairly, honestly and openly.

18

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSStatement of Directors’ Responsibilities

The  Directors  are  responsible  for  preparing  the  Directors’ 
Report  and  Financial  Statements 
in  accordance  with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued 
by the IASB and the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 which 
give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company 
and its profit or loss for that period. 

So  far  as  the  Directors  are  aware,  there  is  no  relevant  audit 
information  of  which  the  Company’s  auditor  is  unaware, 
having taken all the steps the Directors ought to have taken 
to  make  themselves  aware  of  any  relevant  audit  information 
and to establish that the Company’s auditor is aware of that 
information.

International  Accounting  Standard  (“IAS”)  1  requires  that 
Financial  Statements  present  fairly  for  each  financial  period 
the  Company’s  financial  position,  financial  performance 
and  cash  flows.  This  requires  the  faithful  representation 
of  the  effects  of  transactions,  other  events  and  conditions 
in  accordance  with  the  definitions  and  recognition  criteria 
for  assets,  liabilities,  income  and  expenses  set  out  in  the 
International  Accounting  Standards  Board’s  “Framework  for 
the  preparation  and  presentation  of  financial  statements”.  In 
virtually all circumstances a fair presentation will be achieved 
by compliance with all applicable IFRSs.

Responsibility Statement
Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed 
on page 9, confirms to the best of each person’s knowledge 
and belief:

•  the Financial Statements, prepared in accordance with the 
International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  as  issued  by 
the IASB, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, 
financial position and result of the Company, as required by 
DTR 4.1.12R and are in compliance with the requirements 
set out in the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008; and

•  the Annual Report taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and 
understandable and include a fair review of the development 
and  performance  of  the  business  and  the  position  of  the 
Company, together with a description of the principal risks 
and uncertainties that they face, as required by DTR 4.1.8R 
and DTR 4.1.11R.

Signed on behalf of the Board by:

Jon Bridel
Director

7 April 2016

In preparing Financial Statements the Directors are required to:

•  select  suitable  accounting  policies  and  apply 

them 

consistently;

•  make  judgements  and  estimates  that  are  reasonable  and 

prudent;

•  state whether applicable accounting standards have been 
followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and 
explained in the Financial Statements; and

•  prepare  the  Financial  Statements  on  the  going  concern 
basis,  unless  it  is  inappropriate  to  presume  that  the 
Company will continue in business.

The  Directors  are  also  responsible  for  the  keeping  of  proper 
accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy 
at any time the financial position of the Company and to enable 
them to ensure that the Financial Statements comply with the 
Companies  (Guernsey)  Law,  2008  and  the  Listing  Rules  of 
the  Specialist  Fund  Market  of  the  London  Stock  Exchange. 
They are also responsible for the system of internal controls, 
safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking 
reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and 
other irregularities.

The  Directors  confirm  that  they  have  complied  with  these 
requirements in preparing the Financial Statements.

The  Directors  are  also  responsible  for  the  maintenance  and 
integrity  of  the  corporate  and  financial  information  included 
on the Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom 
and  Guernsey  governing  the  preparation  and  dissemination 
of  financial  statements  may  differ  from  legislation  in  other 
jurisdictions.

19

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDirectors’ Remuneration Report

The Company’s policy in regard to Directors’ remuneration is to ensure that the Company maintains a competitive fee structure in 
order to recruit, retain and motivate non-executive Directors of excellent quality in the overall interests of shareholders. 

No element of the Directors’ remuneration is performance related, nor does any Director have any entitlement to pensions, share 
options or any long term incentive plans from the Company. 

The Company’s Articles limit the fees payable to Directors in aggregate to US$400,000 per annum. 

The Directors are currently subject to the following annualised remuneration in the form of Directors’ fees: 

For the period 
from
1 January 2015 
to 30 September 
2015
Annualised
£

For the period 
from 
1 October 2015 
to 31 December 
2015
Annualised
£

For the period 
from 
1 January 2015 
to 31 December 
2015
Actual
£

For the period 
from
 7 March 2014 (date 
of incorporation) to 
31 December 2014
Actual
£

Claudio Albanese (Chairman)
Jon Bridel (Audit Committee Chairman)
Nigel Ward (Risk Committee Chairman)

Total

32,000
32,000
32,000

96,000

37,000
37,000
37,000

111,000

33,250
33,250
33,250

99,750

21,538
21,538
21,538

64,614

Each Director will be entitled to £32,000 per annum or £37,000 per annum if the NAV of the Company is greater than US$250 
million, at the beginning of any calendar quarter in which such fees are paid. At the beginning of quarter four, 1 October 2015, the 
NAV of the Company was greater than US$250 million, therefore, their Directors fees increased to £37,000 per annum.

During the period ended 31 December 2014, a one-off payment of £7,500 was paid to each Director relating to work performed 
prior to Admission to the SFM of the LSE.

The  remuneration  policy  set  out  above  is  the  one  applied  for  the  year  ended  31  December  2015  and  the  period  ended  
31 December 2014 and is not expected to change in the immediate future. 

Directors’ and Officers’ liability insurance cover is maintained by the Company on behalf of the Directors. 

The Directors were appointed as non-executive Directors by letters issued in April and May 2014. Each Director’s appointment 
letter provides that, upon the termination of his appointment, he must resign in writing and all records remain the property of the 
Company. The Directors’ appointments can be terminated in accordance with the Articles and without compensation. The notice 
period  for  the  removal  of  Directors  is  three  months  as  specified  in  the  Director’s  appointment  letter.  The  Articles  provide  that 
the office of director shall be terminated by, among other things: (a) written resignation; (b) unauthorised absences from board 
meetings for six months or more; (c) unanimous written request of the other directors; or (d) an ordinary resolution of the Company. 

Under  the  terms  of  their  appointment,  each  Director  was  subject  to  re-election  at  the  first  Annual  General  Meeting  (“AGM”) 
and  annually  thereafter.  At  the  first  Annual  General  Meeting  of  the  Company  on  28  May  2015,  shareholders  re-elected  all  the 
Directors for re-election. The Company may terminate the appointment of a Director immediately on serving written notice and no 
compensation is payable upon termination of office as a director of the Company becoming effective. 

The  amounts  payable  to  Directors  as  at  31  December  2015  and  31  December  2014,  shown  in  note  8  were  for  services  as 
non-executive Directors. 

No Director has a service contract with the Company, nor are any such contracts proposed. 

Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors on 7 April 2016 by:

Jon Bridel
Director

20

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSReport of the Audit Committee

The  Company  has  established  an  Audit  Committee  with  formally  delegated  duties  and  responsibilities  within  written  terms  of 
reference (which are available from the Company’s Secretary). 

Chairman and Membership
The  Audit  Committee  is  chaired  by  Jon  Bridel,  a  Chartered  Accountant.  He  and  its  other  members,  Claudio  Albanese  and 
Nigel Ward, are all independent directors. Only independent directors serve on the Audit Committee and members of the Audit 
Committee have no links with the Company’s external auditor and are independent of the Investment Adviser. The membership of 
the Audit Committee and its terms of reference are kept under review. The relevant qualifications and experience of each member 
of the Audit Committee is detailed on page 10 of these Financial Statements. The Audit Committee’s intention is to meet three 
times a year in any full year and meets the external auditor during those meetings. 

Duties
The Audit Committee’s main role and responsibilities is to provide advice to the Board on whether the Annual Report and Audited 
Financial Statements taken as a whole, are fair, balanced and understandable and alongside the Interim Report and Unaudited 
Interim Financial Statements provide the information necessary for shareholders to assess the Company’s performance, business 
model  and  strategy.  The  Audit  Committee  gives  full  consideration  and  recommendation  to  the  Board  for  the  approval  of  the 
contents of the Interim and Annual Financial Statements of the Company, which includes reviewing the external auditor’s report. 

The other principal duties include to consider the appointment of the external auditor, to discuss and agree with the external auditor 
the nature and scope of the audit, to keep under review the scope, results and effectiveness of the audit and the independence 
and objectivity of the auditor, to review the external auditor’s letter of engagement, the auditor’s planning report for the financial 
year and management letter and to analyse the key procedures adopted by the Company’s service providers.

The Audit Committee is responsible for monitoring the financial reporting process and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal 
control  and  risk  management  systems  as  they  relate  to  the  financial  reporting  process.  The  Audit  Committee  also  focuses 
particularly  on  compliance  with  legal  requirements,  accounting  standards  and  the  relevant  Listing  Rules  and  ensuring  that  an 
effective system of internal financial and non-financial controls is maintained. 

The Audit Committee also reviews, considers and, if thought appropriate, recommends for the purposes of the Company’s Financial 
Statements  valuations  prepared  by  the  Investment  Adviser.  These  valuations  are  the  most  critical  element  in  the  Company’s 
Financial Statements and the Audit Committee questions them carefully.

Financial Reporting and Audit
The Audit Committee has an active involvement and oversight in the preparation of both the interim and annual Financial Statements 
and in doing so is responsible for the identification and monitoring of the principal risks associated with the preparation of the 
Financial Statements. The principal risks identified in the preparation of these Financial Statements are as follows:

•  Valuation of the Master Fund – The Company’s investment in the Master Fund had a fair value of US$269,069,087 as at 31 
December 2015 and represents substantially all the net assets of the Company and as such is the biggest factor in relation to 
the accuracy of the Financial Statements. This investment is valued in accordance with the Accounting Policies set out in note 
2 to the Audited Financial Statements. The Financial Statements of the Master Fund for the year ended 31 December 2015 
were audited by KPMG Channel Islands Limited (“KPMG”) who issued an unqualified audit opinion dated 7 April 2016. The 
Audit Committee has reviewed the Financial Statements of the Master Fund and the Accounting Policies and determined the 
Company’s fair value of the investment in the Master Fund as at 31 December 2015 is reasonable.

The Audit Committee reviewed the Company’s accounting policies applied in the preparation of its Annual Financial Statements 
report together with the relevant critical judgements, estimates and assumptions and, upon taking the appropriate advice from the 
Auditor, determined that these were in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), as issued by the IASB 
and were reasonable. The Audit Committee reviewed the materiality levels applied by the Auditor to both the financial statements 
as a whole and to individual items and was satisfied that these materiality levels were appropriate. The Auditor reports to the Audit 
Committee all material corrected and uncorrected differences. The auditor explained the results of their audit and that on the basis 
of their audit work, there were no uncorrected differences proposed that were material in the context of the Financial Statements 
as a whole.

21

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSReport of the Audit Committee (continued)

Financial Reporting and Audit (continued)
The Audit Committee also reviews the Company’s financial reports as a whole to ensure that such reports appropriately describe 
the Company’s activities and to ensure that all statements contained in such reports are consistent with the Company’s financial 
results  and  projections.  Accordingly,  the  Audit  Committee  was  able  to  advise  the  Board  that  the  Annual  Report  and  Audited 
Financial Statements are fair, balanced and understandable and provide the information necessary for shareholders to assess the 
Company’s performance, business model and strategy.

External Auditor
The Audit Committee has responsibility for making a recommendation on the appointment, re-appointment and removal of the 
external auditors. KPMG were appointed as the first auditors of the Company. During the year, the Audit Committee received and 
reviewed the audit plan and report from the external auditors. It is standard practice for the external auditor to meet privately with 
the Audit Committee without the Investment Adviser being present at each Audit Committee meeting. 

To assess the effectiveness of the external auditor, the Audit Committee will review:

•  The external auditor’s fulfilment of the agreed audit plan and variations from it;
•  The Audit Committee Report from the auditor highlighting the major issues that arose during the course of the audit; and
•  Feedback from the Investment Adviser and Administrator evaluating the performance of the audit team.

Where non-audit services are to be provided to the Company by the auditor, full consideration of the financial and other implications 
on the independence of the auditor arising from any such engagement will be considered before proceeding. All non-audit services 
are pre-approved by the Audit Committee after it is satisfied that relevant safeguards are in place to protect the auditors’ objectivity 
and independence. 

To fulfil its responsibility regarding the independence of the external auditors, the Audit Committee considered:

•  a report from the external auditor describing its arrangements to identify, report and manage any conflicts of interest; and
•  the extent of non-audit services provided by the external auditor.

During the year ended 31 December 2015, a member firm of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”) provided 
non-audit services in relation to providing advice to the Board on the C share prospectus and tax compliance work. At the Audit 
Committee meeting in November 2015, KPMG confirmed that this had not impacted their independence and outlined the reasons 
for this. The Audit Committee considered this and were satisfied these non-audit services had no bearing on the independence 
of the Auditor.

The following table summarises the remuneration paid to KPMG and to other KPMG International member firms for audit and non-
audit services during the year/period ended 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014, translated into the functional currency at 
the exchange rate prevailing at 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014, respectively.

For the year ended 
31 December 2015
US$

For the period from
 7 March 2014 (date 
of incorporation) to 
31 December 2014
US$

71,248
22,104

–
94,997
2,210

45,066
–

109,446
–
7,010

KPMG Channel Islands Limited
– Annual Audit
– Interim review

Other KPMG member firms
– Initial prospectus
– Reporting accountant services – issuance of C shares
– Tax compliance services

22

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSReport of the Audit Committee (continued)

Internal Controls
As the Company’s investment objective is to invest all of its assets into the Master Fund, the Audit Committee, after consultation 
with  the  Investment  Adviser  and  external  auditor,  considers  the  key  risk  of  misstatement  in  its  Financial  Statements  to  be  the 
valuation of its investment in the Master Fund, but are also mindful of the risk of the override of controls by its service providers: 
the Investment Adviser and Administrator.

The Investment Adviser and Administrator together maintain a system of internal control on which they report to the Board. The 
Board has reviewed the need for an internal audit function and has decided that the systems and procedures employed by the 
Investment Adviser and Administrator provide sufficient assurance that a sound system of risk management and internal control, 
which safeguards shareholders’ investment and the Company’s assets, is maintained. An internal audit function specific to the 
Company is therefore considered unnecessary.

The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of the internal financial control systems and risk 
management systems on which the Company is reliant. These systems are designed to ensure proper accounting records are 
maintained, that the financial information on which the business decisions are made and which is issued for publication is reliable, 
and that the assets of the Company are safeguarded. Such a system of internal financial controls can only provide reasonable and 
not absolute assurance against misstatement or loss.

In  accordance  with  the  guidance  published  in  the  ‘Turnbull  Report’  by  the  Financial  Reporting  Council  (the  “FRC”),  the  Audit 
Committee has reviewed the Company’s internal control procedures. These internal controls are implemented by the Company’s 
two main service providers, the Investment Adviser and the Administrator. The Audit Committee has performed reviews of the 
internal financial control systems and risk management systems during the year. The Audit Committee is satisfied with the internal 
financial control systems of the Company. 

On behalf of the Audit Committee

Jon Bridel
Audit Committee Chairman
7 April 2016

23

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSIndependent Auditor’s Report to the  
members of Fair Oaks Income Fund Limited

Opinion on the Financial Statements
In our opinion the Financial Statements:

•  give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs 
as at 31 December 2015 and of its result for the year ended 
31 December 2015; 

•  are  in  accordance  with  International  Financial  Reporting 

Standards as issued by the IASB; and 

•  comply with the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters 
where  the  Companies  (Guernsey)  Law,  2008  requires  us  to 
report to you if, in our opinion:
•  the Company has not kept proper accounting records; or 
•  the  Financial  Statements  are  not  in  agreement  with  the 

accounting records; or 

•  we have not received all the information and explanations, 
which to the best of our knowledge and belief are necessary 
for the purpose of our audit.

Dermot A. Dempsey
For and on behalf of KPMG Channel Islands Limited
Chartered Accountants and Recognised Auditors, Guernsey

7 April 2016

We have audited the Financial Statements of Fair Oaks Income 
Fund Limited (the “Company”) for the year ended 31 December 
2015  which  comprise  the  Statement  of  Comprehensive 
Income,  the  Statement  of  Changes  in  Shareholders’  Equity, 
the  Statement  of  Financial  Position,  the  Statement  of  Cash 
Flows and the related notes. The financial reporting framework 
that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and 
International  Financial  Reporting  Standards  as  issued  by  the 
IASB. 

This  report  is  made  solely  to  the  Company’s  members,  as 
a  body,  in  accordance  with  section  262  of  the  Companies 
(Guernsey) Law, 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so 
that we might state to the Company’s members those matters 
we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for 
no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we 
do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than 
the Company and the Company’s members as a body, for our 
audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 

Respective responsibilities of directors and auditor
As  explained  more  fully  in  the  Statement  of  Directors’ 
Responsibilities  set  out  on  page  19,  the  directors  are 
responsible  for  the  preparation  of  the  Financial  Statements 
and  for  being  satisfied  that  they  give  a  true  and  fair  view. 
Our  responsibility  is  to  audit  and  express  an  opinion  on  the 
Financial  Statements  in  accordance  with  applicable  law  and 
International  Standards  on  Auditing  (UK  and  Ireland).  Those 
standards  require  us  to  comply  with  the  Auditing  Practices 
Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the Financial Statements
An  audit  involves  obtaining  evidence  about  the  amounts 
and disclosures in the Financial Statements sufficient to give 
reasonable  assurance  that  the  Financial  Statements  are  free 
from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or error. 
This  includes  an  assessment  of:  whether  the  accounting 
policies are appropriate to the Company’s circumstances and 
have  been  consistently  applied  and  adequately  disclosed; 
the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made 
by the directors; and the overall presentation of the Financial 
Statements.  In  addition,  we  read  all  the  financial  and  non-
financial  information  in  the  Annual  Report  to  identify  material 
inconsistencies with the Audited Financial Statements and to 
identify any information that is apparently materially incorrect 
based  on,  or  materially  inconsistent  with,  the  knowledge 
acquired  by  us  in  the  course  of  performing  the  audit.  If  we 
become  aware  of  any  apparent  material  misstatements  or 
inconsistencies we consider the implications for our report.

24

Statement of Comprehensive Income

For the year ended 31 December 2015

1 January 2015
to 31 December 2015

For the period 
from 7 March 2014 
(date of incorporation)
to 31 December 2014

Note

US$

US$

Revenue

Net (losses)/gains on financial assets at fair value  
through profit or loss

Investment income

Net foreign exchange loss

Total (loss)/revenue

Expenses

Investment adviser fees

Audit and interim review fees

Administration fees

Directors’ fees and expenses

Other expenses

Total operating expenses

6

7

8

8

8

(7,164,483)

6,427

(5,745)

(7,163,801)

406,676

95,794

153,553

152,450

283,255

1,091,728

5,175,980

4,155

(1,917)

5,178,218

154,511

51,486

71,375

106,299

121,598

505,269

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year/period

(8,255,529)

4,672,949

Basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per ordinary share

10

Basic and diluted loss per C share

10

(0.0208)

(0.0426)

0.0400

–

All items in the above statement derive from continuing operations.

The accompanying notes on pages 29 to 50 form an integral part of the Financial Statements.

25

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSStatement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity

For the year ended 31 December 2015

Share
capital

US$

Retained
earnings

US$

Total 

US$

Note

At 1 January 2015

119,542,182

4,672,949

124,215,131

Issue of ordinary shares during the year

Issue of C shares during the year

Total comprehensive loss for the year

Dividends declared during the year

9

9

4

88,398,626

100,273,000

–

–

88,398,626

100,273,000

–

–

(8,255,529)

(8,255,529)

(27,039,255)

(27,039,255)

At 31 December 2015

308,213,808

(30,621,835)

277,591,973

At 7 March 2014 (date of incorporation)

Note

Share
capital

US$

–

Issue of ordinary shares during the period

9

119,542,182

Retained
earnings

US$

–

–

Total 

US$

–

119,542,182

Total comprehensive income for the period

–

4,672,949

4,672,949

At 31 December 2014

119,542,182

4,672,949

124,215,131

The accompanying notes on pages 29 to 50 form an integral part of the Financial Statements.

26

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSStatement of Financial Position

At 31 December 2015

Note

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Prepayments

Distribution receivable

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Total assets

Liabilities

Other payables

Dividends payable

Total liabilities

Net assets

Equity

Retained earnings

Share capital

Total equity

Net asset value per ordinary share

Net asset value per C share

Number of ordinary shares

Number of C shares

2

6

12

4

9

9

9

5,401,130

92,507

10,256,219

269,069,087

284,818,943

107,889

7,119,081

7,226,970

331,830

37,242

–

123,902,137

124,271,209

56,078

–

56,078

277,591,973

124,215,131

(30,621,835)

308,213,808

277,591,973

0.8663

0.9191

212,426,903

101,800,000

4,672,949

119,542,182

124,215,131

1.0204

–

121,728,916

–

The Financial Statements on pages 25 to 50 were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 7 April 2016 
and signed on its behalf by:

Jon Bridel
Director

The accompanying notes on pages 29 to 50 form an integral part of the Financial Statements.

27

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSStatement of Cash Flows

For the year ended 31 December 2015

1 January 2015
to 31 December 2015

For the period 
from 7 March 2014 
(date of incorporation)
to 31 December 2014

Note

US$

US$

Cash flows from operating activities

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the period

Adjustments for:

Net losses/(gains) on financial assets at fair value  
through profit or loss

6

Increase in prepayments

Increase in other payables

Distributions received from Master Fund

Purchase of investment*

Sale of investment

Net cash flow used in operating activities

Cash flows from financing activities

Ordinary shares issued**

C shares issued

Dividends paid during the year

Net cash flow generated from financing activities

(8,255,529)

4,672,949

7,164,483

(1,091,046)

(55,265)

51,811

18,503,664

(331,088,285)

149,996,969

(163,682,152)

88,398,626

100,273,000

(19,920,174)

168,751,452

(5,175,980)

(503,031)

(37,242)

56,078

–

(206,924,456)

122,496,724

(84,911,927)

85,243,757

–

–

85,243,757

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

5,069,300

331,830

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year/period

331,830

–

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year/period

5,401,130

331,830

* Purchase of investments excludes non-cash purchases of US$Nil (31 December 2014: US$34,298,425). Refer to notes 6 and 
8 for further details.
** Excludes non-cash in specie transfer of US$Nil (31 December 2014: US$34,298,425) during the year. Refer to notes 8 and 10 
for further details.

The accompanying notes on pages 29 to 50 form an integral part of the Financial Statements.

28

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 December 2015

1.  GENERAL INFORMATION

The Company was incorporated and registered in Guernsey under the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 on 7 March 2014. 
The  Company’s  registration  number  is  58123  and  it  is  regulated  by  the  Guernsey  Financial  Services  Commission  as  a 
registered  closed  ended  collective  investment  scheme.  The  Company  is  listed  and  began  trading  on  the  Specialist  Fund 
Market of the London Stock Exchange on 12 June 2014.

The Company makes its investments through FOIF LP (the “Master Fund”), in which the Company is a limited partner, the only 
other limited partner being the Founding Partner. The general partner of the Master Fund is Fair Oaks Income Fund GP Limited 
(the “General Partner”). The Master Fund invests in a portfolio consisting primarily of Collateral Loan Obligations (“CLOs”). The 
Company may also invest in Qualifying Short Term Investments if at any time the Company holds any uninvested cash.

With effect from 15 May 2014, Fair Oaks Capital Limited (the “Investment Adviser”) was appointed as the Investment Adviser.

2.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Statement of Compliance
The Financial Statements, which give a true and fair view, have been prepared in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and interpretations issued 
by  the  International  Financial  Reporting  Interpretations  Committee  (“IFRIC”)  and  are  in  compliance  with  the  Companies 
(Guernsey) Law, 2008 and the Prospectus Rules, the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and the Market Abuse Directive (as 
implemented in the UK through Financial Services and Markets Authority).

Basis of Preparation
The Company’s Financial Statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for financial assets measured at 
fair value through profit or loss.

The preparation of Financial Statements in conformity with IFRS requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions 
that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the Financial Statements and the reported amounts 
of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates 
and judgements are discussed in note 3. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

The  Directors  believe  that  the  Annual  Report  and  Financial  Statements  contains  all  of  the  information  required  to  enable 
shareholders and potential investors to make an informed appraisal of the investment activities and profits and losses of the 
Company for the period to which it relates and does not omit any matter or development of significance.

As  explained  below,  the  Company  qualifies  as  an  investment  entity  and  is  therefore  only  required  to  prepare  individual 
Financial Statements under IFRS.

New Accounting Standards effective and adopted
The IASB completed its Annual Improvements 2010-2012 Cycle and Annual improvements 2011-2013 Cycle in December 
2013.  These  projects  amended  a  number  of  existing  standards  and  interpretations  effective  for  accounting  periods 
commencing on or after 1 July 2014.

The adoption of these amended standards has had no material impact on the Financial Statements of the Company.

New Accounting Standards and interpretations applicable to future reporting periods
At the date of approval of these Financial Statements, the following standards and interpretations, which may be relevant to 
the Company but have not been applied in these Financial Statements, were in issue but not yet effective:

• 

IFRS 9, ‘Financial Instruments’ (relating to the classification and measurement of financial assets and liabilities, effective 
for periods commencing on or after 1 January 2018). This standard specifies how an entity should classify and measure 
financial assets and liabilities, including some hybrid contracts. The standard improves and simplifies the approach for 
classification and measurement of financial assets compared with the requirements of IAS 39 ‘Financial Statements: 
Recognition and Measurement’ (“IAS 39”).

29

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

2.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES continued

New Accounting Standards and interpretations applicable to future reporting periods continued
The  Board  expects  that  the  adoption  of  the  standard  in  a  future  period  will  not  have  a  material  impact  on  the  Financial 
Statements of the Company as the majority of the Company’s financial assets are designated at fair value through profit or 
loss.

Investment income
Other  income  relates  to  interest  income.  Interest  income  is  recognised  on  a  time-proportionate  basis  using  the  effective 
interest method and includes interest income from cash and cash equivalents.

The effective interest rate is calculated using estimated cash flows, considering the expected life of the financial asset and 
future potential credit losses. The calculation includes all fees and points paid or received between parties to the contract that 
are an integral part of the effective interest rate and all other premiums or discounts.

Net Gains and losses on Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss
Net gains/(losses) on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss includes all realised and unrealised fair value changes, 
foreign exchange gains/(losses), distributions received, but excludes interest.

Net  realised  gains/(losses)  from  financial  assets  at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss  are  calculated  using  the  average  cost 
method.

Expenses
Expenses of the Company are charged through profit or loss in the Statement of Comprehensive Income on an accruals 
basis.

Ordinary Shares and C Shares
The  ordinary  shares  and  C  shares  of  the  Company  are  classified  as  equity  based  on  the  substance  of  the  contractual 
arrangements and in accordance with the definition of equity instruments under IAS 32.

The proceeds from the issue of participating shares are recognised in the Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity, net 
of incremental issuance costs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash  comprises  current  deposits  with  banks.  Cash  equivalents  are  short-term,  highly  liquid  investments  that  are  readily 
convertible to known amounts of cash, are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value, and are held for the purpose 
of meeting short-term cash commitments rather than for investments or other purposes.

Financial Instruments
Classification
The Company classifies its financial assets and financial liabilities into categories in accordance with IAS 39.

The category of financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss comprises:

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
Financial assets classified in this category are designated by management on initial recognition as part of a group of financial 
assets which are managed and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis, in accordance with a documented investment 
strategy. The term “financial assets designated at fair value through profit or loss” included investments in US Treasury Bills 
which  were  purchased  and  sold  during  the  year.  The  Investment  Entities  exception  to  consolidation  (“Investment  entities 
exception”) in IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’ (“IFRS 10”) requires subsidiaries of an investment entity to be 
accounted for at fair value through profit or loss in accordance with IAS 39. As the Company’s investment in the Master Fund 
is not held for trading, it is presented in the Financial Statements with the “designated at fair value” financial assets, as all are 
managed together on a fair value basis.

30

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

2.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES continued

Financial Instruments continued
Classification continued
Financial assets at amortised cost
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active 
market, and they are carried at amortised cost. The Company includes in this category cash and cash equivalents and other 
receivables. The amortised cost of a financial asset is the amount at which the instrument is measured at initial recognition 
(its fair value) adjusted for initial direct costs, minus principal repayments, plus or minus the cumulative amortisation, using 
effective interest rate method, of any difference between the initial amount recognised and the maturity amount, minus any 
reduction for impairment.

Financial liabilities at amortised cost
The Company includes in this category expenses payable.

Recognition and initial measurement
Financial assets and financial liabilities are measured initially at fair value, being the transaction price, including transaction 
costs for items that will subsequently be measured at amortised cost, on the trade date. Transaction costs on financial assets 
at fair value through profit or loss are expensed immediately.

Subsequent measurement
After initial measurement, the Company measures financial instruments classified at fair value through profit or loss at their 
fair values. Changes in fair value are recorded within “Net (losses)/gains on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss” 
in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. 

Derecognition
A financial asset is derecognised when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire or it transfers 
the financial asset and the transfer qualifies for derecognition in accordance with IAS 39. A financial liability is derecognised 
when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expires.

Investment in the Master Fund
The Board has determined that the Company has all the elements of control as prescribed by IFRS 10 in relation to the Master 
Fund as the Company is effectively the sole limited partner, is exposed and has rights to the returns of the Master Fund and 
has the ability either directly or through the Investment Adviser to affect the amount of its returns from the Master Fund.

The Investment Entities exception requires that an investment entity that has determined that it is a parent under IFRS 10 shall 
not consolidate certain of its subsidiaries; instead it is required to measure its investment in these subsidiaries at fair value 
through profit or loss in accordance with IAS 39. 

The criteria which defines an investment entity are as follows:
– 

An entity has obtained funds from one or more investors for the purpose of providing those investors with investment 
management services;
An entity has committed to its investors that its business purpose is to invest funds solely for the returns from capital 
appreciation, investment income or both; and
An entity measures and evaluates the performance of substantially all of its investments on a fair value basis.

– 

– 

The Company provides investment management services and has a number of investors who pool their funds to gain access 
to these services and investment opportunities that they might not have had access to individually. The Company, being listed 
on the Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange, obtains funding from a diverse group of external shareholders. 

Consideration  is  also  given  to  the  time  frame  of  an  investment.  An  investment  entity  should  not  hold  its  investments 
indefinitely but should have an exit strategy for their realisation. As the Master Fund’s investments have documented maturity/
redemption dates or will be sold if other investments with better risk/reward profile are identified, the Directors consider that 
this demonstrates a clear exit strategy.

31

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

2.  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES continued

Financial Instruments continued
Investment in the Master Fund continued
The  Master  Fund  measures  and  evaluates  the  performance  of  substantially  all  of  its  investments  on  a  fair  value  basis. 
The  fair  value  method  is  used  to  represent  the  Company’s  performance  in  its  communication  to  the  market,  including 
investor presentations. In addition, the Company reports fair value information internally to Directors, who use fair value as 
a significant measurement attribute to evaluate the performance of its investments and to make investment decisions for 
mature investments.

The Company has determined that the fair value of the Master Fund is the Master Fund’s Net Asset Value (“NAV”).

The  Company  has  concluded  that  the  Master  Fund,  which  is  fully  drawn  at  the  year  end,  meets  the  definition  of  an 
unconsolidated subsidiary under IFRS 12 and has made the necessary disclosures.

Foreign Currency
Functional and presentation currency
The Financial Statements of the Company are presented in the currency of the primary economic environment in which the 
Company operates (its functional currency). The Directors have considered the primary economic currency of the Company 
and considered the currency in which the original finance was raised, distributions will be made, and ultimately what currency 
would be returned if the Company was wound up. The Directors have also considered the currency to which the underlying 
investments are exposed. On balance, the Directors believe US Dollar best represents the functional currency of the Company 
during the year. Therefore the books and records are maintained in US Dollars and for the purpose of the Financial Statements 
the results and financial position of the Company are presented in US Dollars, which has been selected as the presentation 
currency of the Company. All other foreign exchange differences relating to monetary items, including cash, are presented in 
‘Net gains/(losses) on derivatives at fair value through profit or loss and foreign exchange’ in the Statement of Comprehensive 
Income.

Transactions and balances
Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional currency using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates 
of  the  transactions.  Foreign  exchange  gains  and  losses  resulting  from  the  settlement  of  such  transactions  and  from  the 
translation at year end exchange rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognised in 
the Statement of Comprehensive Income.

Non-monetary items measured at historical cost are translated using the exchange rates at the date of the transaction (not 
retranslated). Non-monetary items measured at fair value are translated using the exchange rates at the date when fair value 
was determined.

Taxation
The Company is exempt from Guernsey income tax and is charged an annual exemption fee of £1,200 (31 December 2014: 
£600).

Dividends
Dividends to the holders of ordinary shares and C shares are recorded through the Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ 
Equity when they are declared to shareholders. The payment of any dividend by the Company is subject to the satisfaction 
of a solvency test as required by the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008.

Segmental Reporting
The Board has considered the requirements of IFRS 8 – “Operating Segments”. The Company has entered into an Investment 
Advisory Agreement with the Investment Adviser under which they are responsible for the management of the Company’s 
investment portfolio, subject to the overall supervision of the Directors. Subject to its terms and conditions, the Investment 
Advisory  Agreement  requires  the  Investment  Adviser  to  manage  the  Company’s  investment  portfolio  in  accordance  with 
the Company’s investment guidelines as in effect from time to time, including the authority to purchase and sell securities 
and other investments and to carry out other actions as appropriate to give effect thereto. However, the Board retains full 

32

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

responsibility to ensure that the Investment Adviser adheres to its mandate. Moreover, the Board is fully responsible for the 
appointment and/or removal of the Investment Adviser. Accordingly, the Board is deemed to be the “Chief Operating Decision 
Maker” of the Company.

In the Board’s opinion, the Company is engaged in a single segment of business, being the investment into the Master Fund, 
a Guernsey registered Limited Partnership.

Segment information is measured on the same basis as that used in the preparation of the Company’s Financial Statements. 

The Company receives no revenues from external customers, nor holds any non-current assets, in any geographical area 
other than Guernsey.

3.  USE OF JUDGEMENTS AND ESTIMATES

The preparation of Financial Statements in accordance with IFRS requires the Board to make judgements, estimates and 
assumptions  that  affect  the  application  of  policies  and  the  reported  amounts  of  assets,  liabilities,  income  and  expenses, 
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Financial Statements and income and expenses during the 
period. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on various factors that are believed to be reasonable under the 
circumstances, the results of which form the basis of making the judgements about carrying values of assets and liabilities 
that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on a ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised 
in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future 
periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. 

The principle estimates and judgements are as follows:

Going Concern
The Board has assessed the Company’s financial  position  as at  31 December  2015  and  the  factors  that may  impact its 
performance in the forthcoming year and are of the opinion that it is appropriate to prepare these Financial Statements on a 
going concern basis.

Fair Value
The Company records its investment in the Master Fund at fair value. Fair value is determined as the Company’s share of 
the Master Fund’s NAV. This share is net of any notional carried interest due to the Founder Partner of the Master Fund. 
The Investment Adviser has reviewed the NAV of the Master Fund and determined that no adjustments regarding liquidity 
discounts were required. At 31 December 2015 the Company is effectively the sole limited partner in the Master Fund. 

Investment Entity
In accordance with the Investment entities exception the Board has determined that the Company satisfies the criteria to be 
regarded as an investment entity and that the Company provides investment related services and as a result measures its 
investment in the Master Fund at fair value. This determination involves a degree of judgement (see note 2). 

4.  DIVIDENDS

The Company intends to pay dividends to shareholders representing an amount in aggregate at least equal to the gross 
income from investments, which are received by the Company in the relevant financial period attributable to the Company’s 
investment in the Master Fund, and Qualifying Short Term Investments less expenses of the Company.

The Company intends to declare eleven monthly dividends of a minimum of 0.7 US cents per ordinary share and a larger 
twelfth interim dividend such that, in the opinion of the Directors, substantially all net income generated by the Company in 
2015 will be distributed to shareholders.

33

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

4.  DIVIDENDS continued

The  Company  declared  the  following  dividends  to  ordinary  shareholders  during  the  year  ended  31  December  2015  (31 
December 2014: US$Nil):

Period to
31 December 2014

Payment date
12 February 2015

31 January 2015

19 February 2015

28 February 2015

19 March 2015

31 March 2015

30 April 2015

31 May 2015

30 June 2015

31 July 2015

23 April 2015

21 May 2015

25 June 2015

23 July 2015

20 August 2015

31 August 2015

24 September 2015

30 September 2015

22 October 2015

31 October 2015

19 November 2015

30 November 2015

24 December 2015

Dividend 
rate per 
share 
(cents)
4.25

Net 
dividend 
payable 
(US$)
5,173,478

Record date
30 January 2015

Ex-dividend date
29 January 2015

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

0.70

853,289

6 February 2015

5 February 2015

1,168,288

1,168,288

1,168,288

1,483,289

1,483,289

1,483,289

6 March 2015

10 April 2015

8 May 2015

12 June 2015

10 July 2015

5 March 2015

9 April 2015

7 May 2015

11 June 2015

9 July 2015

7 August 2015

6 August 2015

1,483,289

11 September 2015

10 September 2015

1,485,129

9 October 2015

8 October 2015

1,485,129

6 November 2015

5 November 2015

1,485,129

11 December 2015

10 December 2015

19,920,174

31 December 2015

13 January 2016

2.226

4,722,709

29 December 2015

24 December 2015

24,642,883

The Company also declared the following dividend to C shareholders for the period 17 August 2015 to 31 December 2015:

Period to
31 December 2015

Payment date
13 January 2016

Dividend 
rate per 
share 
(cents)
2.354

Net 
dividend 
payable 
(US$)
2,396,372

Record date
29 December 2015

Ex-dividend date
24 December 2015

Under Guernsey law, companies can pay dividends in excess of accounting profit provided they satisfy the solvency test 
prescribed  by  the  Companies  (Guernsey)  Law,  2008.  The  solvency  test  considers  whether  a  company  is  able  to  pay  its 
debts when they fall due, and whether the value of a company’s assets is greater than its liabilities. The Company passed the 
solvency test for each dividend paid.

Total dividends payable as at 31 December 2015 was US$7,119,081 (31 December 2015: US$Nil).

34

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT

The  Board  of  Directors  has  overall  responsibility  for  the  establishment  and  oversight  of  the  Company’s  risk  management 
framework. The Company’s risk management policies are established to identify and analyse the risks faced by the Company, 
to  set  appropriate  risk  limits  and  controls  and  to  monitor  risks  and  adherence  to  limits.  Risk  management  policies  are 
reviewed regularly to reflect changes in market conditions and the Company’s activities. Below is a non-exhaustive summary 
of the risks that the Company is exposed to as a result of its use of financial instruments:

Market Risk
Market risk is the risk of changes in market prices, such as foreign exchange rates, interest rates and equity prices, affecting 
the Company’s income and/or the value of its holdings in financial instruments. 

The Company’s exposure to market risk comes mainly from movements in the value of its investment in the Master Fund and 
on a look-through basis to the underlying loans in each CLO. Changes in credit spreads may further affect the Company’s 
net equity or net income directly through their impact on unrealised gains or losses on investments within the Master Fund 
and on a look-through basis to the underlying loans in each CLO.

The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters 
while optimising the return on risk. The Company’s strategy for the management of market risk mirrors the strategy of the 
Master Fund, driven by their investment objective to generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns, principally through income 
distributions by seeking exposure to US and European CLOs or other vehicles and structures which provide exposure to 
portfolios consisting primarily of US and European floating rate senior secured loans and which may include non-recourse 
financing. The Company’s market risk is managed on a daily basis by the Investment Adviser in accordance with policies and 
procedures in place.

The Company intends to mitigate market risk generally by not making investments that would cause it to have exposure 
to a single corporate issuer exceeding 5% of the Master Fund’s aggregate gross assets at the time of investment. Special 
Purpose Vehicles such as CLOs are not considered corporate issuers. The Company’s market positions are monitored on a 
quarterly basis by the Board of Directors. 

Interest Rate Risk
The Company is exposed to interest rate risk through the investments held by the Master Fund and on a look-through basis 
to the underlying assets in the CLOs, along with their investment in US Treasury Bills which were held during the year but sold 
at the year end.

The  majority  of  the  Company’s  financial  assets  are  into  the  Master  Fund  which  invests  in  Income  Notes  and  Mezzanine 
tranches of cash flow CLOs. The Master Fund’s exposure to interest rate risk is significantly mitigated by the fact that the 
majority of the underlying loans in each CLO, bear interest at floating Libor-based rates.

The Company’s investment in US Treasury Bills were short term, therefore, their exposed interest rate risk was minimal as they 
were all sold within 3 months of them being purchased.

Interest receivable on bank deposits or payable on bank overdraft positions will be affected by fluctuations in interest rates, 
however, the underlying cash positions will not be affected.

The following table shows the portfolio profile of the Master Fund at 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014:

Investments with a floating interest rate

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (note 6)

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

275,519,805

275,519,805

123,326,800

123,326,800

35

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT continued

Market Risk continued
Interest Rate Risk continued
The  following  table  shows  the  Directors’  best  estimate  of  the  sensitivity  of  the  portfolio  of  the  Master  Fund  to  stressed 
changes in interest rates, with all other variables held constant. The table assumes parallel shifts in the respective forward 
yield curves. 

Possible 
reasonable 
change in rate 
-1% 
1% 

31 December 2015 
effect on net assets 
and profit or loss 
US$ 
(1,807,418) 
1,218,236 

Possible 
reasonable 
change in rate 
-1% 
1% 

31 December 2014
effect on net assets
and profit or loss
US$
(424,187)
424,187

Currency risk
The Company is exposed to very limited currency risk, as the majority of its assets and liabilities are denominated in US 
Dollars. 

The Company is exposed indirectly to currency risk through its investment into the Master Fund. The Master Fund’s portfolio 
is  predominantly  denominated  in  US  Dollar.  However,  the  Master  Fund  may  also  invest  in  underlying  assets  which  are 
denominated  in  currencies  other  than  the  US  Dollar  (e.g.  Euro).  Accordingly,  the  value  of  such  assets  may  be  affected, 
favourably  or  unfavourably,  by  fluctuations  in  currency  rates  and  which,  if  unhedged,  could  have  the  potential  to  have  a 
significant effect on returns. To reduce the impact of currency fluctuations and the volatility of returns which may result from 
currency exposure, the Investment Adviser may hedge the currency exposure of the assets of the Master Fund. 

The total net foreign currency exposure of the Master Fund at the year end was as follows:

EUR Exposure

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Forward foreign exchange contracts 

Other payables

Net EUR Exposure

GBP Exposure

Cash and cash equivalents

Other receivables

Other payables

Net GBP Exposure

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

5,298,923

(5,433,294)

(40,719)

(175,090)

6,198,862

(6,199,139)

(30,244)

(30,521)

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

–

17,992

(21,761)

(3,769)

7,789

19,761

(12,462)

15,088

NET EXPOSURE

(178,859)

(15,433)

36

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT continued

Market Risk continued
Currency risk continued

EUR/US Dollar 
GBP/US Dollar 

EUR/US Dollar 
GBP/US Dollar 

Possible change 
in exchange rate 

+/- 5% 
+/- 5% 

31 December 2015 
net exposure 
US$ 
(175,090) 
(3,769) 

Possible change 
in exchange rate 

+/- 5% 
+/- 5% 

31 December 2014 
net exposure 
US$ 
(30,521) 
15,088 

31 December 2015
effect on net assets
and profit or loss
US$
(8,755)
(188)

31 December 2014
effect on net assets
and profit or loss
US$
(+/-) 1,526
(+/-) 754

Other price risks
The risk that the fair value or future cash flows, on a look-through basis to the underlying CLOs’ will fluctuate due to changes 
in  market  prices  (other  than  those  arising  from  interest  rate  risk  or  currency  risk),  whether  those  changes  are  caused  by 
factors specific to the individual financial instrument or its issuer, or factors affecting all similar financial instruments traded in 
the market. The Directors do not believe that the returns on investments are correlated to any specific index or other price 
variable.

If the value of the Company’s investment in the Master Fund was to increase or decrease by 1%, the impact on the NAV of 
the Company would be +/- US$2,690,691 (31 December 2014: US$1,239,021).

Credit and Counterparty Risk
Credit risk is the risk that a counterparty to a financial instrument will fail to discharge an obligation or commitment that it has 
entered into with the Company, the Master Fund or a vehicle in which the Master Fund invests, resulting in a financial loss 
to the Company. It arises principally from debt securities held, and also from derivative financial assets and cash and cash 
equivalents. For risk management reporting purposes, the Company considers and aggregates all elements of credit risk 
exposure (such as individual obligation default risk, country risk and sector risk).

The Company’s policy over credit risk mirrors that of the Master Fund, which is to minimise its exposure to counterparties with 
perceived higher risk of default by dealing only with counterparties that meet the credit standards set out in the Company’s 
prospectus and by taking collateral. 

The table below analyses the Company’s maximum credit exposure to credit risk for the components of the Statement of 
Financial Position.

Cash and cash equivalents

Other receivables

Distribution receivable
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

5,401,130

92,507

10,256,219
269,069,087

284,818,943

331,830

37,242

–
123,902,137

124,271,209

37

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT continued
Credit and Counterparty Risk continued
The  cash  and  assets  of  the  Company,  excluding  its  investment  into  the  Master  Fund,  and  as  at  31  December  2015, 
substantially  all  of  the  assets  of  the  Master  Fund  are  held  by  the  BNP  Paribas  Security  Services  (the  “New  Custodian”). 
Bankruptcy  or  insolvency  of  the  New  Custodian  may  cause  the  Company’s  rights  with  respect  to  securities  held  by  the 
New Custodian to be delayed or limited. This risk is managed by monitoring the credit quality and financial positions of the 
Custodian. The long-term rating of the New Custodian as at 31 December 2015 was Aa1 as rated by Moody’s (Royal Bank 
of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited (“Former Custodian”), 31 December 2014: Aa3) and AA+ by Standard & Poor’s (Former 
Custodian, 31 December 2014: AA-).

Credit risk is assessed from time to time by the Investment Adviser on a look-through basis to the underlying loans in each 
CLO. The Investment Adviser seeks to provide diversification in terms of underlying assets, issuer section, geography and 
maturity profile. Please refer to the graph on page 7 for the concentration of credit risk by industry for the CLO investments 
on a look-through basis as at 31 December 2015. The Company’s credit risk is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Board 
of Directors. 

The Master Fund’s exposure to credit risk of all of the underlying CLO investments based on the country of registration (not 
necessarily asset class exposure) as at 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014 is summarised below:

United States of America

Europe

270,220,882

5,298,923

Master Fund financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (note 6)

275,519,805

117,127,938

6,198,862

123,326,800

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

The underlying CLO investments geographical breakdown is as follows:

Country

United States of America

Luxembourg

Canada

United Kingdom

Germany

France

Netherlands

Other

Total

31 December 2015
%

31 December 2014
%

91.9

2.2

1.6

1.2

–

–

0.8

2.3

93.9

–

–

1.7

1.0

0.8

0.7

1.9

100.0

100.0

The table below summarises the Master Fund’s portfolio concentrations as of 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014:

Maximum portfolio 
holdings of a single 
asset % of total 
portfolio
8.61%

Average portfolio 
holdings % of 
total portfolio
4.00%

37.82%

11.11%

31 December 2015

31 December 2014

38

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT continued
Credit and Counterparty Risk continued
The below table summarises the Master Fund’s portfolio by asset class and ratings of the portfolio as at 31 December 2015 
and 31 December 2014:

By Asset Class

Equity CLO

Mezzanine CLO

Term loan

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

215,819,398

52,283,397

7,417,010

110,870,529

12,456,271

–

Master Fund financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (note 6)

275,519,805

123,326,800

The underlying CLO investments rating breakdown is as follows:

Rating

B

B+

BB-

B-

NR

BB

BB+

BBB-

CCC+

Total

31 December 2015
%

31 December 2014
%

46.0

22.0

13.0

7.0

2.0

5.0

3.0

1.0

1.0

52.0

20.0

11.0

6.0

5.0

4.0

2.0

–

–

100.0

100.0

Further  information  regarding  the  geographical,  currency,  rating  and  industry  diversification  breakdown  is  provided  in  the 
tables on page 7 in the Investment Adviser’s Report.

Activities undertaken by the Company and Master Fund may give rise to settlement risk. ‘Settlement risk’ is the risk of loss 
due to the failure of a counterparty to honour its obligations to deliver cash, securities or other assets as contractually agreed. 

For the majority of transactions, settlement risk is mitigated by conducting settlements through a broker to ensure that a trade 
is settled only when both parties have fulfilled their contractual settlement obligations. Settlement limits form part of the credit 
approval and limit monitoring processes.

Liquidity Risk
Liquidity  risk  is  the  risk  that  the  Company  will  encounter  difficulty  in  meeting  the  obligations  associated  with  its  financial 
liabilities that are settled by delivering cash or another financial asset.

The Company’s policy and the Investment Adviser’s approach to managing the liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that 
the Company will always have sufficient liquidity to meet its liabilities when due, under both normal and stress conditions 
including  estimated  redemptions  of  shares,  without  incurring  unacceptable  losses  or  risking  damage  to  the  Company’s 
reputation.

39

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

5.  FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT continued

Liquidity Risk continued
The Company’s liquidity risk is managed on a daily basis by the Investment Adviser on a look-through basis to the underlying 
loans in each CLO. The Investment Adviser monitors and considers the Company’s and the Master Fund’s cash balances, 
projected expenses and projected income from investments when making any new investment recommendations. 

Given the Company’s permanent capital structure as a closed-ended fund, it is not exposed to redemption risk. However, the 
Company’s financial instruments include investments in collateralised debt obligations and derivative contracts (if any) traded 
over-the-counter which are not traded in an organised public market and which may be illiquid.

The Company’s overall liquidity risk is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Board of directors. Shareholders will have no right 
of redemption and must rely, in part, on the existence of a liquid market in order to realise their investment.

All liabilities of the Company are due within one financial year.

Operational Risk
Operational  risk  is  the  risk  of  direct  or  indirect  loss  arising  from  a  wide  variety  of  causes  associated  with  the  processes, 
technology and infrastructure supporting the Company’s activities relating to financial instruments, either internally or on the 
part of service providers, and from external factors other than credit, market and liquidity risks such as those arising from legal 
and regulatory requirements and generally accepted standards of investment management behaviour. 

Operational risk is managed so as to balance the limiting of financial losses and damage to its reputation with achieving its 
investment objective of generating returns to investors. 

The primary responsibility for the development and implementation of controls over operational risk rests with the Board of 
directors. This responsibility is supported by the development of overall standards for the management of operational risk, 
which encompasses the controls and processes at the service providers and the establishment of service levels with the 
service providers.

The Directors’ assessment of the adequacy of the controls and processes in place at the service providers with respect to 
operational risk is carried out via regular discussions with the service providers and a review of the service providers’ Service 
Organisation Controls (“SOC”) 1 reports on internal controls, if available. 

Substantially all of the assets of the Company and Master Fund are held by BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A., Guernsey 
Branch, in its capacity as Custodian. The bankruptcy or insolvency of the Custodian may cause the Company’s rights with 
respect to the securities held by the Custodian to be limited. The Investment Adviser monitors the credit ratings and capital 
adequacy of the Custodian on a quarterly basis, and reviews the findings documented in the SOC 1 report on the internal 
controls annually.

Capital Management
The Board’s policy is to maintain a strong capital base so as to maintain investor, creditor and market confidence and to 
sustain future development of the Company. The Company’s capital is represented by the ordinary shares and C shares. 
Capital is managed in accordance with the investment policy, in pursuit of its investment objectives. 

40

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

6.  FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS

Cost at the start of the year/period

Purchases into the Master Fund at cost during the year/period*

Purchases of US Treasury Bills at cost during the year/period

Proceeds from sale of US Treasury Bills during the year/period

Realised gain/(loss) on sale of US Treasury Bills

Cost of investment into the Master Fund at the end of the year/period
Net unrealised (losses)/gains on investments at the end of the 
year/period

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss at the end of the 
year/period

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

118,724,784

181,103,099

149,985,186

(149,996,969)

11,783

–

118,724,784

122,498,097

(122,496,724)

(1,373)

299,827,883

118,724,784

(30,758,796)

5,177,353

269,069,087

123,902,137

Realised gain on sales during the year/period

Realised loss on sales during the year/period

Increase in unrealised (loss)/gain during the year/period

Distributions received from Master Fund

13,392

(1,609)

(35,936,149)

28,759,883

Net (losses)/gains on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

(7,164,483)

168

(1,541)

5,177,353

–

5,175,980

* the purchase of investments includes non-cash purchases of US$Nil (31 December 2014: US$34,298,425). Refer to note 8.

The following table reconciles the Master Funds financial assets at fair value through profit or loss to the Company’s financial 
assets at fair value through profit or loss:

Master Fund - Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Add: Master Fund’s net current (liabilities)/assets

Company’s financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

275,519,805

(6,450,718)

269,069,087

123,326,800

575,337

123,902,137

As at 31 December 2015 US$Nil (31 December 2014: US$Nil) carried interest was allocated to the Master Fund’s Founder 
Partner.

41

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

6.  FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS continued

The Company’s net unrealised (losses)/gains on investment at the end of year/period comprises the following:

Master Fund

Net unrealised gains on investments at the beginning of the year/period

Investment income

Unrealised losses on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Realised loss on financial assets at fair value

Net gains on derivative financial instruments and foreign exchange

Other income

Expenses

Distributions paid during the year/period

Net unrealised (losses)/gains on investments at the end 
of the year/period

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

5,177,353

24,387,904

(27,804,710)

(2,121,116)

629,681

861

(2,268,886)

(28,759,883)

–

6,464,186

(1,327,156)

–

799,006

186

(758,869)

–

(30,758,796)

5,177,353

IFRS 13 requires that a fair value hierarchy be established that prioritises the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure 
fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities 
(Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair 
value hierarchy under IFRS 13 are set as follows: 

– 

– 

– 

Level 1: inputs that are quoted market prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical instruments;

Level 2: inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly 
(as prices) or indirectly (derived from prices). This category includes instruments valued using: quoted market prices in 
active markets for similar instruments; quoted for identical or similar instruments in markets that are considered less than 
active; or other valuation techniques in which all significant inputs are directly or indirectly observable from market data.

Level 3: Inputs that are unobservable. This category includes all instruments for which the valuation technique includes 
inputs not based on observable data and the unobservable inputs have a significant effect on the instrument’s valuation. 
This category includes instruments that are valued based on quoted prices for similar instruments but for which significant 
unobservable adjustments or assumptions are required to reflect differences between the instruments.

The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement is categorised in its entirety is determined on 
the basis of the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. For this purpose, the significance of an 
input is assessed against the fair value measurement in its entirety. If a fair value measurement uses observable inputs that 
require significant adjustment based on unobservable inputs, that measurement is a Level 3 measurement. Assessing the 
significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgement, considering factors specific to the asset 
or liability. 

The determination of what constitutes ‘observable’ requires significant judgement. Observable data is considered to be that 
market data that is readily available, regularly distributed or updated, reliable, not proprietary, and provided by independent 
sources that are actively involved in the relevant market.

42

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

6.  FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS continued

The following table analyses within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s financial assets (by class, excluding cash and cash 
equivalents, distributions receivable, prepayments, dividends payable and other payables) measured at fair value:

Assets:
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 

Total 

Assets:
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 

Total 

31 December 2015

Level 1 
US$ 

Level 2 
US$ 

Level 3 
US$ 

Total
US$

– 

– 

– 

– 

269,069,087 

269,069,087

269,069,087 

269,069,087

31 December 2014

Level 1 
US$ 

Level 2 
US$ 

Level 3 
US$ 

Total
US$

– 

– 

– 

– 

123,902,137 

123,902,137

123,902,137 

123,902,137

The investment in the Master Fund, which is fair valued at each reporting date, has been classified within Level 3 as it is not 
traded and contains unobservable inputs.

The following table presents the movement in Level 3 instruments:

Opening Balance

Purchases

Net (losses)/gains on financial assets held at fair value through profit 
or loss 

Closing Balance

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

123,902,137

181,103,099

–

118,724,784

(35,936,149)

5,177,353

269,069,087

123,902,137

Transfers between Level 1, 2 and 3
There have been no transfers between levels during the year ended 31 December 2015 or 31 December 2014. Transfers 
between levels of the fair value hierarchy are recognised as at the end of the reporting period during which the change has 
occurred.

The  following  table  analyses  within  the  fair  value  hierarchy,  the  Master  Fund’s  financial  assets  and  derivatives  (by  class, 
excluding cash and cash equivalents, other receivables, distributions payable and other payables) measured at fair value:

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 
Derivatives at fair value through profit or loss 

Total 

31 December 2015

Level 1 
US$ 

Level 2 
US$ 

Level 3 
US$ 

Total
US$

– 
– 

– 

59,700,407 
(51,294) 

215,819,398 
– 

275,519,805
(51,294)

59,649,113 

215,819,398 

275,468,511

43

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

6.  FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS continued

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 
Derivatives at fair value through profit or loss 

Total 

31 December 2014

Level 1 
US$ 

Level 2 
US$ 

Level 3 
US$ 

Total
US$

– 
– 

– 

12,456,271 
175,476 

110,870,529 
– 

123,326,800
175,476

12,631,747 

110,870,529 

123,502,276

The following table analyses within the fair value hierarchy the Company’s assets and liabilities not measured at fair value but 
for which fair value is disclosed:

31 December 2015

Level 1 
US$ 

Level 2 
US$ 

Level 3 
US$ 

Total
US$

5,401,130 
– 
– 

– 
92,507 
10,256,219 

5,401,130 

10,348,726 

– 
– 

– 

107,889 
7,119,081 

7,226,970 

– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 

– 

31 December 2014

Level 1 
US$ 

331,830 
– 

Level 2 
US$ 

– 
37,242 

331,830 

37,242 

– 

– 

56,078 

56,078 

Level 3 
US$ 

– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

5,401,130
92,507
10,256,219

15,749,856

107,889
7,119,081

7,226,970

Total
US$

331,830
37,242

369,072

56,078

56,078

Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents 
Prepayments 
Distribution receivable 

Total 

Liabilities
Other payables 
Dividends payable 

Total 

Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents 
Prepayments 

Total 

Liabilities
Other payables 

Total 

44

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

6.  FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS continued

The assets and liabilities included in the above table are carried at amortised cost; their carrying values are a reasonable 
approximation of fair value. 

Cash and cash equivalents include deposits held with banks. 

Other  payables  represent  the  contractual  amounts  and  obligations  due  by  the  Company  for  settlement  of  trades  and 
expenses. 

The following table summarises the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s investments categorised in Level 3 as 
at 31 December 2015:

Security 

Master Fund 

Valuation 
methodology 

Unobservable
inputs 

Ranges

Fair Value 
US$

269,069,087 

NAV 

Zero % discount 

N/A

The Master Fund has engaged an independent third party to provide valuations for its CLO investments. The following table 
summarises, in the Company’s opinion, the valuation methodologies used by the independent third party to value the Master 
Fund’s investments categorised in Level 3 as at 31 December 2015:

Asset Class 

Income Note CLOs

Fair Value 
US$

Unobservable 
inputs 

Ranges 

Average 

Sensitivity to changes
in significant
unobservable inputs

United States 
of America 

210,520,475 

Prices provided 
by a third party 
agent 

US$0.0345 
– 
US$0.8500 

US$0.7483 

Europe 

5,298,923 

Prices provided 
by a third party 
agent 

£0.8000 

£0.8000 

1% increase/decrease
will have a fair value
impact of
+/- US$2,105,205

1% increase/decrease
will have a fair value
impact of
+/- US$52,989

7. 

INVESTMENT INCOME

For the year ended 
31 December 2015
US$

For the period from 
7 March 2014 (date of 
incorporation) to 
31 December 2014
US$

Interest income on financial assets carried at amortised cost:

Cash and cash equivalents

Investment income on financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

2,315

4,112

6,427

932

3,223

4,155

45

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

8.  RELATED PARTIES AND OTHER KEY CONTACTS

Transactions with Investment Adviser and Investment Portfolio Investor
Investment Adviser
Fair Oaks Capital Limited (the “Investment Adviser”) is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee from the Company of 
1% per annum of the NAV of the Company, in accordance with the Investment Advisory Agreement dated 15 May 2014. 
The investment advisory fee is calculated and payable on the last business day of each month or on the date of termination 
of  the  agreement.  The  base  management  fee  will  be  reduced  to  take  into  account  any  fees  received  by  the  Investment 
Adviser incurred by the Company in respect of its investment in the Master Fund (taking into account any rebates of such 
Management Fees to the Company) in respect of the same relevant period. 

The Investment Adviser has agreed to reinvest and/or procure the reinvestment by the General Partner or by an Affiliate of 
it of (a) 25% of the fees which it receives annually from the Company pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement and 
(b) 25% of the Management Fee which the General Partner receives annually from the Master Fund in relation only to the 
Company’s interest in the Master Fund by, in each case, subscribing for or procuring the subscription for ordinary shares 
issued by the Company at the then-prevailing NAV per ordinary share, provided that it shall instead use its best endeavours 
to purchase or procure the purchase of such ordinary shares in the secondary market in circumstances where, at the time 
of any such subscription or purchase, the ordinary shares are trading at a discount of 5% or more of the NAV per ordinary 
share  of  the  period  to  which  it  relates.  If,  having  used  best  endeavours  as  mentioned  above,  ordinary  shares  cannot  be 
purchased on the secondary market, ordinary shares shall be subscribed for from the Company. The obligation to subscribe 
for or purchase or procure the subscription for or purchase of these ordinary shares shall be fulfilled by the Investment Adviser 
by no later than one month after the end of the relevant financial period of the Company. On 2 February 2015, the General 
Partner of the Master Fund reinvested US$165,701 into the Company’s ordinary shares which is equivalent to 25% of the 
investment advisory and management fees paid to the Investment Adviser and the General Partner during the period ended 
31 December 2014.

On 4 September 2015, the General Partner of the Master Fund reinvested US$254,440 into the Company’s ordinary shares 
which is equivalent to 25% of the investment advisory and management fees paid to the Investment Adviser and the General 
Partner during the period 1 January 2015 to 31 July 2015.

On 31 December 2015, the General Partner of the Master Fund reinvested US$237,930 into the Company’s ordinary shares 
which is equivalent to 25% of the investment advisory and management fees paid to the Investment Adviser and the General 
Partner during the period 1 August 2015 to 30 November 2015.

The  investment  advisory  fee  charged  to  the  Company  during  the  year  amounted  to  US$406,676  (31  December  2014: 
US$154,511), of which US$7,039 remained outstanding at 31 December 2015 (31 December 2014: US$174). The Company 
also reimburses the Investment Adviser for all out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of its duties.

The Investment Advisory agreement can be terminated by either party giving not less than 6 months written notice.

Other Material Contracts
Initial Portfolio Investor
On 4 March 2015, a fund advised by Coller Capital Limited had purchased the entire holding of 34,298,425 ordinary shares 
in the Company, previously held by GLI Finance Limited for US$32,326,266. Following this transaction, Coller Capital Limited 
became a major shareholder and was therefore classified as a Related Party.

Coller Capital Limited entered into a lock-in agreement under which it agreed until 16 August 2016 not to directly or indirectly 
transfer the legal and/or beneficial ownership or any interest therein in any of the shares owned by it, subject to certain agreed 
exceptions.

46

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

8.  RELATED PARTIES AND OTHER KEY CONTACTS continued

Other Material Contracts continued
Administrator
Praxis  Fund  Services  Limited  (the  “Administrator”)  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  a  time  based  fee  quarterly  in  arrears  for  all 
Company Secretarial services. The Administrator is also entitled to an annual fee of US$25,000, payable quarterly in arrears 
for Administration and Accounting services. This was increased to US$31,000 per annum during the launch of the C shares 
and this would fall away once the C shares merged with the ordinary shares. During the period ended 31 December 2014, 
the Administrator was also entitled to a time cost fee of US$42,000 for services provided in relation to the establishment and 
launch of the Company and related entities. 

Custodian
BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A., Guernsey Branch (the “new Custodian”) and The Royal Bank of Canada (Channel 
Islands) Limited (the “former Custodian”) waived all fees on the basis that all assets are invested into the Master Fund.

Directors’ Fees
The Company’s Directors are entitled to a fee in remuneration for their services as Directors at a rate payable of £32,000 or 
£37,000 if the NAV of the Company is greater than US$250 million at the beginning of any calendar quarter in which such 
fees are paid. At the beginning of quarter four, 1 October 2015, the NAV of the Company was greater than US$250 million, 
therefore, their Directors fees increased to £37,000 per annum.

The overall charge for the above-mentioned fees for the Company and the amounts due are as follows:

CHARGE FOR THE PERIOD

Investment adviser fee

Administration fee

Directors’ fees and expenses

OUTSTANDING FEES

Investment adviser fee

Administration fee

Directors’ fee

For the year ended 
31 December 2015
US$

For the period from 
7 March 2014 (date of 
incorporation) to 
31 December 2014
US$

406,676

153,553

152,450

7,039

9,777

–

154,511

71,375

106,299

174

6,079

–

Shares held by related parties 
The shareholdings of the Directors’ in the Company were as follows:

Name

Claudio Albanese (Chairman)

Jon Bridel

Nigel Ward

31 December 2015

31 December 2014

No. of ordinary
shares

Percentage

No. of ordinary
shares

Percentage

10,000

10,000

20,000

0.00%

0.00%

0.01%

10,000

10,000

20,000

0.01%

0.01%

0.02%

As at 31 December 2015, the Investment Adviser, the General Partner and principals of the Investment Adviser and General 
Partner held an aggregate of 1,197,987 shares (31 December 2014: 500,000), which is 0.56% (31 December 2014: 0.41%) 
of the issued ordinary share capital. 

47

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

9.  SHARE CAPITAL

The Company’s ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue of ordinary shares 
are recognised as a deduction in equity and are charged to the share capital account, including the initial set up costs. 

The authorised share capital of the Company is represented by an unlimited number of ordinary shares of nil par value and 
have the following rights: 

(a)  Dividends: Shareholders are entitled to receive, and participate in, any dividends or other distributions resolved to be 
distributed in respect of any accounting period or other period, provided that no calls or other sums due by them to the 
Company are outstanding. 

(b)  Winding Up: On a winding up, the shareholders shall be entitled to the surplus assets remaining after payment of all the 

creditors of the Company.

(c)  Voting: Subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares, at a general meeting of the Company, on a show 
of hands, every holder of voting shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote shall have one vote, and on 
a poll every holder of voting shares present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for each share held by him, but 
this entitlement shall be subject to the conditions with respect to any special voting powers or restrictions for the time 
being attached to any shares which may be subject to special conditions. Refer to the Memorandum and Articles of 
Incorporation for further details.

The C share capital of the Company is represented by a maximum of 200 million C shares of nil par value and have the 
following rights: 

(a)  Dividends: Holders of C shares shall be entitled to receive, and participate in, any dividends declared only insofar as 
such dividend is attributed, at the sole discretion of the Directors, to the C share surplus of that class. The holders of 
ordinary shares, which shall arise after conversion of any C shares in issue, shall rank in full for all dividends and other 
distributions declared, made or paid after conversion and otherwise pari passu with the ordinary shares in issue at the 
time of conversion. 

(b)  Winding Up: On a winding up or return of capital prior to conversion, the capital and assets of the Company shall be 

applied as follows:

(i)  

the ordinary share surplus shall be divided amongst the holders of ordinary shares according to the rights attaching 
thereto as if the ordinary share surplus comprised the assets of the Company available for distribution; and

(ii)  

the C share surplus attributable to each class of C shares shall be divided amongst the holders of such class pro 
rata according to their holdings of C shares of that class.

(c)  Voting:  The  C  shares  shall  carry  the  right  to  receive  notice  of,  and  to  attend  or  vote  at,  any  general  meeting  of  the 
Company in the same manner as the ordinary shares (notwithstanding any difference in the respective NAV of the C 
shares and ordinary shares).

48

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

9.  SHARE CAPITAL continued
Issued Share Capital
Ordinary Shares

31 December 2015

31 December 2014

Share capital at the beginning of the year/period

121,728,916

119,542,182

–

Shares

US$

Shares

US$

–

Issued share capital*

Share issue costs

90,697,987

89,879,572

121,728,916

121,908,119

–

(1,480,946)

–

(2,365,937)

Total share capital at the end of the year/period

212,426,903

207,940,808

121,728,916

119,542,182

* Includes non-cash in specie transfer of US$Nil (31 December 2014: US$34,298,425) during the year.

C shares

Share capital at the beginning of the year

Issued share capital

Share issue costs

31 December 2015

Shares

–

US$

–

101,800,000

101,800,000

–

(1,527,000)

Total share capital at the end of the year

101,800,000

100,273,000

In August 2015, 101,800,000 C shares were issued at an issue price of 100 pence per C share for cash consideration. 

10.  EARNINGS PER SHARE

Weighted average number of ordinary shares

(Loss)/profit for the financial year/period

Basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per ordinary share

Weighted average number of C shares

Loss for the financial period

Basic and diluted loss per C share

31 December 2015
Number of ordinary 
shares

31 December 2014
Number of ordinary 
shares

189,598,173

(US$3,942,231)

(US$0.0208)

116,686,306

US$4,672,949

US$0.0400

31 December 2015
Number of C shares

31 December 2014
Number of C shares

101,181,818

(US$4,313,298)

(US$0.0426)

–

–

–

The weighted average number of ordinary shares as at 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014 is based on the number 
of ordinary shares in issue during the period under review, as detailed in note 9.

11.  TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES

Prepaid expenses

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

92,507

92,507

37,242

37,242

49

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
For the year ended 31 December 2015

12.  TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES

Investment advisory fee payable (note 8)

Audit fees payable

Administration fees payable (note 8)

Sundry expenses payable

31 December 2015
US$

31 December 2014
US$

7,039

53,293

9,777

37,780

107,889

174

42,342

6,079

7,483

56,078

13.  CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND COMMITMENTS

The Company entered into a Subscription Agreement with the Master Fund and agreed to become a Limited Partner and 
made a commitment to the Master Fund of US$299,827,883 (31 December 2014: US$118,724,784).

At 31 December 2015 and 31 December 2014, the Company had no further outstanding commitments.

14.  SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On 22 January 2016, the Company announced the conversion ratio for the C shares. The net asset values attributable to the 
ordinary shares and the C shares as at 14 January 2016, were US$0.8578 per ordinary share and US$0.9102 per C share 
respectively.

The conversion ratio was 1.0611 ordinary shares for every one C share held as at close on the conversion record date of 26 
January 2016. Entitlements to new ordinary shares were rounded down to the nearest whole share. 

Following  the  conversion,  the  Company’s  issued  ordinary  share  capital  consisted  of  320,446,883  ordinary  shares.  The 
Company holds no shares in treasury. Accordingly, following the conversion, the total number of voting rights in the Company 
is 320,446,883.

On 25 January 2016, the Company announced a monthly interim dividend of 0.7 US cents per ordinary share was declared 
in respect of the month ended 31 January 2016 and was paid on 26 February 2016. The ex dividend date was 11 February 
2016.

On 23 February 2016, the Company announced a monthly interim dividend of 0.7 US cents per ordinary share was declared 
in respect of the month ended 29 February 2016 and was paid on 24 March 2016. The ex dividend date was 3 March 2016.

On 16 March 2016, the Directors announced that the General Partner of the Master Fund had applied to reinvest into the 
Company’s  ordinary  shares  an  amount  equivalent  to  25%  of  the  advisory  and  management  fees  paid  to  the  Investment 
Adviser for the period from 1 December 2015 to 29 February 2016. 

The reinvestment was effected by the issue of new ordinary shares at the prevailing NAV per ordinary share. 215,207 new 
ordinary shares were issued on 21 March 2016 at US$0.7682, being the NAV per ordinary share as at 29 February 2016 
minus the February 2016 dividend to which the new ordinary shares were not entitled. Accordingly, following the reinvestment, 
the total issued share capital in the Company is 320,662,090.

On 30 March 2016, the Company announced a monthly interim dividend of 0.7 US cents per ordinary share was declared in 
respect of the month ended 31 March 2016 and will be paid on 21 April 2016. The ex dividend date was 7 April 2016.

There were no other significant events since the period end which would require revision of the figures or disclosures in the 
Financial Statements.

50

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Management and Administration

Administrator and Secretary 
Praxis Fund Services Limited
Sarnia House
Le Truchot
St Peter Port 
Guernsey GY1 1GR

Registrar
Capita Registrars (Guernsey) Limited
Mont Crevelt House
Bulwer Avenue
St Sampson
Guernsey GY2 4LH

Legal Advisers in United Kingdom
Stephenson Harwood LLP
1 Finsbury Circus
London EC2M 7SH

Bookrunner, Broker and Financial Adviser
Numis Securities Limited
10 Paternoster Square
London EC4M 7LT

Directors
Claudio Albanese (Independent non-executive Chairman) 
Jon Bridel (Independent non-executive Director)
Nigel Ward (Independent non-executive Director)

Registered Office and Business Address
Sarnia House
Le Truchot
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 1GR

Investment Adviser 
Fair Oaks Capital Limited
22 Hanover Square
London W1S 1JP 

Legal Advisers in Guernsey
Carey Olsen
Carey House
Les Banques
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 4BZ

Custodian and Principal Bankers
BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A.
(appointed 15 December 2015)
BNP Paribas House
St Julian’s Avenue 
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 1WA

Royal Bank of Canada (Channel Islands) Limited
(resigned 15 December 2015)
Canada Court
Upland Road
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 3BQ

Independent Auditor
KPMG Channel Islands Limited
Glategny Court
Glategny Esplanade
St Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 1WR

51

FAIR OAKS INCOME FUND LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTSPRODUCED BY TPA - GUERNSEY