WesCorp‘s management and Board of Directors (management) did not implement
appropriate risk management practices to adequately limit or control significant risks in
its investment strategy. Specifically, although management invested in high investment
grade securities (AAA and AA), management implemented an aggressive investment
strategy with unreasonable limits in place that allowed for excessive investments in
privately-issued residential mortgage backed securities25 (RMBS). Management‘s
actions allowed a substantial investment portfolio of privately-issued RMBS, resulting in
a significant concentration risk,
26 and left WesCorp increasingly vulnerable to significant
credit risk,
27 market risk,
28 and liquidity risk29 through the portfolio‘s exposure to
economic conditions in the residential real estate sector.