Firstly, let’s start with a positive message. As the latest Hedgeweek USA Awards event in New York on 15 September showed once again, the energy and creative dexterity of hedge fund industry participants remains undented by the continuous intervention of regulators and central bankers. Hedge funders are a hardy bunch, and it was great to see so many engaging conversations during the course of the evening. 

Hathersage Capital Management LLC is a global macro manager founded in 1991. Employing a discretionary global macro philosophy which it applies strictly to G10 currencies, the firm takes directional market views using interbank spot, forwards and options. 

Walkers is one of the most recognised international law firms and works with some of the hedge fund industry's largest asset managers. In total, the Group has 580 personnel, of which 250 alone are based in the Cayman Islands. "Overall, we've hired 100 people globally this year to bolster our five core practices: investment funds, finance & corporate, insolvency & dispute resolution, wealth structuring, and tax and regulatory advice," says Ingrid Pierce (pictured), Global Managing Partner at Walkers. 

Wedbush Securities was founded in 1955 and is one of the largest providers of small and midcap equity research in the US. 

A decade ago, there was nothing wrong with having eight or 10 vendors in place to run a hedge fund operation. But times have changed, as has technology. So much so, that established managers are increasingly looking to reduce overhead costs and complexity by consolidating the number of their critical systems into single or integrated solutions, often delivered on a hosted basis. 

New York-headquartered Imagine Software celebrated its 23rd birthday this July. Still privately owned and run by Scott Sherman, Steven Harrison, Dr Lance Smith and David Miller, Imagine has long been viewed as one of the financial industry's leading provider of real-time portfolio, risk management and regulatory systems. 

IKONIC Fund Services (IKONIC) was incorporated in 2007 as a Bermuda exempted company and is a licensed Fund Administrator under the Bermuda Monetary Authority Investment Fund Act 2006. 

In a new thought-provoking white paper entitled The upside of disruption – why the future of asset management depends on innovation, SEI picks out five important trends that are re-shaping the way we live our lives, both socially and professionally. SEI refers to these five trends as: Watsonisation; Googlisation; Amazonisation; Twitterisation, and Uberisation. 

Gemini Alternative Funds, LLC (Gemini Alt) operates an open architecture environment that facilitates the creation of dedicated managed accounts (DMA) for large institutions. The infrastructure is supported by Gemini Alt's parent company, NorthStar Financial Services Group LLC (NorthStar), which has more than USD455 billion in AUM (as of 8/31/16).

Six time Best Global Accounting Firm, Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP is also being honoured with this year's Best North American Accounting Firm. With a staff of more than 350 and numerous specialised industry and service teams, Anchin is a full-service accounting, tax and advisory firm that provides investment companies, privately-held businesses, and high net worth individuals/family offices with a wide range of traditional and non-traditional services. 

New York-based Meyler Capital has been ‘shredding decks and driving change' since 2012. The firm re-envisions the marketing process used for raising capital. 

Maitland is one of the industry's largest independent hedge fund administrators with USD280 billion in AuA. With more than 1,300 employees across 16 offices globally, Maitland is more than a fund administrator. It is a global advisory group, with its roots as an innovative law firm in Luxembourg in 1976 offering cross-border structuring solutions to corporates and some of the world's wealthiest families. 

Nasdaq is recognised as one of the world's leading technology companies, from the financial technology and corporate and data services it provide to hundreds of capital market operators and regulators around the world, to being the listings home of the world's greatest technology companies and young startups blossoming from Silicon Valley and Alley. 

Multi-award-winning hedge fund administrator Opus Fund Services was established in Bermuda in 2006, subsequently expanding its footprint into the US with offices in Chicago (2008), San Francisco (2009), New York (2013) and Portland (2014). It serves over 250 fund managers and 425-plus funds with a combined AUM approaching USD13 billion.

Boston-based FundCount was established in 1999 and according to Mike Slemmer, Chief Operating Officer of the Americas, it is one of the industry's 'best kept secrets'.

ACA Aponix, a division of ACA Compliance Group, provides financial services firms with a 360-degree, independent approach to technology risk and governance. Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment helps fund mangers to identify potential gaps and vulnerabilities, which the ACA Aponix team works through with each client to mitigate these risks. 

It's been a year since Cowen Group acquired Concept Capital (now known as Cowen Prime Services) and it's safe to say that the year has been a productive one. Soon after Concept's acquisition, Cowen Group also acquired the Conifer Securities prime brokerage and outsourced trading business. 

Sadis & Goldberg LLP is one of New York's leading financial services focused law firms. Known both domestically and internationally as a dominant force in the financial services sector, Sadis & Goldberg serves clients throughout the world and was recently ranked as one of the top five law firms for hedge fund launches in the 2016 Preqin Global Hedge Fund Report. 

Edelman is one of the highest profile PR agencies in the world. With 65 global offices, Edelman is uniquely positioned within the communications marketing arena.