Daniel D. Harding
About Daniel D. Harding
Independent Director of The Gabelli Convertible and Income Securities Fund Inc. (GCV); year of birth 1952; Director since November 18, 2015; Independent under the 1940 Act; Managing General Partner of the Global Equity Income Fund; CFA and CIC charterholder; undergraduate degree from Colgate University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harding Loevner Management LP | Co-founder; Chief Investment Officer | 1989–2003 | Investment leadership; no specific committee detail disclosed . |
| Legg Mason Investment Counsel, LLC | Director; Chair of Investment Committee | 2010–2012 | Chaired investment committee . |
| American National Bank | Trust Investment Officer | Not disclosed | Not disclosed . |
| Rockefeller Family Office | Partner and Associate | Not disclosed | Not disclosed . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Equity Income Fund (private) | Managing General Partner | Not disclosed | Private investment fund . |
| Reef Consulting & Investment (private equity) | Director | Not disclosed | Private equity firm . |
| Atlantic Health Systems | Board/Fiduciary | Not disclosed | Non-profit fiduciary role . |
| Ocean Reef Community Foundation | Board/Fiduciary | Not disclosed | Non-profit fiduciary role . |
| Ocean Reef Medical Center Foundation | Board/Fiduciary | Not disclosed | Non-profit fiduciary role . |
Board Governance
- Independence: Listed among Independent Directors; none of the Independent Directors (with noted exceptions elsewhere) nor their family members had interests in the Adviser or its control persons as of December 31, 2024 .
- Committee assignments: No specific GCV committee membership disclosed for Harding in 2024–2025 proxies .
- Board leadership: Lead Independent Director is Anthonie C. van Ekris; Independent Directors meet regularly in executive session and chair all committees .
- Attendance: Board met 4 times in FY ended September 30, 2024; each Director then serving attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Annual meeting presence: Directors were not expected to attend; no Director or nominee attended the May 13, 2024 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
- Structure (non-employee directors): Annual retainer $3,000; $750 per Board meeting attended; committee members $500 per committee meeting; Audit Chair $3,000 annual; Nominating Chair $2,000 annual; Lead Independent Director $1,000 annual .
- Aggregate remuneration paid by GCV to Directors (FY 2024): $78,396 (excludes expenses) .
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| GCV Aggregate Compensation to Harding ($) | $6,000 | $5,250 |
| Fund Complex Aggregate Compensation to Harding ($) | $38,000 (over 3 funds/portfolios) | $34,250 (over 3 funds/portfolios) |
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based compensation, equity-linked awards (RSUs/PSUs/options), bonuses, or incentive metrics disclosed for directors; compensation is cash-based retainers and meeting fees .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Public Company? | Role | Potential Interlock Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Health Systems | No (non-profit) | Board/Fiduciary | No GCV supplier/customer linkage disclosed . |
| Ocean Reef Community Foundation | No (non-profit) | Board/Fiduciary | No GCV linkage disclosed . |
| Ocean Reef Medical Center Foundation | No (non-profit) | Board/Fiduciary | No GCV linkage disclosed . |
| Reef Consulting & Investment | Private | Director | Private equity; no related-party exposure disclosed . |
No current or recent public company boards for Harding disclosed (excluding other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global investment management leadership (co-founded Harding Loevner; CIO 1989–2003) .
- Committee chair experience (Legg Mason Investment Counsel investment committee chair) .
- Professional credentials: CFA and CIC charterholder; undergraduate degree from Colgate University .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Dec 31, 2023 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned (Common) | 26,323 | 29,839 |
| Percent of Shares Outstanding | Less than 1% (*) | Less than 1% (*) |
| Dollar Range of Equity in GCV | D ($50,001–$100,000) | E (Over $100,000) |
| Aggregate Dollar Range in Fund Complex | E (Over $100,000) | E (Over $100,000) |
- Shares outstanding (context): 19,370,383 Common and 640,000 Preferred as of March 15, 2024; 19,805,783 Common and 640,000 Preferred as of March 13, 2025 .
- Pledging/Hedging/Related-Party interests: No pledging/hedging disclosures or related-party interests for Harding listed in the relevant tables; Section 16 filings compliance noted for FY 2024 .
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent status; strong investment credentials (CIO experience; CFA/CIC); tangible ownership that increased from 26,323 to 29,839 shares year-over-year, moving his dollar range in the Fund from D to E, aligning incentives with shareholders .
- Neutrals: No explicit committee assignments at GCV disclosed; director compensation is modest and standardized, fully cash-based without performance linkage, typical for closed-end funds .
- Engagement Watchpoint: Directors did not attend the 2024 annual meeting (management indicates directors are not expected to attend), which may be viewed as a minor investor-relations engagement gap in some governance frameworks .
- Conflicts/RED FLAGS: No related-party transactions, pledging/hedging, legal proceedings, or consultant conflicts disclosed for Harding; Section 16 compliance affirmed for FY 2024 (one late Form 4 noted for Mr. Gabelli in 2023, not Harding) .
Overall: Harding appears independent with increasing personal ownership and deep investment management experience; lack of disclosed committee roles at GCV limits direct visibility into his oversight footprint, but attendance thresholds were met and governance structures (Lead Independent Director; active Audit and Nominating Committees) are in place .