Paola Durante is IR and strategic planning director at Franco-Italian luxury sportswear manufacturer Moncler, which won best IR for an IPO at the IR Magazine Awards – Europe 2014.
1. How long have you been in IR?
Just over a year.
2. What did you do before your current role?
I was an equity research analyst for several years and also an investment banker.
3. What are your qualifications?
I have a degree in business administration from the Liceo Classico Manara Valgimigli.
4. How is your team set up?
The team currently comprises two IROs and one assistant.
5. Do you receive support from any external IR firms?
No. We collaborate with domestic and international PR agencies.
6. How many roadshows and conferences have you held since Moncler’s December 2013 IPO?
We have gone on more than five roadshows in the past six months. We have not yet held an investor day, [but] will plan one in future.
7. Do you use social media?
Not specifically for IR activities.
8. What’s the most popular question from investors/analysts now?
Usually some variation on how China and Japan are performing.
9. What’s been your biggest challenge over the last year?
Making sure investors and analysts have a deep understanding of our equity story, which we believe is unique. Our CEO is also very demanding and his attention to detail extremely high, so meeting his expectations during the IPO process was not always easy.
More importantly, however, we wanted to make our own way and try to be unique, even during the IPO. We started getting to know investors well before we decided to go public, as we believe it isn’t possible for investors to really know a company from just a one-hour roadshow meeting – they need time to understand a firm and to trust management.
10. What’s your favorite part of investor relations?
Meeting and talking with investors and analysts.
11. And your least favorite?
Nothing!
12. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Spending time with my family and my three kids.
13. Has the IR role lived up to your expectations so far?
Yes. During the past year I’ve had the opportunity to learn a lot and grow professionally. IR is a unique job that allows you to have a deep knowledge of your firm as well as trends in your sector. In fact, talking with analysts and investors often offers new ideas that can be important for the business.
14. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I like what I do currently and would like to continue doing it. Today my time is allocated to both IR and strategic planning but, given that we are a newly listed company, the IR role is taking up a large part of my time. In five years I think I will be able to dedicate more time to the business and strategic planning side.
15. If you could pass on one IR lesson, what would it be?
I think I may be too new to this role to pass on lessons, but I believe it is really important to listen to the market very carefully, and to be open with it.
