Uniting the continent’s local groups Would help drive excellence in the region
IR is considered a critical role in maintaining transparent communication between publicly traded companies (and in some cases private ones) and their shareholders.
But today, IR goes far beyond just investor communications. It adds tremendous value by incorporating market feedback, industry insights, internal data, ESG considerations and more into key areas like finance, strategy, governance, legal and communications.
Let’s also not forget about debt IR, which helps manage relationships with bondholders and credit rating agencies, ensuring a balanced view of the company’s capital structure. Every strategic move a company makes ultimately links back to stock price, market perception and creditworthiness.
That’s why IR needs to be at the table as a core part of senior management. It’s not just a support function – it’s a key driver of long-term value creation.
Across Europe, the landscape of IR societies is diverse and highly decentralized, with most countries having their own independent associations. While these national IR societies effectively support local professionals, there is no singular pan-European body that unifies these efforts. In most European markets, you can find well-established societies like Germany’s DIRK or France’s CLIFF.
But there are also countries where such a body does not exist or was only recently formed and is still developing its structure. In these cases, the IR voice is less heard.
Additionally, for some companies or IROs, it can be unclear which IR society is most relevant for them. For example, if a company is headquartered in Poland, listed in Amsterdam and has its IR team in Warsaw – would it be more beneficial to join NEVIR or the Polish IR Society? Or maybe both? And that’s still a relatively simple case as the IR team could be based in London or spread across multiple locations.
One could argue that there are organizations like the European Issuers Association or the IR Council. But the first focuses more broadly on listed companies and doesn’t concentrate on IR (collaborating only with a few IR societies), while the second is more of a closed circle for senior IROs focused on sharing experience rather than broader topics like IR promotion or providing education and certification.
All local IR societies offer networking opportunities, best practices, advocacy and professional development. However, their influence remains mostly within national borders and languages. They are not aiming to become more international. The lack of a unified voice and broader internationalization – especially in a world where capital markets are global and IR teams need to interact with investors from around the world – means that European IR professionals may miss out on the collective strength that a single body could provide. Such a body could help address regulatory challenges, promote best practices and support investor engagement on a larger scale.
I am fully aware that creating such an organization operating from just one country would be almost impossible. But I believe that a model similar to the Middle East IR Association (MEIRA) or NIRI could also work in Europe. Both MEIRA and NIRI operate through regional chapters (country-specific in MEIRA’s case), which address local needs but remain part of a larger, well-structured organization. This ensures consistency in education, certification and advocacy.
To me, the idea of a single European IR Society – with country-specific or regional chapters (Balkans, Nordics or Central and Eastern Europe, for example) – presents a compelling case for stronger collaboration in IR. It could also lead to better research on IR-related topics that are not limited to one region, but are European or global – for example, the effects of MiFID II on IR or the use of AI. It could also provide benchmarking support to less developed regions, helping IROs argue for more resources and support internally.
A central European federation of IR societies could:
- Standardize best practices (some of this is already happening, but it could be broadened and deepened)
- Strengthen lobbying efforts with stock exchanges and national regulators
- Facilitate cross-border networking and career development
- Improve access to global investor communities and promote European capital markets more effectively
While national IR societies serve their members well, the fragmented landscape of IR in Europe limits the potential for a truly integrated and influential professional community.
Establishing a unified European IR Society could offer significant advantages to professionals, companies and investors alike. With stronger collective advocacy, shared resources and a harmonized approach, the future of investor relations in Europe could become far more cohesive and impactful.
Michal Kraus is head of QA and business development at software platform ingage IR
