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Ten ways IROs can benefit from trend following
By now you’ll know that institutional investors and their decision-making processes have evolved to become more data-driven and systematic, using strict mathematical rules for portfolio construction. Discretionary stock and bond picking is increasingly an investment style of past, being rapidly replaced by quants, big-data sets and algorithms that can better select stocks and bonds compared to humans.
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The long view: how to unlock strategic value with scenario planning
Next time you meet with a top-tier investor, how much would it improve your interaction if you could confidently present a long-term view of how supply chain disruptions, interest rate shifts or geopolitical tensions could shape your company’s future? Picture equipping your analysts with data-driven insights that help your board navigate uncertainty with clarity and control. This is the power of modern scenario planning: a dynamic framework that enables IR teams to model multiple strategic themes across five, 10 or even 15-year horizons – and pivot quickly when the landscape changes.
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Playbook: How to conduct impactful scenario plans
Scenario planning allows IR teams to give investors and analysts and indication of how various events (e.g. interest rate changes, a global conflict, a change in political regime) will affect it in the future. It also takes into account how peers and competitors are communicating around these scenarios, too. In making sure you can give your shareholder community a long view on various outcomes, it means they have more confidence in you and your interactions with them. In addition, it allows IROs to have a seat at the strategic table and help their companies plan for the future. S&P’s platform…
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AI for IR: How creating your own LLM could help you think and act like your investors
Recently Blackstone announced its plans to invest $500 bn in Europe over the next years. Did you see this coming and will some this capital flow into your company? Imagine if your IR department could predict with some certainty what your investors are going to think, say and do with respect to your company.
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‘It’s a layup’: How agentic AI can power up your targeting process
Where can AI help IROs make better targeting decisions? It may be best served by adding an additional helping hand to your IR team. This was the focus of an IR Impact briefing, held this week in partnership with Q4, that examined the impact of agentic AI on investor targeting strategies.
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How AI and technology are modernizing the earnings call
For a long time, the quarterly earnings call has been a highly orchestrated affair. Production companies have been brought in to handle webcasts, teleconferencing and Q&A sessions, resulting in a presentation that serves its purpose, but that is expensive, time-consuming and inflexible.
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‘A chatbot can’t capture the CEO’s voice’: The real role of AI in earnings prep
The technology can streamline the earnings process, experts agreed on a recent IR Impact briefing How can AI best be employed in your earnings preparation? According to leading IR experts, it’s best not to make a facsimile of your CEO, but the technology can certainly help save time and leave you to concentrate on more strategic activities. This was according to those speaking on a recent IR Impact briefing, held in partnership with AlphaSense and titled ‘Effective earnings preparation amid macro volatility’, who shared their insights on how to prepare for earnings season in an environment marked by constant change,…
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Muted mics, loud protests: how the rise of AGM protests is forcing companies to rethink shareholder meetings
Are we witnessing a rise in AGM protests? While often a forum for disagreements with shareholders, this year’s AGM season was characterized by a marked rise in public campaigns targeting annual meetings – particularly in the UK – each of which gained significant press attention.
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From tools to teammates: Getting started with agentic AI in IR
Investor relations is at the heart of corporate strategy, yet many IROs feel trapped in operational quicksand. The role demands sophisticated market insight, nimble decision-making and executive influence, but too often, the day gets consumed by mountains of admin tasks. Between managing earnings prep, tracking sentiment across fragmented channels and crafting compelling stories from complex financial data, the strategic work gets squeezed out. Agentic AI can flip that balance, clearing space for the work that actually moves the needle. By automating routine tasks and providing real-time intelligence, agentic AI liberates IROs from administrative burden and transforms them into strategic architects.…
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IR Impact Masterclass: How to use AI to power your research tactics and competitive analysis
Welcome to IR Impact’s Masterclass video series, where leaders and experts from across the capital markets share their insights, strategies and experiences to provide you with in-depth knowledge and practical skills to excel in your IR journey. Each IR Impact Masterclass will delve into critical topics, offering valuable perspectives and actionable advice. Whether you are looking to enhance your expertise, stay ahead of industry trends or gain a competitive edge, these long-form videos are your gateway to achieving these goals.
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All wrapped up: how Deutsche EuroShop sparked conversation with AI action figures
What did it take to turn Patrick Kiss, IR Impact Award-winning investor relations lead at Deutsche EuroShop, into a fully boxed action figure? Well, it needs a spark of creativity, a ChatGPT Pro account plus a lot of patience. ‘To give you an idea of the work involved, the final optimized prompt for my own action figure had 304 words in 66 lines with more than 2,200 characters,’ says Kiss. This is something of a side step from the usual conversations around AI for IR, where the focus is on saving time for IROs paddling against the current of increasing…
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Is your CEO getting too political? It might be driving lower stock returns
I’m sure everyone reading this has had some experience of a senior management figure saying something they shouldn’t have, to the wrong person or at the wrong time. I’m also sure that everyone worries that such off-color remarks could negatively impact their company’s share price.
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The new standard in financial research: A purpose-built AI chat for finance and IR professionals
We’ve all been there: scrolling through PDFs, trying to find that one data point; re-listening to earnings call Q&As; sifting through 50-page slide decks packed with bullet points, just to find a single sentence that might confirm or kill your thesis. It’s time-consuming, it’s manual and, in a high-stakes environment where every second and decision counts, it’s frankly no longer good enough.
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IR Impact Awards – Canada 2025 Interview with Jenny Holland on the top issues facing Canadian IROs in 2025
Holland speaks to IR Impact editor Laurie Havelock about tariffs, AI and Irwin’s new partnership with FactSet At the IR Impact Awards – Canada 2025, we caught up with Jenny Holland from Irwin, a Factset Company. At the time of recording, US President Donald Trump was announcing a series of trade tariffs prompting Havelock and Holland to discuss the implications for IROs in Canada, while also touching on the changes regarding Canadian investor relations teams on their adoption of artificial intelligence into working practices.
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How IR teams can benefit from AI — starting with data quality
We are all asking ourselves: ‘How are we leveraging AI to get better and smarter?‘ For investor relations teams, the potential is certainly there. But before getting too excited about AI capabilities, IR professionals should give serious consideration to the fact that everything starts with data quality AI is an immensely powerful tool to categorise, summarise, and analyse information. It helps reduce time spent on administrative work and provides new ways of identifying connections and dependencies in vast amounts of data. However, if the data quality isn’t there, the results will reflect that. As my old finance professor at university said about…
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Building from a baseline: how IR teams are using new data sources to unlock smarter decision-making
As any IR professional knows all too well, the market is awash with a wealth of data from myriad sources. Everything from earnings calls to websites to press releases – both from your company and from your peers – can help inform strategic IR work. But where do you start without becoming completely overwhelmed? This was what panelists Erik Carlson, chief operating officer at Notified, Glenn Schulman, founder and head of IR at Z3 BioCommunications, and Amanda Tang, head of IR at TMX Group, tackled in a recent IR Impact Webinar, held alongside Notified.
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Why finding your ‘Steve Jobs’ might be the key to successfully using AI for IR
Many IROs say they are still curious about how they can effectively implement AI into their IR programs. But where do you start? And how do you overcome the security concerns that are still rife around the technology? Earlier this month in London, IR Impact’s AI & Technology Forum – Europe aimed to answer some of those concerns and give attendees a place to start their experiments with the technology, with one eye on saving them time in the long run.
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Investor relations in the AI era: a new standard for engagement
AI is revolutionizing industries, redefining company operations and reshaping job functions at an unprecedented and previously unimaginable pace.
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How to leverage generative AI to transform your research
One of the biggest challenges in many research fields is keeping pace with rapid advancements
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‘AI is not a singular tool but an entire ecosystem’: Isabel Vilela on how her approach to AI has grown in a year
GoviEx Uranium’s Isabel Vilela speaks ahead of the AI and Technology Forum – Europe
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‘Without strong leaders, AI is a tough sell’: Müge Yücel on navigating your AI adoption journey
Galata Wind Enerji’s head of IR speaks ahead of the IR Forum – AI and Technology Europe
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Unlocking insights: navigating the future of investor relations
The CDR annual IR survey offers a detailed examination of how companies worldwide are adapting their IR strategies
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Enhancing IR with AI: automation, security and strategy
AI is rapidly transforming the landscape of IR, offering tools that enhance efficiency, data analysis, and strategic communication
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Backup, baby! Five simple steps IROs can take to mitigate the risks of cloud computing
When everything is online all the time, you need a (literal) backup plan Back in July 2024, a cybersecurity firm released a faulty software update to customers, impacting IT applications around the world and disabling everything from travel check-in counters to healthcare, banking to payment systems – all running with underlying software from a major Seattle-based software company. In mid-November, two key underwater fiber-optic data cables connecting countries around the Baltic Sea were cut – and not by mistake. Customers around the world reported issues accessing the program that most companies rely on for email communication, calendar scheduling and meetings.…
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The evolution of the IRO role: staying informed and strategic with Quartr Pro
Staying informed isn’t just a valuable skill for IROs – it’s a complete necessity for the job The fast pace of the market, rapid news cycles and intricate details hidden within earnings calls or filings make it challenging for IROs to cut through the noise and uncover key information quickly. But the role of IROs has evolved. They’re no longer just information providers – they’re increasingly becoming strategic advisors, bridging the gap between investors and management by shaping company strategies through analyst and investor feedback, and by monitoring market trends. Yet uncovering actionable insights amidst the flood of information can…
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Maximizing the potential of and mitigating risks in IR using AI
Majority of IROs have not embedded AI into their processes but are interested in learning more, research shows Just under two thirds (64 percent) of IR professionals indicated they have not embedded AI into their processes, but are interested in understanding its potential, according to findings from Nasdaq’s 5th annual IR Issuer Pulse survey. AI integration could help support more efficient and strategic decision-making for IR professionals and marks a shift towards data-driven insights, automation, and enhanced communication strategies. While only a fraction of IR professionals have fully embedded AI into their processes, there is a palpable curiosity to further explore its…
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How Quartr brings stories behind the numbers to light
Quartr simplifies access to IR material and puts qualitative insights and company narratives front and center IR is a cornerstone of public company communication, but let’s be honest, its current distribution methods are stuck in the past. Too often, IR relies on basic landing pages and email chains that are difficult to navigate and inefficient for stakeholders. This outdated process poses challenges for both companies themselves and their current and potential stakeholders. At Quartr, we’re on a mission to revolutionize the way IR material – particularly qualitative insights – is distributed, accessed, and utilized. In this article, I’ll walk you…
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IR use of AI shifts up a gear thanks to tailored tools, trusted data and a little help from friends
It’s around two years since ChatGPT launched and pushed generative-AI tools to the forefront of just about everyone’s minds. Given that timeframe, you might think that the buzz would be starting to wane. But the packed house for our AI and Technology Forum, held this week in New York, told a different story. Clearly there is still huge hunger to understand the impact of AI on the capital markets and how IR teams can use this tech to be more efficient and effective. Something has changed, though – you don’t want to hear people just talking about the potential of…
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‘AI is right around the corner’: DFIN’s Ron Schneider on the latest proxy trends
Emerging technologies will feature high on 2025’s proxy statements
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