Best Practices
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Legally speaking: IR, storytelling and the red pen
Though it might feel like legal qualifiers are ruining your work, they are there to make it bulletproof For IR professionals, the art of storytelling often feels like a delicate balancing act. You spend time to craft the perfect narrative — clean slides, compelling data, and a golden CEO quote that’s meant to inspire. Then comes the legal review, suggesting the addition of words like ‘expected’ or ‘anticipated’ and including essential disclaimers. While it might feel like your perfect quote has been ruined, it’s a vital step in safeguarding both the company and its investors. Rather than learning this lesson…
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Eight takeaways from the IR Think Tank 2025
IROs gathered in New York to discuss the changing face of investor communications On March 26, more than 100 IR professionals gathered in New York for the IR Think Tank, brought to you by BofA Securities and IR Impact. The event offered the IR community the chance to take stock following two months of frenetic policy action by the new US administration. It featured a series of panel discussions covering key issues, such as how to communicate amid macro uncertainty, best practices for investor targeting, real-world use cases for AI and much more. The day also included roundtable discussions .…
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Navigating investor relations during a market selloff in a quiet period: dos and don’ts
For many public companies, a quarter ended on March 31, 2025, and management has entered an investor quiet period until the financial results are reported. This creates a unique challenge: how to address investor concerns during a market downturn while adhering to quiet period restrictions. Below are key dos and don’ts to guide companies through this situation. The dos: The don’ts: Conclusion A market selloff is a test of a company’s investor relations strategy and communication discipline – especially when management is in an investor quiet period. By working with your IR firm you can prepare consistent messaging for all…
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Build your onramp and sell-side tactics: What we learned at the IR Impact Think Tank – West Coast 2025
In an increasingly complex market, the audience was reminded about the importance of keeping your message simple There was plenty for IROs to get their teeth into at the IR Impact Think Tank – West Coast 2025, which took place on March 20 in San Francisco. With US policy in a state of dramatic flux, attendees faced the challenge of telling their companies’ stories amid a backdrop of constant change and uncertainty. Beyond discussions of Donald Trump, trade and tariffs, IROs also received updates on AI technology use cases, how to discuss ESG, working with the sell side and a…
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Enhancing decision quality through advanced investor intelligence: the hidden engine of competitive advantage
In today’s volatile and hyper-competitive markets, the difference between a market leader and an also-ran often comes down to one crucial factor: decision quality. While product innovation, brand recognition and capital access are still important, it is the consistency and accuracy of decisions — particularly strategic, operational, and financial ones — that sets enduring winners apart in terms of valuation. For public companies, this is especially true at the management team and IR level, where every choice can ripple across long-term growth trajectories, investor perception and ultimately valuation.
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Small (and a mid) caps hit big: Aecon, Calian and TransAlta take three apiece at the IR Impact Awards – Canada 2025
In an event packed with the highest achieving IR teams in Canada, it was two small-cap companies and a mid-cap firm that punched hardest, with Aecon Group, Calian Group and TransAlta Corporation each taking home three IR Impact Awards at the black-tie ceremony in Toronto last night. TransAlta took the trophy for best overall investor relations and best investor relations officer for Tamara Cook – both in the mid-cap category – as well as winning its sector award in utilities. The two small-cap companies also won some of the most prestigious awards of the night, with Aecon claiming best overall…
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Amid such a complex environment, IR’s job is to keep things simple
It’s certainly a wild time to be an IRO. While uncertainty is always present in the market, companies are dealing with major surprises far more frequently at the moment. On any day, corporate strategies and financial guidance could be thrown into doubt by a policy announcement, geopolitical shift or another factor.
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Why anxiety is your biggest enemy in communications
How much time and thought have we spent building scenarios and thinking about the reception of a report, a press release or a statement on a current issue where our company or client is expected to have – or even required to have – an opinion? Knowing your subject too well is often the big risk when it comes to communications: it presents the risk that your story will be far too detailed and ultimately incomprehensible. The point of your story will disappear in a cadre of details that do not contribute to the overall picture, much less to the…
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The valuation engine: thriving in the age of infinite momentum
We have entered the ‘Age of Infinite Momentum’, where disruption unfolds faster than understanding. Strategic adaptability is the indispensable skill of the elevated IRO as they find themselves on fluid terrain, as market forces, technological disruption, geopolitical shocks, regulatory changes and shifting investor expectations converge at an exponential pace.
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Driving growth: unleashing Saudi Arabia’s investor relations potential
As Saudi Arabia continues to take solid steps to achieve a number of strategic objectives under the Vision 2030 umbrella, the role of IR in the Kingdom is undergoing a major transformation.
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The art of trajectory: how AI-powered analytics can help distribute your messages effectively
Advanced data analytics and AI have unlocked unprecedented insights into behaviors, preferences and emerging trends
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Rethinking IR performance measurement: how AI and financial models can help calculate impact in dollars and cents
Moving beyond non-financial indicators can give a better indication of IR success
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Scaling investor relations with a ‘team of one’
Having worked in IR and communications for over a decade – almost always as a ‘team of one’ – I’ve learned a thing or two about making the most of limited resources
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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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IR on rotation: how Ford creates ambassadors for investor relations
Two former IR team members talk about the ways in which their stint in IR continues to benefit them today
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Five key steps companies should take before launching their next shareholder meeting
With the shareholder meeting season rapidly approaching it is important for companies to be aware of the shifts in corporate governance trends.
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Guidance in the GCC: Analysts and investors favor the few (that share forward-looking metrics)
A ‘quiet transformation’ is taking place across the Gulf Cooperation Council region, but guidance remains relatively rare Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a quiet transformation is underway – one that could reshape how companies communicate with investors and influence the broader dynamics of capital allocation. At its heart, this transformation revolves around two critical pillars: transparency and guidance. Despite their importance in fostering investor confidence, lowering capital costs and reducing market volatility, these practices remain underutilized in the region. Bloomberg data as of September 30, 2024, reveals that out of 829 actively traded companies in the GCC, only around…
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First-of-its-kind IR benchmarking tool puts analysis at your fingertips
New IR Impact website allows investor relations teams to measure activity against peers – for free
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A 2025 playbook for IROs: navigating IPOs, retail power and data-driven IR
Share buybacks and retail investors have dominated the conversation early in the year
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Maximizing shareholder value by combining IR with corporate communications – and reporting directly to the CEO
The case for IR to report to the chief executive, even as increasing numbers report to the CFO
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Governance, adaptation, flexibility and variety: four key topics from the IR Magazine Forum – Greater China 2024
Even in adverse market conditions, good IR can always make the difference for listed companies. This was the focus for the nearly 200 IR professionals from across the Greater China region – Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China – who came together for the IR Magazine Forum – Greater China 2024. Here, IROs and capital markets experts laid out the case for how efficient, transparent and responsive IR can help companies weather the shifting tides of the market. Though there were far too many pearls of IR wisdom from the day’s discussions to be able to summarize easily, below we…
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Storytelling, reinvention and quizzing your analysts: Four things we learned at the IR Magazine Forum – South East Asia 2024
Though it was chilly back in IR Magazine’s London home, at the end of November myself and our events team made the painful decision to fly to warmer climes in Singapore, where we would stage the IR Magazine Forum – South East Asia 2024. We were joined there by senior IR professionals from across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to share learnings, tips and techniques from the very best that the local IR community has to offer. From targeting to gaining management’s buy-in, discussions took in a wide range of topics. Below, I’ve picked out some of the…
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Why Brian Thompson’s killing has prompted companies to think about executive safety and corporate purpose
‘Executive security used to be something of a hard sell,’ says Iylia Lavatelli, a former close-protection security provider, now working at operational resilience firm Restrata, talking about budget as well as executive willingness playing their parts in what any security manager can achieve. That, of course, changed with the shooting of Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO, in New York last week. The news today is of companies scrambling to organize their security and senior profiles being removed from corporate websites – health insurance firms in particular
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Best sneaker forward: Xtep International wins big at the IR Magazine Awards – Greater China 2024
Sportswear firm took home five awards at the gala event in Hong Kong Xtep International won five trophies at the IR Magazine Awards – Greater China 2024, in a day that culminated in a diverse group of companies taking home coveted IR Magazine trophies for excellence in everything from international IR to social media, investor events and investor targeting. Leading the pack, Xtep’s trophy count included the awards for best overall investor relations and best investor relations officer – shared by Clara Liu and Sophia Wong – both in the mid-cap category. The sportswear firm also won the best in…
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ANTA Sports and Kerry Logistics claim most short lists for the IR Magazine Awards – Greater China 2024
Winners will be announced in Hong Kong on December 4 ANTA Sports Products leads the way with nine nominations for the IR Magazine Awards – Greater China 2024. The sports equipment company appears on the short lists for major honors including best overall investor relations (large cap), best investor relations officer (large cap) and best annual report (large cap). Close behind is Kerry Logistics Network, with eight nominations, followed by a group of companies with six shortlists each: Link Asset Management, Far East Consortium International, China Resources Beer and Xtep International Holdings. In total, more than 35 companies across mainland…
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Global Investor Relations Practice Report 2024 – North America
This is the 2024 edition North America of the global practice report, IR Magazine’s annual assessment of how IR teams are operating around the world
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Global Investor Relations Practice Report 2024 – Europe
This is the 2024 edition Europe of the global practice report, IR Magazine’s annual assessment of how IR teams are operating around the world
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Global Investor Relations Practice Report 2024 – Europe available now
The state of IR in the world and Europe, according to IR Magazine’s latest research How are IR teams around the world managing their resources? How have their team sizes changed? And what involvement do they have from their company’s senior management? Read the report here > This report is available to IR Advanced subscribers to IR Magazine. The answers to these questions and many more can be found in IR Magazine’s latest Global Investor Relations Practice Report, which contains essential insights into how IR teams across the globe are operating. This year’s edition, based on responses from more…
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Crisis communication lessons from the stock options backdating controversy – IR Voice
In the latest episode of IR voice we discuss crisis communication best practices.
