Best Practice IR
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US boards answer to all shareholders, not just the loudest ones
There is a growing habit – mostly American, often loud – of treating ESG as a single cultural package: climate, DEI and whatever social flashpoint dominates the cycle. It makes for sharp copy. It is also a category error in the markets where stewardship decisions are actually made. In the UK and EU, ESG is regulated process: rules, disclosures and supervisory expectations designed to surface financially material sustainability risks. Think less ‘cause’, more ‘cash flow’. Across the UK and Europe, faith-based investing has long been expressed through formal, responsible-investment practice rather than culture-war branding. Since the 18th century, Church and…
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The Polish miracle: How IR is finally catching up in the ‘second Japan’ predicted to outstrip the UK’s GDP
A new wave of Polish tech firms are bringing IR into the spotlight – shown by record attendance at the Polish IR Association conference at the end of 2025 Something is changing on the Polish IR scene. While the country’s economy has been booming – and booming – it is only in the past year that investor relations has begun to get its dues. That’s according to Adam Kalkusinski, CEO, head of IR at ccgroup, speaking to IR Impact on the tails of the Polish IR Society conference late last year, where he talked about the trends that would be…
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The CFO: ‘Good investor conversations are indicative of really good IR,’ says Essentra finance chief
Rowan Baker talks to IR Impact from inside the world of hidden – but essential – components In our first installment of The CFO for 2026, we talk to Rowan Baker, Essentra finance chief, about what she looks for from investor relations, why should moved out of the capital markets and back again and why being lower profile but essential helps drive a ‘great business’.
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Global Roadshow Report 2026 available now
Where are companies travelling when they go on the road? Which brokers are putting on the best roadshows? Which members of the C-suite are putting in more time for these vital events and are they more likely to attend in-person or virtually? These are just some of the insights you can pull from IR Impact’s 16th annual Roadshow Report, which is packed full of key findings that help you put on even better roadshows. This year’s report also features a look at which companies are more or less likely to head outside of their home region when meeting investors. The…
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Global Roadshow Report 2026
Marking 16 years of IR Impact’s research into global roadshow trends: where companies go, who goes along and the brokers they travel with
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Proxy season 2026: What to expect from rule 14a-8 changes
Governance experts share their predictions for the upcoming proxy season following the SEC’s pullback around shareholder proposals Among the tumult of 2025 was a November announcement from the SEC stating that it would reduce oversight of shareholder proposal disputes. Blaming ‘current resource and timing considerations following the lengthy government shutdown,’ the regulator said that it would end ‘substantial’ reviews of no-action requests under rule 14a-8, with the change applying to the proxy season running from October 2025 to September 2026 – as well as anything it hadn’t got to before the decision was made. You can read more about the…
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One battle after another: Why the 2026 proxy season might be marked by activist ‘do-overs’ and M&A proposals
In the current critically-acclaimed film One battle after another, circumstances compel the lead character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, to revisit old conflicts and confront former adversaries. A similar narrative could prove to be one of the major themes in the shareholder activism world this year, as old battles flare up again and activists continue to push for improved corporate performance. My view is largely based on the momentum generated by last year’s high volume of activist campaigns, coupled with the fact that a large percentage of those contests were resolved via negotiated settlements between the activists and the target companies’…
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Managing expectations in 2026: Why valuation stability depends on perception, not just performance
As companies move through 2026, one lesson stands out clearly: delivering strong results is no longer sufficient to protect valuation. Across markets in 2025, share-price volatility was driven less by execution and more by misalignment between investor expectations and management’s forward-looking narrative. In this environment, the IR function has become a strategic discipline. Beyond communicating performance, IR teams are increasingly responsible for aligning market perception with a company’s long-term value creation path. When that alignment breaks down, even earnings beats can result in sharp corrections, elevated volatility and weakened investor confidence.
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‘I want us to have influence on the big issues IROs are facing,’ says Investor Relations Society’s new CEO
Having taken the society’s CEO reins from Laura Hayter in October last year, Matt Hall spent his first months in listening mode, keen to hear what the UK’s IR professionals need from the body that represents them, learning about the big issues that are changing investor relations and thinking about how he can shape a society that delivers ‘value and insight’ at every touchpoint. Prior to taking on his new role, Hall held senior roles at various other representative membership organizations within financial and professional services, including UK Finance, the Chartered Insurance Institute and TheCityUK. Here, he tells IR Impact…
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Janet Craig: Ten things I am doing to up my IR game in 2026
Predictably, as I moved into the New Year, I thought about what I wanted to accomplish over the coming 12 months. There are many opportunities for professional development, but my focus is on areas where I can hone my craft, build relationships and pay it forward. Here are 10 IR things I want to do in 2026:
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Looking back at a year of ‘The CFO’: How finance chiefs measure IR success
We’re rounding up another year of IR Impact’s flagship interview series The CFO, where we talk investor relations with finance chiefs from around the world. January 2026 will mark two years of speaking to finance leaders about all things IR. Kurt Barton from Tractor Supply Company was first in The CFO seat two years ago and Dominique Barker, CFO and head of sustainability at Canada’s Lithium Royalties Corp, closed 2025. We always ask CFOs a question about how they measure the success of their IR program, as the nature of the profession makes it notoriously difficult to assess. But proving…
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‘Market volatility necessitates a more thoughtful approach’: Four things we learned at the IR Impact Forum – Greater China 2025
The Hong Kong event brought together IR professionals and capital market experts to explore how the IR function should adapt When volatility and concentration risk become part of the backdrop for Chinese IROs targeting investors globally, new challenges emerge. From tailored engagement strategies to navigating unfamiliar capital market expertise, securing long-term investors requires consistency, long-term engagement and market insight. The IR Impact Forum – Greater China 2025 – held in December at the Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong – brought together more than 120 professionals to examine how investor relations is evolving amid shifting global capital flows, rising investor scrutiny and rapid technological change. The panels, many of which were led by award-winning IROs, covered…
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The CFO: ‘Too much material can be a detractor to investment,’ says Lithium Royalty Corp finance chief
When she took the top finance role at Toronto-headquartered Lithium Royalty Corp, Dominique Barker brought her experience on the buy side, the sell side and in ESG advisory – all of which feeds into her approach to investor relations and sustainability. In the closing interview of our 2025 series of The CFO, Barker talks to IR Impact about finding a host of women in charge at a high-altitude brine, bridging the gap between mining and the energy transition, and the supper club she’s part of with multi-award winning IR Impact Awards judge Janet Craig.
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‘The tolerance for inconsistency is zero’: Four things we learned at the IR Impact Forum – South East Asia 2025
The Singapore event brought together 100 senior IR experts to examine how the IR function is evolving The IR Impact Forum – South East Asia 2025 brought around 100 IR professionals to the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) on December 2 to discuss how the IR function is evolving in the region. A series of panel discussions, led by award-winning IROs, covered real-life case studies and expert advice to propel IR teams into the future. Speakers highlighted how IR teams are tasked with producing more information while battling increased governance scrutiny, operational pressure and digitalization, providing practical guidance for IR teams…
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The IR Benchmarking Report 2026 Global & Europe available now
A new year, a new name. In recognition of our flagship IR Benchmarking Tool, launched in early 2025, our long-running Global Practice Report has become the IR Benchmarking Report Bringing you research from several hundred IR professionals, it offers insights into everything from budgets and IR team analysis to sell-side coverage across markets caps and more – including the different ways that senior management gets involved in investor relations. Alongside the numbers, we also bring you insights from award-winning IR professionals, CFOs, investors and analysts on where they find value in investor relations and how you can fine-tune those relationships.…
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The IR Benchmarking Report 2026 Global & Europe
Here at IR Impact, we love to dive into the day-to-day of investor relations. How much companies are allocating to the IR budget – and, particularly in the AI era, how much of that is going to external service providers. We look at how many people are in the average IR team and which members of senior management are most involved in the program. All this – combined with research around analyst numbers, the evolution of virtual and much more – makes the IR Benchmarking Report 2026 a must-read for senior IROs looking to compare their approach with peers and…
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The IR Benchmarking Report 2026 Global & North America available now
This year we bring you a brand new, revamped IR Benchmarking Report that couples our survey research with interview and data from our flagship IR Benchmarking Tool. Alongside the data – covering everything from budgets to gender breakdowns, from analyst numbers to senior management attendance at virtual and in-person meetings – this report offers a host of qualitative insights from award-winning IR professionals and CFOs that have spoken to us as part of our exclusive series of deep dive interviews with finance chiefs. We also bring you thoughts from investors and analysts on building those key relationships that are at…
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As Trump signs executive order targeting ISS and Glass Lewis, experts say change is already happening
‘Unbeknownst to many Americans, two foreign-owned proxy advisors, ISS and Glass Lewis, play a significant role in shaping the policies and priorities of America’s largest companies through the shareholder voting process,’ wrote US President Donald Trump on Thursday as – after weeks of rumor – he signed an executive order targeting the two firms. In it, Trump advises everyone from the SEC to the Federal Trade Commission, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor to put a regulatory spotlight on the big two. The rhetoric leading up to the signing was fierce: SEC chairman Paul Atkins talked about the ‘weaponization…
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IR Impact Masterclass: How to manage crucial IR skills – both personally and within your team
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.
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Inside IR at Itron: ‘Part of IR’s DNA is being immune to being surprised,’ says Paul Vincent
How do IROs leverage their expertise within their companies? For Paul Vincent, VP of IR at Itron, the core of IR lies not only in conveying the company’s message but doing so in a way particular to each investor and analyst. Itron supplies innovative technologies that help utilities and cities manage energy and water. Vincent believes IR should help management shape strategy based on its own best judgment, not by deferring to investors’ views. IR’s job, he says, is to understand every individual investor and analyst so thoroughly as to communicate management’s thinking in the way each is prepared to…
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‘It makes you realize how impactful the IR profession is’: Purcari Wineries’ Victoria Moldovan on being named Europe’s 2025 rising star
One of the best parts of our awards, wherever they may be, is giving IROs the chance to catch up with their peers, many of whom they may not see throughout the rest of the year. This is particularly true for the next generation of IR professionals, many of whom we recognize with our award for the rising star of the year, which picks out early-career IROs who are ones to watch for the future.
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‘We’ve tried to make the accessibility of our IR story much improved’: Victoria Buxton on innovating BAT’s communications
Keeping your communications with the financial markets fresh can be a challenge for even the most established brands. For a company like British American Tabacco (BAT), which is repositioning itself as an enabler of a post-smoking society, it has formed a cornerstone of its IR team’s ongoing evolution.
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‘We were the ugly duckling when I joined, now we’re the focus of attention’: Dirk Winkels of Rheinmetall on how Ukraine changed the conversation
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed how many companies communicated with the market but, for German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall it completely changed the company’s story. We spoke to the company’s head of IR, Dirk Winkels, to learn a bit more about how far the goalposts have been shifted.
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‘If you’re good at IR it’s going to make a big difference to your share price’: Gervais Williams from Premier Miton Investors on making the most of volatility
In a global equity market still defined by volatility and political uncertainty, how can IR teams make the most of the opportunities available to them? According to Gervais Williams, head of equities at Premier Miton Investors, good IR professionals can make a world of difference to their organizations by communicating clearly. With so much capital moving around, it could also make a significant difference to a company’s share price he adds.
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‘We’re listed in the US but still haven’t had the chance to go to’: China’s ATRenew on engaging US investors when you can’t meet face-to-face
As a company that facilitates the buying, selling and recycling of pre-owned consumer electronics in China, ATRenew is counter-cyclical, with a model that stands to benefit when consumers look to save on that ‘new’ phone or tablet. Here, Xiaoyi (Jessie) Jin, financial communications and IR at ATRenew, talks to IR Impact about engaging local and international investors, ramping up analyst coverage and planning a trip to meet US-based shareholders – more than four years after listing on the NYSE. ATRenew is nominated in two categories at the IR Impact Awards – Greater China 2025: best buy-side management, best investor event…
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How pre-IPO investor relations shapes long-term market success
The IPO journey doesn’t start on listing day. Companies that treat investor relations as an afterthought until the opening bell often find themselves scrambling to build credibility when it matters most. The statistics tell a sobering story: approximately only one third of newly listed companies outperform their already-listed peers over the long term. Poor financial communication sits at the heart of this underperformance. Building relationships before you need them Establishing an effective IR function well before your IPO creates something money can’t buy on demand: trust. When analysts and investors already know your story, understand your business model and have…
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‘Show me the before-and-after, not just the highlight reel’: Jeannie Ong on what she looks for as an IR Impact Awards judge
Multi-award winner shares her thoughts on the Greater China and South East Asia judging Jeannie Ong, managing director, operating partner, investor relations at Temasek, is a seasoned IR Impact Award judge – this year taking on the mammoth task of both the Greater China and the South East Asia entries. She talks to IR Impact about how her own experience in investor relations helps her find the winners, the categories that are harder to judge and how IR across the region is evolving.
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Tesla: How do you get support for a $1 trn pay package? Give shareholders a slice of the pie
ISS is recommending against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 tn compensation package. Glass Lewis too. CalPERS and NBIM, manager of the world’s most valuable sovereign wealth fund, have each come out publicly against. But with the Tesla AGM happening today online and at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, one small, family-run proxy advisory firm – whose ESG-skeptic voting guidelines are offered by ISS, and which boasted the $57 bn Texas Permanent School Fund as the first state fund to sign up – is backing Musk’s compensation. ‘We’re strongly focused on the alignment of incentives,’ says Jerry Bowyer, CEO of Bowyer Research, who…
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The sell side talks IR – part four: analyst forecasts and negative ratings
How accurate do you find analyst reports on your company? And what do you do if you think there’s a mistake? How does a negative rating affect your relationship? We put these questions and more to hundreds of IROs around the world in a bid to craft a picture of the IR view on forecasts and ratings. Then, as with each of the themes in this sell-side-IR-relationship series, we put those findings to the analysts themselves in a series of in-depth, honest and anonymous conversations.
