The consensus from our recent Toronto event? Investor relations is getting more difficult.
Last month, we teamed up with the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) to bring together leaders from across the global IR community. I had the opportunity to enjoy a thought-provoking discussion with these experts, exploring the biggest trends shaping the profession.
Our group included:
Here are 7 key takeaways from the conversation.
One of the biggest topics of discussion was regulation – and how much harder it’s becoming to keep up. Across the world, new rules are making investor communications more complex, demanding more time from IR teams.
No matter where you operate, the rules are getting tougher. But compliance alone isn’t enough – companies need to think strategically about how they communicate their financials and ESG efforts to keep up with regulatory changes while ensuring their corporate story resonates with investors.
A few years ago, ESG reporting was mostly about meeting investor expectations. Companies shared their sustainability initiatives because it mattered to shareholders.
But now, governments and regulators are taking control of the conversation, setting strict rules on what companies must disclose.
The challenge? What regulators require doesn’t always align with what investors actually use to make decisions. Some companies are stuck producing detailed ESG reports just to meet compliance requirements without clear evidence that these disclosures add value for shareholders.
For IR teams, the balance is tricky. On one hand, they need to meet regulatory requirements. On the other, they need to ensure their ESG messaging is engaging, clear and genuinely meaningful to investors – rather than just another compliance checkbox.
The companies who go beyond the basic requirements and focus on making ESG data useful and insightful will stand out.
AI was a key topic of discussion throughout the event. While there’s excitement about its potential, there’s also a lot of caution.
Adoption for IR varies across regions – overall, Germany is taking a cautious approach, while the U.S. and Australia are further ahead in experimenting with AI-driven tools.
AI isn’t replacing human judgment, but it’s becoming an increasingly valuable tool for IR pros who know how to use it strategically.
Trust in the media is at an all-time low, and this means companies need to be more proactive in controlling their narrative. Misinformation spreads quickly, and IR pros need to be proactive in addressing it.
At the end of the day, the best defense against misinformation is clarity, consistency and ethical communication. Companies that focus on these fundamentals will be better positioned to maintain investor trust.
LinkedIn is quickly becoming a key platform for investor communications. Companies are using it for:
However, while social media is a great tool, it’s not replacing traditional IR channels. The challenge is ensuring messaging remains consistent across platforms and that social media is used strategically, not reactively.
The format of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) is a hot debate. Companies are still figuring out the best approach:
It’s clear that AGMs will continue evolving, but companies need to strike the right balance between accessibility, engagement and governance.
New regulations, increased reporting requirements and compliance costs are making it more expensive to be a publicly traded company.
For IR pros, this means adapting strategies to maintain strong investor engagement while navigating a more challenging regulatory and financial landscape.
The regulatory landscape is evolving, technology is changing how we communicate and trust in financial markets has never been more important.
To succeed in 2025, IR pros have to be adaptable, forward-thinking and proactive to better shape and control corporate narratives.
A huge thank you to CIRI and our fellow panelists for such an engaging discussion. I’m looking forward to continuing these conversations and seeing where we go next!
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