IR Magazine

IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Venue to be announced, New York

Stand out in a volatile world

In today’s volatile market, investor relations officers at small cap companies need to be able to adapt quickly and shift their focus in response to changing conditions.

There is a higher emphasis being put on finding new investors, increasing share ownership, and expanding research emphasis to stay competitive. The IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap is designed to help public companies prioritize and improve practices so that they can stand out in the capital markets despite the economic, time and resource pressures faced by small companies today.

We will be joined by over a hundred CEOs, CFOs and IROs in New York on Thursday, September 26 and will discuss how to effectively target investors, stand out in the financial press, build analyst coverage and engage retail investors in today’s macro environment.

 

Agenda: 2023

We will be announcing our 2024 agenda shortly. In the meantime please see below for our 2023 agenda.

Click here to view the 2023 agenda.

Timings on the agenda are shown in Eastern Time (ET)

  • 08:00 AM
    Registration, refreshments and networking

  • 09:00 AM
    Welcome to the IR Magazine Forum

  • 09:15 AM
    Setting the scene: How a volatile market impacts the small cap landscape

    Our opening panel will establish the context for the rest of the day by reviewing the current state of capital markets and the macroeconomic landscape. This session will set the scene with a close-up look at fund flows, M&A and small-cap concerns in challenging market conditions as well as horizon-scanning for 2024.

    • Hear the challenges and opportunities presented by the economic outlook
    • Debate how to navigate these challenges as a smaller public company
    • Learn how to prioritize your IR activities to best adapt to the macro environment

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    Michael Bennett, vice president of investor relations, Schnitzer Steel Industries
    James Siccardi, vice president of investor relations, Energy Recovery

  • 09:45 AM
    Enhancing visibility: Finding, securing and managing research coverage

    Given a shrinking sell-side and volatile market conditions, attracting and retaining sell-side coverage has never been more challenging. In this session, we will discuss the changes in both quality and quantity of research coverage, while examining innovative ways small cap companies can stand out against their peers. Join this panel to learn how to identify and engage relevant sell-side analysts, while leveraging subsequent research to enhance your investor outreach and communication.

    • Explore how market volatility changes the relationship between small cap issuers and the sell side
    • Discover best practices and strategies for building and maintaining strong relationships with analysts
    • Discuss how to manage expectations and deal with both positive and negative feedback from analysts
    • Learn how to make company-sponsored research work for you and discover how to get maximum value from paid research

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Michael Kupinski, director of research, Noble Capital Markets
    Robin Sidders, head of investor relations, International General Insurance

     

  • 10:15 AM
    Coffee break and networking

  • 10:45 AM
    Small cap IR: Balancing priorities and defining your role

    Small cap investor relations professionals face many unique challenges in their roles. Among these challenges is the prioritization of tasks against a backdrop of many competing responsibilities and stakeholder demands. With often limited resources, meeting these expectations can feel like an uphill battle with a never-ending to-do list.

    In this panel, you will be encouraged to consider how to identify the most impactful IR activities within your role and how to add the most value to your company through your efforts.

    • Explore which responsibilities add the most value and elevate the role of IR
    • Discover how to balance priorities and allocate resources most effectively
    • Learn how to streamline your IR processes and enhance your IR capabilities
    • Hear how to manage expectations from stakeholders and establish parameters around your role

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    Ami Bavishi, executive director, head of investor relations and corporate communications, Rallybio
    Ed McGregor, director of investor relations, Vuzix Corporation
    Judah Sokel, head of treasury and investor relations, Sterling

  • 11:15 AM
    Getting on the same page: Aligning goals and managing the expectations of your board and management team

    Ensuring cohesion between IR strategy and the broader objectives of a company’s vision, strategy and performance is vital. In this panel, we will examine how small cap IROs can communicate effectively and transparently with their board and management team and ensure they are on the same page regarding the company’s vision, strategy, performance and risks.

    • Discuss how to set clear and realistic goals and objectives for your IR program that align with your board and management team’s expectations
    • Learn how to measure and report your IR achievements and impact beyond the share price
    • Hear how to constructively communicate market developments and shareholder concerns

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    David Mordy, director of investor relations, Whitestone REIT
    Andrew Posen, vice president of investor relations & treasury, WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone

  • 11:45 AM
    Investor focus: Identifying and targeting opportunities in a crowded market

    In a market already defined by a risk-aware buy side, the competition for capital is significant for small cap companies. And with sell-side research coverage on the decline, cautious investor sentiment is compounded further by a lack of visibility.

    Join this panel to discuss innovative ways to establish a much-needed line of sight to investors that are most suitable for your company. We’ll explore how to identify and target these investors while maximizing the resources at your disposal.

    • Discover how to differentiate yourself from the crowd and showcase your company’s unique value proposition and growth potential
    • Learn how to conduct effective investor targeting analysis using alternative data and tools
    • Discuss how to craft a compelling and consistent equity story that resonates with your investor targets
    • Consider how to engage different types of investors, such as small institutions, retail investors, family offices and ESG-focused investors

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Matthew Esposito, head of investor relations, Gannett
    Mark Fasken, co-founder and chief operating officer, Irwin
    Benjamin Hackman, head of investor relations, Spire

  • 12:15 PM
    Lunch break

  • 13:00 PM
    How to enhance the quality of your research coverage

    Good research coverage is key to the success of any public company and none more so than those within the small cap universe. However, due to regulatory changes, cost pressures, conflicts of interest, changing sell-side dynamics, and lack of access and engagement, the quality of research coverage in recent years has been in decline and analyst forecasts are becoming more divergent. This session will cover the following:

    • Learn what constitutes high-quality analyst research and why is it important for your company
    • Discuss current trends and the underlying factors contributing to the quality of analyst research
    • Consider what information analysts need from you to produce accurate and insightful research on your company
    • Learn how to think like an analyst, and understand their models to prepare for better conversations with the people covering you
    • Plan what can you do, as an IRO, to enhance your relationship with research analysts and improve the quality of research related to your company

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Chris McGinnis, senior director of investor relations, ACCO Brands Corporation
    Peter Sidoti, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Sidoti & Company

  • 13:30 PM
    ESG strategy: A current look at investor expectations, anti-ESG sentiment and small cap sustainability reporting

    As expectations surrounding ESG continue to grow from both investors and regulatory bodies alike, staying ahead of the curve can be a challenging task for IR teams. For small cap teams specifically, with limited resources and often less recognition than larger peers, the challenge of integrating ESG into the company’s strategy and reporting is made even greater.

    Join this session for an up-to-date look at what the market is thinking regarding ESG and how small cap companies can ensure they are navigating investor concerns effectively.

    • Discover how to identify and prioritize the most material ESG issues for your company and stakeholders
    • Learn how to monitor and measure your ESG performance and impact
    • Debate the material impact of anti-ESG sentiment on the capital markets
    • Hear how small-cap companies can overcome the data and disclosure hurdles to comply with the relevant ESG regulations

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Jami Taylor, vice president of corporate affairs, Protagonist Therapeutics
    Brian Valerio, senior vice president, Alliance Advisors

  • 14:00 PM
    Leveraging new technology: Balancing threat and opportunity in the emerging world of AI

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world of business, creating countless new opportunities and challenges for companies on a global scale. This new technological frontier offers potential advancement in efficiency, innovation, customer experience and competitive edge.

    In our final panel of the day, we will explore the possibilities AI opens up for small cap IR teams, while also considering the concerns that its burgeoning use brings to the fore.

    • Learn how to identify and assess the opportunities and challenges of AI for your company and industry
    • Discover how generative AI systems can be leveraged to streamline IR functions and save your team time and resources
    • Explore the risks and responsibilities of integrating AI into your business strategies

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    John Nunziati, assistant vice president and investor relations partner, Q4
    Conor Richardson, vice president of investor relations, Shattuck Labs

  • 14:30 PM
    Champagne roundtables: Exchange ideas with a glass of champagne!

    How the roundtables work

    • Choose any of the following topics and join the relevant roundtable
    • When the bell rings, move on to the next topic of your choice and repeat
    • Hear a summary of key action points from each table on each topic at the end
    • Enjoy a glass of champagne or a non-alcoholic beverage!

    Topics to choose from

    • Engaging and growing your retail shareholder base
    • Increasing analyst coverage: Innovation and differentiation in a crowded market
    • The first 100 days: Advice for new IROs and newly public companies
    • Biotech: Communicating your potential in a market downturn
  • 15:30 PM
    Roundtable summary and closing remarks

    Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine

  • 16:00 PM
    Drinks reception and networking

Who attends our events

Our attendees are leading IR practitioners with an established track record and strategic IR role within their company.

Below is a sample of some of our past attendees:

Job title Company Job title Company
Director, IR Jushi Holdings VP, communications and IR Adaptimmune
Director, IR Energy Recovery VP, corporate finance and IR Universal Technical Institute
Executive director, IR Quad VP, finance Gambling.com Group
Head of IR Bakkt Holdings VP, head of IR Xerox
Head of IR Beyond Air VP, Investor Relations AvePoint
IR analyst Kambi Group VP, IR Comscore
SVP marketing, IR and ESG LTC Properties VP, IR DNOW
SVP, Investor Relations & Treasurer G-III Apparel Group VP, IR Blade Air Mobility
SVP, IR Usio VP, IR Shattuck Labs
SVP, IR Three Part Advisors VP, IR Sovos Brands
SVP, IR and communications Cadiz VP, IR WM Technology Inc
VP IR IDT VP, IR and corporate development Standard Motor Products

 

Request full attendee list

What our attendees say

"The content and discussion were very useful and quite in-depth, and the moderators Tim and Ben enhanced the quality of the sessions with their thoughtful comments and questions."

Clear Path Strategies

"Good array of topics covering the span of what's key to IROs currently."

Great Panther Mining

"The networking was great, as were the speakers. IR Magazine is savvy to shine the light on what is usually an overlooked sector in small caps. "

Prosek Partners

"This was by far the most insightful IR event I’ve seen in my 14 years. "

Wiley

"The event was very well organized, and incorporated a cross-section of experts that spoke to various aspects of IR."

The Equity Group

Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap brings together some of the most influential people in thIR community.  

The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients when they are exploring how they can improve their IR practice. Through our unrivaled knowledge of the subject matter and commitment to in-depth agenda research, our events are guaranteed to attract a qualified audience. 

The unique buzz we create at our in-person events – a far cry from a traditional conference – makes them multi-faceted and highly interactive with great engagement in particular from heads of IR. This allows our partners to have meaningful conversations with corporates who are deciding which parts of their IR program to invest in, which service providers to engage and which consultants to retain. By partnering with us on an event, you can generate leads, showcase your thought leadership and position yourselves as the partner of choice to the IR community. 

We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience at the IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 (212) 430 6865

Partners

Book your place

Click below to book a ticket. We have 5 tickets left at our first release rate for both corporate and non-corporate tickets.

Book now to avoid disappointment. The rate will automatically increase once they’re gone!

The corporate rate is reserved for in-house IR or communications professionals, employed directly by a corporation listed on a public stock exchange ONLY.

All other bookers should select the non-corporate rate.

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Williams at [email protected] or +44 208 090 2156.

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