Virtual event: Live and available on replay
The IR Magazine Forum – Canada is back on April 1, 2021, to give Canadian IR professionals practical, take away ideas to implement into their IR program.
In 2020, attendees joined us virtually to take a refreshing look at running an IR program in the new normal. This year, you will hear the latest advice on targeting, including how to respond to the changing nature of the traditional sell-side, how to engage with retail and passive investors, and the future for roadshows.
As well as this, buy-side, sell side and issuing companies will share advice on post-pandemic strategies, creative best practice, ESG reporting, and the use of new technologies. Check out our star speakers from 2020 below!
Due to current restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic, the event will take place as a virtual experience.
Using the latest cutting edge technology available, our virtual event platform closely replicates being there in person with the chance to interact with speakers and have one-to-one networking in-between panel talks.
Going virtual connects our attendees to even more attendees, from the comfort of their desk.
All times displayed are in Eastern Time (ET)
11:30 AM
Welcome to the IR Magazine Forum – Canada
Networking and opening remarks from the chair
11:45 AM
Capital markets trends, market opportunities and the social investment drivers of change
A big picture discussion on macroeconomic and megatrends for 2021. In this session, Philip will share expertise and discuss:
Philip Petursson, chief investment strategist and head of capital markets research, Manulife Investment Management
12:15 PM
Disruptive technologies: Decoding the impact of data on your company
As the rise of passives and data-driven investment causes increased fluctuations in stock prices, it’s challenging to know how to respond. This session will help IROs understand the mechanics of data-driven investment, how to recognize the effects on your stock and the potential implications for your role as IRO.
Greg Secord, vice president, investor relations, Open Text Corporation
12:45 PM
Networking and coffee break
13:15 PM
Shaping the IR program in 2021: Future strategies
Last year saw an evolution in best practice IR in response to Covid-19 and a shift in overall marketing strategy. This session will assess what the future holds for 2021 and what the return to ‘normal’ may look like in practical terms. What is the industry consensus on a move to in-person? How can IROs continue to maximize the use of virtual for the foreseeable?
14:00 PM
Post-crisis communications: How to reflect the equity story going forward
As the pandemic persists through early 2021, it’s hard to speculate on the prospects for your company’s stock. This session will give ideas to help you effectively communicate your equity story in light of continued impacts on the business. How can IR give better guidance while still facing the pandemic?
Darren Dansereau, senior vice president & portfolio manager, QV Investors
14:45 PM
Networking and coffee break
15:15 PM
The changing nature of brokers and accessing new pathways to investors
This session will examine the best ways to access new pools of investors in the current climate. How can IROs react to the changing nature and role of brokers? What pathways are there to retail vs institutional investors? What are the threats and opportunities posed by new day traders that have driven trading volumes and volatility, and how can IR benefit?
16:00 PM
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Improving the fundamentals of IR
In this interactive session, you will hear from and share ideas with IROs across sectors to hear advice and best practice on the IR basics. From budgets and pricing structures to improving the effectiveness of traditional advertising and social media, join this roundtable to have your questions answered from IROs and share your thoughts on creating the best possible IR program.
16:30 PM
ESG case study: One company’s integrated ESG program
Hear how one company has integrated sustainability into its strategy, from initiation to reporting. What are the benefits of such an approach? How important is taking a risk governance approach to ESG?
Prabh K. Banga, director, Aecon Group Inc
17:00 PM
Focusing on what matters: ESG implementation, governance and buy-side perspectives
There is widespread consensus on the principles and benefits of ESG, but how can IR teams introduce an ESG program in practical terms? This session will bring different perspectives to answer that question. What is the buy side looking for and what are its key reporting metrics? How can IROs navigate ESG indices and data-driven investing? What are some tangible ways to improve reporting, and how does the IRO manage the lack of standardization?
Omar Javed, VP of IR, Hydro One
Eliza Riego, head, product & service innovation, TMX
18:00 PM
End of forum
To inquire about speaking at the forum, please contact [email protected] or call +44 20 8004 4818
Ben Ashwell
Editor
IR Magazine
Ben Ashwell is the editor at IR Magazine and Corporate Secretary, covering investor relations, governance, risk and compliance. Prior to this, he was the founder and editor of Executive Talent, the global quarterly magazine from the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. Before moving to the US, Ben was the vice president and editor at Executive Grapevine, overseeing a daily news website, ten annual supplements and HR Grapevine, the UK’s leading HR and talent management magazine. In his spare time, Ben enjoys rock climbing and writing fiction and poetry.
Darren Dansereau
Senior vice president & portfolio manager
QV Investors
As Portfolio Manager, Darren’s day-to-day focus is researching mid to large cap Canadian businesses for QV’s Canadian Equity strategy. He is a member of the Investment Committee and also serves as Senior Vice President and Director, helping to manage the firm and the broader QV team. Darren is a QV shareholder.
“You can never know everything about every company on the market, so there is no day that we sit idle. Our job is to try and make the best decisions with the information we can gather.”
Darren joined QV in 2006. He began his career as a research analyst and trader with the Alberta Investment Management Corporation in 2001. He also worked as an Associate with Canada Trust Private Investment Counsel in Edmonton.
Darren’s interest in portfolio management began in university. He enjoys studying the inner workings of businesses across many industries and understanding their place within the economy. He is particularly interested in the people behind each business and the effectiveness of the decisions they make. As markets are continuously evolving with new information, he likes that there is always an opportunity or industry trend to analyze.
To Darren, investment success is achieving one’s return expectations while taking the appropriate amount of risk. When investment objectives and constraints are properly balanced, he believes clients will be more likely to remain invested throughout the market cycle, which is the key to creating long-term value.
Outside of work, Darren enjoys spending time with his wife, Trish, and their three children. He loves the outdoors and travelling to new places with his family.
Marc Jasmin
Senior director, investor relations
IMV
Omar Javed
Vice president of investor relations
Hydro One
Mr. Javed is the Vice President of Investor Relations at Hydro One Limited. He assumed the Head of IR role in 2018, after joining Hydro One investor relations team in 2015 shortly after its initial public offering. Mr. Javed has played a key role in shaping the successful investor relations program at Hydro One, which was recognized as the Best Investor Relations for an IPO by IR Magazine. He has tremendous experience with both private and public markets having worked in Private Equity, Investment Management and Management Consulting with a focus on value creation. Mr. Javed attended Harvard Business School, Rotman School of Management, and University of Western Ontario.
Prabh K. Banga
Director
Aecon Group Inc
Prabh is a corporate sustainability strategist with over 10 years of experience embedding sustainability into organizational culture. She has led the development and execution of sustainability strategies, providing a framework for corporations to make decisions that balance economic, environmental, and social responsibility in a way that drives business value.
Currently, Prabh is the Director of Sustainability with Aecon Group Inc., where she leads the development and delivery of Aecon’s sustainability strategy. Her key responsibilities include integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG), identifying future trends, emerging technologies and operationalizing sustainability into day-to-day practices.
Prior to joining Aecon, Prabh was the Associate Director, Strategy & Sustainability at Toronto Pearson International Airport, where she was ranked Top 40 under 40 in North America by Airport Business for integrating sustainability as a value driver into airport operations and management.
Prabh has a Master of Resource and Environmental Management and undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies. Prabh is currently serving as the North American representative on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Stakeholder Council as well as Research associate with the National Academy of Sciences.
Jason Paltrowitz
Director and executive vice president
OTC Markets
Philip Petursson
Chief investment strategist and head of capital markets research
Manulife Investment Management
Philip and his team have a range of investment strategy responsibilities from capital market research and economic analysis to investor education. In this role, the team analyzes the economy and capital markets to identify and develop investment opportunities. Their expertise spans across multiple asset classes and geographic regions. The team communicates their views through multiple media to Manulife Investment Management’s clients. With over 25 years of experience Philip is a recognized thought leader in the industry. Philip joined Manulife in 1999andin addition to producing a bi-weekly podcast for investment advisors “in*vest*ments unplugged”, he is a regular contributor to many of Manulife Investment Management’s publications. He is frequently quoted in the press, has appeared on BNN and is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences
Eliza Riego
Head, product and service innovation
TMX
Eliza Riego, Head Product and Service Innovation, studied Environmental Studies and Geographic Information Systems prior to joining TMX Group. Having worked in multiple departments at TMX, over the last 12 years, Eliza has been focused on developing products, services and professional development opportunities for publicly listed companies on Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange. Recently, Eliza created ESG 101, a hub for ESG resources for issuers, and co-produced the updated Primer for Environmental & Social Disclosure.
Greg Secord
Vice president, investor relations
Open Text Corporation
Greg Secord is Vice President, Investor Relations for Open Text Corporation with responsibility for relations with sell-side analysts and institutional investors. Mr. Secord has 20 years of IR experience in both North American and European capital markets, and has managed IR through over 50 acquisitions. He has consulted, advised and counseled many industry leaders including some of the largest technology and insurance companies in Canada. He has created presentation materials for the Toronto Stock Exchange to educate executives of newly listed companies on the fundamentals of best practices IR. He has also been quoted in industry trade publications and is a published contributor to post-secondary text books on business and accounting. He is the recipient of numerous IR Magazine Awards in Canada including for Best Investor Relations Officer, Best Overall Investor Relations, Best Use of Technology and Best Investment Community Meetings. Mr. Secord is incoming chair of NIRI’s Senior Roundtable, and is a past board member for NIRI’s Virtual Chapter, and the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (Ontario).
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 virtual attendees:
Job title | Company | Job title | Company | |
SVP of corporate development and IR | Aecon Group | Investor relations manager & corporate analyst | Keywords Studios | |
Manager, investor relations | Algonquin Power & Utilities | VP business development & director IR | Linamar | |
President & chief executive officer | Alvopetro | Investor relations | Lotus Ventures | |
Investor relations associate | ARC Resources | Vice president, head of investor relations | Manulife Financial | |
VP of corporate communications | Bear Creek Mining | Vice president corporate development | MARS Investor Relations | |
VP, investor relations | Canopy Growth | Director capital markets and IR | Metamaterial | |
Strategic account director – business development | Cision | Vice president, investor relations & corporate development | Norbord | |
VP corporate communications | CO2 GRO | Finance analyst | Parex Resources | |
President | CorpFinance Advisors | Investor relations | Pembina Pipeline | |
Corporate access | Fidelity Investments | Head of equities | Premier Miton Group | |
SVP investor relations & treasury | Finning | Senior director, ESG product strategy | S&P Dow Jones Indices | |
Manager investor relations | First Majestic Silver | US chief representative officer | Samsung Life Insurance | |
Manager, corporate communications | Fury Gold Mines | Deputy chief economist | Scotiabank | |
Senior director | George Weston | Director of IR and communications | Sherritt International | |
VP, strategy, planning & IR | Gibson Energy | Manager, investor relations | Sierra Metals | |
Director, investor relations | Home Capital Group | SVP investor relations advisory | Storyboard Communications | |
Director, capital & liquidity management | IGM Financial | Director of corporate communications | Talisker Resources | |
Vice president – investor relations | Imperial Oil | Investor relations manager | Teck Resources | |
Senior director investor relations and communications | IMV | Investor relations | TMAC Resources | |
Manager, corporate governance | Interac |
Why partner with us?
The IR Magazine Forum – Canada brings together some of the most influential people in the IR community.
The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients when they are exploring how they can improve their IR practice. Through our unrivalled 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 virtual events – a far cry from a webinar – 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 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 – Canada. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6865.
In the last 12 months, IR Magazine’s virtual events have attracted the highest, most diverse and senior attendees and experts in investor relations
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Forum Partners
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
Q4 is the fastest growing cloud-based investor relations and capital market solutions to the IR Industry with over 1,200 clients. Public companies the world over (many of which are Fortune 1000 brands) look to our leading web and intelligence solutions to power successful (and award winning) IR programs — and to better connect with their investors, make more effective decisions, and understand the capital markets.
Learn more at https://www.q4inc.com/home/default.aspx
TMX Group operates global markets, and builds digital communities and analytic solutions that facilitate the funding, growth and success of businesses, traders and investors. TMX Group’s key operations include Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, TSX Alpha Exchange, The Canadian Depository for Securities, Montréal Exchange, Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation, and Trayport which provide listing markets, trading markets, clearing facilities, depository services, technology solutions, data products and other services to the global financial community. TMX Group is headquartered in Toronto and operates offices across North America (Montréal, Calgary, Vancouver and New York), as well as in key international markets including London and Singapore. For more information about TMX Group, visit our website at www.tmx.com. Follow TMX Group on Twitter: @TMXGroup.
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