IR Magazine

IR Magazine Forum – Canada
Engaging investors in a challenging market

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Vantage Venues, Toronto

About the forum

The IR Magazine Forum – Canada will take place on Thursday, April 4 in Toronto and aims to give Canadian IR professionals practical, take away ideas to implement into their IR programs.

For the past few years, attendees joined us to look at running an IR program in the new normal. Throughout these events we heard the latest advice on targeting, including how to respond to the changing nature of the traditional sell-side, how to engage with ETFs and new day traders, and the future for roadshows. As well as this, buy-side, sell side and issuing companies shared advice on post-pandemic strategies, creative best practice, ESG reporting, and the use of new technologies.

Agenda: 2024

Click here to see the 2024 agenda as a PDF

All times displayed are in Eastern Time (ET)

  • 08:30 AM
    Registration, breakfast and morning networking

  • 08:50 AM
    Welcome to the IR Magazine Forum - Canada

    Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine

  • 09:00 AM
    Setting the scene: Navigating a challenging macroeconomic landscape

    After a difficult few years for Canadian companies, volatile conditions continue; soaring inflation, high interest rates and the global energy crisis remain top of mind.

    To begin our 2024 event, our panelists will discuss what is coming next for Canadian markets and how companies can best prepare themselves for the year ahead.

    • Examine how upcoming elections, conflicts and an uncertain political landscape will impact markets and investor behaviors
    • Discuss the ‘lessons learned’ from 2023 and how to incorporate these into your IR strategy
    • Hear where the Canadian market is going in 2024 and what changing investor demands will accompany it
    • Learn how companies can place themselves most effectively for maximum growth in 2024

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Roy MacDonald, vice president, investor relations, Loblaw Companies
    Robert McConnaughey, senior vice president, head of investor relations advisory and community impact, Corbin Advisors

  • 09:30 AM
    Beyond the buzzword: Making AI work for you

    Over the last year, AI has become a catch-all term for technological innovation. It’s time in 2024 to go beyond the vagaries and drill down into what specifically AI tools are, which ones are out there and how they can help your IR team.

    In this session, our panelists will provide tangible advice and practical steps for you to take back to the office in order to begin your own AI journey with confidence.

    • Learn about what AI tools are available now and how they can be utilized within the IR function
    • Hear what your peers are doing in the AI space and develop your own strategy for leveraging the same technologies
    • Discover quick wins with AI, learning how to think innovatively and independently to create prompts that work for you
    • Stay up to date on safety and privacy concerns and learn how to begin thinking about an AI policy for your IR team
    • Discuss how to get buy-in for AI integration throughout your entire company, from the C-suite downwards

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Kam Mangat, vice president, investor relations and corporate strategy, NEXE Innovations
    Chris Makuch, senior director, Notified

  • 10:15 AM
    Networking break and morning refreshments

  • 11:00 AM
    Understanding investors: Getting to grips with the retail shareholder

    For many IR teams, the puzzle of retail investor engagement is a challenging one. Largely ignored for decades by issuers and other investors, only in recent years has the power – and conversely, the problems – of retail investors come to the fore.

    In this session, our panelists will explore the difficulty in understanding retail investor needs, cultivating their financial knowledge and striking the right tone in investor communications.

    • Consider whether to, when to and how to directly target retail investors for your shareholder base
    • Assess the different profiles of retail vs traditional investors and identify how this should impact your communications and information sharing
    • Hear what approach industry leaders are taking to decide how much time and money should be dedicated to different communities of investors
    • Discuss how to access retail channels and the most effective methods of engagement

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Robin Boschman, director, investor relations and corporate communications, E3 Lithium
    Dan Rollins, senior vice president, corporate development and investor relations, Torex Gold Resources

  • 11:45 AM
    Roundtables: Exchange ideas with your peers in group discussions

    How the roundtables work:

    • Choose any of the following topics –the power is in your hands!
    • Join the relevant roundtable and discuss with your peers
    • At the end of the session, hear a quick roundup from each table

    Topics:

    • Navigating IR as a resources company
    • Building your shareholder activism playbook
    • Best practice for creating your corporate deck
    • Troubleshooting your AI strategy
    • Capital deployment and framing your message

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    Carrie Gillard, head of investor relations, Shopify
    Dirk Lever, vice president, capital markets, Parkland Corporation

     

  • 12:30 PM
    Lunch

  • 13:30 PM
    Best practice for shareholder targeting

    When it comes to shareholder targeting, companies are still figuring out how best to maximize both efficiency and budget as they identify, prioritize and engage the right potential investors.

    In this session, hear from industry leaders as they discuss the challenges and solutions amid shareholder targeting both domestically and internationally in 2024.

    • Learn how to approach identifying potential investors in international markets and how to navigate the varying regulatory demands
    • Discover how to create an investor prioritization ‘hit list’
    • Discuss how to measure the success of your targeting efforts
    • Hear what kind of investor targeting tools can add the most value to your IR team
    • Consider how frequently your IR team should be planning NDRs and investor days

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    Jennifer McCaughey, director, investor relations, Calian Group
    Scott Parsons, senior vice president, investor relations, Alamos Gold
    John Vincic, president, Oakstrom Advisors

  • 14:15 PM
    The future of investor relations: How to develop yourself and your team for the changing IR landscape

    IR has undergone significant changes in the past few years, with IROs taking on more roles and responsibilities across the business. However, while the IR function has expanded, so too have the demands on IROs to deliver on their core tasks.

    In this session, join our experts in discussing what the trend towards more versatile and flexible talent means for the career opportunities of IROs, the growth of teams and the evolution of the profession as a whole.

    • Discover how the changing capital market affects the expectations of IROs
    • Discuss the growth of ‘dual roles’ within the IR function and the pros and cons of this development
    • Get career development tips on how to overcome new obstacles and achieve your goals
    • Learn how to create, train and grow your IR team in 2023

    Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
    Adam Borgatti, senior vice president, corporate development and investor relations, Aecon Group
    Janet Craig, vice president, investor relations, Maple Leaf Foods
    Christopher Deans, assistant vice president, investor relations, IGM Financial
    Nathalie Megann, president and chief executive officer, Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI)

  • 15:00 PM
    ESG reporting and engagement: How to cope with new rules and evolving investor preferences

    With constant developments around the SEC rule proposal, the new Bill S-211 and the CSRD potentially impacting Canadian companies, IR teams need to prioritize modernising reporting practices in 2024.

    In this final panel of the day, our speakers will discuss getting to grips with existing and upcoming regulatory changes while also answering your questions on what investor expectations are around this crucial issue.

    • Learn what regulatory changes are coming down the line and how these could and should affect company strategy
    • Discuss changing shareholder expectations around ESG issues
    • Consider the decline in ESG fund flows and hear if experts believe the issue has been de-prioritized
    • Hear how to navigate sustainability reporting while setting achievable goals in line with industry expectations

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
    Prabh Banga, vice president, sustainability, Aecon Group
    Meryem Baskoun, director, corporate sustainability communications and reporting, Air Canada
    Sylvie Harton, chief business strategy officer, Lumi Global

  • 15:45 PM
    Closing remarks and end of conference

Speakers: 2024

To inquire about speaking at a future forum, please contact [email protected] or call +44 20 8004 4818


What our attendees say

"Broad mix of topics, candid responses from high quality presenters"

Nutrien

"I liked the topics. I liked the balance between presentations, roundtables and panels"

Calian

"Very interesting and was a great networking opportunity"

Anonymous

"Interactive mix of speakers, panels and breakout group discussion"

Black Diamond Group

"Breadth and depth of topics, including those on panel. It was in a very convenient location and not over powered by service providers"

IGM Financial

"Informative and great to reconnect with my peers"

Western Copper and Gold

"I liked how the events were organized and the event flow was streamlined"

Anonymous

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 list of our past attendees:

Job title Company Job title Company
Associate, IR Alamos Gold Manager, corporate affairs Aecon
CFO Xtract One Technologies Manager, IR Nutrien
CFO Black Diamond Group Manager, IR Fortis
CFO DIRTT Environmental Solutions Manager, IR Marathon Gold
Corporate communications Troilus Gold Senior advisor, IR TransAlta
Director, capital markets Tidewater Midstream Senior advisor, IR WSP Global
Director, corporate development Pivotree Senior analyst, IR Alimentation Couche-Tard
Director, IR Dialogue Health Technologies Senior Director, IR Boralex
Director, IR BMO Financial Group Senior IR analyst Fortis
Director, IR Nutrien Senior manager, investor, ESG reporting Tricon Residential
Director, IR Taiga Motors Senior manager, IR CN
Director, IR Calian Senior manager, IR Tricon Residential
Director, IR New Gold Sustainability and ESG specialist DIRTT Environmental Solutions
Director, IR Precision Drilling SVP, corporate development and IR Aecon Group
Director, IR Osisko Development Corporation VP, capital markets Black Diamond Group
Director, IR and treasury TC Transcontinental SVP, IR Alamos Gold
EA and IR associate Canadian Tire Corporation VP, head of IR RBC
Senior manager, IR Applied Material VP, IR Sernova
Head of IR Coveo Solutions VP, IR Hudbay Minerals
IR, associate New Gold VP, IR and corporate communications Real Matters

 

Request full attendee list

Become a partner

Why partner with us? 

The IR Magazine Forum – Canada 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 – Canada. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6865. 

Partners

Venue

Vantage Venues
27th Floor, St. Andrew’s Hall
150 King Street West
Toronto Ontario
M5H1J9

For transport options and directions to the venue, please click here.

Accommodation:
The organizers have arranged for discounted rates at nearby hotels located a short distance away from the venue. Click here to view the hotels and rates.

Key insights into the latest IR trends and best practices

How to boost your IR salary and measure your IR success: The Ticker 146

In the latest episode of The Ticker podcast, we talk everyth...

Best Practice Report: Rethinking retail investors

Recently, technology – the rise of fee-free, online brokers ...

The eight trends that will define investor relations in 2024

As 2024 gets underway, IROs are already grappling with the i...

IR Magazine >

Join us for a celebration in the evening!

The IR Magazine Awards – Canada will celebrate IR excellence on the evening of Thursday, April 4, at the Fairmont Royal York, Toronto.

This event remains the Canadian IR community’s largest annual gathering and will be an evening of celebrations and networking for investor relations officers along with their senior management, advisers and analysts.

Join us at the awards ceremony straight after the forum and celebrate the success of those individuals and teams that are leading the way in the IR community in 2024!

Visit our awards website

Book your place

SOLD OUT: INTRODUCTORY RATE

SOLD OUT: SECOND RELEASE TICKETS

Click below to book a ticket.

Please note that all prices are subject to 13% HST. Prices shown below are exclusive of HST.

If you have any questions, please contact Anna Murphy at [email protected] or +44 20 8004 5340.

Contact us

Privacy policy

IR Media Group Ltd, the owner of IR Magazine, Governance Intelligence and IRspace, respect the privacy of every person who visits, registers with or subscribes to our websites and online publications, and is committed to ensuring a safe online experience. This privacy statement applies to all IR Media Group’s websites as listed under the heading ‘Sites’ and outlines the information IR Media Group may collect and how we may use that information. It also explains what we do with information about you when you register to attend one of our events.
To view our privacy policy in full, please click here.