IR Magazine

IR Magazine Forum & Awards
Greater China

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Conrad Hong Kong

Seizing opportunity in shifting markets

For the past three decades, IR Magazine has honored excellence in investor relations around the world and in 2024, we will continue to recognize and help further IR best practice. Last year, almost 200 senior IR professionals joined this internationally renowned event looking at the very best the IR community has to offer through our forum and awards.

THE FORUM

The event will kick off with a forum where investors, analysts and heads of IR from small, mid and large cap companies came together to discuss key issues relating to investor relations, corporate governance, shareholder needs and the role of senior management in IR.


THE AWARDS

We will present two types of awards categories – researched and nominated – both celebrating the success of those individuals and companies that are leading the way in IR in Greater China.

For our researched categories, companies do not submit nominations. Instead, hundreds of analysts and investors cast their votes and give their opinions on which companies do the best IR in the region.

In our nominated categories, companies have the opportunity to submit a written entry for aspects of IR that complement our researched categories. More information can be found in the sections below.

Agenda: 2024

Please find our agenda for 2024 below or click here to see the full agenda as a PDF.

All times are in Hong Kong Standard Time.

  • 08:15 AM
    Registration, breakfast and networking

  • 08:55 AM
    Opening remarks: Welcome to the forum

    Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine

  • 09:00 AM
    IR in 2025: Independent directors, increased transparency and international investing

    The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong has proposed new rules to increase transparency and corporate governance for listed companies, most notably around the disclosure of dividend policies, an approach that is similar to Shanghai and Shenzhen exchange rules.

    These changes, along with less widely supported proposals related to preventing ‘overboarding’ of company directors, seek to enhance corporate governance and align the exchange with international standards. If implemented, they could also lead to an increase in both institutional and retail interest in the region’s companies.

    In our opening session, we explore what these structural changes may mean for IR teams and provide advice on how to adapt.

    • Hear how to adapt your policies to meet expectations of domestic and international investors
    • Understand what disclosures and governance practices may be expected of listed companies
    • Discuss how global investor sentiment is changing and the outlook for investment into the region
    • Learn what an increase in investor interest would mean for IR teams and how to take advantage of this opportunity

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Kevin Leung, company secretary and IR director, China Resources Beer
    Clara Liu, senior manager of IR, Xtep International Holdings
    Jason Paltrowitz, director and executive vice president, OTC Markets Group
    Rene Vanguestaine, managing partner, Christensen Advisory

  • 09:40 AM
    Focusing on high-value IR: Time management for investor relations professionals

    This session is all about ‘putting the ROI back into IRO’. Using exclusive research from IR Magazine’s global survey on time management, we explore how investor relations professionals are spending their day and examine which IR activities provide the biggest benefit to your company and the C-suite.

    We will also explore the transformative impact artificial intelligence can have on IR workloads and how to create efficiencies so that IR can be more effective, helping to build credibility with management.

    • Benchmark how you organize your days and learn what the most impactful IR activities are
    • Gain insight into what activities are most time-consuming and provide the lowest value
    • Explore where AI and automation can remove monotonous tasks, saving time for higher-value activities
    • Learn how to organize your quarterly activities to improve the positive impact IR has on your company

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Jessie Jin, chief manager of investor relations and ESG, ATRenew
    Melanie Morfill, sales director, APAC, Notified
    Suki Wong, senior director, investor relations and ESG, ANTA Sports Products

  • 10:10 AM
    Networking break and refreshments

  • 10:30 AM
    Case studies: Targeting that yields the best results

    IR teams often track their performance by measuring the number of investors that they meet with and it is an important metric. However, companies should not overlook the quality of each meeting, because high-quality meetings engage the C-suite, encourage more investment and provide critical information that can be used to shape strategy.

    Whether gaining valuable information, learning insightful questions that test your business strategy or converting a prospect into a shareholder, successful meetings require a well-thought-out targeting strategy to identify the investors who will help your company move forward.

    This session explores how to be smarter with your targeting practices and identify investors who are most likely to meet with your management team and add value to your company.

    • Hear case studies about how IR teams are improving their shareholder-analysis practices
    • Learn what top IR teams are doing to build a pipeline of investor prospects and use management’s time in the most productive fashion
    • Discover how new technologies can not only make investor targeting easier, but also more effective

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Doris Chan, head of investor relations, Nameson Holdings
    Elaine Wang, senior IR manager, QingCi Games

    Fanny Yan, senior manager, IR, Nissin Foods Company

  • 11:00 AM
    WeChat & websites: Best practices in digital investor relations

    As communication technologies continue to evolve, we explore how best to utilize these tools to expand the reach of your IR program and promote better transparency with your shareholders.

    This session will showcase effective techniques award-winning IROs have implemented to improve their communication using different digital channels.

    • Understand the latest digital communications trends in the context of investor relations
    • Learn how best to use WeChat and other social media to tell your company story
    • Understand how best to build your presence in an increasingly digitalized world
    • Discuss the ‘how’ to integrate AI into your digital engagement strategy

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Nick Huang, IR manager, Hon Hai Precision Industry
    Celia Wang, international digital content manager, Ping An Insurance

    Nina Zhan, vice president, IR, 361 Degrees International

  • 11:30 AM
    Maximizing the investor opportunity

    Investor relations is the interface between markets and management, and IR professionals who focus their efforts on spending time serving and learning from the investment community can bring a new level of insight and investment into the company.

    This session explores what an investor-centric IR approach looks like and explores ways to get closer to the investment community through your approach to IR.

    • Learn about different philosophies and directions for your investor relations strategy
    • Hear how companies are taking an investor-first approach in their IR activities
    • Understand ways to gather useful market intelligence from the investor community
    • Discover techniques to conduct investor meetings and learn what questions are most beneficial to ask portfolio managers and analysts

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
    Ellen Tseng, senior director, IR and corporate communications, Primax Electronics
    Yi Xiang, head of investor relations, Focus Media
    Rui Zhang, chief executive officer, Irostors

  • 11:55 AM
    Closing remarks

    Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine

  • 12:00 PM
    Networking lunch and awards presentation

  • 14:30 PM
    End of forum and awards

Speakers 2024


IR Magazine Awards Hall of Fame

Past winners of our coveted IR Magazine Awards are invited to be inducted into the IR Magazine Hall of Fame. This is an exclusive alum organization reserved only for individual winners of our awards including the categories – Best IR Professional across all cap sizes.

We wanted to provide a platform that offers ongoing recognition for this monumental achievement and an opportunity for our award winners to help shape the future of excellence in the IR community.


View the full list of honorees here

Awards by nomination

For our awards-by-nomination categories, individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Magazine editorial team members.

NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

We are delighted to announce the list of 2024 nominees. View the full list by clicking here.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or +44 20 8004 4989.

Best annual report (large cap)

Best annual report (large cap)

Are shareholders and analysts raving about the quality of your annual print or online report? Give us your vision of good reporting practice. Judges will be looking for a well-articulated equity story, ease of flow or navigation, state-of-the-art design, consistency/complementarity and improvement between different reports. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best annual report (small to mid-cap)

Best annual report (small to mid-cap)

Are shareholders and analysts raving about the quality of your annual print or online report? Give us your vision of good reporting practice. Judges will be looking for a well-articulated equity story, ease of flow or navigation, state-of-the-art design, consistency/complementarity and improvement between different reports. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best ESG reporting (large cap)

Best ESG reporting (large cap)

Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities - they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best ESG reporting (mid-cap)

Best ESG reporting (mid-cap)

Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities - they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best ESG reporting (small cap)

Best ESG reporting (small cap)

Companies face growing demands to inform investors about the risk and opportunities - they face from a range of ESG issues. Describe how your company was able to meet the demands of shareholders looking for substance in ESG reporting? Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best innovation in shareholder communications

Best innovation in shareholder communications

Judges are looking for IR teams who have had to think out of the box in the past 12-18 months to update their shareholder communications campaign and keep up with the evolving needs and wants of the investor community. We’re looking for that tiny little spark of innovation that sets your company apart!

Best investor event

Best investor event

Did you hold a capital markets day, site visit or other investor event that made your company stand out from the crowd? Tell us how you came up with an original initiative, the way you managed its organization, and how your audience’s expectations were met; audience feedback is also welcome. Both virtual and in-person events can be considered for this award.

Best investor targeting strategy

Best investor targeting strategy

Have you gone above and beyond to reach new investors and tell your company story? Have you recently changed your targeting strategy to reach new prospects, adapt to adversarial circumstances, or get a better return from your investor engagements? We want to hear from you. Our judges will look for innovative use of data and analysis to optimize your marketing schedule and provide better returns on your IR department and management's time on the road and at conferences.

Best IR during a corporate transaction

Best IR during a corporate transaction

How did your IR team go above and beyond to support a recent corporate transaction? Let us know the details. We’ll be looking at the IR team’s involvement in crafting/releasing the messaging for the financial markets and how it organized outreach and dialogue to gain approval from key shareholders.

Best IR website

Best IR website

The IR website is the first point of contact for an IRO’s audience. We want to hear from companies that have developed a best-in-class website displaying top-notch customer experience, engaging content that meets analysts’ and investors’ needs, and multiplatform access.

Best use of social media and video

Best use of social media and video

Have your IR teams increased visibility and engagement digitally through the use of different communication channels? Describe the innovative ways you have incorporated video, audio, infographics or webcasts into your IR program. Judges will be looking for evidence of the quality of output, use of creativity and heightened investor and analyst engagement via these channels.

Best use of technology including AI

Best use of technology including AI

Have you harnessed cutting-edge technology like AI to enhance your IR efforts? In this new category, we want to hear about how you have used tools to overcome IR challenges, create efficiencies, enhance intelligence or improve the quality of your IR activities. Judges want to hear about the tools you have used in your IR efforts, how you used them and the measures implemented to ensure safe and responsible use of technology.

Rising star

Rising star

This award seeks to honor individuals who bring fresh thinking and a unique approach to the profession. This category is open to anyone who has been working in IR for less than 10 years and has less than 15 years of professional experience.

The awards-by-nomination categories differ from our traditional researched awards, as individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of investment professionals and IR Magazine editorial team members.

The judging process consists of three simple phases:

Phase one: Once the entry deadline has passed, the IR Magazine editorial team reviews all submissions and produces the short list

Phase two: The short-listed entries are shared with an independent judging panel made up of industry experts. The judges review each short-listed entry and select their top two picks per category

Phase three: The judges come together to discuss, debate and select the final list of winners who will go on to win an award

The judges’ votes are not made public, but their comments may be published in articles or reports after the event. Judges are not required to make comments against every submission.

Click here to view the judges biographies.

Jack Chang

Director, Taiwan Investor Relations Institute (TIRI)

Stanley Choi

Partner, Prospervest Family Office Group and COO, Wofoo Social Enterprises

William Tsang

Chief risk officer, Chartwell Capital

Gabriel Wilson-Otto

Head of sustainable investing strategy, Fidelity International

Tim Human

Events editor, IR Magazine

Awards by research

Our awards-by-research nominees are determined by the input of hundreds of analysts and portfolio managers, who give their opinions on which companies provide them with the best IR service in the Greater China region. Every year we invite any publicly listed company to submit their list of buy and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers, so that they have the opportunity to vote via our survey.

NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

We are delighted to announce the list of 2024 nominees. View the full list by clicking here.

Please click on the tabs below to view the research timeline. If you have any questions on this process or wish to access our data sharing agreement, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. For any further queries about the research, please contact [email protected].

 

Best overall investor relations (large cap)

Best overall investor relations (large cap)

This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)

Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)

This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best overall investor relations (small cap)

Best overall investor relations (small cap)

This category covers companies that have most impressed the investment community with their overall IR program. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best investor relations officer (large cap)

Best investor relations officer (large cap)

This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best investor relations officer (mid-cap)

Best investor relations officer (mid-cap)

This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best investor relations officer (small cap)

Best investor relations officer (small cap)

This category is for individual IROs whose knowledge of their company and sector and whose ability to build relationships with members of the investment community and to be transparent, accessible and responsive, sets them apart. Market cap breakdown: Small cap = below US$1 bn / Mid-cap = between US$1 bn - US$7.49 bn / Large cap = US$7.5 bn and over

Best international IR

Best international IR

This category covers companies that most impressed the investment community outside of their region with their overall IR program.

Best in sector: communications

Best in sector: communications

Best in sector: consumer discretionary

Best in sector: consumer discretionary

Best in sector: consumer staples

Best in sector: consumer staples

Best in sector: financials (including real estate)

Best in sector: financials (including real estate)

Best in sector: industrials & materials

Best in sector: industrials & materials

Best in sector: technology

Best in sector: technology

Our awards by research are different from most others and also from our awards by nomination: for our awards by research, companies do not submit nominations. The winners are identified by in-depth research and any publicly traded company is eligible to be considered. This survey is the only one of its kind to go directly to the investment community, canvassing the opinions of the people who matter to you most.

May-August: Online survey
IR Magazine has been building investment community databases over the past 30 years. As part of the updating process, listed companies are contacted every year for details of the professionals who currently cover their stock. IR Magazine then conducts an electronic survey of buy-side and sell-side analysts and portfolio managers. Each survey respondent is asked to nominate and rank up to five companies in a host of different research categories, from best IRO to best reporting.

September-October: Results analysis & short lists announced
Analysis of the results begins once the survey stage of the research is complete. Points are allocated to each company depending on how frequently it is nominated. The companies with the highest point scores in each individual awards category make the short list for that award. The top company will go on to win the award. Best-in-region awards are determined by the highest aggregate scores across all research categories.

The IR Magazine awards team receives the results and contacts all short-listed companies to give them the good news. The short lists are then published to the entire IR community a month before the event.

December: Winners announced
The winners are announced at our awards ceremony, which is attended by the leading lights of the Asian investor relations community.

For more information around the investor survey, please contact [email protected].

 

Who attends our events

The majority of our attendees are heads of IR from across Greater China who are being recognized for their fantastic contribution to IR. Each participant is someone with an established track record and a strategic IR role within his or her company.

Below is a sample list of attendees who have joined our event in the past:

Job title Company Job title Company
Assistant manager, IR Fubon Financial Holding Co IR director AliHealth
Associate director, IR AIA Company IR director Hygeia Healthcare Holding Co
Chief financial officer CANbridge Pharmaceuticals IR director & company secretary China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company
Chief manager, ESG and IR China Construction Bank Corporation IR officer ANTA Sports Products
Director, capital market & IR ZhongAn online P&C Insurance Co IR specialist Precision Tsugami (China) Corporation
Director, investor relationships Haier Smart Home Co Manager, sustainability and communications Kerry Properties
Director, IR CLP Officer, IR Minsheng
Director, IR Koolearn Officer, IR department China Telecom Corporation
Director, IR Tongcheng Travel Senior director, IR China Modern Dairy Holdings
General manager, capital market Anton Oil Senior director, IR NetDragon Websoft Holdings
Group investor relations manager CK Hutchison Holdings Senior executive, R NagaCorp
Head of communications InnoCare Pharma Senior investor relations analyst Central China Real Estate
Head of corporate communication Transcenta Holding Senior IR director Yum China Holdings
Head of IR & sustainability ENN Energy Senior manager MicroPort Scientific Corporation
Head of IR MTR Corporation Senior manager, IR and sustainability Xtep International Holdings
Head of IR Shenwan Hongyuan Group Co Senior manager, IR The People’s Insurance Company
Head of IR & capital market Brii Biosciences Senior officer, IR COSCO Shipping International (Hong Kong) Co
Head of research, portfolio manager Chartwell Capital Senior officer, IR Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings)
International digital content manager Ping An Insurance Senior vice president Piacente Financial Communications
Investor relations officer China Unicom (Hong Kong) Treasurer & IR Hysan Development Company LImited
IR & communication director Xinyi Glass Holdings VP, investor relations Huobi Technology Holdings

 

Request full attendee list

What our attendees say

"Thank you very much for organizing the event! You have done a wonderful job putting together an awards ceremony during covid!"

Suncity Group Holdings

"It's a wonderful event to gather the best IR practitioners in one room and share the best practices. Great work for the IR Magazine team!"

BizLink Holding

"The topics and panels are very helpful to me as an IRO. Looking forward to participating other events by IR Magazine in the future!"

Anonymous

"Congratulations on the successful event! We thought the forum and awards ceremony were very well organized and smooth. "

Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings)

"The event has been professionally organized and your moderators are exceptional!"

Euroland IR

"We all thought it went fantastically well; great content/speakers, fantastic chair and smooth logistics. It was a very impressive bunch of IR folks to gather in one room."

Andrews Partnership

"A wonderful event to networking with the best. I love panel sessions with fresh topics and professional insights. Great work for the IR Magazine team."

BizLink Holding

"Topics relevant and well-organized"

Yum China

Venue

Conrad Hong Kong
One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Admiralty
Hong Kong

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

Accommodation:
IR Magazine has arranged for discounted rates at nearby hotels located a short distance away from the venue. Click here to view the hotels and rates.

Dress code: Business casual

Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The IR Magazine Forum & Awards – Greater China 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 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 forums – 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 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.

Not forgetting the unique buzz we create at our in-person awards, becoming a partner will enable you to:

  • Reach thousands of industry leaders through our multi-channel marketing campaign
  • Raise your organization’s profile with unrivalled brand exposure
  • Align yourself with those who excel in the industry
  • Put your brand in the spotlight and benefit from months of targeted, high profile publicity across multiple channels pre- and post-event.

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 & Awards – Greater China. Get in touch with Henry Wright or call on +44 20 8004 5337.

Partners

Book your place

First & second release rate: Sold out

Click below to book your tickets.

All rates are charged in USD. Tickets include access to all forums, networking sessions and the awards presentation.

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

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