SGX, Singapore
For the past three decades, IR Magazine has honored excellence in investor relations around the world and in 2024, we continued to recognize and help further IR best practice. We were joined by senior IR professionals from across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand for this internationally renowned event focused on learning from and celebrating the very best the IR community has to offer.
The event kicked 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 forum sessions was followed by our awards ceremony.
We presented two types of award categories – researched and nominated – both celebrating the success of those individuals and companies that were leading the way in IR in South East Asia. For our researched categories, companies do not submit nominations. Instead, hundreds of analysts and investors casted their votes and give their opinions on which companies do the best IR in the region.
In our nominated categories, companies had the opportunity to submit a written entry for aspects of IR that complemented our researched categories. More information can be found in the sections below.
Please find the full 2024 agenda below or click here to view the agenda as a PDF.
All times are in Singapore time.
09:00 AM
Registration, breakfast and networking
10:00 AM
Opening remarks: Welcome to the forum
Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
Foong Chong Lek, director, head of family office, Singapore Exchange (SGX)
10:15 AM
The modern CFO’s view on the future of IR
Hafizuddin Sulaiman was voted as The Best CFO in Malaysia by a poll of institutional investors earlier this year and, in that same survey, UEM Sunrise was also voted as having The Most Improved Investor Relations.
Known as a modern CFO with a passion for automation and the transformative impact it can have on finance and investor relations, we start the forum with a fireside chat with Hafiz to learn how to evolve the culture of investor relations so it can be more customer-facing and embrace technology to deliver better outcomes. Specifically, we will discuss:
• A C-suite perspective on which tools and technologies can reduce low-value, manual work and increase high-value activities for IROs
• Ways to challenge the status quo and encourage innovation in investor relations
• How the culture and skills of IR teams need to develop as technologies and IR evolve
Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
Hafizuddin Sulaiman, chief financial officer, UEM Sunrise
10:45 AM
Optimizing stock performance: Modern techniques for increasing liquidity and minimizing price volatility
To build investor confidence in your stock in a risk-adverse economy, companies need to increase liquidity, visibility and price stability.
This session will explore simple ways to help investors take a position in your stock by optimizing stock market performance. Some of the topics we will cover in this session include:
• How companies can increase their visibility with both institutional and retail investors
• Ways to use technology to help tighten spreads and encourage larger trades
• Proven methods of making your stock more attractive to investors despite negative sentiment on equities or in your sector
Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
Elena Arabadjieva, chief operating officer & head of IR, Cromwell European REIT
John Han, head of corporate finance and investor relations, Hong Leong Bank
Maria Scetta, CEO & co-founder, DeltaBlock
11:15 AM
Taking the pain out of targeting: Modernizing shareholder ID and outreach
Do you wish that you had more time to dedicate to finding new investors or to focus on investors that will have the biggest impact in your stock?
Given the many responsibilities that investor relations teams have, finding the time to dedicate to in-depth shareholder analysis and strategic planning can be a challenge. However, as data availability increases and tools become more advanced, we examine how to create an optimized list of targeting prospects and strategic plan to convert more meetings into purchases, with less effort.
• Learn how IR teams can increase return on time spent in meetings by being realistic in their prospects
• Understand how to save time spent on shareholder analysis and simplify your investor prospect list
• Discover how to use technology to improve the likelihood of meeting with investors that will take a long-term position in your company
Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
Vijay Natarajan, analyst – real estate and REITs
Siraphop Paphatthananan, senior manager for investor relations, Asia Aviation
Pattarawan Sookplang, director and head of investor relations, CP Axtra
11:45 AM
Networking break & refreshments
12:15 PM
How to get management to value investor relations
How management perceives investor relations has a direct impact on the time they dedicate to investor-facing activities, the budgets that are allocated to IR teams and the career prospects of investor relations professionals.
This session explores how to improve management attitudes toward investor relations by maximizing the benefit, usefulness and enjoyment when they perform their IR-related duties.
The session will also discuss how investor relations leaders can build credibility with the C-Suite by measuring and demonstrating their impact on the company.
• Learn how to balance in-person access with virtual meetings so that your management are having the best experience when traveling with the IR team
• Explore ways to enhance your roadshow schedule by including additional activities that maximize the value to management
• Build credibility by understanding how to gather and deliver market intelligence to the C-suite
• Hear about the most effective ways to measure success in investor relations and demonstrate your value to the company
Moderator: Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
Hiren Krishnani, investor relations and IPO director, Nasdaq
Christine Lau, head of IR, corporate finance & research, UEM Sunrise
Wong Siew Lu, head of IR and sustainability, United Hampshire US REIT
12:45 PM
Closing remarks
Laurie Havelock, editor, IR Magazine
13:00 PM
Networking lunch
14:00 PM
IR Magazine Awards – South East Asia | Winners Ceremony
15:00 PM
End of forum and awards
Award winning IR experts from South East Asia and beyond
Hafizuddin Sulaiman
CFO
UEM Sunrise
With over 20 years of expertise spanning Strategic Planning, Venture Capital, Equities, Capital Markets, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Hafizuddin Sulaiman has built a distinguished career marked by leadership and impactful contributions. Currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer at UEM Sunrise, Hafiz plays a pivotal role in driving financial strategies, ensuring business sustainability, and upholding governance excellence.
Before joining UEM Sunrise, Hafiz was the Group Head of Strategy at QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd. His extensive experience includes a 14-year tenure at Khazanah Nasional Berhad as Director of Finance, where he led financial reporting, systems, fundraising, and liquidity management. Hafiz has also held key senior roles, such as Chief Treasury Officer at Berjaya Corporation Berhad and Head of Treasury at Permodalan Nasional Berhad, showcasing his deep expertise in financial and liquidity management.
Hafiz began his career in audit and accounting with Ernst & Young, progressing to influential roles in Malaysia’s leading public and private organizations. His leadership portfolio reflects a commitment to innovation, financial discipline, and strategic execution.
As CFO, Hafiz oversees critical areas including financial control, strategic procurement, legal, strategy, and stakeholder engagement, all while steering UEM Sunrise towards sustainable growth. A dedicated leader, he combines technical expertise with a storyteller’s vision, ensuring that every financial narrative aligns with the company’s aspirations.
Wong Siew Lu
Head of investor relations and sustainability
United Hampshire US REIT
Ms Wong is responsible for managing the Investor Relations, Communications and Sustainability functions of UHREIT. As the key liaison between UHREIT and the investment community, Ms Wong nurtures relationships with institutional and retail investors, research analysts and the media, as well as facilitates two-way communication with the investment community. In addition, she works with the management team to develop and implement UHREIT’s sustainability strategy.
She brings over 15 years of extensive international experience in investor relations, capital markets (buy-side), corporate banking, and has been actively involved in capital raising, M&A transactions, corporate strategy and business development.
Ms Wong had extensive international exposure to various industries and roles, having worked and lived in 6 countries over the course of her career. Prior to joining the Manager, she was the Head of Investor Relations and Capital Markets in Sasseur REIT. At Sasseur REIT, she was instrumental in profiling the REIT to be the top 5 performing SREIT in 2019.
Early in her career, Ms Wong held corporate banking positions at National Australia Bank as well as investment analyst positions at asset management firms, before heading the investor relations role at SGX Mainboard-listed oil and gas company, Falcon Energy Group Limited.
Ms Wong holds Bachelor of Applied Science degree (Computational Finance) from National University of Singapore. She is Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Accountant of Singapore and is a member of Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountant.
Foong Chong Lek
Director, head of family office
Singapore Exchange (SGX)
Foong Chong Lek leads the team that engages with Family Offices, with a goal to build a vibrant Singapore capital market that is relevant to the needs of Family Offices. He also collaborates with Private Banks on bespoke events targeted at the Family Office segment. The thematics here are Philanthropy, ESG and Enterprise Development.
This includes identifying and promoting SGX Equities, Fixed Income, Currency and Commodity products that could benefit SGX listed companies, Family Offices and Private Banks. He also manages the SGX Corporate / Investor Access calendar.
His work scope also includes origination for new listings in the Mineral, Oil and Gas (“MOG”, which comprises exploration, development and production) and the Sustainability sector, and previously Biotech, Medtech and Renewables & Energy. He has previously covered Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Saudi markets for all sectors.
In addition, he is the Head of Secretariat for SGListCos, the association for all SGX listed companies. SGListCos has the objectives of Thought Leadership and Advocacy, ESG and Corporate Access & Investor Relations.
He started his career in Procter & Gamble where he was Liquids Technology Leader. He has also held positions in RHB Private Equity as Senior Manager and Springboard-Harper Investments (VC) as Investment Analyst.
He graduated from Purdue University, USA, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration from INSEAD, Singapore.
Elena Arabadjieva
Chief operating officer and head of investor relations
Cromwell European REIT
Ms Arabadjieva joined the Manager of Cromwell European REIT in September 2017 and was appointed as COO and Head of Investor Relations in September 2018.
As COO, Ms Arabadjieva is responsible for ESG, business continuity and general business operations. As Head of Investor Relations, Ms Arabadjieva is responsible for investor and stakeholder engagement, marketing and communications as well as continuous disclosure and transparent market communications.
Ms Arabadjieva has over 20 years of experience in Asia and has held a number of senior positions in Singapore. Prior to joining the Manager, Ms Arabadjieva was the Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications of Cambridge Industrial Trust (now known as ESR-LOGOS REIT). Prior to that, Ms Arabadjieva was the Director of Investor Relations of Genting Singapore Limited.
Ms Arabadjieva holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (Bulgaria) and a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD.
John Han
Head of corporate finance and investor relations
Hong Leong Bank
John leads the Corporate Finance and Investor Relations functions of Hong Leong Bank, where he bridge communication between the bank and its investors, analysts and financial community. He also works closely with senior management on the structuring, execution and documentation of corporate finance deals including but not limited to M&As, disposals, investment opportunities, equity and debt capital market transactions.
With more than 10 years of experience in banking, debt capital markets and transaction advisory roles, John has successfully delivered success in various projects such as organising international investor day, strengthening analyst recommendation, issuance of green senior bond and capital securities, as well as M&A transactions.
John started his career in Lead Advisory – M&A in Ernst & Young before joining Debt Capital Markets at an investment bank. He joined Hong Leong Bank in July 2018 and was later appointed as Head of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations.
Pattarawan Sookplang
Director and head of investor relations
CP Axtra
Pattarawan, MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Durham, is the Director of Investor Relations at CP Axtra PLC. She is dedicated to promoting transparency and trust by effectively communicating the company’s strategy, financial performance, and outlook to key stakeholders. With over 14 years of experience across commerce, aviation, lifestyle platforms, and the oil and gas sectors, Pattarawan has consistently delivered impactful results, including enhancing analyst coverage, strengthening international stakeholder engagement, and driving success in mergers, acquisitions, and bond issuance.
Her leadership in Investor Relations has garnered prestigious accolades, such as recognition from the SET Awards in 2018 and multiple honors from IR Magazine for excellence in IR website, annual reports, and crisis management from 2019 to 2021. Most recently, she received the Outstanding IR Award in the Commerce sector from IAA in 2024.
An accomplished speaker, Pattarawan has shared her insights at numerous conferences in Thailand and abroad. She also contributed as a co-editor to the Investor Relations Handbook, published by the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2012.
Hiren Krishnani
Investor relations and IPO director
Nasdaq
Hiren leads the Capital Markets activity for ASEAN region at Nasdaq, based in Singapore. He brings over 15 years of experience in Financial Markets, IPO’s, Investor Relations, Investor Engagement, and Market Data domain. Over the last 7 years at Nasdaq, he has provided guidance to various issuers on how to navigate through the IPO process and manage their IR program effectively post listing.
Hiren has executed over 50 IPO’s on Nasdaq from this region which includes the largest ever SPAC Combo ‘Grab’ in 2021 along with largest ever SPAC Combo Switch ‘VinFast’ in 2023. He also works with several companies listed in local exchanges such as SGX, IDX etc. to advise them on their Investor Relations program and how they can ensure to be a successful public listed company. Being a brand ambassador for Nasdaq in ASEAN, he has deep knowledge about IPO/Investor Relations and is regular speaker at various conferences/events. Hiren has a strong background working with companies like Bloomberg and Fidelity Information and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and MBA in Finance.
Maria Scetta
CEO and co-Founder
DeltaBlock
Maria Scetta, CEO and Co-Founder of DeltaBlock, is a leader with over a decade of experience in global capital markets. Having worked as a trader and portfolio manager at leading firms such as J.P. Morgan, Maria brings an exceptional understanding of financial engineering and complex market dynamics. Her expertise spans Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with a focus on navigating illiquid markets and identifying hidden opportunities.
A Financial Engineer with a Magister in Finance, Maria co-founded DeltaBlock in 2019. The company has since become a pioneer in liquidity provision for listed companies, empowering mid- and small-cap businesses to compete in the fast-paced world of capital markets. Focused on Europe and Asia, DeltaBlock aims to ensure that companies of all sizes can unlock their full potential in the global financial ecosystem.
Siraphop Paphatthananan
Senior manager for IR
Asia Aviation
Experienced investor relations specialist with a solid background in the venture capital field. Demonstrated expertise in business and financial analysis, enabling strategic decision-making. A natural ambivert, adept at effective communication and building connections. Enjoys the pursuits of jogging, CFD trading, and playing the piano.
Christine Lau
Head of IR, corporate finance & research
UEM Sunrise
Christine is a seasoned Investor Relations and Finance professional with over 15 years of experience spanning across Finance, Strategy and Investor Relations. Currently, she leads the IR, Corporate Finance, and Research teams in UEM Sunrise Berhad.
Vijay Natarajan
Analyst – real estate & REITs
Vijay Natarajan has 15 years of investment analyst experience covering Singapore and regional stocks. He has worked both on the buy-side and sell-side equity research and covered diverse sectors which includes Real estate, REITs, Aviation and Offshore and Marine. He holds an MBA Degree from S.P.Jain School of Global Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Communication from Anna University.
Laurie Havelock
Editor
IR Magazine
Laurie Havelock is a journalist, writer and podcaster who has worked with IR Magazine for more than a decade. He was previously assistant business editor at the Daily Telegraph and acting business and money editor at the i newspaper. In his spare time, he is a keen boardgamer and hosts a podcast about them called Idle Fantasy. He lives in London with his husky, Mischa.
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.
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.
We are delighted to announce the list of 2024 winners. View the full list by clicking here.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or +44 20 8004 4989.
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.
Associate director, equity research department, SCB Asset Management
Portfolio manager, Lombard Odier
Analyst – real estate & REITs
Founding board member & IR advisor, AetriaHealth
Head of investor strategy and development, Bursa Malaysia
Deputy editor, IR Magazine
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 South East Asia 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.
We are delighted to announce the list of 2024 winners. 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].
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-sector 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.
November: 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].
The majority of our attendees are heads of IR from across South East Asia 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 their company.
Below is a sample of our past attendees:
| Job title | Company | Job title | Company | |
| Assistant director, IR | Bangkok Dusit Medical Services | Head of investor relations | AboitizPower | |
| Assistant vice president, investor relations | Elite Commercial REIT Management | Head of investor relations | Astra International | |
| AVP of IR office | Charoen Pokphand Foods | Head of investor relations | CapitaLand China Trust | |
| AVP strategic planning and investor relations | Indorama Ventures | Head of investor relations | CP All | |
| CEO | FollowTrade | Head of investor relations | Thai Union Group | |
| CEO | IR Advantage | Head of investor relations | CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust | |
| CFO | Siamese Asset Public Company | Head of investor relations | CapitaLand Investment | |
| Chief financial officer | AEM | Head of investor relations | StarHub | |
| Chief IRO | MyRepublic | Senior AVP | Astro Malaysia Holdings | |
| Chief strategy officer | Capital A | SVP corporate secretary | PT PP (Persero) | |
| Director of asset management | Equinix | Vice president – corporate finance & IR | PTT Global Chemical | |
| Executive director of sustainability | YTL Corporation | Vice president of investor relations | Berli Jucker | |
| Executive director | Bumitama Agri | Vice president, investor relations | PTT | |
| Group director – IR | Minor International | Vice president/head of investor relations | Metro Pacific Investments Corporation |
In association with
Singapore Exchange is Asia’s leading and trusted market infrastructure, facilitating the exchange of capital and ideas to create value for people, businesses and economies. As a multi-asset exchange operating equity, fixed income and derivatives markets to the highest regulatory standards, SGX is a vertically integrated business that provides listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository and data services.
With about 40% of listed companies and over 80% of listed bonds originating outside of Singapore as well as established linkages across the globe, SGX is Asia’s most international and connected exchange. Offering a full suite of derivatives products across Asian equity indices, commodities and currencies, SGX is the world’s most liquid international market for the benchmark equity indices of China, India, Japan and ASEAN.
As Asia’s pioneering central counterparty, SGX is globally recognised for its risk management and clearing capabilities, and is one of the first globally to adopt the Principles of Financial Market Infrastructure. In 2018, SGX was awarded Derivatives Exchange of the Year by Asia Risk and Asia-Pacific Derivatives Exchange of the Year by GlobalCapital for a fifth consecutive year.
Headquartered in AAA-rated Singapore, SGX has over 800 employees including offices in Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Shanghai and Tokyo.
For more information, please visit www.sgx.com.
Forum & Awards Partners
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For more information, please visit www.deltablock.io.
Nasdaq IR Intelligence
Issuers from all market caps, sectors, and regions partner with Nasdaq IR Intelligence to drive valuation, discover new capital, and elevate their global brand. Our team of consultative experts and award-winning IR software provide clients with strategic, actionable intelligence and unparalleled visibility into the capital markets.
For over 10 years Nasdaq IR Intelligence has supported the Asia-Pacific market combining Nasdaq’s collective intelligence, expertise, and data with premium financial content to maximize the effectiveness of their IR and ESG initiatives and enhance shareholder value.
To learn more, visit: www.nasdaq.com/solutions/ir-intelligence.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.
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OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
Why partner with us?
The IR Magazine Forum & Awards – South East Asia 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:
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 – South East Asia. Get in touch with Henry Wright or call on +44 20 8004 5337.
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For partnership inquiries
+44 20 8004 5337
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+44 798 488 2467
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+44 20 8004 4989
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+44 208 090 2156
