IR Magazine

IR Magazine Think Tank – West Coast
Exclusively for heads of IR

Friday, September 23, 2022

In-person event: El Prado Hotel, Palo Alto

Our unique format

The IR Magazine Think Tank – West Coast took place on Friday, September 23, 2022 in Palo Alto as an invitation-only event exclusively for senior IR officers. Our think tanks are free to attend, and our unique format enables participants to network extensively, discuss, debate and dissect topical issues affecting today’s IROs.

What makes our format so unique?
Our think tanks are far removed from the traditional conference set-up as the event consists of a series of panel sessions followed by roundtable discussions on select IR issues. These interactive sessions are an opportunity to share experiences with and learn from other top-rated IROs. All table discussions are confidential, and none of the participants’ comments is attributed. This allows attendees to talk freely and have frank, open discussions.

How do our roundtable discussions work?
  Industry experts, top-rated IROs and members of the investment community set the agenda on a panel discussion by sharing their thoughts on session topics.
 Small round tables of IROs discuss these issues face to face.
 Each table gives feedback from its discussion and shares ideas with the group as a whole.


NIRI IRC® CREDENTIAL
Holders of the NIRI IRC® credential can earn up to 4 professional development units (PDUs) per day. IRC-credentialed speakers may also earn PDUs. More information is available at www.niri.org/certification.

Agenda

With the help of senior IR professionals and investors, we discussed the biggest issues impacting public companies and their relationship with shareholders. All times are in PT (Pacific Time)

View the agenda as a PDF here

  • 08:00 AM
    Registration, refreshments and networking

  • 09:15 AM
    Welcome to the IR Magazine Think Tank

    Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine

  • 09:30 AM
    A global recession: Capital market and macro-economic trends to prepare for in 2023

    We will kick off our day with this view from a market strategist on the macro trends affecting public companies in the coming months. The session will set the scene with an update on global markets, fund flows, developments in M&A and activism activity and how IR teams can prepare for what is to come in 2023.

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine
    Adam Frederick, global president, Morrow Sodali

  • 10:00 AM
    A top-down approach to delivering shareholder value

    Given the outlook for the next 18 months, what are the priorities of senior management at a public company, and what are the expectations of IR teams to effectively communicate shareholder value? In this panel, we’ll share perspectives on the long-term effects of the pandemic, preparing for an economic downturn, the role of an IRO within the wider company strategy and how it has changed over the pandemic.

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine
    Shanye Hudson, SVP of investor relations and treasury, Seagate Technology
    Jill Sawyer, VP of investor relations, Prologis
    Roxi Wen, chief financial officer, Invitae

  • 10:45 AM
    Roundtables: Learnings from the last recession – the role of an IRO

    What is the role of an IRO during a post-pandemic downturn? How does it compare to the 2008 recession, and what can we learn from those who successfully navigated past market uncertainty? How are companies providing financial guidance during these times? How should you restructure resources when access to capital markets is challenging?

  • 11:15 AM
    Coffee break

  • 11:30 AM
    Revamping ESG engagement strategy to meet increasing investor expectations

    Our panel will discuss all things ESG! With the announcement of the newly formed ISSB, SEC climate disclosures and policy, the expectations around the quality of ESG disclosures, metrics, reporting and communication have increased significantly. Our panel of experts will discuss how to create a comprehensive engagement strategy that effectively communicates the risks and opportunities that are material to your business. We’ll also cover upcoming ESG trends, proxy season findings and investor expectations around the depth and frequency of ESG-related communications.

    Moderator: Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine
    Catherine Buan, head of IR, sustainability and ESG reporting, Asana
    Katie Schmitz Eulitt, director of investor relationships, IFRS

  • 12:00 PM
    Roundtables: Team structure to enable holistic, year-round ESG communication

    Keeping on top of ESG alongside existing IR responsibilities can be challenging. We’ll discuss the options for supporting and resourcing the IR team and strategies to deliver a concise ESG story that communicates long-term value creation to investors and wider stakeholders.

  • 12:30 PM
    Lunch

  • 13:30 PM
    Targeting the right investors in a hybrid, uncertain market

    This panel will discuss innovative and new ways of targeting potential investors. What are the best practices around scheduling NDRs and determining which cities are open and which are closed? What tools and resources are available to identify and attract the right investors? What opportunities created by the pandemic can help ‘globalize’ your shareholder base?

    We’ll explore new ways to secure additional sell-side coverage, weigh the pros and cons of paid analyst coverage, social media, cold calling and digital strategies, and any recent corporate access trends to be aware of going into 2023.

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine
    Marty Palka, chief intelligence analyst, investor relations, Cisco Systems
    David Whyte, CEO, Irwin

  • 14:00 PM
    Creating impactful meetings: Best practices for earnings call, investor days and more

    In another forward-planning session, we share practical advice on how IR marketing calendars are evolving, how to approach specific investor touch-points, tailoring content for various audiences, operational delivery, and make every meeting matter.

    We’ll discuss the optimal blend of formats for various IR engagements and how to create impactful investor days. We’ll also explore top tips to maximize the use of management’s time, fine-tune your elevator pitch to investors and manage inbound retail investor questions.

    Moderator: Laurence Taylor, senior conference producer, IR Magazine
    Chip Newcom, director of investor relations, EQUINIX
    Linda Pazin, director of strategic communications, Sempra
    Karen Sansot, vice president, investor relations, Bill.com

  • 14:45 PM
    Roundtables: Compare company strategies for hybrid meetings and investor messaging

    During these structured roundtables, heads of IR will share practical tips that have helped improve the effectiveness of their targeting process in the past 12 months. We’ll discuss ways to manage the changing sell-side dynamics, work better with buy-side corporate access teams, and the nuances of going on the road in new markets.

  • 15:15 PM
    Investor Q&A: Expectations of IR teams during uncertainty in 2023

    During this session, our panel of investors will address any concerns and questions you may have about the coming months. What do investors want from IR in a hybrid world? What are their predictions for the coming months? What do they want from companies during a downturn? Are investors tired of virtual events? What sectors are investors favouring going into 2023? What are the expectations around the depth and frequency of ESG communications?

    Moderator: Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine
    Aline Avzaradel, equity portfolio manager, Capital Group
    Lloyd Kurtz, senior portfolio manager, Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management
    Mike Seidenberg, lead portfolio manager, Voya Financial

  • 16:00 PM
    Closing remarks and summary of action points

    Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine

  • 16:15 PM
    Drinks reception and networking sponsored by NIRI SV

    Vern Essi, president, NIRI Silicon Valley and VP of IR, Fastly

Speakers

To inquire about speaking at a future think tank, please contact [email protected]


What our attendees say

"Great speakers. Great venue. Had a chance to network with my peers for the first time in over 2 years!"

Cambium Networks

"Always tough to get out of the office for a day of training but this event is well worth it!"

Avaya Holdings

"Excellent event, what a great set of speakers too!"

Investis Digital

"I liked the small intimate format, roundtable and interactive discussions"

Axos Financial

"The topics were relevant and very important"

Anonymous

"This event is a great balance of content, discussion and networking"

eBay

"Great to connect with peers again and great content"

Sempra

"This is the event of the year- a must have and not to miss! I never miss this event!"

8x8

Attendees

Our attendees are leading IR practitioners with an established track record and strategic IR role within their company. Below is a sample list of attendees who joined our think tank:

Company Job title Company Job title
CISCO Systems Chief intelligence analyst, investor relations Okta SVP, investor relations
California Resources Corporation Director, investor relations Veritone SVP, investor relations and capital markets
Macerich Director, investor relations Seagate SVP, investor relations and treasury
Sempra Director, investor relations Samsara VP, corporate development and investor relations
Siemens Healthineers Director, investor relations Synopsys VP, finance and investor relations
Splunk Director, investor relations Agilent Technologies VP, investor relations
Wish Director, investor relations Coupa Software VP, investor relations
8×8 Global VP Electronic Arts (EA) VP, investor relations
Confluent Head of investor relations Intuit VP, investor relations
AirBnB Investor relations REVOLVE VP, investor relations
Equinix Manager, investor relations Syniverse Technologies VP, investor relations
Gap Manager, investor relations Vir Biotechnology VP, investor relations
Williams-Sonoma Manager, investor relations Vista Outdoor VP, investor relations
SoftBank Group Partner, investor relations Central Garden & Pet VP, investor relations
Intel Corporation Senior director, investor relations Kinnate Biopharma VP, investor relations and communications
The Cheesecake Factory Inc. Senior manager, investor relations MannKind Corporation VP, IR & corporate administration
Zoom Senior manager, investor relations WM Technology (Weedmaps) VP, IR & corporate development
Expedia Group SVP, corp development, strategy & IR Asana VP, IR & ESG reporting
Forge Group SVP, finance & investor relations AEye VP, IR & strategic finance
Yelp SVP, finance & investor relations Allbirds VP, IR & business development

 

Request full attendee list

Become a partner

Why partner with us?

Our events provide a unique opportunity to get in front of some of the most influential people in the IR community globally. As a partner, you will gain an extensive amount of exposure through a wide range of print and digital marketing materials, both pre and post event, as well as on the day itself. Additionally, you can use the event to align yourself with industry excellence and network with key decision makers from across the region.

Being a partner will provide:

  • A chance to network with qualified, senior decision-makers in the IR community
  • Increased awareness and credibility through association with this leading event
  • New business opportunities through higher-brand presence among current and potential clients

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 Think Tank – West Coast II. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 212 430 6865.

Partners

Register your interest for 2023

Register your interest for the 2023 think tank by filling in the form at the link below. You will be the first to receive important updates about the event and details about how to request an invite.

If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Cawte at [email protected] or call +44 20 8090 2156.

 

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

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