*Introduction *
The fundamentals of investor relations have barely changed in the last two-plus decades. And yet, how an IR officer (IRO) builds and manages relationships with stakeholders would be almost unrecognizable to an IRO of 2000.
No question, the realm of digital communications — whether it’s holding a one-on-one video call or using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify targets - has radically rewritten the rules of engagement for IROs.
When Disney CEO Bob Iger jokes that AI might soon be doing his quarterly earnings call - an apparently welcome possibility - it’s clear that the world is changing fast.
Another sign of the swiftness of digital change? Since the best known of the generative AI tools, ChatGPT, went live on November 30, 2022, AI has remade investment calculations. Already, 94 percent of investors in a Brunswick survey say they use tools like AI and machine learning to help them collect and analyze digital and social media data as part of their company research.
With such digitally savvy investors out there, IROs are embracing everything from innovative webcasts to virtual ESG roadshows and AI tools that can instantaneously gather and analyze enormous quantities of data. How best to use the latest tools to communicate accurately and informatively can be a true challenge and is the central question tackled here.
Given the array of new tools and tactics IROs possess, it’s an exciting - and occasionally daunting - moment to be an IR practitioner.
from IR websites and the earnings experience to emerging topics like digital accessibility, virtual events, and AI.
