Advance Look: Creating an Ideal Partnership Between Investor and Public Relations

On November 14, the PRClub is proud to host a program entitled, “Creating an Ideal Partnership Between Investor Relations and PR.” Headlining the session are Mary Conway and Beth Kurth of leading investor relations firm, Conway Communications. We sat down with Mary and Beth to get a glimpse into what they’ll cover and why their takeaways will be valuable for PR practitioners of any level.

PRClub: Why should IR and PR to work closely together?

Conway Communications:  When IR and PR work together, there is a greater impact on their respective audiences. That’s because while PR is elevating the business (I.e. a new product launch or important customer win); IR is positioning the business of the business (I.e. the market opportunity or financial performance). When these silos are coordinated, the company’s messaging and outreach are optimized.

PRClub: What’s new or different about today’s IR environment?

Conway Communications:  Comparable to the PR industry, IR is experiencing an increase in the immediacy in which information is consumed, and also a decrease in the number of intermediaries (in our case sell-side analysts) to help mediate those messages.  Today, IR has to be more mindful about the messages being sent.

It is also worth noting, as we’ve seen with the coverage of WeWork and its scrapped IPO plans, we’re seeing more accountability for companies to have a rational business plan, not just a shiny idea.  It’s time to focus on the math!

PRClub: What will be some the top takeaways from your session?

Conway Communications: Session attendees will leave with an understanding of the IR ecosystem, including areas of PR overlap and differentiation. We’ll also cover common IR subjects including material disclosure, corporate governance and setting expectations; and the channels used to communicate with the Street including quarterly reporting cycle, stand-alone press releases and investment bank conferences. We’ll discuss the many advantages of IR and PR working together to create at 1+1=3 model not only for external audiences, but also to optimize management’s time and investment. Lastly, we’ll talk about why IR can be valuable even for companies that may not plan to go public.

PRClub: Is this session just for more senior PR professionals?

Conway Communications: Absolutely not – even PR professionals who are just starting out in their careers will get valuable corporate context from this session. We’ll be sharing information that’s important for PR pros of all levels to understand.

 

Session Overview

“Creating an Ideal Partnership Between Investor Relations and PR.”

November 14, 2019

5:30-7:30 pm

Boston University College of Communications

Room 209

Light dinner will be served.

Click here to register for the session.