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Satyendra Pathak
Doha
Qatar will be introducing a mandatory 'rules-based' framework for Investor Relations (IR) reflecting best practices and global high standards for listed companies in the country with effect from October 1 next year, Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) CEO Rashid bin Ali al Mansoori said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the 9th Annual Investor Relations Conference in Doha, Mansoori said,"For some companies, this will be 'business as usual' but for others, it will undoubtedly demand more attention to their IR function."
"Corporate access in today's regulatory environment is a must. With the recent changes, traditional corporate access is expected to change significantly. The role of the sell side is expected to shrink and the role for the buy side is expected to rise and the numbers of independent service providers will increase. Roadshows can be crucial to your company's bottom line for various reasons and are an important platform for managements in their active communication with investor," Mansoori added.
Stressing the importance of investor relations in light of the growing competition to attract capital and investments, he said,"IR is an essential business support function that helps its listed companies attract more investors, enhances credibility and ultimately facilitates expansion and growth opportunities for its companies."
"Well-crafted web sites will reinforce your brand, show corporate transparency and educate as well as inspire your stakeholders. Good sites will deepen your relationships with investors. It's important to ensure that your IR site has the same look and feel as your corporate site. The same branding and messaging will give it a cohesive feel and keep investors coming back to your site," he said.
"QSE, Qatar Financial Markets Authority and the listed companies have been working together over many years to ensure that disclosure and transparency are developed through an increasing focus on IR, especially after the inclusion of Qatar in the MSCI, S&P and FTSE Emerging Markets indices, which has served to increase attention in Qatar's stock market and all its listed companies," Mansoori said.
Highlighting the importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting by listed firms, he said,"ESG is an important tool to target additional investors. Recent trends show that few IR teams are actively targeting ESG-focused funds," he said.
QSE Listings Director Abdul Aziz al Emadi, who also addressed the representatives of the listed companies, said,"The event has been specifically designed this year to give listed companies the opportunity to interact with industry experts in the area of IR. They can interact with investor relations experts and identify the most important actions that a company must take to ensure effective communication."
"At QSE, we strive to deliver the necessary tools and the know-how in developing IR strategies of listed companies and better ways of communication with international investment community," Emadi said.
The event targeted all Qatari listed companies, featuring a wide spectrum of presentations and panel discussions on a series of significant topics covering global best practices in IR.
The topics discussed on the occasion aimed to educate listed companies on the importance of sound IR practice covering the daily functions of international IR teams, crisis management from corporate perspective, ESG issues and the understanding of the value of indices for Qatari listed companies.
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21/11/2018
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