2023 IR Workshop

September 22, 2023
8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Metropolitan, Willis Tower
233 S. Wacker Drive, 66th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606

Agenda

Advances in digitalization are driving the world forward. Investor relations officers must continue to evolve alongside these advances in our technology frameworks. The 2023 IR Workshop will explore the opportunities and challenges of digitalization, including how artificial intelligence and other technology is transforming the ways companies communicate with investors and other stakeholders – and the potential for further disruption in the years ahead. Digitalization also can reshape how we conduct IR and manage crises, ESG matters and our relationships with the buy-side. This is an essential workshop for you to keep your IR program relevant and competitive in the next phase of the digital world. You’ll hear from industry thought leaders, participate in meaningful dialogue, enjoy outstanding in-person networking, and connect with service providers at our Exhibitor Showcase.*
*Co-authored by ChatGPT, edited by humans.

 

Keynote: From TV to Futures – Fireside Chat with Steve Grasso

Speaker: Steve Grasso, Chief Executive Officer, Grasso Global Inc.

 

Panel Discussions
AI: Friend, Foe or Coworker?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has arrived in the mainstream workplace. How should we think about this transformative technology? This session will discuss AI’s impact, including how AI and tools such as ChatGPT can become part of everyday work life, as well as the IR and career ramifications. 

Flirting with Disaster: Managing Social Media Risks in Crises
Ira Gorsky, executive vice president, and Shama Hussain, senior vice president at Edelman Smithfield, will lead an interactive session – essentially, a tabletop exercise – in which participants discuss how to respond to an escalating crisis. The scenario: a large tech company progresses from cuts in employee perks and benefits to layoffs; social media prompts negative articles in mainstream media and top-tier financial publications; critics target the CEO’s high compensation, operational and leadership performance; investors panic and the stock price plummets.

A Guide to Getting the Buy-Side’s Attention
Searching for the perfect investor? Getting ghosted by a prospective shareholder? Attracting new shareholders can be one of the most challenging aspects of investor relations. Obstacles to attracting buy-side attention include the increasing number of names that each analyst follows and proliferation in communication channels – phone, email, Zoom, conferences, non-deal roadshows, etc. Experienced buy-side professionals will advise us on which tactics work best to get their attention.

ESG 2.0 – From Defense to Offense
ESG investing considers a company's impact on the environment, society and corporate governance when making investment decisions. ESG has growing importance as a differentiator to drive stock decisions and increasing influence on Millennial (born 1981 and 1996) and Generation Z investors (born 1997-2012) and beyond. As a result, some publicly traded companies have decided to prioritize ESG factors – not just to manage risk but to play offense. Our panelists will share ESG strategies being deployed to attract long-term investors, create corporate value and contribute to positive change in the world.

Persuasive Data Visualization
Your value in an organization is driven by your ability to persuasively present ideas and solutions that are driven by analyses of data and evidence. This interactive workshop with Professor Steven Franconeri will teach you how to clearly communicate your company's investment appeal across presentation slides and handouts to audiences of varied context and expertise. We will review and implement research-backed guidelines drawn from cognitive science, data visualization, graphic design and data journalism, for effectively uploading your argument to the brains of your audience in engaging, clear and memorable ways.

 

Sponsors