Boursa holds workshop for Investor Relations’ strategic communications
KUWAIT: As part of its constant efforts to develop the rapidly evolving investor relations (IR) field, Boursa Kuwait collaborated with the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) and its Kuwait Chapter to organize an interactive Investor Relations (IR) workshop entitled “Strategic Communications: Challenges and Opportunities for Listed Companies” on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
The event, which was held at Al Kharafi Auditorium in the Boursa Kuwait building, aimed to increase transparency – considered the backbone of the IR industry – in communications with current and prospective investors, locally and around the world.
The workshop considered key trends and put these into the context of the local market by inviting the participation of expert guest speakers from Kuwait, the region and the UK, and was made up of a discussion featuring keynote speakers and a workshop providing practical takeaways for IR professionals. The event also gave IR experts and practitioners the opportunity to network and discuss the latest developments and trends in the field. Keynote speakers The plenary discussion was moderated by Mohammad A Abdal, Chief Communications Officer, Zain and MEIRA Kuwait Chapter Head and featured Andy Parnis, Managing Director, Teneo and Mohammad Al Abdulkader, Senior Vice President at MENA Equities, Markaz.
During the workshop, Al Abdulkader shared an overview of the performance and structure of the equity market. He elaborated on the importance of the interaction between investors and companies, and the vital role that the investor relations departments play at listed companies. The IR workshop was moderated by John Gollifer, General Manager of the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) and included speakers like the aforementioned Parnis, and Paolo Casamassima, Head of Global Market Intelligence at Orient Capital, a firm specializing in international capital markets intelligence, who discussed the role of strategic communications as an imperative for managing stakeholder relations in any market conditions.
They also considered the local and regional market context before drilling down to the role of IR in addressing the investment community. The supporting IR workshop resulted in practical takeaways for the IR audience. Speaking at the workshop, Andy Parnis said, “This was an important discussion at a time of continued market uncertainty and volatility. It is always a pleasure to support market initiatives and it is something that Teneo does throughout the region in partnership with other market experts, including MEIRA. I would like to thank Boursa Kuwait for hosting this event, and look forward to more collaborative market initiatives.”
John Gollifer added, “MEIRA only thrives with the support of our active membership and expert partners. It is always thrilling to work with Boursa Kuwait, who continue to set a fine example by leading through example every day in IR across their market.” Collaboration with Boursa Kuwait The collaboration between Boursa Kuwait and MEIRA is part of Boursa Kuwait’s Corporate Sustainability strategy and is an example of its endeavors to raise financial literacy and capital market awareness among current and prospective investors.
The company has launched several initiatives to empower and equip businesses and investors with the ability to capture market opportunities as well as transform the Kuwaiti capital market into a robust capital market ecosystem and Kuwait into an attractive investment destination. The initiative also forms part of the company’s efforts to create a lasting meaningful impact on the communities where it operates and is in line with Goal 4 – Quality Education – and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals – of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Fahad Al-Bisher, Director of Investor Relations at Boursa Kuwait commented on the changing landscape of investor relations in the region, saying, “Over the past 10 years, the Middle East has seen significant movements in capital markets, accompanied by changes in the structure of stakeholder engagements.
One of the most important changes is in Investor Relations. It is becoming increasingly crucial to have a clear well planned and effective investor relations program – one that can help deliver and communicate the value of the company and build a strong shareholder base. I would like to thank the Middle East Investor Relations Association for their long-standing partnership with the exchange and look forward to more collaborations in the future.”
Boursa Kuwait’s Corporate Sustainability strategy stipulates ensuring initiatives apply and fall in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practice standards and investor expectations, creating strong and sustainable partnerships that ultimately achieve success and allow Boursa Kuwait to leverage the capabilities and strengths of other companies or organizations that have experience in different fields, and integrating sustainability efforts with the company culture, in order to achieve longevity and an ongoing impact that is carried on and instilled in the day-to-day operations of the stock exchange.
Boursa Kuwait has launched many initiatives in partnership with local and international organizations, focusing on support for nongovernmental organizations and charity programs, financial literacy and capital market awareness, the empowerment of women, and environmental protection. Since its inception, Boursa Kuwait has implemented many steps in accordance with international practices and standards to enhance the position of the exchange locally, regionally and internationally as well as transform Kuwait into a regional and global investment destination, focusing on creating an attractive issuer base and broadening its investor base, increasing the depth and breadth of its products, as well as upgrading its infrastructure and business environment to international standards.
