This year’s NIRI conference highlighted seismic changes across the industry
The IR landscape is rapidly transforming. Growing demand for real-time data-driven insights, the rise of AI-powered technologies and evolving investor demands have added layers of complexity and expectations to shareholder engagement. Below are three key NIRI takeaways for IR professionals seeking to stay at the forefront of their profession.
1. Balance AI with the human touch
Like most professions, IR practitioners are experimenting with and embracing new technologies to increase efficiency and impact. While it is still early in the adoption cycle, AI tools are already automating workflows and providing data-driven insights. Still, investing is predominantly a people business and the human touch in investor relations is irreplaceable. The next generation of IR leaders will recognize this fact and combine the power of AI with the human elements AI can’t replicate – active listening, synthesis and empathy.
2. Embrace retail and new media
Retail investors are growing in importance as a distinct stakeholder group. Companies are increasingly catering to this crowd by hosting tailored investor days with facility tours, product demos and Q&A sessions to deepen engagement with top retail investors. For example, companies have hosted Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) sessions to connect directly with their retail investor base or adopted gamified approaches such as virtual reality tours of company facilities. Meanwhile, podcasts, “finfluencers” and AI-driven platforms are becoming credible, even preferred sources of information for individual investors vs traditional earnings calls. These new channels represent untapped ways to reach retail, and institutional, investors while also shaping a company’s narrative.
3. Take the experiential road
The future of investor engagement, including investor days, is experiential. The days of static slides and standard agendas are in the past. Investors expect companies to humanize their total addressable market (TAM) with real stories, customer testimonials and immersive experiences. Examples include a tech company hosting live demonstrations of its product solving real-world challenges, or a healthcare company featuring patient stories. Investors want show, not tell. Let customers, partners and experts take the spotlight so investors feel the story rather than merely hearing it. Ultimately, the numbers on a spreadsheet are a reflection of real-world human experiences, full stop. No amount of AI or technology will change that.
The bottom line
By blending cutting-edge tools with creative strategies, IR professionals can not only adapt but thrive in this new era.