Investor Relations (IR) is a key part of opening up a company to the outside world, helping to forge relationships and partnerships and ensure any potential investors are well-equipped to make informed decisions. A recent study by VMA GROUP looked at the state of IR in Asia and discovered some interesting findings which may help us to understand IR not only in Asia but on a global scale. Given the importance of attracting investors and feeding senior management crucial information about the state of IR, it is no wonder that the results of the study reflect the discipline’s crucial importance.

Close senior relationships
One of the findings of this study was just how highly IR professionals are regarded by senior management, so much so that IR was seen to be the most likely to report and consult directly with the CEO out of all departments of a company. This reflects just how important companies hold current and potential investors and shows the influence investors have over a company.

An important part of a company
In addition to the sway that many IR professionals believe they have over senior leadership, the importance of IR is further evident in the amount of time CEOs spend working on IR-related activities. 20% of IR professionals reported that their CEOs spend between 7-10 days each month on inve