Venue to be announced, New York
In today’s volatile market, investor relations officers at small cap companies need to be able to adapt quickly and shift their focus in response to changing conditions.
There is a higher emphasis being put on finding new investors, increasing share ownership, and expanding research emphasis to stay competitive. The IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap is designed to help public companies prioritize and improve practices so that they can stand out in the capital markets despite the economic, time and resource pressures faced by small companies today.
We will be joined by over a hundred CEOs, CFOs and IROs in New York on Thursday, September 26 and will discuss how to effectively target investors, stand out in the financial press, build analyst coverage and engage retail investors in today’s macro environment.
We will be announcing our 2024 agenda shortly. In the meantime please see below for our 2023 agenda.
Click here to view the 2023 agenda.
Timings on the agenda are shown in Eastern Time (ET)
08:00 AM
Registration, refreshments and networking
09:00 AM
Welcome to the IR Magazine Forum
09:15 AM
Setting the scene: How a volatile market impacts the small cap landscape
Our opening panel will establish the context for the rest of the day by reviewing the current state of capital markets and the macroeconomic landscape. This session will set the scene with a close-up look at fund flows, M&A and small-cap concerns in challenging market conditions as well as horizon-scanning for 2024.
Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
Michael Bennett, vice president of investor relations, Schnitzer Steel Industries
James Siccardi, vice president of investor relations, Energy Recovery
09:45 AM
Enhancing visibility: Finding, securing and managing research coverage
Given a shrinking sell-side and volatile market conditions, attracting and retaining sell-side coverage has never been more challenging. In this session, we will discuss the changes in both quality and quantity of research coverage, while examining innovative ways small cap companies can stand out against their peers. Join this panel to learn how to identify and engage relevant sell-side analysts, while leveraging subsequent research to enhance your investor outreach and communication.
• Explore how market volatility changes the relationship between small cap issuers and the sell side
• Discover best practices and strategies for building and maintaining strong relationships with analysts
• Discuss how to manage expectations and deal with both positive and negative feedback from analysts
• Learn how to make company-sponsored research work for you and discover how to get maximum value from paid research
Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
Michael Kupinski, director of research, Noble Capital Markets
Robin Sidders, head of investor relations, International General Insurance
10:15 AM
Coffee break and networking
10:45 AM
Small cap IR: Balancing priorities and defining your role
Small cap investor relations professionals face many unique challenges in their roles. Among these challenges is the prioritization of tasks against a backdrop of many competing responsibilities and stakeholder demands. With often limited resources, meeting these expectations can feel like an uphill battle with a never-ending to-do list.
In this panel, you will be encouraged to consider how to identify the most impactful IR activities within your role and how to add the most value to your company through your efforts.
• Explore which responsibilities add the most value and elevate the role of IR
• Discover how to balance priorities and allocate resources most effectively
• Learn how to streamline your IR processes and enhance your IR capabilities
• Hear how to manage expectations from stakeholders and establish parameters around your role
Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
Ami Bavishi, executive director, head of investor relations and corporate communications, Rallybio
Ed McGregor, director of investor relations, Vuzix Corporation
Judah Sokel, head of treasury and investor relations, Sterling
11:15 AM
Getting on the same page: Aligning goals and managing the expectations of your board and management team
Ensuring cohesion between IR strategy and the broader objectives of a company’s vision, strategy and performance is vital. In this panel, we will examine how small cap IROs can communicate effectively and transparently with their board and management team and ensure they are on the same page regarding the company’s vision, strategy, performance and risks.
• Discuss how to set clear and realistic goals and objectives for your IR program that align with your board and management team’s expectations
• Learn how to measure and report your IR achievements and impact beyond the share price
• Hear how to constructively communicate market developments and shareholder concerns
Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
David Mordy, director of investor relations, Whitestone REIT
Andrew Posen, vice president of investor relations & treasury, WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
11:45 AM
Investor focus: Identifying and targeting opportunities in a crowded market
In a market already defined by a risk-aware buy side, the competition for capital is significant for small cap companies. And with sell-side research coverage on the decline, cautious investor sentiment is compounded further by a lack of visibility.
Join this panel to discuss innovative ways to establish a much-needed line of sight to investors that are most suitable for your company. We’ll explore how to identify and target these investors while maximizing the resources at your disposal.
• Discover how to differentiate yourself from the crowd and showcase your company’s unique value proposition and growth potential
• Learn how to conduct effective investor targeting analysis using alternative data and tools
• Discuss how to craft a compelling and consistent equity story that resonates with your investor targets
• Consider how to engage different types of investors, such as small institutions, retail investors, family offices and ESG-focused investors
Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
Matthew Esposito, head of investor relations, Gannett
Mark Fasken, co-founder and chief operating officer, Irwin
Benjamin Hackman, head of investor relations, Spire
12:15 PM
Lunch break
13:00 PM
How to enhance the quality of your research coverage
Good research coverage is key to the success of any public company and none more so than those within the small cap universe. However, due to regulatory changes, cost pressures, conflicts of interest, changing sell-side dynamics, and lack of access and engagement, the quality of research coverage in recent years has been in decline and analyst forecasts are becoming more divergent. This session will cover the following:
• Learn what constitutes high-quality analyst research and why is it important for your company
• Discuss current trends and the underlying factors contributing to the quality of analyst research
• Consider what information analysts need from you to produce accurate and insightful research on your company
• Learn how to think like an analyst, and understand their models to prepare for better conversations with the people covering you
• Plan what can you do, as an IRO, to enhance your relationship with research analysts and improve the quality of research related to your company
Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
Chris McGinnis, senior director of investor relations, ACCO Brands Corporation
Peter Sidoti, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Sidoti & Company
13:30 PM
ESG strategy: A current look at investor expectations, anti-ESG sentiment and small cap sustainability reporting
As expectations surrounding ESG continue to grow from both investors and regulatory bodies alike, staying ahead of the curve can be a challenging task for IR teams. For small cap teams specifically, with limited resources and often less recognition than larger peers, the challenge of integrating ESG into the company’s strategy and reporting is made even greater.
Join this session for an up-to-date look at what the market is thinking regarding ESG and how small cap companies can ensure they are navigating investor concerns effectively.
• Discover how to identify and prioritize the most material ESG issues for your company and stakeholders
• Learn how to monitor and measure your ESG performance and impact
• Debate the material impact of anti-ESG sentiment on the capital markets
• Hear how small-cap companies can overcome the data and disclosure hurdles to comply with the relevant ESG regulations
Moderator: Lauren McDonald, conference producer, IR Magazine
Jami Taylor, vice president of corporate affairs, Protagonist Therapeutics
Brian Valerio, senior vice president, Alliance Advisors
14:00 PM
Leveraging new technology: Balancing threat and opportunity in the emerging world of AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world of business, creating countless new opportunities and challenges for companies on a global scale. This new technological frontier offers potential advancement in efficiency, innovation, customer experience and competitive edge.
In our final panel of the day, we will explore the possibilities AI opens up for small cap IR teams, while also considering the concerns that its burgeoning use brings to the fore.
• Learn how to identify and assess the opportunities and challenges of AI for your company and industry
• Discover how generative AI systems can be leveraged to streamline IR functions and save your team time and resources
• Explore the risks and responsibilities of integrating AI into your business strategies
Moderator: Steve Wade, head of content, IR Magazine
John Nunziati, assistant vice president and investor relations partner, Q4
Conor Richardson, vice president of investor relations, Shattuck Labs
14:30 PM
Champagne roundtables: Exchange ideas with a glass of champagne!
How the roundtables work
Topics to choose from
15:30 PM
Roundtable summary and closing remarks
Steve Wade, head of event content, IR Magazine
16:00 PM
Drinks reception and networking
Our attendees are leading IR practitioners with an established track record and strategic IR role within their company.
Below is a sample of some of our past attendees:
Job title | Company | Job title | Company | |
Director, IR | Jushi Holdings | VP, communications and IR | Adaptimmune | |
Director, IR | Energy Recovery | VP, corporate finance and IR | Universal Technical Institute | |
Executive director, IR | Quad | VP, finance | Gambling.com Group | |
Head of IR | Bakkt Holdings | VP, head of IR | Xerox | |
Head of IR | Beyond Air | VP, Investor Relations | AvePoint | |
IR analyst | Kambi Group | VP, IR | Comscore | |
SVP marketing, IR and ESG | LTC Properties | VP, IR | DNOW | |
SVP, Investor Relations & Treasurer | G-III Apparel Group | VP, IR | Blade Air Mobility | |
SVP, IR | Usio | VP, IR | Shattuck Labs | |
SVP, IR | Three Part Advisors | VP, IR | Sovos Brands | |
SVP, IR and communications | Cadiz | VP, IR | WM Technology Inc | |
VP IR | IDT | VP, IR and corporate development | Standard Motor Products |
Why partner with us?
The IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap brings together some of the most influential people in the IR community.
The event offers an effective approach to targeting clients when they are exploring how they can improve their IR practice. Through our unrivaled knowledge of the subject matter and commitment to in-depth agenda research, our events are guaranteed to attract a qualified audience.
The unique buzz we create at our in-person events – a far cry from a traditional conference – makes them multi-faceted and highly interactive with great engagement in particular from heads of IR. This allows our partners to have meaningful conversations with corporates who are deciding which parts of their IR program to invest in, which service providers to engage and which consultants to retain. By partnering with us on an event, you can generate leads, showcase your thought leadership and position yourselves as the partner of choice to the IR community.
We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience at the IR Magazine Forum – Small Cap. Get in touch with Ian Richman or call on +1 (212) 430 6865
Forum Partners
Alliance Advisors is an independent advisory firm that supports hundreds of global public & private companies in several key investor-related areas.
Core services include Shareholder Engagement & Solicitation, Compensation Advisory, Governance & Sustainability Advisory, M&A- Activism, Institutional Ownership Intelligence, and Retail Outreach.
We go beyond, from development to execution of bold, client-first strategies, resulting in winning outcomes.
For more information, please visit our website.
Build, innovate, and grow your business with Irwin, the only investor relations platform designed with automation and reduced time-to-insight at its core. Irwin unlocks and enhances investor and shareholder relationships for your business—for various use cases, market caps, and industries—whether you have an established IR program or are just getting started.
At Irwin, we’re building a better way to manage investor relations. Legacy tools and companies in capital markets often grow stagnant, and the capacity to innovate wanes over time. This has left the majority of IR teams with two to five inefficient tools to manage their program and workflows—over time; we hope to reduce that to one. Our full-service tool suite includes powerful investor targeting, comprehensive shareholder monitoring, an intuitive CRM (with built-in email and engagement tools), timely research, estimates, and transcripts, and IR website intelligence.
To learn more, please visit www.getirwin.com.
Q4 Inc. (TSX: QFOR) is the leading capital markets access platform that is transforming how issuers, investors, and the sell-side efficiently connect, communicate, and engage with each other.
The Q4 Platform facilitates interactions across the capital markets through IR website products, virtual events solutions, engagement analytics, investor relations CRM, shareholder and market analysis, surveillance, and ESG tools. The Q4 Platform is the only holistic capital markets access platform that digitally drives connections, analyzes impact, and targets the right engagement to help public companies work faster and smarter.
The company is a trusted partner to more than 2,650 public companies globally, including many of the most respected brands in the world, and maintains an award winning culture where team members grow and thrive.
Q4 is headquartered in Toronto, with offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.q4inc.com.
Click below to book a ticket. We have 5 tickets left at our first release rate for both corporate and non-corporate tickets.
Book now to avoid disappointment. The rate will automatically increase once they’re gone!
The corporate rate is reserved for in-house IR or communications professionals, employed directly by a corporation listed on a public stock exchange ONLY.
All other bookers should select the non-corporate rate.
If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Williams at [email protected] or +44 208 090 2156.
For partnership inquiries
+1 (212) 430 6865
For agenda inquiries
+44 20 8004 4818
For all other inquiries
+44 208 090 2156