Four newcomers rank among the 10 best companies for IR and several awards change hands
Four Canadian companies have broken through to rank among the top 10 companies for investor relations at the IR Magazine Awards – Canada 2015, while a number of the most coveted awards have changed hands.
Resources firms Agnico Eagle Mines, which rises to fourth position this year, and Canadian Natural Resources, which ranks eighth, are two that now feature among the 10 top IR practitioners in Canada. They are joined by Suncor Energy and telecoms firm BCE, in ninth and tenth place, respectively, to form a new-look Canada top 10.
Agnico’s fourth place is also its highest ever appearance in the IR Magazine Canada Top 50, the achievement boosted by the company picking up two awards – for best CEO at a mid-cap company and best IR in the materials sector – and appearing on four further award short lists.
TD Bank, perennially successful at the Canadian awards, walks away this year with six trophies, including the grand prix for investor relations and the best IRO and best CFO at a large-cap company awards, outdoing its haul of five awards in 2014. The bank also occupies the top spot overall in the Canada Top 50, a position it has held for the past four years.
ARC Resources, meanwhile, starts 2015 in second place, picking up the grand prix for best overall IR and best IRO at a mid-cap company along the way. The energy company’s 2015 success is a continuation of its steady ascent up the standings, after finishing in 14th place in 2012, 10th in 2013 and sixth in 2014.
Elsewhere in the Canada Top 50, several companies have made large gains in the rankings. Energy outfit Encana, which was unranked last year, jumps to 41st position in 2015; given there were 175 companies ranked in 2014, this means a rise of at least 134 places in a year.
Trinidad Drilling, meanwhile, which placed joint 153rd last year, moves up 122 places to rank 31st overall in 2015. The firm’s head of IR, Lisa Ottman, is also named the best IRO at a small-cap company, while Trinidad itself is short-listed for the grand prix for best overall IR by a small-cap firm.
Investors and analysts alike are impressed by the small company’s improved performance, while Ottman is named one of the best in the profession by several. ‘I called her out of the blue and she gave up an hour to talk to me; you can actually have a deep discussion with her,’ writes one member of the buy side. ‘She’s clearly very involved in the business.’
For a full list of award winners, please click here.
Laurie Havelock
Laurie has been part of the IR Magazine team for more than a decade, starting out as a reporter and research editor before becoming editor in 2023. He was previously acting business editor at the i newspaper and deputy business editor at The Daily...
