Quick-fire Q&A with IR professionals
Valerie Haertel is global head of investor relations at BNY Mellon. She is also a member of the NIRI national board of directors.
1. How long have you worked in IR?
For the majority of my career – about 20 years as a corporate IRO.
2. What did you do before joining the profession?
I started out as an analyst at a financial services firm. I also worked for a stock market as a director of market services.
Valerie Haertel, BNY Mellon |
3. What are your qualifications?
Besides extensive ‘on the job’ IR training, I have a degree in finance and an MBA. I also just became an inaugural Investor Relations Charter holder.
4. How is your team set up?
I have a team of four: three IROs and one IR co-ordinator. I recently added a finance rotational position to my team.
5. How many roadshows and investor conferences do you usually take part in each year?
We have a very proactive program. The number and mix of activities vary from year to year, but we tend to participate in 10-15 conferences, 10-15 in-house group meetings and two to four roadshows each year.
6. Do you hold investor days?
We hold one every three years at which time we share our three-year strategic plan, key priorities and financial goals.
7. Do you use social media as part of your IR program?
IR taps into the expertise of our marketing and communications team, which has key responsibility for managing social media channels. We collaborate with it very closely to co-ordinate messaging.
8. Do you receive support from any external IR firms?
We use an outside IR firm to conduct investor perception studies. We also have a relationship with a stock surveillance firm and we use investor targeting services to supplement what we do in-house.
9. What is the most popular question from analysts and investors right now?
As one of the largest global asset servicing and asset management firms with operations in the UK, we have been receiving questions on the UK’s decision to exit the EU and the impact on us operationally.
10. How would you describe the IR scene in the us banking sector?
It has been a tough sector to be in since the financial crisis thanks to increased regulatory requirements, an extended low-interest-rate environment and global geo-political and economic uncertainties that have led to volatile market conditions.
11. What’s been the biggest challenge of your IR career?
Top of mind is a recent set of challenges – assisting two firms managing relationships with large activist investors and all that goes along with such investments: the analysis, strategy, communication and relationship management.
12. What’s your favorite thing about doing IR?
I love the strategic aspects best: problem-solving, peer analysis and messaging. I enjoy being a part of the leadership team and having access at all levels of the organization to current and future strategic plans and financials.
13. And your least favorite?
Some of the more administrative aspects of the role that are nevertheless necessary.
14. What about outside work?
I like to decompress by spending time with my family and friends. My husband and I like spending time outdoors hiking with our dogs, biking and kayaking.
15. If you could pass on one IR lesson, what would it be?
IR can be a lonely profession at times as it is generally not well resourced. It is incredibly important to take advantage of the support offered through NIRI.
This article appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of IR Magazine