It is an honour to be in this new role and I am very excited about what we have planned for CIRI. Our mandate remains unchanged – to contribute to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital market by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of our members and the stature of the profession.

Our vision, however, has undergone a subtle yet strategic shift – to be recognized as the Canadian IR authority, standard setter and resource. The addition of ‘standard setter and resource’ appropriately captures recent initiatives from CIRI as well as some that are planned for the future.

The Canadian Authority on Investor Relations

In 2011 we launched our advocacy efforts, initially focused on reducing the time delay for accessing company filings on SEDAR and reducing the early warning threshold from 10% to 5%. Over the past several weeks, I have been interviewed by The Globe and Mail and Les Affaires on the early warning reporting threshold, voicing our position. Proposed changes are expected to come out in March and we will make a submission. We will also be calling on you, our members, to support this cause.

Setting New Standards

CIRI has established a comprehensive program for those new to the profession through the Essentials of Investor Relations. More recently, we introduced the CIRI/Ivey Investor Relations Certification Program, intended for investor relations professionals who have been in the role for several years and are looking to advance their careers. These programs offer high quality education in investor relations and establish standards of knowledge for the industry.

CIRI also produces reference materials for IROs to assist in establishing and evolving IR programs and policies. We will soon publish the updated Guide to Developing an IR Program, which will be free to all members.

Providing More Resources

We have just virtualized CIRI National and Chapter events, making professional development available in person and through live and archived webcasts. This means all members will have the opportunity to participate in any CIRI event taking place across Canada, and there are approximately 40 each year! Chapter rates for the webcasts will be honoured for all members, regardless of which Chapter they belong to, reflecting considerable member value. 

We will also be launching a research initiative to identify investor relations best practices and trends. The research topics will be decided by our members, through participation in a Member Survey. This Survey is in the field now and I encourage you to participate so that we better understand your needs and priorities.

Lastly, I want to thank you for your membership and continuing support. Please feel free to contact me at any time with feedback, concerns or suggestions.