HKIRA 3rd IR Awards 2017: Nominations Now Open!

Feb 07, 2017 18:30 JST

Source: Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA)

HONG KONG, Feb 07, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is pleased to announce that public nomination is now open for HKIRA 3rd IR Awards 2017 (the Awards). The Awards presented annually to recognize and honor investor relations excellence and best practices among Hong Kong listed companies and IR professionals.

Speakers at HKIRA 3rd IR Awards 2017

Dr. Eva Chan, Founding Chairman of HKIRA, said, "Continuing the success in the past two years, we are glad to launch the 3rd IR Awards 2017 to recognize the outstanding IR efforts made by companies and individuals and to promote best IR practices. To better cover and honor excellence in various IR aspects, this year, we have added three new award categories on top of the seven in the previous year. Specifically, the new category 'Most Progress in IR award' is for companies who have significant improvement in their IR work in the past year. All listed companies, service providers, as well as those in the domestic and international investment communities are invited to nominate Hong Kong-listed companies and local IR professionals worthy of being honored for their investor relations efforts.

Dr. Chan continued, "In the past year, HKIRA launched a number of new initiatives which have been successful. Among them was a breakthrough event the 'HK Stocks Onshore Corporate Access Day' supported by HKEX and joined by 85 HK-listed companies in Shenzhen, meeting with over 200 research analysts from 33 first tier brokerage firms in Mainland China. Moving forward, we aim to keep strengthening recognition of the IR profession not only through the Awards, but also by offering development programs and organizing different promotional events to highlight the function and value of the IR profession to the investment community, regulatory and professional bodies, and also the general public."

Last year, the Awards saw an increase in the number of nominees, participating companies as well as eligible voters. More than 780 nominations in the various award categories were received, with confirmed participation of 160 listed companies. Furthermore, over 660 eligible voters casted a total of over 7,000 votes and 43 listed companies awarded under the different categories. The numbers speak clearly to the wide recognition the IR Awards enjoys among listed companies and in the investment community. The winners of the highest award recognition, the Overall Best IR Company by company size - Large Cap, Mid Cap, and Small Cap were Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (stock code: 388), Kerry Properties Limited (stock code: 683) and Canvest Environmental Protection Group Company Limited (stock code: 1381) respectively.

HKEX's Chief Executive Mr. Charles Li is delighted that HKEX being awarded last year's Overall Best IR Company - Large Cap. "We believe in maintaining open and transparent communication with our shareholders and others in the investment community. We endeavour to ensure they are provided with ready, equal and timely access to balanced and understandable information about our company, so that our shareholders can exercise their rights in an informed manner, and our shareholders and potential investors can engage with us actively."

Starting today, public nomination is open for the award categories listed below. Nominated individuals and companies are required to take an online award survey after they confirmed participation, and the investment community including buy-side and sell-side analysts and fund managers are eligible to vote. Nominees with the highest votes (weighted) in each award category will become the award winners. They will then undergo final selection by the judging panel for the Most Progress in IR and Overall Best IR Company Awards. For fair and balanced evaluation, the judging panel comprises academics, representatives from professional associations, the investment community and compliance and financial reporting experts.

The HKIRA 3rd IR Award 2017 has a total of around 26 awards honoring best IR practices of individuals and companies. The award winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held in Hong Kong in May/June 2017. For more information, please visit www.hkira.com/awards.

Strategic Public Relations Group is proud to be the Official Public Relations Partner and sponsor for the HKIRA IR Awards for the third consecutive year. Please find key dates relating to the HKIRA IR Awards 2017 with its categories and criteria listed in the Appendix.

About HKIRA
Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is a professional association comprising investor relations practitioners and corporate officers responsible for communications between corporate management and the investment community. HKIRA advocates the setting of international standards in IR education, advances the best IR practices and meet the professional development needs of those interested in pursuing the investor relations profession.

HKIRA is dedicated to advancing the practice of IR as well as the professional competency and status of our members. To date, HKIRA has almost 600 members and most of them are working for companies primarily listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. HKIRA's membership profile covers a wide spectrum of professions from IR, finance, accounting, company secretarial to corporate investment roles. It consists of executives at various stages of their career, including the top executives from the IR professional and also the C-level management of listed companies.

For more information about HKIRA, please visit www.hkira.com.

About the IR Awards
Inaugurated in 2015, the Investor Relations Awards (IR Awards) celebrates excellence in local IR industry through the annual presentation of awards to the many diverse professionals that make up the dynamic IR and finance industries in Hong Kong. HKIRA aims to initiate the IR Awards as the industry benchmark for high standard of excellence in investor relations by individuals and companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

The Awards ceremony is a spectacular gathering of IR specialists and industry professionals that applauds and publicizes the year's achievements in investor relations.

For details of the Awards and online nomination, please visit www.hkira.com/awards.

Media enquiries:
Strategic Public Relations Group
Cindy Lung / Stephanie Liu
Tel: +852 2864 4867/ 2864 4852
Email: cindy.lung@sprg.com.hk / stephanie.liu@sprg.com.hk
Website: www.sprg.asia

Hong Kong Investor Relations Association
Selina Li
Tel: +852 21171846
Email: irawards@hkira.com
Website: www.hkira.com

Appendix

Key Dates*
Nomination period: 7 February - 10 March 2017
Online voting period: 20 March - 21 April 2017
Judging Panel Meeting: Late April 2017
Award Conference and Presentation Luncheon: May/June 2017
*Subject to final changes.

Award Categories

Award Categories / Selection method
1. Best IR Company - Large Cap Voted
2. Best IR Company - Mid Cap Voted
3. Best IR Company - Small Cap Voted
4. Best IR by Chairman/CEO - Large Cap Voted
5. Best IR by Chairman/CEO - Mid Cap Voted
6. Best IR by Chairman/CEO - Small Cap Voted
7. Best IR by CFO - Large Cap Voted
8. Best IR by CFO - Mid Cap Voted
9. Best IR by CFO - Small Cap Voted
10. Best IRO - Large Cap Voted
11. Best IRO - Mid Cap Voted
12. Best IRO - Small Cap Voted
13. Best IR in Corporate Transaction - Large Cap1 Voted
14. Best IR in Corporate Transaction - Mid Cap1 Voted
15. Best IR in Corporate Transaction - Small Cap1 Voted
16. Best Investor Meeting - Large Cap2 Voted
17. Best Investor Meeting - Mid Cap2 Voted
18. Best Investor Meeting - Small Cap2 Voted
19. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Large Cap Voted
20. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Mid Cap Voted
21. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Small Cap Voted
22. Best IR Company for an IPO# Voted
23. Most Progress in IR* Selected
24. Overall Best IR Company - Large Cap Selected
25. Overall Best IR Company - Mid Cap Selected
26. Overall Best IR Company - Small Cap Selected
#Companies which were listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2016 are eligible to be nominated for this award.
*The judging panel will select the outstanding companies as winners of the Most Progress in IR among all company sizes
1,2 These two award categories are newly introduced in 2017.

Award Criteria

1. Best IR Company
- Corporate structure and policies conducive to best practices in IR
- Clear delineation of the role of executive management and their accountability to the board
- High quality, effective composition and structure of the board of directors that enables the board to exercise its duties/ responsibilities independently and effectively while implementing best practices in IR
- Evidence of protecting and advancing rights and interests of all shareholders, including minority shareholders
- Evidence of maintaining good relationships with different stakeholders through various channels and responding to their needs and concerns

2. Best IR by Chairman/CEO
- Strategic vision and leadership in steering the company to embrace market competition, trends and challenges
- Management capability in leading the company to deliver sustainable business performance, creating long-term value for shareholders
- Demonstration of high standards of business ethics and integrity
- Demonstration of achievements in pursuing IR best practices and positioning IR as an essential discipline within the company
- Commitment to pursuing timely, transparent and credible information disclosure as well as accessibility of CEO/Chairman by the investment community

3. Best IR by CFO
- Financial leadership in growing/ expanding the company through effective funding and/or treasury management, achieving the best financial structure, debt maturity profile, investor/ shareholder base, etc., for the company
- Demonstration of high standards of financial integrity
- Commitment to best practices in financial reporting which advances the quality and transparency for the disclosure of financial information
- Effective communication of financials and performance guidance to the investment community
- Good financial, accounting, regulatory and compliance knowledge and professionalism

4. Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer)
- Effective communication of investment proposition in communicating the strategy, business and revenue models, plans and risks to investors
- Fairness and transparency in information disclosure to all kinds of investors, shareholders and the public as a whole
- Responsiveness to investor inquiries during benign and crisis times to enable investors to have well-informed investment decisions
- Consistency of messaging to the investment community and the public as a whole
- Good company and industry knowledge to give investors sufficient information about the company's current performance and future prospects

5. Best IR in Corporate Transaction
- Given clear explanation on the value of transaction
- Easy accessibility by the investment community and the wider public
- Responsiveness to investor inquiries to enable investors to have well-informed investment decisions
- Updated on timely basis to reflect the accuracy and latest financial and/or non-financial information disclosed

6. Best Investor Meeting
- Effective communication and insight into the company's investment proposition and financial position
- A strengthen and accurate presentation of the company story, business plan, and overview of financial/non-financial information
- Participation of senior management
- Demonstration of acquaintance and preparation associated with the investor
- Response to the questions from investor

7. Best IR Presentation Collaterals
- Effective communication and insight into the company's investment proposition and financial position
- Innovation and reader-friendliness in terms of presentation formats and the medium through which the collaterals are delivered
- Easy accessibility by the investment community and the wider public
- Updated on a timely basis to reflect the accuracy and latest financial and/or non-financial information disclosed
- IR presentation collaterals may include but are not limited to the annual report, website and PowerPoint presentations, which will be considered as a whole for evidence of meeting the above criteria

8. Best IR Company for an IPO
This Award recognizes the best IR company which was listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2016.
- Effective communication of investment proposition in communicating the strategy, business and revenue models, plans and risks to the investors
- Effective use of communication channels in raising the awareness of the company and educating investors and the public for the successful launch of the IPO
- Responsiveness to investor inquiries to enable investors to have well-informed investment decisions
- Consistency of messaging to the investment community and the wider public before and after the IPO
- Good company and industry knowledge to give investors sufficient information about the company's current performance and future prospects

9. Most Progress in IR
- The Judging Panel will select among the winners of all the award categories to honour companies which demonstrate the most progress in IR in the above areas during the year of 2016.
- Winners who have not been previously awarded in the IR Awards is a key consideration for this award.

10. Overall Best IR Company
- The Judging Panel will select among the winners of all the award categories to honour companies which demonstrate outstanding and all-rounded excellence in the above areas.
- The total number of awards received by the winning companies is one of the criterion for selection.

Judging Panel
Arranged in order of last name first
Name - Firms / Organisations - Title
Prof. Louis Cheng(Chairman of Judging Panel) - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance
Mrs. Amy Donati - EDICO Financial Press Services Limited - Chief Executive Director
Ms. Ashley Khoo - The Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts - President
Ms. Victoria Mio - Robeco Asia Pacific - Chief Investment Officer China,
Co-Head Asia Pacific Equities & Fund Manager Chinese Equities
Prof. Raymond So, JP - Hong Kong Baptist University - Dean, School of Continuing Education
Mr. Marcus Sultzer - EQS Group - CEO Asia-Pacific
Ms. Helen Zee - The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies - General Committee Member

Source: Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA)
Sectors: Daily Finance, Daily News