Brussels – 24 September 2014 – Euronext today announced that the Pan European Investor Relations (IR) Conference was successfully launched in Brussels with an IR awards dinner and a high-level IR conference which were attended by Investment Relations Officers (IRO) from all over Europe. This forum bringstogether delegates from the IR associations of the Netherlands (NEVIR), France (CLIFF), Belgium (BIRA) and Portugal (FIR), as well as IR Professionals from India, Germany, Sweden, and other European countries.
Organised by Euronext and the four aforementioned associations, along with Tradinfo, this third edition is the largest event ever for the continental European IR community helping them to extend their knowledge of current topics and leading IR practices. In addition, it offers ample opportunities to exchange and share experiences with peers and industry experts and to enhance their career through collaborative learning, leading edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities.
The success of the Pan European IR Conference is due to the programme being set up by IROs for IROs. The theme of the conference, “New times, ask for new standards”, and the topics for each of the sessions were therefore proposed by the IR associations themselves.
Marc Lefevre, Head of Client Coverage & Business Development of Euronext, declared: “As a pan European exchange, Euronext wants to play a central role in creating a platform for IROs to share their expertise, enabling European issuers to raise their profile towards the investors community. Our aim is to allow IROs to exchange expertise with European IR thought leaders and to enlarge the European IR network. Therefore, participants receive the opportunity to have updates on current topics in IR and to engage with colleagues from other countries across Europe.”
On Tuesday September 23, the conference started with an exclusive dinner event in the Palais de la Bourse, which hosted the ceremony of the Extel IR Awards 2014 that were granted to AB InBev, Mobistar and UCB for Belgium, Vivendi, Atos and JCDecaux for France and Galp Energia, Novabase, Portugal Telecom and Impresa for Portugal.
The winners of the Extel WeConvene – IR Awards 2014
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Best Corporate on IR Belgium Large Cap: AB InBev Small & Mid Caps: Mobistar France Large Cap: Vivendi Small & Mid Caps: Atos Portugal Large Cap: Galp Energia Small & Mid Caps: Novabase
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Best IR Professional Belgium Large Cap: Antje Witte, UCB Small & Mid Caps: Siddy Jobe, Mobistar France Large Cap: Jean-Michel Bonamy, Vivendi Small & Mid Caps: Nicolas Buron, JCDecaux Portugal Large Cap: Nuno Vieira, Portugal Telecom Small & Mid Caps: José Freire, Impresa
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Today, Euronext organized a remote Opening Bell Ceremony with the Presidents of the four national IR associations, followed by various plenary and interactive sessions:
Plenary session 1: “Revealing the backroom tales of a CEO & IRO during times of change”
Duco Sickinghe, former CEO, Telenet
Emilie Megel, VP Investor Relations, Technicolor
Oliver Gernandt, Head of IR, Numericable Group
Moderator: Kimberly Stewart, Head of Investor Relations, Technip
Plenary session 2: “Sell side under pressure: impact on IR”
Annedien Heilbron, Corporate Access, ABN AMRO
Wim Hoste, Senior Equity Analyst, KBC Securitie
Moderator: Gerbrand Nijman, Group Director & Head of Investor Relations, Vimpelcom
Breakout session A: “Bringing European companies and American investors together: US-buy side expectations and European company experience”
Jan van de Bossche, Manager Investor Relations, DSM
Olivier Gernandt, Head of Investor Relations, Numericable Group
Kimberly Stewart, Head of Investor Relations, Technip
Introduction and moderation: Nick Arbuthnott, MD Corporate Services EMENA, Ipreo
Breakout session B: “Integrated Reporting: where do we stand, where do we want to go and how do we get there?"
Willem van den Berg, Head of IR, AEGON
Thelke Gerdes, Global Director IR, AB InBev
Robert Klijn, ESG Specialist
Introduction and moderation: Wim Bartels, Global Head of Sustainability Reporting & Assurance, KPMG Sustainability
In the afternoon, informal parallel debate sessions for several sectors are moderated by an IRO. Topical subjects within each sector are discussed in a round table setting, for the following sectors:
- Consumer Good– Carl Hoyer, VP Corporate Communications, Royal Wessanen
- Financials– Roeland Haanen, Manager Investor Relations, Delta Lloyd Group
- Healthcare/Biotechnology/Pharma– Marieke Vermeersch, Associate Director Investor Relations, Ablynx
- Oil & Gas – Kimberly Stewart, Head of IR, Technip
- Technology– Emilie Megel, VP Investor Relations, Technicolor
- Telecommunications– Gerbrand Nijman, Group Director and Head of Investor relations, Vimpelcom
- Utilities– Ana Fernandes, IRO REN and Miguel Viana, IRO EDP
- SME– Benedicte Thibord, Global Head of SmartConnect Services, Kepler Cheuvreux
Keynote speech: “IR: new times, ask for new standards”
Dr. Stephan Hollander, Professor of Accounting, Tilburg University.