Winning IR

This episode of Winning IR highlights the challenges and benefits of building an in-house investor relations department from scratch. Brooks Rennie, Vice President, Head of Investor Relations at Byline Bank, joins Mark Fasken to share his experience in developing an investor relations department from the ground up. Listen to the episode or read the transcript to learn more about:

• What steps should you take to build a business’ IR function from scratch? What’s needed to get from day one to long term success?
• How can you become an expert in the company story in a short amount of time?
• What are the major components of an investor relations strategy?
• How has the investor relations function changed from day one to present? How can IROs measure and affect progress towards their KPIs? 
• How does a business change after developing in-house IR?
• What should IROs avoid when developing an in-house IR function?
• What should IROs look for in management to ensure a strong working relationship?

About Our Guest:

Brooks O. Rennie is Head of Investor Relations at Byline Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BY). Mr. Rennie established and leads the company’s Investor Relations function in addition to responsibilities related to ESG. Mr. Rennie’s background includes experience in Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Development with a strong local and national network across multiple markets.

Connect with Brooks on LinkedIn here.

Winning IR is brought to you by Irwin.

For more winning ideas, subscribe to Winning IR wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, visit getirwin.com/winning-ir

This episode of Winning IR discusses how to use your earnings call to strategically grow your audience and disseminate your company story. Jason Fooks, SVP of Investor Relations & Marketing, joins Mark Fasken to share the learnings from the nearly 100 earnings calls he’s done in his tenure. Listen to the episode or read the transcript to learn more about:

• Why are earnings calls so important, and how can IR teams make the most of them?
• Why and how IROs can grow the audience for earnings calls.
• Deciding the key themes to cover during your earnings call.
• How to frame positive and negative earnings results.
• How to prepare for an earnings call to ensure everything runs smoothly?
• How to work with the management team to deliver a compelling presentation?
• How have the expectations for earnings calls changed over the last several years?

About Our Guest:

Jason Fooks is Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Marketing for both iStar Inc. (NYSE: STAR) and Safehold Inc. (NYSE: SAFE). In his tenure since joining iStar in 2006 and Safehold since its IPO in 2017, he was the recipient of IR Magazine’s award for Best Investor Relations by a Small-Cap Company. Jason also serves on the Company’s ESG advisory committee.

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn here.

Winning IR is brought to you by Irwin.

For more winning ideas, subscribe to Winning IR wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, visit getirwin.com/winning-ir

This episode of Winning IR discusses what activist preparedness looks like in a public company, and how companies can strategically navigate an activist situation. Michael Verrechia,  Managing Director of the M&A and Activism Advisory Group at Morrow Sodali, shares his perspective on how he has helped clients develop the skills and tools they need to defend their board seats.

Listen to the episode or read the transcript to learn:

• What should IR teams be on the look out for in terms of stock surveillance?
• What should IR teams do if they think there is an activist in their stock?
• Is it advisable to proactively reach out to activists?
• Does having an activist preparedness plan deter activists?
• What should an activist preparedness strategy include?

Winning IR is brought to you by Irwin.

For more winning ideas, subscribe to Winning IR wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, visit getirwin.com/winning-ir

This episode of Winning IR discusses the most common questions IROs have about ESG and its practice. Victoria Sivrais, Partner at Clermont Partners, joins Mark Fasken to discuss the guidance she gives her clients on the implementation and best practices of ESG and disclosures. Listen to the episode or read the transcript to learn more about:

• How do we improve our current ESG ratings?
• Which ESG Questionnaires should we focus on?
• How do I get my company on board [with ESG]? How do I get the budget for it? 
• What ESG materials should my company be developing?
• What ESG topics should companies prioritize ahead of the many new requirements proposed by the SEC?
• What are the three things we should do [for ESG]  in 2023?
• How should we present our ESG progress to institutional investors?

Winning IR is brought to you by Irwin.

For more winning ideas, subscribe to Winning IR wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, visit getirwin.com/winning-ir

There’s an inspirational community of professionals working in investor relations, but so few opportunities to learn from our peers and hear about their stories, their challenges, and their triumphs. 

Investor relations has changed drastically since the coining of the term by General Electric in 1953. Today’s IROs need to foster deep relationships with the investment community, act as strategic advisors to the management team, become experts in ESG and corporate governance, all while providing quality, transparent and credible information to investors. There's tremendous insight to be gained from IR professionals who have weathered the changes of the industry, the up-and-coming IR innovators, and the many leaders within the broader capital markets community

Winning IR is an investor relations podcast designed to showcase the transformation of the IR profession, and profile the leading experts who are leading the change. Join Irwin COO Mark Fasken as he meets with IR professionals to learn more about the real impacts and advances being made by investor relations professionals in an increasingly sophisticated capital markets environment. 

Each episode this season will focus on a different challenge, innovation or perspective on the ever-evolving role of IR, giving you real actionable insight that you'll be able to use to build a better investor relations program. This season we’ll talk to a range of guests about their experience and best advice, giving you insights into topics like ESG, activism, earnings calls, creative storytelling, building your IR program and much more

Winning IR is produced by Irwin, a leading provider of investor relations software. Irwin is built on the belief that investor relations is a critical strategic component of a company's success. Companies deserve a platform that unlocks critical strategic insight, automates manual and time-consuming tasks, and consistently innovates alongside the ever-evolving role of the IR team. At Irwin, we believe that with better investor relations, companies can have more time to focus on their products, services and employees to drive true innovation. And so this podcast came to be, we want to elevate the voices on the frontlines of IR—the innovators, and the game changers. 

Winning IR is brought to you by Irwin.

For more winning ideas, subscribe to Winning IR wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, visit getirwin.com/winning-ir