Are you supporting the profession that supports you?

A simple question for every investor relations professional

For more than 30 years, the team at Broome Yasar has had the privilege of working in investor relations and corporate affairs, often first as senior reputation advisers to boards and, for the past two decades, as the leading executive recruiter in IR. Over the past 15 months, the Global IR Revolution book tour has taken us to almost 30 countries, where we’ve met thousands of investor relations professionals, advisers, CEOs, investors and capital markets leaders.

One thing has become abundantly clear.

Investor relations has never been stronger.

The sophistication, strategic influence and ambition of today’s Investor Relations Officers is extraordinary. Around the world, IROs have become trusted advisers to CEOs and boards, helping shape corporate strategy, capital allocation, reputation and long-term value creation. But perhaps the most impressive discovery from our travels has been something else entirely.

It has been the extraordinary work carried out by national investor relations associations.

Usually operating with modest budgets and lean teams, these organisations work tirelessly to advance our profession. They educate. They mentor. They organise conferences and networking events. They produce research. They engage with regulators. They create communities. Most importantly, they champion investor relations and continually raise the standards of the profession. They do it because they genuinely care.

Which makes one fact all the more surprising.

There are still countless investor relations professionals who are not members of their own national association.

Some believe they’re too senior to benefit, but don’t release the value of adding back into the profession that has obviously elevated their careers. Others think they’re too junior. Some say they don’t have the time. Others question the value.

We would respectfully challenge every one of those arguments.

Every strong profession is built on a strong professional community. Doctors support medical bodies. Lawyers support legal associations. Accountants support professional institutes. These organisations don’t exist for their own benefit. They exist to strengthen the profession for everyone. Investor relations is no different.

If we want greater influence in the boardroom, if we want better education and professional development, if we want stronger research and thought leadership, if we want the next generation to see investor relations as one of the most exciting careers in capital markets, and if we want our profession to continue earning the respect it deserves, then we all have a responsibility to support the organisations working every day to make that happen.

Membership rarely costs very much, but the collective impact is enormous. Every additional member strengthens an association’s voice, expands its reach, increases its resources and enables it to do even more for every investor relations professional, whether they’re a member or not.

It’s a little like enjoying a beautifully maintained public park while refusing to contribute to its upkeep. Everyone benefits from it, but it only exists because enough people choose to support it.

So this is simply a friendly challenge from a team who care deeply about our profession.

If you’re already a member of your national investor relations association, thank you. If you’re not, ask yourself why.

Join. Attend the events. Share your experience. Volunteer if you can. Encourage colleagues to become members.

Because the future of investor relations won’t be built by a handful of dedicated volunteers or small association teams working in isolation.

It will be built by a profession that chooses to stand together.