Our communications model achieves a whole lot – it does actually remove the need for listed company directors to worry about the physical day to day aspects of the dissemination of information. It’s perfect for Africa because a whole lot of reasons. Here is an extract of an interview with Dominic Jones, the leader in online investor relations. It puts into perspective our philosophy on how to add value to listed companies in Africa a profile of which appears here:
QUESTION: Job Description’s for IR roles typically have had an emphasis on a financial & accounting background. IR Web Report makes it clear that a new critical string to the bow is understanding how to communicate online effectively. If you were CEO of a listed company and had to choose between an applicant with a financial background and an online media specialist who would you choose and why?
Dominic Jones: Ideally, I’d hire both if I couldn’t get their skills in one person, but since I have to choose I would hire the one with the online communication skills because that is the future and big investors prefer to speak to management rather than the IR staff anyway. The person with the finance-only background rarely is able to reduce demand from investors for time with executives. They often are there to run interference for the executives, but I’m not sure that helps the company.”
The person with the online communication skills can reduce demand on executives’ time by using technology to broaden access to management. We are seeing dramatic changes to the investment research industry and the fund management business. There are going to be more and more smaller research shops and more research will be done internally by the buy-side. And all of these people are going to be seeking access to management. Without new ways to provide access, the demands on management’s time will be intolerable.
Read the full interview here
