The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), in collaboration with Iridium Investor Relations, has launched the fifth edition of annual Investor Relations (IR) excellence programme, which aims to help listed companies further improve IR best practices.
The launch of the fifth edition coincided with the introduction of new IR regime in Qatar from October 1, a mandatory rules-based framework for IR; the rules reflect best-practice and should in any case be standard for listed companies in today’s regulatory capital markets’ environment.
Since its inception in 2015 as the first recognition programme of its kind in the Gulf region, the programme rewards companies and their leaders for their achievements in IR.
"It has never been more important for listed companies to engage in a meaningful dialogue with existing and prospective share owners that fosters truth and trust," according to Abdul Aziz al-Emadi, listings director of the QSE.
A public voting system and a thorough IR website ranking of all listed companies will be conducted in November and December 2019. Both retail and professional members of the investment community will be eligible to vote for the best IR efforts by the companies.
Over the years, the IR excellence programme has enabled the QSE to focus on creating awareness for the importance of the IR function, al-Emadi said, adding as a result, a growing number of companies have made improvements to institutionalise and internationalise their IR efforts.
"We are committed to helping more companies adopt best practice standards. Building on the momentum that we have created to date, our goal is to take IR in Qatar to the next level,” he said.
The programme has been benchmarked globally against best practices to ensure a fair, credible and transparent methodology.
The full methodology and all rating criteria will be made available to the public in advance of the ranking.
"This enables all market participants to review categories and selection criteria, and gives them some advance notice to adjust their IR efforts, especially with regards to the information services they provide through their IR websites, a bourse spokesman said.
The QSE, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority and the listed companies have been working together over many years to ensure that disclosure and transparency are developed through an increasing focus on IR, especially after the inclusion of Qatar in the MSCI, Standard & Poor's and FTSE emerging markets indices, which has served to increase attention in Qatar’s stock market and all its listed companies.
