Elevating Investor Relations: A Global Conversation
Oct 12, 2026 · 47 min · 10 segments
Join Mark Hayes and David Grunfeld as they sit down with Dr. Eva Chan, Chairman and founder of HKIRA (Hong Kong Investor Relations Association), to discuss the need to elevate IR from a communication…
David GrunfeldHost
Mark HayesHostUm, okay, uh, I, I think the, um, first of all, the skill set as a IRO and a CFO is very much different.
But as a CFO, even though you don't have very good communication skill, you can still deliver your work, uh, very good.
So, uh, of course, uh, if, uh, as a CFO, if you have very good communication skill, of course you can also, besides, uh, doing your day-to-day job, uh, uh, to deliver the financial function or, uh, the, your financial strategy, um, if you have very good communication skill, of course, uh, you can also communicate with different stakeholders effectively.
But, um, for IRO, if you, if you're not, you are not good at communication, actually you, you, you-
So that's why I think first of all is the requirement on the skill set is, uh, one of the, uh, uh, distinction or difference we have to, uh, we can tell from IRO and CFO.
And then I also, uh, support, uh, the initiative, uh, to, um, uh, IROs should report to the C level, to CEO or chairman.
Although most of the company structures, IRO is reporting to CFO, but I don't think this is effective because, uh, as, as a good IRO, you need to get first-hand information from the chairman and CEO.
And also, when you receive any feedback from the investor, you have to go directly to the CEO to let him know, uh, actually what the investor think about the company and what's the, uh, reaction or feedback from the, uh, from the investor about the corporate action.
So if the IRO is reporting to the CFO and then rep- the CFO reporting to the, to the CEO, that means that is two layers.
Um, okay, uh, I, I think the, um, first of all, the skill set as a IRO and a CFO is very much different.
But as a CFO, even though you don't have very good communication skill, you can still deliver your work, uh, very good.
So, uh, of course, uh, if, uh, as a CFO, if you have very good communication skill, of course you can also, besides, uh, doing your day-to-day job, uh, uh, to deliver the financial function or, uh, the, your financial strategy, um, if you have very good communication skill, of course, uh, you can also communicate with different stakeholders effectively.
But, um, for IRO, if you, if you're not, you are not good at communication, actually you, you, you-
So that's why I think first of all is the requirement on the skill set is, uh, one of the, uh, uh, distinction or difference we have to, uh, we can tell from IRO and CFO.
And then I also, uh, support, uh, the initiative, uh, to, um, uh, IROs should report to the C level, to CEO or chairman.
Although most of the company structures, IRO is reporting to CFO, but I don't think this is effective because, uh, as, as a good IRO, you need to get first-hand information from the chairman and CEO.
And also, when you receive any feedback from the investor, you have to go directly to the CEO to let him know, uh, actually what the investor think about the company and what's the, uh, reaction or feedback from the, uh, from the investor about the corporate action.
So if the IRO is reporting to the CFO and then rep- the CFO reporting to the, to the CEO, that means that is two layers.
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