Summary
At the 2025 CIRI Annual Conference, Sylvie Harton of Lumi Global explores how investor engagement is shifting from scheduled reporting to continuous, digital-first dialogue. Drawing on global insights and key takeaways from Lumi Global’s CEO Richard Taylor’s keynote, she emphasizes that modern investor relations (IR) must be interactive, on-demand, and audit-ready. The future of IR is not about more tools, but a new mindset where trust, transparency, and storytelling take center stage.
Investor engagement is no longer defined by a single event or a quarterly cadence. It is becoming a continuous, multi-format conversation, shaped by digital transformation, governance expectations, and the growing influence of retail shareholders. That message rang especially clear at the CIRI 2025 Annual Conference, held this year in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
As someone who had the privilege of attending, I was reminded of how valuable it is to come together in person with IR professionals from across Canada. The setting was picturesque, but it was the substance of the event that stood out: a gathering of thoughtful, future-facing leaders sharing insights, challenges, and optimism about where investor relations is headed. In today’s uncertain macroeconomic environment, the discussions felt particularly timely and necessary.
At Lumi Global, we operate across 50+ markets, giving us a front-row seat to how IR and governance strategies are evolving around the world. But no amount of global data replaces the power of a conversation, especially with those navigating the same regulatory terrain, shareholder expectations, and operational pressures. CIRI reminded me that while markets may differ, the desire to build meaningful investor trust is universal.
From obligation to opportunity
Investor meetings, whether AGMs, earnings calls, or capital market days, are often viewed as regulatory checkboxes. But they hold immense strategic value when treated as storytelling platforms. Our CEO Richard Taylor’s keynote at the conference underscored a shift we’re seeing across regions, with companies moving beyond the ‘what’ of reporting and leaning into the ‘why’ of their long-term value story.
This means rethinking the format, the audience, and the digital layer of every investor event. In Canada, we’re seeing hybrid-first models that prioritize flexibility and replay value. In the Middle East and Asia, there's increasing demand for mobile-first platforms and local language access. And in Europe, transparency and accessibility are driving real-time engagement as a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
Three key takeaways from Richard’s talk
- Interactivity builds trust
Investors, particularly retail shareholders, expect to be heard, not just spoken to. Tools like live polling, open Q&A, and seamless digital authentication are now table stakes for high-trust meetings. - On-demand is non-negotiable
The investor conversation doesn’t end when the meeting does. Recording, editing, and repurposing content post-event allows IR teams to extend the reach of their message and meet investors where they are. - Auditability is a strategic asset
In a climate of regulatory scrutiny, companies that can show not just what happened, but how and why, are positioned to lead. Digital audit trails and real-time analytics offer both transparency and confidence to stakeholders.
Reinventing the investor experience
What stood out most at CIRI was the shared recognition that IR is evolving from a reporting function to a strategic communications discipline. It was clear that today’s IR teams are being asked to do more, with more complexity, across more channels than ever before.
This is not about adding new tools. It’s about adopting a new mindset.
Looking ahead
At Lumi Global, we believe strong governance starts with meaningful engagement. Whether you’re preparing for an AGM, hosting an investor day, or navigating ongoing disclosure requirements, there is an opportunity to modernize not just how you communicate, but why.
The question is no longer whether to change... It’s how.
I left CIRI inspired by the depth of conversation, the collegiality of the community, and the collective commitment to strengthening investor trust in challenging times.
A heartfelt thank you to CIRI, especially Nathalie Megann, CEO and President, Brittany Snell, Manager, Professional Development & Marketing, and the entire team for organizing such a meaningful, well-curated conference. Your leadership and dedication to fostering excellence in investor relations truly showed.
If you weren’t able to attend, I highly recommend reviewing the keynotes when they become available. If you're ready to reimagine your own investor events, we’re always here to help.
