Post by Kekst CNC

Last week, Kekst CNC joined The Investor Relations Society's Annual Conference to explore how to create opportunity from uncertainty.   The event was a strong reflection of a healthy UK IR community. Kekst CNC Senior Advisor David Shriver spoke on a panel about Driving Board-Level Influence as an IRO, with Directors Katherine Fennell, Guy Bates and Tom Climie also in attendance.   Three themes stood out:   • Board engagement matters – closer IRO relationships with Chairs and NEDs are becoming critical as scrutiny increases. • London in global context – IPO slowdowns are global, but strong links between IR, Corporate Affairs, and high-quality governance position London well. • Critical judgement and experience over AI – AI can improve efficiency and insight but not experience. Seasoned IROs will benefit most from its application, giving them more freedom to invest in the strategic, critical work.   These shifts point to a more integrated future for IR and Communications, with alignment around governance, narrative and strategy becoming increasingly important.