*Agenda subject to change; All times in local time. Additional details and speakers to be announced shortly!
Wednesday, December 4
| 5:30-8:00 pm | Welcome Reception and Dinner |
Thursday, December 5
| 8:00-8:45 am | Breakfast |
| 8:45-9:00 am | Welcome |
| 9:00-10:00 am | Staying Ahead and Shifting Gears: Remaining Agile in the Evolving Investor Landscape The rate of change in the investor ecosystem is accelerating. As the proportion of assets under active management continues to decline, index funds, ETFs and other forms of passive investments are becoming a larger part of the investor universe. New technologies, including AI and sentiment analysis are changing how the buy-side and sell-side do their research and analysis. And at the same time, technology is blurring the lines between traditional active and passive investing styles. These changes impact how we execute our IR programs and our strategy. This panel discussion takes you through this rapidly changing investor landscape and seeks to answer: what does this mean for the senior IRO? Speakers: Michael Micciche, Vice President, Investor Relations, Progress Software Lance Spacek, Managing Director, Wells Fargo Securities Kevin Roy, Managing Director of Issuer Solutions, S&P Global Market Intelligence John Sweeney, CFA, VP of Investor Relations, West Pharmaceutical Services (co-moderator) Karen Bergman, Investor Relations (co-moderator) |
| 10:00-10:30 am | Break |
| 10:30-11:30 am | Shareholder Activism: What’s New in 2024 Shareholder Activist campaigns reached a new high in the first half of 2024. These campaigns include a mix of established and new activists, across market caps and geographies. IR is on the front line for first and ongoing interaction with shareholder activists. Learn firsthand from an activist shareholder on how to constructively engage with activists and better understand how to drive mutually beneficial outcomes. Speakers: Steven K. Barg, Global Head of Engagement, Elliott Investment Management L.P. Matthew Sherman, President, Joele Frank (moderator) |
| 11:30 am -1:00 pm | Networking Lunch |
| 1:00-2:00 pm | Impact of the 2024 Presidential and Congressional Elections Join us for a panel that includes a top political consultant and NIRI’s own Niels Hoch, to discuss how the 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections will impact the economy, political environment, and Investor Relations. Speakers: Niels Holch, Partner, Holch & Erickson LLP Stephen Puetz, Partner, Axiom Strategies Christina Kmetko, CPA, IRC, President, Evergreen Consulting & Associates, LLC (moderator) |
| 2:00-3:00 pm | Assessing Global Impact: Navigating Economic Shifts and US-China Relations In this session, we’ll gain a deeper understanding of the critical role China plays in the global economy and its far-reaching impact on the US, Asia, and the rest of the world. We will address pressing issues like protectionism, tariffs, and the collaborative efforts required between China, the US, and other global powers to address long-term challenges, including peace and stability. Speaker: Susan Shirk, PhD Research Professor, Director Emeritus, 21st Century China Center, UC San Diego Daniel Briggs, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Las Vegas Sands Corp. |
| 3:00-3:20 pm | Break |
| 3:20-4:45 pm | The Many Hats of the IRO: Juggling Your Multifaceted Role Join us for a lively, moderated panel and table discussions including a panel of senior financial, strategy, communications and ESG experts, who also lead the investor relations programs at their companies. Wearing multiple hats presents its own list of challenges and opportunities. Listen to what it takes to lead multiple departments and learn how to expand your role at your company. This expert panel will be followed by interactive, small-group roundtable discussions Speakers: Raj Mehan, IRC, Vice President Finance & Treasurer, Steelcase Inc. Friederike Edelmann, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Sustainability, Central Garden & Pet Company Wendy Wilson, Investor & Stakeholder Communications, ResMed Inc. Christina Kmetko, CPA, IRC, President, Evergreen Consulting & Associates, LLC Patrick Davidson, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Oshkosh Corporation (moderator) |
| 5:30-8:00 pm | Reception and Dinner |
Friday, December 6
| 8:00-8:30 am | Breakfast |
| 8:30-8:45 am | Opening Remarks – Passing the Torch to the 2025 SRT Chair |
| 8:45-9:45 am | Stock Market Outlook: The Roaring 20s Top investment strategist Ed Yardeni will discuss how AI-driven productivity growth will power S&P 500 Earnings and drive stock market values higher in the years ahead. Speaker: Dr. Edward Yardeni, President, Yardeni Research, Inc. |
| 9:45-10:00 am | Break |
| 10:00-11:00 am | Navigating AI Integration: Strategies to Elevate Your IR Activities Join us for an engaging discussion with top IR professionals and AI experts as they explore how to effectively integrate AI solutions into your workflow. Discover best practices, tackle implementation challenges, and uncover opportunities to enhance and transform your IR activities with cutting-edge technology. Speakers: Andrea Yoder Clark, AI Solutions Lead, Accenture On-Demand Training Gerald Garvey, Managing Director, BlackRock Ian Thomas, Vice President of Technology & Business Integration, ResMed Cheryl Goodman, CEO, FindGood.tech |
| 11:00 am-12:30 pm | Roundtable Discussions – What’s on Your Mind? SRT members have the opportunity to discuss key trends and topics of interest in small-group breakouts, sharing insights, tips, best practices and lessons learned. Attendees will share and learn with each other, as well as develop and strengthen their professional networks. |
| 12:30 pm | Closing Remarks |
| 12:30-1:30 pm | Networking Lunch |
IRC credential holders can claim up to 6 professional development units (PDUs) for participating in this program. IRC-credentialed volunteers and speakers may also earn PDUs.