*Agenda subject to change; All times in local time. Additional details and speakers to be announced shortly!
Wednesday, December 3
| 5:30-8:00 pm | Welcome Reception and Dinner |
Thursday, December 4
| 8:00 – 8:45am | Breakfast and Welcome Remarks |
| 8:45 – 9:45am | Macro Currents: What’s Shaping Global Markets Now Ronald Temple, Lazard’s Chief Market Strategist, will unpack the latest economic data and offers expert insights on the macroeconomic and geopolitical trends driving today’s global markets. This session will help senior IR professionals sharpen their strategic outlook with a clearer understanding of the forces influencing market dynamics and investor behavior. Speaker: Ron Temple, Chief Market Strategist, Lazard |
| 9:45 – 10:00am | Break |
| 10:00 – 11:15am | Connecting Capital Markets to Corporate Vision: Embedding Investor Relations into Corporate Strategy Organizations are increasingly utilizing investor relations as a strategic asset. This session explores how IR leaders can play a pivotal role in shaping and executing corporate strategy by integrating investor relations into strategic actions. Attendees will gain insights into how companies are integrating IR into strategic planning, enhancing transparency, and building investor confidence. Through an expert panel, we’ll examine how proactive, strategic IR can influence capital allocation, ESG priorities, and competitive positioning. The panel will be followed by small-group discussions. Speakers: Stephanie Wissink, Head of IR, Walmart Yijing Brentano, Head of Investor Relations, UL Solutions Additional speakers to be announced |
| 11:15am – 12:15pm | Landing a Corporate Board Position In her book, Landing a Corporate Board Position, Carla Mashinki’s invaluable guide to landing a board role offers the encouragement, candor, and trustworthy insights you would expect from your closest friend—provided that friend happens to be an expert on how to realize your dream of becoming a director. Carla has had an extensive career in the corporate world for over thirty-five years. She earned an executive MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas and a BS in accounting with high honors from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She is a certified public accountant in the state of Texas, a certified management accountant, a project management professional (PMP), and is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship Certified™. She was recognized by WomenInc. in 2019 as one of the “Most Influential Corporate Board Directors” and in 2020 she was recognized as one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Oil and Gas” by the National Diversity Council. She was awarded a 2020 Breakthrough Award from the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Speaker: Carla Mashinski, Independent Board Member and Author |
| 12:15 – 1:30pm | Lunch |
| 1:30 – 2:45pm | Applications of Generative AI Small group, roundtable format where participants can share experiences, use cases, and lessons learned. |
| 2:45 – 3:00pm | Break |
| 3:00 – 4:00pm | Market Structure: What Seasoned Professionals Need to Know Speakers: Tim Quast, President, ModernIR Jeff Illian, Chief Technology Officer, Virtus Investment Patrick Davidson, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Oshkosh Corporation (moderator) |
| 6:00 – 9:00pm | Reception and Dinner |
Friday, December 5
| 8:00 – 8:45am | Breakfast and Opening Remarks |
| 8:45 – 10:00am | Navigating Corporate Access and Targeting High Quality Investors Accessing long horizon investors has become more challenging for the IRO. Active management as a percent of total assets continues to decline, the sell side is focused on commission paying long / short investors and deemphasizing long-term, low turnover investors, and there are varying approaches from buy side investor access teams. At the same time, hedge fund assets have reached an all-time high. Now is the time to revisit IR practitioners’ approach to hedge funds, to differentiate among them, and to target them more effectively. This panel will look at IR best practices for effectively engaging with long term investors and optimally managing the growing ranks of hedge fund investor. The panel will be followed by small-group discussions. Speaker: Lisa Rubinger, Head of Broker and Corporate Relations, Ashler Capital Lance Spacek, Head of Corporate Access, Wells Fargo Shari Bento, Head of Corporate Access and the Investment Group Resource Management Team, Capital Group John Sweeney, CFA, Vice President, Investor Relations, West Pharmaceutical Services (moderator) |
| 10:00 – 10:15am | Break |
| 10:15 – 11:15am | Gaining the Upper Hand: The Art and Science of Influence While “influence” is a common term, most people only understand it at a surface level. This shallow understanding limits effectiveness. To influence effectively, we need to understand how people make decisions. This presentation will introduce five core truths about human behavior, represented by the principles of The Upper Hand—a behavioral science framework for dignified, effective influence. Each principle is symbolized by a digit of the hand, emphasizing that while each can work alone, they are most powerful together. This framework will equip the audience with tools to build trust, grounded in the psychology of decision-making and mindful of both universal and cultural factors. Speakers: Dr. Abbie Maroño, Author & Director of Education, Social-Engineer, LLC |
| 11:15 – 12:30 pm | The Role of Sound Governance During Times of Disruption Speakers: Selena LaCroix, Board Member, Renesas Electronics; Vice Chair, Technology Practice, Korn Ferry Amy Feng, Chair of the Board, Whitestone REIT; Executive Vice President, Strategic Situations and Investor Relations, Edelman Smithfield Peter McDermott, Senior Client Partner, Global Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations, Korn Ferry (moderator) |
| 12:30 – 1:30pm | Closing Lunch |
| 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.