Evolving IR strategy for a dynamic Philippines market (Part 2)

Building on the foundational principles of leadership, transparency and market confidence explored in Part 1, Part 2 delves into the practical strategies and evolving skills demanded of Investor Relations (IR) professionals in the Philippines’ dynamic capital market, as discussed at the SharePHIL Investor Relations Forum.

IR as salesmanship and strategy

In the forum, Saavedra cited the two important skill sets that good investor relations must demonstrate.

“First, you need to have the financial know-how. Of course, you have to understand the business financials and also the basic operation of your business.The second is the stakeholder management, stakeholder relations. You have to be very good at that,” said Saavedra.

“So remember, IR is like a salesman wherein the product you’re selling is the company itself. Having someone who can represent the company by investing relationships with the investors, continuing going out, and then explaining to the investors because selling a company or a product is not like selling one apple in the market within one hour. It takes years, so relationship building is very important, it’s long-playing.”

Saavedra believes IR professionals should know their investors as well as marketers know their customers.

“Different types of investors will have different strategies, but in the end, you have to use your salesmanship skills,” he said.

For strategic investors, as he also mentioned in his speech, a rifle approach works best: “try to understand their portfolio, their mandate, their objective.”

This strategic adaptability is even more urgent now.

“The market has shifted, 180 degrees turn,” Saavedra said, referring to the flight of foreign investors and heightened interest rate sensitivity.

“You need to understand the market and kung ano ‘yung trend ng tao, and then you have to shift your company to be able to attract those investors in the current situation.”

Redefining the role of IR

Meanwhile, in her speech, Go brought a global lens to the forum, having seen the rise of investor relations as a professional discipline over the past three decades at UBS.

“At the very core, what could probably build a successful IR career is a mindset that you have to think not just with the support of the company because believe it or not, a lot of investors want very strong communication with the IR community, regardless of industry, company, or market size,” she said.

Go explained that investor relations is a two-way street, where building trust and respect between the companies and the investors is crucial.

In addition, she said that investor relations is no longer just about relaying on corporate updates.

“Many times I speak to IR, they tell me, “I’m going to field you the big investor in front of you.” And they say, “but I’m just IR.’ That’s the wrong attitude. You’ve got to say, ‘I am the IR. What I say is what the company tells me and I command respect.’ So that’s one,” said Go.

She identified three qualities that make IR professionals stand out: “First, build trust and respect. Second, have interest in what you do… Third, passion… That passion is hard to define, but at the end of the day, it differentiates what makes a good IR and not.”

Listening, not just reporting

Go continued that in today’s digital environment, investors already have access to financials. What they want is clarity, honesty and insight.

“Your results season for instance, everything is available,” Go said. “What you want to do is focus on the key messages every quarter… not just going through the motions.”

She cautioned against being overly defensive or repetitive.

“Sometimes, it comes out to be too defensive… that’s not the information gap, but maybe the pitfalls of what IRs shouldn’t be doing.”

Crucially, alignment with management matters.

“The bottom line is you’ve got to make the IR people aligned with the company,” she said.

“If there is a gap between what the company knows and what the company wants their investors to know versus what the markets know, then that’s an IR role.”

Engaging retail investors and promoting market trust

Go also emphasized the growing importance of retail investors, urging IR professionals to connect with them more deliberately.

“We’ve started to tell a lot of IRs to go out and share the story with the retail people because a robust retail market is needed to get the foreigners in,” said Go.

She stated that crypto accounts still outnumber stock brokerage accounts in the Philippines — a sign of how accessibility and quick gains influence behaviour.

“Why? Because in crypto, you can make money easily. That’s something that you as an IR community can help change,” she said.

Meanwhile, Saavedra mentioned that the role of the CEO is to change the strategy by adjusting fixed yield income depending on market reaction.

He also underscored the need for government support as key to building trust in the Philippine market.

“If you don’t promote, no matter how good your product is, no one will know. You have to have a good product, but we all know in the Philippines that we have good products. The problem is why are investors not coming here? Promotion is really important,” said Saavedra.

Echoing Saavedra’s sentiments, Go pointed to the Capital Market Reform Bill as an opportunity for stakeholders to reset the narrative.

“I think what this is going to do is open up the market to a new set of investors who consider transaction costs in the Philippines high. At the same time, it also opens up an opportunity for the local investors,” said Go.

Building a culture of confidence

The forum made it clear that investor relations is no longer just about reporting numbers; it’s about building long-term trust, understanding shifting investor behavior and adapting to an increasingly complex market environment.

With changing investor appetites, rising retail participation and a need for sharper policy support, both company leaders and IR professionals face a shared responsibility: to foster a culture of transparency and resilience.

As global and local dynamics continue to reshape the capital landscape, the path forward will rely on meaningful engagement, grounded leadership and a collective push toward a more confident, better-informed investment community.

******

To learn more about SharePHIL, visit https://sharephil.org/