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Investor Relations Is About Both Numbers And Stories
March 2026
Elizabeth Chu, General Manager, Singapore
The globalisation of capital markets has made it necessary for companies to compete for investment dollars on an international stage.
In Singapore, for instance, DBS’s comparable peers are not confined to UOB and OCBC. The bank will need to demonstrate how its growth prospects compare with the likes of BOC, Hang Seng Bank and even HSBC.
To do so, large companies such as DBS can typically lean on sizeable investor relations teams with significant experience.
Smaller companies, however, may struggle to find the resources to invest in internal investor relations capabilities.
Over time, this lack of investment has contributed to a valuation gap for some high-quality Singapore Exchange (SGX)-listed companies.
Bridging this gap requires more than just strong fundamentals; it requires a proactive, sophisticated approach to how a company’s story is told to the investment community.
Strategic investor relations
To help Singapore-listed companies strengthen their investor engagement and sharpen their focus on shareholder value creation, SGX and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have launched a strategic initiative called Value Unlock. Sandpiper was selected as one of only five investor relations consultancies to join the Value Unlock panel.
This initiative offers co-funding to companies for elements such as reviewing their business strategies and developing their equity stories.
The message to companies is clear: Move past compliance and on to active engagement.
To be successful in their outreach, companies should regularly review their investor relations programmes and build connections with market participants.
They need to understand their shareholder registers, pursue diversification and tailor their programmes to meet the different needs of each shareholder group.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is changing how investors research companies and make investment decisions. Companies must therefore shift from time-bound and reactive reporting to proactive and digital-first storytelling.
Leadership and media readiness
In addition to building their investor relations infrastructure, companies must ensure their C-suite executives are equipped to relay the investment narrative.
High-impact equity stories come from well-prepared leaders. It is only by delivering a message with clarity and conviction that executives can ensure the message resonates with global financial media and institutional platforms.
Reporters and editors are looking for stories that capture eyeballs and attention. They must do so to compete with new media, social media and the wide array of content available online.
Media playbooks that worked in the past must be adapted, and investor relations teams must prepare themselves and their executives to work differently and test new angles and media tactics.
Modernising your IR strategy
As companies consider how to shape their investor relations programmes, here are three tips for success.
- Promote transparency – In an era of instant information, transparency is your most valuable asset. Companies that provide high clarity often trade at a premium. In this period of heightened geopolitical volatility, it is particularly important to communicate how you are responding to risks such as higher inflation or supply chain issues.
- Segment your speech – Be prepared to communicate differently to different groups of investors. Institutional investors may want data they can download and then upload into their own models. Retail investors may prefer images or infographics that present information in an easy-to-digest format.
- Build relationships in the room – Amid the digital shift, you can stand out with in-the-room relationship building. This is especially relevant to smaller companies. To maximise limited resources, emphasise quality over quantity. Focus on high-value, in-person site visits or investor days led by the CEO or other business heads. Provide investors with board access so they can hear directly from directors on matters such as governance, succession planning and risk management.
With the encouragement of both MAS and SGX, it is time for the modern investor relations officer to do things differently.
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