Investor Relations Overview
Due to the globalization of financial markets and the increasingly demanding legal and regulatory obligations being imposed on companies, Boursa Kuwait has initiated steps in activating the role of Investor Relations (IR) using international best practices to create awareness and understanding of such practices among its investor community.
As an organization that strives to advance a sustainable capital markets ecosystem in Kuwait, Boursa Kuwait has long recognized the importance of such a function to establish and maintain meaningful relationships between the various capital market participants, which include listed companies, institutional investors, private investors, analysts, and the general public.
Boursa Kuwait has undertaken several initiatives to raise awareness of the many benefits of a robust IR function among businesses in Kuwait. Over the last few years, the company has intensified such efforts to promote IR practices in response to the growth of the issuer and depth of investor base that came as a result of its extensive market developments and plans, as well as Kuwait’s inclusion and upgrade in major global indices.
Boursa Kuwait’s continuous roadshows and participation in international conferences, in collaboration with the Capital Markets Authority and the Kuwait Clearing Company, aim at promoting the bourse and Kuwait’s capital market by attracting international market participants including asset management firms and investors. They are also aimed at improving the market’s liquidity, issuer base diversification, and increase investors’ trust in the local market. Since 2018, the company has organized several roadshows in collaboration with internationally renowned investment firms.
In addition, Boursa Kuwait has successfully conducted several Corporate Days in collaboration with leading multinational financial services firms. Such events allow listed companies to present their business developments and outlook to international investors. They also aim at promoting local corporations to regional and international asset managers by elevating the standards of local IR functions through transparency and attracting foreign inflows into Boursa Kuwait.
Moreover, Boursa Kuwait organized various Investor Relations seminars in collaboration with the Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) and its Kuwait Chapter. These events attracted IR practitioners from companies listed on Boursa Kuwait and highlighted the growing importance of the IR function in Kuwait’s increasingly dynamic market. Boursa Kuwait has recently added a tailored IR section to its website to better organize its profile for market participants.
Additionally, it should be noted that Boursa Kuwait has updated its Rulebook and stipulated in its listing rules that companies listed in the “Premier” Market are obligated to allocate a unit or a department - according to their organizational structure - that is responsible for investor relations, requiring quarterly analyst conferences to be conducted in a timely manner to ease the flow of information for investors of these companies. Such conferences have created positive impacts on companies from research and exposure perspectives.
For more information about Boursa Kuwait's Investor Relations Department, please contact Fahad Al-Besher, Investor Relations Director, at FAlbesher@boursakuwait.com.kw or ir@boursakuwait.com.kw.
