China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited Crowned Overall Best IR Company (Large Cap)
Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) today announced the winners of the 9th Investor Relations Awards 2023 (the IR Awards or the Awards).
In its ninth consecutive year, the Awards recognises and honours investor relations (“IR”) excellence and best practices among Hong Kong listed companies and IR professionals. With the post-pandemic era, the Investor Relations Awards Conference and Awards Ceremony have been fully resumed this year, with IR experts and professionals invited to join discussions sharing their different perspectives on strategies, latest trends, effective processes and best practices of investor relations. HKIRA was particularly honoured to have Mr Joseph Chan, JP, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, as the guest of honour and keynote speaker at the Awards Presentation Ceremony.
The 9th IR Awards 2023 had widespread support from listed companies and the investment sector. There were a total of 126 companies participated in the Awards this year. As in previous years, the award winners were first nominated by the public, then selected via online polling by qualified voters among buy-side and sell-side investors. More than 740 investors from over 290 financial institutions voted this year. The continued support is proof of the recognition the IR Awards enjoys in the investor community. With investor relations gaining emphasis in the industry, HKIRA has kept striving to enhance the standard of IR excellence in Hong Kong by optimising the award mechanism to make sure of the quality of the awards.
Mr Joseph Chan, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said, “Investor relations plays an important role in the development of Hong Kong’s capital market. Through transparency, credibility, and effective communication, IR professionals help ensure investor confidence, hence maintain Hong Kong’s position as a premier fundraising platform.”
Of all the award categories, “Overall Best IR Company” is the most prestigious as the winner is selected by the judging panel among the winners of all the award categories for demonstrating all-round exemplary performance in investor relations. This year, the winners of Overall Best IR Company by company size – Large Cap and Mid Cap – are China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited and Xtep International Holdings Limited. The Judging Panel concurred to withhold the Overall Best IR Company Award for Small Cap and looked forward to ongoing efforts in the adoption of IR best practices by Small Cap companies and the listed companies in Hong Kong as a whole.”
Dr Eva Chan, Founding Chairman of HKIRA, said, “As the post-pandemic era dawns upon us, we are thrilled to be graced with the unwavering support and personal attendance of our member companies, investor relations experts, and valued friends from the investment community. Coming together to share insights on the best practices and the intricacies of investor relations is a great source of joy for us. We truly believe that this gathering holds significant meaning for us all, and we envision it as the beginning of a new chapter that we can co-create and cherish together.”
“In the past year, the lackluster performance of the capital markets took a toll on the share values of publicly traded companies, dampening their enthusiasm to vie for the IR Award. Consequently, the number of contenders competing for the IR Award this year has declined by 18% compared to the previous year. To uphold the standard of the IR Award, the panel judge has decided to reduce the number of awards this year. With the waning interest of US and European investors in Hong Kong’s stock market, the listed companies have to diversify their shareholders’ base by continuing communications with investors all over the world. This year, there is a need to further enhance the interaction between companies and investors in the capital market, and increase its capacity to support the long-term development of Hong Kong’s listed companies in both local and global capital markets.”
Strategic Public Relations Group is again proud to be the Official Public Relations Partner and Diamond Sponsor of HKIRA IR Awards 2023.
Winners of the 9th IR Awards include the following companies (in sequential order of tickers):
Tickers Company
1 CK Hutchison Holdings Limited
14 Hysan Development Company Limited
17 New World Development Company Limited
35 Far East Consortium International Limited
101 Hang Lung Properties Limited
135 Kunlun Energy Company Limited
173 K. Wah International Holdings Limited
178 Sa Sa International Holdings Limited
272 Shui On Land Limited
291 China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited
331 FSE Lifestyle Services Limited
388 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
405 Yuexiu Real Estate Investment Trust
435 Sunlight Real Estate Investment Trust
511 Television Broadcasts Limited
517 COSCO SHIPPING International (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd.
551 Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Limited
659 NWS Holdings Limited
700 Tencent Holdings Limited
726 DIT Group Limited
778 Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust
823 Link Real Estate Investment Trust
887 Emperor Watch & Jewellery Limited
1044 Hengan International Group Company Limited
1070 TCL Electronics Holdings Limited
1200 Midland Holdings Limited
1361 361 Degrees International Limited
1368 Xtep International Holdings Limited
1810 Xiaomi Corporation
1811 CGN New Energy Holdings Co., Ltd.
1830 Perfect Medical Health Management Limited
1929 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited
2020 ANTA Sports Products Limited
2191 SF Real Estate Investment Trust
2199 Regina Miracle International (Holdings) Limited
2313 Shenzhou International Group Holdings Limited
2778 Champion Real Estate Investment Trust
3800 GCL Technology Holdings Limited
3998 Bosideng International Holdings Limited
6110 Topsports International Holdings Limited
6909 BetterLife Holding Limited
For the complete list of winners, please visit: https://hkira.com/awards/ehall2023.php.
Judging Panel
— Professor Louis Cheng (Chairman of Judging Panel)
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong – Dr. S H Ho Professor of Banking and Finance, Director of Research Institute for Business, Director of the Research Centre for ESG
— Dato’ Seri CHEAH Cheng Hye MAoF
Value Partners Group – Co-Chairman And Co-Chief Investment Officer
— Mrs. Amy Donati
EDICO Holdings Limited – Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
— Ms. Ashley Khoo, CFA, CPA
CFA Society Hong Kong – Past President and Board Director
— Mr Stephen Law
Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants – Council Member
— Mr. Andrew Look
CITIC Resources Holdings Limited – Independent Non-Executive Director
— Ms. Victoria Mio, CFA, FRM
FIL Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited – Director, Asia Pacific Equity
— Mr. Maurice Ngai
General Committee and the Chairman of Membership Services of the Sub-Committees
Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies
About HKIRA
Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is a non-profit professional association comprising investor relations practitioners and corporate officers responsible for communication between corporate management and the investment community. HKIRA advocates the setting of international standards in IR education, advances the best IR practices and meets the professional development needs of those interested in pursuing the investor relations profession.
HKIRA is dedicated to advancing the practice of IR as well as the professional competency and status of its members. To date, HKIRA has over 1,300 members most of whom are working for companies primarily listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. About 64% of the Hang Seng Index Constituent Stock companies are currently members of HKIRA. HKIRA’s members are from a wide spectrum of professions including IR, finance, accounting, company secretarial to corporate investment and hold positions at different corporate levels, including top executives responsible for IR and management of listed companies. For more information about HKIRA details, please visit our website http://www.hkira.com.
About the IR Awards
The HKIRA Investor Relations Awards (the “IR Awards”) is an annual campaign that aims to encourage, recognize and reward the excellence in investor relations practices by individuals and companies listed in Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Since the launch in 2015, each year the Awards seeks out and highlights the incredible achievements of individuals and companies with high standards in investor relations through their role modelling to the investment community.
The Awards ceremony, consisting of a conference in the morning and presentation in the afternoon, is a spectacular gathering of IR specialists and industry professionals that applauds and publicizes the year’s achievements in investor relations. For details of the Awards and online nominations, please visit http://www.hkira.com/awards.
Media enquiries:
Strategic Public Relations Group
Cindy Lung Tel: +852 2864 4867 Email: cindy.lung@sprg.com.hk
Holly Szeto Tel: +852 2864 4859 Email: holly.szeto@sprg.com.hk
Michelle Shiu Tel: +852 2864 4861 Email: michelle.shiu@sprg.com.hk
Website: www.sprg.asia
Hong Kong Investor Relations Association
Hamon Lau Tel: +852 2117 1846 Email: irawards@hkira.com
Website: www.hkira.com