Every now and then it’s gratifying to see an IR-centric story spill out into the mainstream press. Last week, I opened a copy of The Times to read that the bosses of large US firms are increasingly looking to project a cuddly public persona via LinkedIn.
The London-based paper reports that the trend is starting to catch on among British executives, who have been coached by their PR teams to post more authentic, smartphone-shot clips to create a deeper connection with investors.
Of course, had the Times’ reporters been IR Magazine subscribers they would have read that this is nothing new for IR teams, as my colleague Tim Human found earlier this year. But it’s a timely reminder of the power – and potential danger – of harnessing this platform for shareholder communications.
The trend is becoming entrenched on both sides of the capital markets, too. One of the most popular creators is Jon Gray, COO and president of US investment firm Blackstone, whose ‘walk and talk’-style videos have attracted a lot of eyeballs online: a recent post-earnings video racked up 4,400 likes on LinkedIn. Clearly the format works, or perhaps it’s all down to Gray’s secret consultant – his dog, Luna.
Personally, I know the value of posting a video with a cute canine companion on LinkedIn. And plenty of other bosses are waking up to the idea that even when presenting your unexciting quarterly results, having a rounded human presence can help the message connect with any audience, even investors.
Take, for example, Debra Crew, chief executive of Diageo. She directly addresses her online audience in a series of videos from the UK drinks maker, something that has particularly resonated with viewers after the sudden death of her predecessor Sir Ivan Menezes, a much-beloved figure in the industry and media.
IR teams should look no further than pioneering German issuers Fresenius and DHL Group. Both have a consistently polished but warm presence on the social network, sharing video and customized text around results or other big events. Other firms doing interesting things with dedicated LinkedIn accounts just for their IR teams include SAP, Vienna Insurance Group and Deutsche Telekom.
Martin Ziegenbalg, head of IR at DHL Group says it’s a great channel for building investor relationships due to the focused nature of other material found there. ‘I found it useful in the way it deals with professional content of different sorts… and [also liked] the fantastic absence of any cat or food photographs,’ he notes.
Perhaps it’s worth checking that your C-suite is ready to be unleashed on the general public, however. Many readers will recall the incident last year where Utah-based media firm Clearlink saw a video featuring CEO James Clarke go viral after he appeared to praise a worker who sold the family dog after the company enacted a blanket order for staff to return to the office.
The incident resulted in widespread criticism of Clarke and Clearlink, and a rethink for the boss. ‘I’m different today,’ he told Forbes in an interview earlier this year. ‘I hope I’m an ‘evolved CEO’ adapted to this new day.’
As in all things, balance is crucial. Are you tempted to unleash your CEO on your LinkedIn audience? Or have you already done so? Let us know if you have, either via LinkedIn or on [email protected].
Laurie Havelock
Laurie has been part of the IR Magazine team for more than a decade, starting out as a reporter and research editor before becoming editor in 2023. He was previously acting business editor at the i newspaper and deputy business editor at The Daily...
