London, 12 June 2017

IR Society to launch new Diploma in Investor Relations at Annual Conference on June 20, 2017

The Investor Relations Society will launch The Diploma in Investor Relations (DipIR), a new senior level professional qualification, at its Annual Conference in London on Tuesday 20 June.

The DipIR is specifically designed for experienced senior level IR professionals. Developed by expert practitioners drawn from the worlds of IR, consulting and banking, as well as leading companies and educational organisations, the DipIR will equip delegates with the skills, tools and expertise they need to become leaders in our profession.

Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and experience in three main disciplines: Principles of IR; IR Practice; and Ethics. Within each discipline, candidates will have to reflect the wide range of competencies required for a senior level role in IR and corporate leadership, including technical and communications skills, personal attributes, and strategic and leadership qualities.

The DipIR will build on and complement the existing Certificate in IR (CIR) and DELIVER (Developing Future Leaders through IR) leadership programme.

David Lloyd-Seed, chair of the IR Society, said: 'The new Diploma in Investor Relations reflects the vitally important contribution IR makes to companies and shareholders, as well as the increasingly senior executive position it now holds at listed companies. We expect the Diploma in IR to become the de facto qualification for anyone looking to reach the most senior levels of our profession.'

Sue Scholes, former chair of the IR Society and architect of the Diploma, added: 'The Diploma in IR provides a unique higher-level benchmark qualification for those building a career in and through IR, as well as a useful and important tool for companies looking to develop their own IR departments.'

Ross Hawley, chair of the IR Society Education Committee, added: 'Our Certificate in IR has successfully run for over a decade, with more than 1,200 graduates, and is now recognised as the benchmark for entry into the IR industry. The new senior level Diploma in IR qualification launched today builds on this success and will provide a thorough examination of the breadth of delegates understanding and knowledge, both in terms of the principles and the practice of IR.'

More information and details on how to register for the Diploma programme will be made available on the IR Society website following its launch on Tuesday 20 June at the Annual Conference.

For more information contact:

John Gollifer, General Manager, The IR Society
+44 20 7379 1763 or john.gollifer@irs.org.uk

Laura Hayter, Head of Policy & Communications, The IR Society
+44 20 7379 1763 or laura.hayter@irs.org.uk

Jan Kelly, Head of Professional Development, The IR Society
+44 20 7379 1763 or janet.kelly @irs.org.uk

Notes for editors:

About The Investor Relations Society
The Investor Relations Society (IR Society) is a membership organisation that exists to promote best practice investor relations in the UK and beyond. It is run by IR professionals for IR professionals. Established in 1980, the IR Society's mission is to promote best practice in investor relations; to support the professional development of its members; to represent their views to regulatory bodies, the investment community and government; and to act as a forum for issuers and the investment community.

The Society has over 800 members from the UK, Europe and beyond, including representatives from most of the FTSE 100, a large number of FTSE 250 companies and a number of AIM and smaller companies as well as IR advisers and service providers. For more information visit www.irs.org.uk or connect with us on Twitter (@IRSocietyUK) or LinkedIn