Strategic Financial And Investor Communication

In today's aggressive marketplace, listed companies can no longer rely on their numbers to do the talking. If companies can't communicate their achievements and strategy, mounting research evidence suggests, they will be overlooked, their cost of capital will increase and stock price will suffer. In Strategic Financial and Investor Communication: the stock price story Ian Westbrook, principal of Australia's leading independent financial communications firm, argues just this: stock price is more a story than a number. Moreover, the book will teach you how to tell your own story by guiding you through the fast-paced world of financial corporate communication with a professional's pragmatism as well as academic rigour. Whether you're a student or a professional of PR, investor relations or corporate communications, this much-needed guide will teach you how to tell a compelling story about your company that the stockbroker, fund manager and corporate media cannot ignore. Review: 'In this new work on the vital linkage between communication and stock market price Ian Westbrook challenges a number of old assumptions and provides clear evidence that the future for corporate investment lies in the vertical integration of communication throughout the firm. It is at once a good read and a significant contribution to the theory and practice of financial communication. Mr Westbrook has taken a considered approach to the vexed issue of how, why and when CEOs should engage with stakeholders: he provides timely advice on dealing with provocateurs such as news media, citizen journalists and activist investors. His description of 'proxy fights' in which corporations allow others, particularly media, to become leading actors is engaging while the case studies he has chosen provide a well-balanced complement to the processes and theories set out in a highly readable narrative. This book should be a 'must read' for everyone in the corporate world, or as Mr Westbrook argues, engaged in the corporate 'stakeholder' world rather than the 'shareholder' world.' - Dr Richard Stanton, Department of Media Communications, The University of Sydney, Australia 'Westbrook is most instructive and current with best practice and thinking as regards navigating the capital markets. He stresses an understanding of both non-financial and basic elements of the value mosaic and is realistic in his theses, which are well resourced in academic study. Westbrook recognizes that factual information and comparative metrics only tell part of the story...colour counts. He underscores the importance of communicating with one voice and in a timely manner. This text is for the serious student of capital and value formation. Westbrook digs deep into the underlayment of the art and presents a strong case for his conclusions. This book is a standard-setter for IROs, with valuable lessons.' - Robert D. Ferris, Chair, Capital Markets Practice, RF Binder Partners 'This outstanding book will be a great resource for students, scholars, and practitioners as it combines solid theoretical background with very practical and current examples from the world of financial communications and investor relations.' - Alexander V. Laskin, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Public Relations, Quinnipiac University, USA