Conference Committee

Download Conference Committee Terms of Reference

Head of Investor Relations, Inchcape

Rob Gurner

Head of Investor Relations, Inchcape

Chair of the Conference Committee

Rob joined Inchcape plc, the leading global automotive distributor, as Head of IR in April 2023, have previously been at Plus500, a global fintech group, which he joined in May 2020. Prior to that, Rob spent 3 years as Head of IR at Inmarsat plc, a satellite operator, before which he was Head of Global Investor relations for Tokyo-listed Dentsu Inc, following their acquisition of Aegis plc in 2013, where was Head of IR. Before that, Rob had senior IR roles for Lonmin Plc, a platinum mining business, and G4S plc, a security services company. Before moving into in-house IR, Rob worked for a number of financial communications consultancies, including FTI and Gavin Anderson.

Marina Calero

Marina heads up the investor relations function at McCarthy & Stone, UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities. Marina oversees all communications with the market during the transformation period as part of the new strategy. With nearly 20 years’ experience in investor and media relations both in-house and in advisory to pre-IPO, newly listed and established companies, Marina has extensive capital markets experience advising on over 35 transactions across 10 countries – raising £42bn. Marina also heads up the IR team at Powerscourt, providing range of services from financial calendar to equity story development, expectation management, consensus analytics, coaching and profile raising to a broad range of corporate clients.

Head of Marketing & Operations, IR Society

Robert Dann

Head of Marketing & Operations, IR Society

Rob joined the IR Society in January 2012 as head of marketing, with responsibility for the society’s marketing and sponsorship programme. In 2014 Rob’s role developed to incorporate all of the society’s membership activities, including member recruitment and retention and the identification of potential new member groups. In 2019 the roles further expanded to incorporate internal processes and operations. Prior to moving into IR Rob had previously worked in marketing roles across a number of sectors, most recently as group head online for an international media company.

MD / Head of EMEA Corporate Access, Goldman Sachs

James Fitzsimmons

MD / Head of EMEA Corporate Access, Goldman Sachs

James is the head of the EMEA Corporate Access team. Previously, he worked on the Equity Research Sales desk as an analyst selling Pan European equities to UK institutions for two years. Prior to that, James worked in the Federation for two years. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1999 and was named managing director in 2012.

James earned a BA in Economics and Politics from the University of Exeter in 1998.

Vice Chairman, UK Investment Banking, UBS

Matt Hall

Vice Chairman, UK Investment Banking, UBS

Matt is Vice Chairman of UK Investment Banking at UBS (formerly Credit Suisse). Matt rejoined Credit Suisse as Co-Head of UK Investment Banking and Corporate Broking in 2021, having spent the previous 10 years at Deutsche Bank where he ran the Corporate Broking business. Matt’s current clients include CCH, Intertek and Rio Tinto and over the last 25 years in the broking industry, he has advised the likes of Barratt Developments, Carphone Warehouse, BAT, Diageo, IAG, ITV, RB, Stagecoach and Talktalk. Matt started his career at Credit Suisse in 1997.

Director, Anna Hartropp Ltd

Anna Hartropp

Director, Anna Hartropp Ltd

Anna runs a specialist investor relations search firm using her knowledge and experience of having worked in-house as a permanent IRO and IR consultant, as well as having been an Advisor.

Her work in Investor Relations at small, mid and large cap Companies includes Cookson, M&S, Logica (now CGI) and Laird. As an IR Consultant, Anna provided Interim IR solutions as well as projects to help orientate newly appointed IR professionals. Anna worked latterly as an Advisor at Liberum Capital working with listed Companies as well as helping to bring private companies to the market. She has been an active member of the Investor Relations Society and currently sits on the Membership Committee.

Prior to Investor Relations, Anna worked for a high net worth individual and for several key figures at the Conservative Party, including Lord Saatchi, the Rt Hon David Cameron and the Rt Hon Theresa May MP. 

Investor Relations Director, abdrn

Catherine Nash

Investor Relations Director, abdrn

Catherine is currently Investor Relations Director for abrdn plc, a leading global asset management group, having joined in 2020. From 2013-2020 she was Director, Investor Relations for the Royal Mail Group, initially working on the privatisation of the company. Prior to that, she was Group Director, Investor Relations for BT Group plc, having joined BT as Head of IR in December 2007. Catherine has held senior in-house investor relations roles for over 22 years, having also led the investor relations functions at Emap, Spirent Communications and FLAG Telecom.

Prior to her investor relations career, she was in the City for 14 years, having worked as an investment banker at Lazard and a corporate stockbroker at BZW, which Credit Suisse acquired. 

Group Investor Relations Director, Kingfisher

Maj Nazir

Group Investor Relations Director, Kingfisher

Maj joined Kingfisher in January 2019. Prior to that he was the Director of Investor Relations and M&A at Travelport (from 2014 to 2018), a NYSE-listed travel technology company, and the Director of Investor Relations at AZ Electronic Materials plc (from 2010 to 2014), a FTSE 250 specialty chemicals business. Maj managed the IPO processes for both businesses before establishing their IR functions, and oversaw both businesses being taken private again, including Elliott Investment Management’s acquisition of Travelport. Prior to his career in investor relations, Maj spent 10 years at Deloitte at their London HQ, guiding audits for clients in the technology, media, telecoms and travel industries (including Vodafone, WPP, the BBC, and ebookers.com) while managing transaction services for clients in preparation for IPOs and M&A. Maj is a qualified chartered accountant and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

CEO, IR Society

Laura Hayter

CEO, IR Society

Laura is CEO at the IR Society. Formerly Head of Policy and Communications, Laura has been with the Society for more than ten years. Laura has over 19 years’ experience in the Investor Relations industry. She joined The IR Society in 2011, and among other roles, was formerly a director at the IR consultancy, Taylor Rafferty, providing IR advisory services to blue chip clients, both in London and New York. She graduated from the University of Leeds, with an honours degree in German and management studies.

Managing Director - BRR Media

Julian Smith

Managing Director - BRR Media

Julian is Managing Director of BRR Media, which creates digital content that enables companies to engage their investors and other stakeholders online.  Prior to joining BRR Media, Julian spent over 15 years providing equity advisory services to companies as a corporate broker with Dresdner Kleinwort, Collins Stewart and Jefferies, both on day-to-day engagement with investors, as well as on corporate transactions.      

Events Manager, IR Society

Christina Warren

Events Manager, IR Society

Christina joined the IR Society as Events Manager in 2022. Previously, she worked at Nesta for over seven and a half years in various roles. Her final position was as the Events Manager where she was responsible for the end-to-end management of Nesta’s external and internal events including two Party Conferences and a fringe event at COP26. Notably, Christina progressed through 58VE’s Venue Hire Team from its inception in 2016 to leading the venue’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to Nesta, she worked in arts and historical organisations such as the British Museum, Somerset House and Royal Collection Trust. She holds a Masters in Public History and BA (Hons.) in English and History.