The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) is launching a website dedicated to promoting investor relations among public companies. The website, Israel's most extensive IR platform, enables a direct connection between public companies, IR officers and companies that deal in the domain of investor relations. Furthermore, aside from supplying professional information, the website offers a selection of advanced tools and digital solutions for developing IR activity—curtsey of ten companies in Israel and abroad, which participated in this project following TASE's public appeal. The full list can be found on TASE investor relations website.
In Israel, the IR field is not yet sufficiently developed, mainly when compared to developed markets around the world. An assessment conducted by TASE found that out of some 460 companies traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, only about 30% have an IR operation in place (operated by an internal IR officer or an external company). Only about 30 companies, the majority of them with an international orientation, employ a full-time IR officer. In contrast, approximately 90% of companies traded on the world's leading stock exchanges employ an internal IR officer or an external IR company—starting at the pre IPO stage.
TASE ascribes great importance to developing IR activity among its traded companies, founded on the understanding that investor relations are of significant value in enhancing a company's transparency and credibility while exposing the investment community (existing and potential investors) to accessible information. In recent years and in keeping with its strategic plan, TASE has been working to encourage the investor relations field among public companies.
Similar to other financial areas, investor relations, too, have incorporated more digital tools in support of human resources. Digital tools possess numerous advantages: for relaying information swiftly and easily to the capital market and with short reaction times; reaching relevant target audiences in Israel and worldwide markets; conveying announcements efficiently and transparently; the ability to gather and analyze significant data bases for the organization and more.
Furthermore, TASE representatives will support this project by meeting with small and medium sized companies that currently have no IR activity in place, in order to encourage them to begin working in this essential area.
According to Orna Goren, TASE's Head of Marketing & Communications Unit: "TASE views Mid Cap companies as the economy's potential for growth. As part of its efforts to support such companies, TASE is launching its investor relations program. We hope that our support will encourage companies that do not conduct regular IR activity to develop this vital area. We envision such companies working continuously and transparently vis-à-vis the Israeli and international capital market and, in doing so, recruiting new investors; this, in order to strengthen their status in accordance to the international standards. We want to take this opportunity to thank the companies that cooperated in this effort and that contributed from their experience in the interest of advancing the investor relations field in Israel."
