Advice for making the most of non-deal roadshows in Asia
This article was produced in association with ELITE Connect. It was originally published on the ELITE Connect platform
The findings from the IR Magazine Global Roadshow Report 2016 show 92 percent of Asian companies go on the road, taking part in an average of 5.5 roadshows per year. Of the cities they visit, the most popular is Hong Kong, followed by Singapore.
With that in mind, we spoke to Alex Lupis, head of HSBC’s client engagement group for Asia, who is based in Hong Kong, to get his inside view on roadshow activity in the region.
ELITE Connect (EC): What’s your favorite roadshow destination and why?
Alex Lupis (AL): This is a tough choice. My top three would be Hong Kong, Singapore and Boston. Hong Kong is compact, vibrant and it’s where I’ve called home for the past seven-plus years. Most clients are within walking distance of each other – a convenience made even easier if a local person shows you the way. It has great nightlife, so make sure you leave some time to go out!
Singapore has a good set of global investors and is also relatively compact as a city. The food is fantastic, from the street food to top restaurants – but watch out for your bill as it is expensive, especially for drinks. Boston is where I started my career and is a beautiful place with a huge concentration of assets under management in a small area among several very large funds.
EC: What makes an ideal roadshow destination? What are the most influential factors in where you decide to go?
AL: Ideal roadshow destinations are really based on the level of interest in your company. We look to set companies up with investors that will actually buy their stock, as opposed to meeting them for read-across purposes – investor selection should come first, before the decision on the destination. For logistical purposes, I think cities that are compact with good airports are preferred as there is less wasted travel time. It also helps to avoid the depths of winter in North America.
EC: What’s the optimum number of roadshows companies should look to go on each year? How many days should they look to spend on the road?
AL: We recommend Asian companies go to Hong Kong and Singapore three to four times per year, between roadshows and conferences, and additionally that they visit the US and the UK/Europe twice a year, also between roadshows and conferences.
EC: How do you feel about the growing trend for IR team members to take the lead at roadshows rather than CEO/CFO/senior management?
AL: IROs should conduct their own meetings and roadshows, depending on their level of experience and skill-set. It makes sense for the C-level to meet top shareholders and large investors, especially when they come for a site visit, and for IROs to meet investors in second-tier cities, at conferences with new investors and at initial meetings with smaller investors.
