Centre Stage: Investor Conference Survey

In a Manhattan hotel or sunny resort, amid the rustle of linen and clank of cutlery, IROs juggle slide carousels and fiddle with laptop computers. CEOs stand by, cool or nervous as the case may be, scanning the crowd for potential new investors. Meanwhile, fund managers wander around in relaxed anticipation, carefully surveying the scene. Finally, the lights are dimmed, and for a brief 30 minutes, the spotlight is turned on a single company among dozens or even hundreds of competitors. This