TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI), Canada’s national association representing investor relations professionals, is pleased to announce that Shirley Chénier has been chosen as the 28th recipient of the Award for Excellence in Investor Relations and Greg Waller has been chosen as the seventh recipient of the Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations. These individuals were honoured at CIRI’s 29th Annual Investor Relations Conference in Québec City, Québec.
Award for Excellence in Investor Relations
The Award for Excellence in Investor Relations is given by CIRI to honour individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the investor relations profession and to the Institute.
Shirley Chénier is a recognized leader in the investor relations profession and has been a significant contributor to CIRI as a member of the CIRI Québec Executive, co-chair of CIRI’s 2015 Annual Conference and frequent speaker.
“Shirley is held in high regard within the investor relations community in Canada,” said George Kesteven, 2015 recipient of the Award of Excellence. “She delivered a very successful IR program at Bombardier, a program that has been recognized by the nomination and selection for numerous IR Magazine awards.”
In September 2015, Ms. Chénier retired from Bombardier where she was the Senior Director, Investor Relations. She had responsibility for investor relations for Bombardier globally, thus providing strategic direction and guidance for the company’s position in the financial markets as well as managing the company’s relationships with its various investors and analysts. Ms. Chénier reported regularly to the senior management team and the Board of Directors on events affecting Bombardier and/or its share price. Over her 20-year career with Bombardier, she held a variety of senior roles including Manager of Strategic Initiatives. Prior to joining Bombardier, Ms. Chénier was Head of Accounting for a small lighting equipment manufacturer.
Ms. Chénier graduated with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from l’École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC), the business school affiliated with the Université de Montréal.
“It is truly an honour to have been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Award for Excellence in Investor Relations. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had such an exciting career in investor relations. My involvement on the CIRI Québec Executive and National Committees have allowed me to meet and get to know some of the very best people in the field. This high recognition by CIRI signals the end of a great career and the beginning of a new period of my life,” said Shiley Chénier.
“As an active member of the IR community, Shirley has volunteered countless hours through her involvement on the CIRI Québec Executive, as the Co-chair of the 2015 Annual Conference and as a speaker at CIRI events,” said Yvette Lokker, President and CEO, CIRI. “Her passion for investor relations is contagious and she inspires others in the profession to deliver best-in-class investor relations programs.”
Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations
The Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations is given by CIRI in honour of the late Belle Mulligan to recognize individuals who have shown singular leadership in one or more aspects of the practice of investor relations.
Belle Mulligan (1940-2009) will long be remembered as a leader and standard setter in the IR profession and as a founder of CIRI. Her passion for IR began through her association with NIRI in the early 1970s, and in 1981, she joined a small cadre of IR leaders to help develop NIRI Canada, now CIRI. She served on both the CIRI and NIRI Boards and was cited by one analyst as “adding 10% to the valuation” of the senior gold mining company she represented. Her professionalism won her many admirers, and her engaging personality and generous heart won her a wide circle of friends. She was a mentor to many IROs, urging them to set their sights high within their organizations.
As an innovator in investor relations, Greg Waller has introduced new practices, including analyst modeling workshops and investor conference calls dedicated to sustainability, to enhance Teck’s investor relations program.
“Through his innovative approaches, Greg has demonstrated that he is a leader and standard setter in the investor relations profession. These are attributes that this award was founded on and so Greg is the ideal recipient,” said Len Mulligan, Belle’s husband.
Mr. Waller is the Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis with Teck Resources Ltd., a role he has held since 2006. With responsibility for the investor relations function, he is a member of the executive management team and contributes to strategy development. Mr. Waller joined Cominco Ltd. in 1984 in an operations role. In 1987, he moved to Toronto in a market research and development role and in 1990, he moved to the corporate office in Vancouver as Manager, Financial Evaluations. Other previous positions with the organization include Director of Financial Analysis and Planning from 1998 to 2001 and Director, Investor Relations and Financial Analysis/Planning from 2004 to 2006.
“I didn't know Belle Mulligan but I do know that she set a great standard for investor relations. I am very honoured to be recognized with this award from CIRI and thank all those who supported my nomination,” said Greg Waller.
“Greg is a well-respected IRO who continues to advance the practice of investor relations at Teck,” said Yvette Lokker, President and CEO of CIRI. “His innovative approaches for educating analysts on the factors impacting Teck have been well received by the investment community and demonstrate his leadership in the investor relations profession.”
About CIRI
CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit
association of executives responsible for communication between public
corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to
the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by
advancing the practices of investor relations, the professional
competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close
to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice
of IR in Canada. For further information, please visit CIRI.org.
