IR magazine Announces Winners of European Investor Relations Awards

Top-performing investor relations teams celebrated at annual City gala

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Jul 01, 2011, 01:00 ET

NEW YORK, July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IR magazine, the only global publication dealing with the interface between companies and their shareholders, is excited to announce the winners of its annual investor relations awards in Europe. The IR Magazine Europe Awards 2011 recognize the leading investor relations teams with more than 60 awards in important areas such as investor relations for an IPO, corporate governance & disclosure policy and corporate social responsibility. Executives and their IR teams are celebrated for demonstrating the key competencies and actions that result in enhanced transparency and shareholder communication.

Winners of the IR Magazine Europe Awards 2011 were determined through a rigorous research and selection process managed by XbInsight, IR magazine's research arm. Surveys and interviews with 731 analysts and investors from 21 countries provided the information necessary for the ultimate selection of the winners in each category.

A full list of winners by category is provided below. The full findings from the XbInsight research project will be available on July 4, 2011 in the Investor Perception Study, Europe 2011 (pre-order discounts are still available).

Janet Dignan, CEO, Cross Border Ltd

'Shareholder communications have been particularly challenging for companies in some parts of Europe: the macroeconomic challenges continue to be substantial following the 2008 global financial crisis. Beyond the winners, what's interesting this year is what it took to have your name called. Investor relations is becoming more sophisticated every year, making it that much more difficult to take a leading position in the market.'

This year's winners are:
Grand prix for best overall investor relations
Large-cap company
BASF

Grand prix for best overall investor relations
Mid-cap company
Lanxess

Grand prix for best overall investor relations
Small-cap company
Great Portland Estates

Best investor relations officer
Large-cap company
Magdalena Moll
BASF

Best investor relations officer
Small or mid-cap company
Oliver Stratmann
Lanxess

Best investor relations by a CEO
Large-cap company
Paul Polman
Unilever

Best investor relations by a CEO
Small or mid-cap company
Joint winners:
Toby Courtauld
Great Portland Estates
Pekka Lundmark
Konecranes

Best investor relations by a CFO
Large-cap company
Jesper Brandgaard
Novo Nordisk

Best investor relations by a CFO
Small or mid-cap company
Matthias Zachert
Lanxess


Best corporate literature
BASF

Best use of technology for investor relations
Nestle

Best corporate governance and disclosure policy
Nestle

Best practice of corporate social responsibility
Novo Nordisk

Best analyst/investor meetings
Umicore

Best investor relations during a corporate transaction
BASF

Best investor relations for an IPO
Amadeus

Best investor relations by an Austrian company
Erste Bank

Best investor relations by a Belgian company
Umicore

Best investor relations by a Czech company
CEZ Group

Best investor relations by a Danish company
Novo Nordisk

Best investor relations by a Finnish company
Stora Enso

Best investor relations by a French company
Sanofi

Best investor relations by a German company
BASF

Best investor relations by a Greek company
National Bank of Greece

Best investor relations by a Hungarian company
OTP Bank

Best investor relations by an Irish company
Kerry Group

Best investor relations by an Italian company
Intesa Sanpaolo

Best investor relations by a Luxembourg or Netherlands company
Royal KPN

Best investor relations by a Norwegian company
Yara International

Best investor relations by a Polish company
PKN ORLEN

Best investor relations by a Portuguese company
Portugal Telecom

Best investor relations by a Russian company
Novatek

Best investor relations by a Spanish company
Iberdrola

Best investor relations by a Swedish company
Swedbank

Best investor relations by a Swiss company
Nestle

Best investor relations by a UK company
Unilever

Best investor relations by sector
Aerospace & defense
EADS

Best investor relations by sector
Alternative energy
Vestas Wind Systems

Best investor relations by sector
Automobiles & parts
BMW Group

Best investor relations by sector
Banks & financial services
Swedbank

Best investor relations by sector
Chemicals/specialty chemicals
BASF

Best investor relations by sector
Construction & materials
VINCI

Best investor relations by sector
Diversified industrials/industrial machinery/electronics
Siemens

Best investor relations by sector
Food & beverages/tobacco
Nestle

Best investor relations by sector
Forestry & paper
Stora Enso

Best investor relations by sector
Healthcare/pharmaceuticals & biotech
Novo Nordisk

Best investor relations by sector
Insurance
Allianz

Best investor relations by sector
Media
WPP Group

Best investor relations by sector
Metals/mining/steel
Umicore

Best investor relations by sector
Oil & gas
BG Group

Best investor relations by sector
Personal care & household/luxury goods
Reckitt Benckiser Group

Best investor relations by sector
Real estate
Land Securities Group

Best investor relations by sector
Retail
Tesco

Best investor relations by sector
Support services/business services
Randstad

Best investor relations by sector
Technology hardware & equipment
ASML

Best investor relations by sector
Technology software & services
Imtech

Best investor relations by sector
Telecoms
Royal KPN

Best investor relations by sector
Transport/transport infrastructure & services
Ferrovial

Best investor relations by sector
Travel & leisure
InterContinental Hotels Group

Best investor relations by sector
Utilities
RWE

The IR Magazine Europe Awards 2011 are sponsored by:
Arkadin Global Conferencing
BNY Mellon Depositary Receipts
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company
Davy
Financial Times
Imagination Investor Communications
The Investor Relations Society
MeetingZone
NASDAQ OMX
OnDemandIR
OTCQX

About XbInsight

XbInsight is IR magazine's research brand, building on the publication's established global research efforts. Since 1991, IR magazine has taken its renowned investor perception study around the world, to markets as diverse as Brazil, China, Singapore, Europe, Canada and the US. In every market, the process is the same: each year thousands of buy-side analysts, sell-side analysts and portfolio managers are asked which companies have the best investor relations. XbInsight is building on that expertise for its new series of studies examining successful investor relations practice and the key drivers of investor sentiment. To generate customized reports on your global peer group, please visit our website: www.insideinvestorrelations.com/research.

About IR magazine

IR magazine is the only global publication focused on the interface between companies and their investors. IR magazine hosts events in the US, the UK, Europe, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Brazil. Inside Investor Relations (www.insideinvestorrelations.com) is the magazine's companion website, which includes daily news updates that are highly relevant to investor relations professionals. Visit www.insideinvestorrelations.com for more details.

About Cross Border Ltd

Cross Border Ltd publishes IR magazine and Corporate Secretary. Based in New York and London, the company reaches highly targeted audiences in the investor relations and corporate governance communities through the two magazines and accompanying newsletters, events and websites. With roots in the Economist Group, we are renowned for providing quality insight and a global perspective. Our flagship publications, IR magazine and Corporate Secretary, are essential reading for executives around the world. Our awards are a key part of the calendar in leading financial centers including New York, London and Shanghai. With an expanding portfolio of digital properties and more than 20 conferences and events each year, we are well positioned for growth.

Visit IR magazine: www.insideinvestorrelations.com

Visit Corporate Secretary: www.corporatesecretary.com

Tom Johansmeyer
Group marketing director

[email protected]
+1 212 430 6864

SOURCE IR magazine