Effective investor relations

That's according to Sally Jacques, a consultant at Citigate South Africa. Jacques points out that growing numbers of JSE-listed companies - like their counterparts on major stock exchanges in London and New York - are turning to sophisticated knowledge tools to give them insight on their investors and to execute dynamic investor strategies.

With this in mind, Citigate designed SA Scan - a powerful research tool for listed South African companies designed to contribute to a sharpened investor relations programme.

"Adoption of SA Scan grew by 50% between 2001 and 2002, and we anticipate a greater up-take this year," says Jacques.

SA Scan is a specialised market research tool based on the successful City Scan, Wall Street Scan and Euro Scan products developed by global IR specialists Citigate Dewe Rogerson in London and New York. For over 15 years, City Scan has helped FTSE companies understand key issues when communicating with investors and financial commentators.

SA Scan follows the same focused objectives but is tailored specifically for the South African market.

The research allows companies to evaluate the effects of their investor relations programmes and can highlight actionable issues relating to company strategy. "Repeat subscribers, such as Anglo Platinum and Barloworld, are able to benchmark their results year-on-year and measure the effects of their work," comments Jacques.

"With more and more SA companies diversifying their revenues and shareholder profiles, investor relations has broadened. Using Citigate's international network, SA Scan 2003 gives participants the option of expanding their research beyond South African borders," Jacques continues.

SA Scan is based on personal interviews with South African institutional investors and brokerage analysts. "As we draw our samples from leading South African asset management companies and brokerages, this means that we are confident that the opinions expressed in the survey will be representative of the opinions of the investing public and its commentators," concludes Jacques.