Over 500 investment company directors and others from the closed-ended investment fund sector will come together in London and online today at the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) annual conference – the first held in person for two years.

With guest speakers including Nick Robinson of The Today Programme, the conference is based on the theme of “engaging investors” and delegates will hear from a range of speakers covering different aspects of this topic.

2021 saw record levels of fundraising for the sector with £15 billion of capital raised in IPOs and by existing companies. This increased interest in investment companies has seen a growing proportion of shares held by retail investors, both directly via “do-it-yourself” platforms and through advisers, with purchases of investment company shares on advised platforms also reaching record levels last year.

New vision and mission

Richard Stone, Chief Executive of the AIC, said: “I joined the AIC in September last year and have been struck by the opportunity which currently exists for investment companies. The levels of fundraising last year were at record highs and there is unprecedented interest in the sector. I will be setting out for members our new vision, ‘that investment companies should be considered by every investor’, and the AIC’s new mission, ‘to support and promote the long-term benefits of investment companies by engaging with members, investors and the wider financial community’.

“As we do more to support and promote our members, and tap into that increased interest amongst investors, engagement with those investors is critical – both on a sector level and as individual companies. I’m delighted we have been able to put together such an expert group of speakers on the various aspects of this topic for the conference today and expect members will find the sessions informative and thought-provoking.

“The key to engaging investors is to ensure there is an ongoing dialogue and that all communications are consistent and joined-up across a wide range of channels. The sector has lots of positive things to say on issues such as diversity and ESG, as well as on the established benefits of the investment company structure. We are well positioned to deliver superior returns for shareholders over the long term and our structure makes us a natural home for less liquid asset classes, enabling investors to achieve greater diversification and access returns which are otherwise restricted to private capital.

“The sector has to be able to communicate those messages effectively and use a wide range of tools and channels to do so. I hope today’s conference will highlight these areas for members and give some helpful points for boards to think about as they continue the vital process of engaging with their investors.” 

The conference agenda

Most retail investors hold their shares via a platform and the first panel session of the conference will see Richard Wilson, Chief Executive of interactive investor, Jonathan Gunby, Chief Executive of Transact and Holly Mackay of Boring Money discuss the role of platforms. In addition to examining current trends in investor demand, the panel will discuss how investment companies can improve their visibility on platforms and how investment companies can engage with their underlying shareholders, particularly to encourage them to exercise their shareholder rights and vote.

The conference will also hear from Marcus de Silva and Simon Longfellow from Steps to Investing on how investment companies can better use communication channels such as Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok to reach out to new audiences. And staying with the theme of communication, Sheryl Cuisia, Founder and MD of Boudicca from Equiniti will be chairing a panel with AIC Chair Elisabeth Scott and Ian Overgage, Partner at Warhorse Partners, who will share their experiences of running direct communications programmes with shareholders, explaining what works well and what lessons they have learned.

Sustainable investing, climate change and impact investing are never far from the top of the agenda and Nick Britton, Head of Intermediary Communications at the AIC, will be taking the audience through the latest ESG investor research undertaken by the AIC – aiming to answer the question of just how important ESG is to investors.

Finally, audience members will be hearing from Henry Curr, Economics Editor of the Economist, who will be discussing the outlook for inflation, and the conference will close with Nick Robinson, presenter of the Today Programme, who will be sharing his thoughts on the current political landscape and his reflections on the Russia-Ukraine war, having recently returned from Kyiv.

Conference programme

Journalists are welcome to attend today’s conference online and can book their place here.

-ENDS-

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Notes to editors

1. The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) was founded in 1932 to represent the interests of the investment trust industry – the oldest form of collective investment. Today, the AIC represents a broad range of closed-ended investment companies, incorporating investment trusts and other closed-ended investment companies and VCTs. The AIC’s members believe that the industry is best served if it is united and speaks with one voice. The AIC’s mission statement is to help members add value for shareholders over the longer term. The AIC has 360 members and the industry has total assets of approximately £269 billion.
2. Disclaimer: The information contained in this press release does not constitute investment advice or personal recommendation and it is not an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity. You should seek independent financial and, if appropriate, legal advice as to the suitability of any investment decision. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investment company shares, and the income from them, can fall as well as rise. You may not get back the full amount invested and, in some cases, nothing at all.
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