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TOKYO – April 16, 2020 – Today, Institutional Investor Research announced results of their 8th Annual All-Japan Executive Team survey, revealing Japan’s leading CEOs, CFOs, Investor Relations Officers, and Investor Relations programs that best uphold corporate governance standards and facilitate investment into their company. A total of 99 companies attained a published position in the categories listed above to become an Honored company, and 61 of those companies were granted the coveted Most Honored Company recognition by ranking in 2 or more of these categories. 

Results highlights 

A joint achievement this year as four companies across four different sectors attain the same highest weighted score across the 99 Honored companies. The winning sectors covered Beverages, Food & Tobacco, Electronics/Components, Electronics/Consumer and Electronics/Industrials (including Semiconductors). All four of the Most Honored Companies also attained first position in the ESG category.

New entrant Aisin Seiki Co. entered the Auto Parts sector for the first time emerging number One. In the Construction sector, the Honored Companies were completely different from last year’s, whilst in the Chemicals sector, Nissan Chemical jumped to 1st place with almost double the points of the number two. In the hotly contested sector Electronics/Industrial, Hitachi climbed to number one from number two last year, underscoring their increased efforts in investor engagement.

As the competition for capital intensifies, corporates are finding it increasingly more difficult to get investors’ attention. This, coupled with the changing corporate access landscape and relationships between the buy-side, sell-side and corporates; corporates are finding investor engagement becoming more competitive. Nonetheless, 349 investors and portfolio managers and analysts from 189 voter firms participated in this survey, nominating a total of 490 companies across 24 sectors.

For the first time, to calibrate the CEO score, we asked questions on their credibility, leadership and quality of communication. To determine the best CFO, we added the scores given to the CFO’s ability in capital allocation, financial stewardship and quality of communication. In awarding companies the best IR Programs, investors assessed based on 3 broad categories of disclosure, ESG and overall services & communications.

“The current investor environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. Companies need to be agile to adjust to the new landscape and this includes not only to respond to the increasingly challenging business environment but also to position themselves well to tap into the capital markets, should they need to. In engaging with investors, many have turned to online platforms or conference calls, this means reaction of your audience is more difficult to gauge. Your messages need to be clear, concise and ask for feedback more often,” said Cara Eio, Head of Asia Pacific, Institutional Investor Research. 

The 2020 All-Japan Executive Team Most Honored Companies* List 

*A business that earns a top-three position in one of the four categories — Best CEO, Best CFO, Best IR Professional and Best IR Company — is deemed an Honored Company. To earn the designation of Most Honored Company, it must achieve two or more top-three appearances; rank is determined by weighted score wherein each first-place position is worth three points; second place, two; and third place, one. Most Honored Companies are listed above Honored Companies regardless of score. When a tie exists in the weighted score, companies are ordered according to the number of ranked positions they receive in their industry sectors.

To view the 2020 All-Japan Executive Team Most Honored Companies List, click https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/research/9956/Honored-Companies

Complete results can be found at www.institutionalinvestor.com/research. 

To share your winning position in the 2020 All-Japan Research Team ranking in your website content, advertisements, communications and marketing collateral, please contact [email protected]. 

About Institutional Investor Research

Institutional Investor Research provides independent sell-side and corporate performance research and rankings and aims to be the first-choice and independent validation source of qualitative market intelligence for all three sides of the investment community. Institutional Investor Research has a global presence, spanning Europe, All-Asia, the US and Latin America.

For more information contact Michael Clemons, Japan Rep, II Research, at +81-050-5532-1664 or  [email protected]

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Website: https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/research