Sore heads aside, last night was a tremendous evening – with an impressive turnout for the 2017 AIC Shareholder Communication Awards. The AIC, established in 1932, represents the interests of the investment trust industry, and through its prestigious awards programme, shines a spotlight on exceptional performance by investment companies in the world of investor relations. In the digital age of 24-hour news and instant global messaging, clear, concise and meaningful communications are more important than ever to maintain trust with stakeholders.

Following a veuve-acious champagne reception in the grand parlours of the Savoy Hotel, we were ushered to the grand dinner hall where Moira O’Neill, editor of Moneywise magazine, presented the awards. Our client, Gravis Capital Partners, were thrilled to be awarded “Best Report and Accounts (Specialist)” jointly for their two funds, GCP Infrastructure Investments and GCP Student Living. Judges praised the consistent look and feel between the two documents, as well as the effectiveness of the infographics and well-defined portfolio breakdowns, which elegantly illustrate a complex range of assets. Head of Investment Companies, Dion Di Miceli proudly accepted the trophy duo (pictured with Moira O’Neill).

A delicious three-course meal followed, punctuated by an appearance from Lord William Hague. Despite his busy evening commentating on the evening’s election results, he managed to squeeze in an engaging speech – in which he took us on a crash course in politics, incorporating tales from his first canvassing outings in Yorkshire, through to Brexit, Trump, and dirty election tactics in the 18th century. Allegedly it used to be fair game to ply the opposition’s voters with sufficient alcohol that they become too inebriated to vote. If this didn’t work, the alternative was to underhandedly spread the news of the candidate’s untimely demise. Without the instant verification that we enjoy today, it’s clear that fake news is the oldest trick in the book.

Dirty election tactics aside, transparency in communications has certainly come a long way, and investor relations is no exception. It’s great to see our work in partnership with our clients recognised once again, and we look forward to working with GCP on exciting upcoming projects in 2017 and beyond.