About the Sell-side Awards

AIRA's Sell-Side Awards recognise the contribution of the broking community, particularly corporate access and sales teams, in supporting and enhancing the practice of investor relations across Australasian listed entities.

The Awards presented in 2026 are:

  1. Best Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities - Generalist Domestic
  2. Best Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities - Generalist Offshore
  3. Best Domestic Sector Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities
  4. Best Offshore Sector Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities
  5. Best Equities Conference for Small / Emerging Companies Organised by a Boutique Broker or Commercial Conference Organiser
  6. Best Overall Domestic Institutional Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities
  7. Best Overall Offshore Institutional Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities
  8. Best Overall Retail Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities
VOTING METHODOLOGY

An online survey was distributed to Heads of Investor Relations from ASX 200 and NZX 50 companies, as well as AIRA members from listed entities outside these market capitalisation ranges. Respondents were asked to rate each broking house out of five for each award category.

When assessing brokers, listed entities were asked to consider the specific criteria for each award and base their ratings on their experience during the period from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026.

The following points eliminate any uncertainty around vote stacking:

  • Each listed entity was permitted to submit only one score per broker in each award category.
  • Respondents were asked to provide a score out of five for each conference attended and/or broker engaged during the assessment period.
  • A minimum number of responses was required for a broker to qualify in each award category.
  • Award winners were determined based on a weighted average of all eligible responses.

AWARDS

Best Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities - Generalist Domestic | Best Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities - Generalist Offshore | Best Domestic Sector Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities | Best Offshore Sector Equities Conference for Australasian Listed Entities

When thinking about this award, listed entities were asked to:

  • Consider all generalist and specialist sector conferences attended during the assessment period, whether hosted by a broker or a commercial conference organiser.
  • Refer to conferences attended between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.
  • Score each conference attended out of five, where 5 represents excellent performance and 1 represents very poor performance.

Assessment criteria included:

  • Quality of investors and meetings
  • Diversity of investors (e.g. superannuation funds, large institutions, boutique fund managers, offshore investors, ESG-focused investors and, where relevant, high-net-worth retail investors)
  • Conference format, including the effectiveness of group presentations, one-on-one meetings and small-group meetings delivered virtually, in person or in a hybrid format
  • Ease of participation, including logistical considerations
  • Frequency and quality of corporate engagement, including schedule updates and post-event feedback

Best Equities Conference for Small / Emerging Companies Organised by a Boutique Broker or Commercial Conference Organiser

 

When thinking about this award, listed entities were asked to:

  • Consider their attendance at generalist and sector-focused conferences hosted by boutique brokers or commercial conference organisers.
  • Refer to conferences attended between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.
  • Score each conference attended out of five, where 5 represents excellent performance and 1 represents very poor performance.

Assessment criteria included;

  • Quality of investors and meetings
  • Diversity of small and emerging company investors (e.g. superannuation funds, large institutions, boutique fund managers, offshore investors, ESG-focused investors and high-net-worth retail investors)
  • Conference format, including the effectiveness of group presentations, one-on-one meetings and small-group meetings delivered virtually, in person or in a hybrid format
  • Ease of participation, including logistical considerations
  • Frequency and quality of corporate engagement, including schedule updates and post-event feedback

Note: A boutique broker is defined as a stand-alone broking firm that is not a subsidiary of a global investment bank.

Best Overall Domestic Institutional Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities

When thinking about this award, listed entities were asked to:

  • Consider all events and activities, excluding broker-hosted or commercially organised conferences, used to engage institutional investors located in Australia and New Zealand.
  • Consider activities conducted between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.
  • Score each broker engaged during the assessment period out of five, where 5 represents excellent performance and 1 represents very poor performance.

Eligible activities included post-results briefings, domestic roadshows, virtual meetings, small-group meetings and thematic investor events.

Assessment criteria included:

  • Quality of investors and meetings
  • Diversity of investors
  • Effectiveness of engagement formats
  • Ease of participation, including logistical considerations and technology accessibility
  • Influence on the company's existing or target shareholder base
  • Quality of corporate access and sales personnel, including knowledge of the company
  • Frequency and quality of corporate engagement, including schedule updates and post-event feedback
Best Overall Offshore Institutional Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities

When thinking about this award, listed entities were asked to:

  • Consider all events and activities, excluding broker-hosted or commercially organised conferences, used to engage institutional investors located outside Australia and New Zealand.
  • Consider activities conducted between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.
  • Score each broker engaged during the assessment period out of five, where 5 represents excellent performance and 1 represents very poor performance.

Eligible activities included international roadshows, reverse roadshows, virtual briefings, virtual fireside chats, small-group meetings, thematic investor events, site visits and relevant online investor engagement platforms.

Assessment criteria included:

  • Quality of investors and meetings
  • Diversity of investors
  • Effectiveness of engagement formats
  • Ease of participation, including logistical considerations and technology accessibility
  • Influence on the company's existing or target shareholder base
  • Quality of corporate access and sales personnel, including knowledge of the company
  • Frequency and quality of corporate engagement, including schedule updates and post-event feedback
Best Overall Retail Investor Access for Australasian Listed Entities

When thinking about this award, listed entities were asked to:

  • Consider the access and reach provided by retail brokers to retail and high-net-worth investors.
  • Refer to the period from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026.
  • Score each broker engaged during the assessment period out of five, where 5 represents excellent performance and 1 represents very poor performance.

Assessment criteria included:

  • Breadth and quality of retail investor relationships
  • Influence on the company's existing or target shareholder base
  • Quality of retail sales personnel, including knowledge of the company
  • Frequency and quality of corporate engagement, including schedule updates and post-event feedback
  • Consistency and support of analyst recommendations
  • Importance of the broker relationship in the company's engagement strategy

 

2025 Award Winners