Bursa Malaysia spotlights leading investor relations practices at inaugural IR Awards 2026

Bursa Malaysia Berhad (Bursa Malaysia) held the inaugural Bursa Malaysia IR Awards 2026 on 4 September 2026 to recognise excellence in investor relations (IR) and encourage higher standards of transparency, engagement and market communication among public listed companies (PLCs).

The Awards recognised 32 winners across eight main categories, celebrating PLCs and IR professionals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to investor engagement, market communication and corporate transparency.

Delivering the keynote address at the Awards, Tan Sri Johan Mahmood Merican, Secretary General of Treasury, Ministry of Finance Malaysia, said effective investor relations is important in strengthening the quality and competitiveness of Malaysia’s listed companies.

“By communicating openly and consistently with investors, public listed companies enable better-informed investment decisions and demonstrate their commitment to transparency and accountability. As we continue enhancing the competitiveness and quality of Malaysia’s listed companies, effective investor engagement will remain an enabler of long-term value creation and sustainable market growth,” he said.

Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia, said, “There is considerable opportunity to strengthen investor relations capabilities across the market. As companies, markets and investor expectations become more sophisticated, effective investor relations goes beyond communicating performance. It helps investors understand how a company is positioned for the future.

“The Bursa Malaysia IR Awards recognise companies and professionals who are setting a high standard for transparency, engagement and market communication. By spotlighting these practices, we hope to encourage more listed companies to strengthen their investor relations capabilities and help raise standards of investor engagement across the market.”

Based on Bursa Malaysia’s research, only 32% of listed companies have a dedicated internal IR function, while 17% outsource the function and 51% operate without any formal IR structure. This highlights the opportunity to further strengthen investor relations capabilities and enhance issuer-investor engagement across the market.

Bursa Malaysia has been building IR capabilities through IR4U, which provides practical guidance and learning opportunities for PLCs. Around 690 listed companies participated in the programme across 2024 and 2025.

These efforts are complemented by MY Value Up, jointly introduced by the Securities Commission Malaysia and Bursa Malaysia, which encourages companies to strengthen fundamentals while articulating their strategies and priorities more clearly to the market. While the initiative focuses on 88 leading PLCs, its resources and opportunities are available to all listed companies.

Malayan Banking Bhd was among the top winners, taking Best Company in IR, Best Financial Reporting and Best Large-cap Company in IR for Financial Services. Its President and Group CEO, Dato’ Sri Khairussaleh Ramli, was named Best CEO in IR, while Tenaga Nasional Bhd received Best Sustainability Communications.

The Bursa Malaysia IR Awards 2026 winners were determined through a market-led evaluation involving local and international investors and analysts, supported by independent verification and Bursa Malaysia’s due diligence review.