The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) announces the winners of its Shareholder Communication Awards 2022.

ShareSoc Directors Mark Northway and Cliff Weight recently met with the AIC (Association of Investment Companies), with whom we share many common aims.

We are very supportive of the AIC’s initiative to encourage Investment Trusts to communicate more actively, clearly and transparently with their shareholders and with the investor market.

ShareSoc congratulates the 2022 award winners:

Best Report and Accounts – Generalist

Winner: The Merchants Trust

The judges highlighted several aspects of The Merchants Trust’s report and accounts as outstanding. These included its innovative multi-channel approach and profiling of an ESG case study. They commended the engaging imagery throughout and presentation of the top holdings.

Highly commended: AVI Global Trust

The judges noted how AVI Global Trust has differentiated itself in a crowded sector with an attractive and highly readable report.

Best Report and Accounts – Specialist

Winner: Allianz Technology Trust

The panel praised the design of Allianz Technology Trust’s report for its clear, fresh and accessible approach. They commended the creative content and use of imagery to bring the case studies alive.

Best Report and Accounts – Alternative

Winner: Oakley Capital Investments

The panel commended Oakley Capital Investments’ distinctive approach to communication with shareholders, recognising that many shareholders read reports online. They complimented the digital version of the annual report which combines creative design, clear messaging and innovative layout.

Highly commended: Tetragon Financial Group

The judges praised Tetragon for providing clear and effective explanations of complex aspects of the company.

Best ESG Communication

Winner: JLEN Environmental Assets Group

The judges found JLEN’s entry to be comprehensive and genuine, communicating the company’s sustainability goals with admirable clarity. The panel also admired the use of colourful and inspiring imagery, the depth of detail demonstrating the company’s impact, and its use of shareholder feedback.

Highly commended: Octopus Renewables Infrastructure

The judges highlighted the detailed design and strong emphasis on performance, planet and people, as well as the use of digital materials to support the company’s entry.

Best Factsheet

Winner: Foresight Enterprise VCT

The panel lauded the winning factsheet for providing all the key information investors needed and praised its highly effective presentation. They commended the clarity of essential information including performance data, fees and charges, board biographies and the timing of share buybacks.

Best Marketing Campaign

Winner: Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust

The judges said the winning entry stood out in this category as a high-profile targeted campaign that was compelling and impressive. Focusing on the statistic that emerging markets generate the majority of global growth, the “65% campaign” featuring TEMIT’s new corporate identity was able to demonstrate encouraging early results, with 441,000 YouTube views in its first three weeks.

Best PR Campaign

Winner: Mid Wynd International

The judges noted that this effective manager-led PR campaign resulted in substantial coverage across a variety of publications, including high quality and insightful content in national titles. The campaign has successfully raised the profile of the investment company and helped it break through the £500 million mark in 2021.

Best Social Media

Winner: Augmentum Fintech @AugmentumF

The panel praised the winner for the success of its smart, engaging communications across several social media channels. They noted that the winner’s content was memorable and made good use of a collaborative approach. They also commended the company’s strategy of regularly reviewing its impact against its goals.

Best Website

Winner: Digital 9 Infrastructure (visit site)

The judges applauded Digital 9 Infrastructure for its inspired website, recognising how it engaged users to deliver an exceptional experience. They liked the way that the website took users on a journey through the use of coordinated colour, layout and clear navigation. They highlighted how key information was readily accessible and commended the use of digital resources such as videos, social media links as well as high-quality performance data on the site.

Richard Stone, Chief Executive of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), said: “It’s really encouraging to see how investment companies have improved their communication with shareholders. Every year we see fresh innovations in reports and factsheets and bolder, more striking campaigns reaching out to potential new investors. I look forward to seeing more progress in all these areas in future. I’d like to thank all those who entered the awards and congratulate the winners who continue to raise the bar across the industry.”

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 £266 billion.

This is an official ShareSoc News item written by Cliff Weight, Director.

Post Date: May 30, 2022

Group description:	All levels of experience welcome. A typical meeting agenda includes: – Macro Environment – Trades: Members review existing positions and identify securities with promising TA entry patterns or setups and with suitable risk/reward. Any security, long, short, futures, options may be considered. The convener takes actual positions in trades and maintains his own detailed ledger, accurately measuring performance of individual securities and cumulative activity. Members are notified by e-mail prior to the entries or exits that are decided upon. Following each meeting an updated copy of the ledger is circulated together with the next meeting agenda. Members may wish to maintain similar ledgers of their own but there is no obligation to do so. – Technical Analysis: Techniques and systems used in trades. Members can request discussion of particular aspects of TA.
Meeting Type/Venue:	Online via Zoom
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	The first Tuesday of every month from 7 to 9pm

Group description:	Following the launch of the SIGnet Technical Traders groups, it was identified that there were a number of members who use fundamental and other information as their main source of choosing companies to invest in, who would find some understanding of technical analysis helpful to identify good entry and exit points for their investments. This new SIGnet Technical Analysis in Support of Investing group is therefore being launched and we welcome members of all levels of experience to join.
Meeting Type/Venue:	Online via Zoom
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	There will be an initial Zoom meeting on Monday 29th April at 7pm to launch this group, please email info@sharesoc.org if you are interested in joining.

Group description:	A new in person group coming soon! Keep and eye on our Events page to register for the launch meeting.
Meeting Type/Venue:	In person
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	TBC

Group description:	Open to all investors / people with an interest in investing. Typical meeting will involve members talking about recent purchases, successes, failures and possible future purchases. Also with occasional visiting speakers or members making presentations on a topic of interest.
Meeting Type/Venue:	We aim to meet on the last Tuesday of each month in a private room at a pub in Playhatch. Start time 7pm with members encouraged to meet up around 6pm for a bite to eat / drink before hand, if their diaries allow.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	7pm on the last Tuesday of the month. Meetings likely to last about two hours but with informal ‘overspill’ before / after.

Group description:	This group was set up as a forum to discuss companies in detail, each company is introduced by a member and discussion may last one or two hours. Membership is by invitation only and is for experienced investors.
Meeting Type/Venue:	The group meets at a venue in Waterloo, London.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	Meetings are on Tuesday mornings at two month intervals.

Group description:	Our group members have wide ranging investment experience and work backgrounds. Discussion topics include reviewing our recent stock or collective investment buying and selling activity, plus what we are considering buying or selling and the reasons for our decisions. We also have a wider discussion on where we think opportunities might arise in the next few months and what we think needs to be avoided. Members occasionally lead discussions on specific topics such as recent events attended, articles or books of interest and sources of investment ideas and information.
Meeting Type/Venue:	During the pandemic our meetings were held on Zoom, but we have now resumed meeting in person at a location a few miles to the west of Colchester. Most meetings will now be in person, but it is possible that occasional meetings will be held on Zoom in special circumstances.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	We meet midweek every two months. Zoom meetings run for about two hours from 10.30am and in person meetings from 11am until about 3pm, including a break for lunch.

Group description:	Our group is a broad church that contains investors of varying age and experience. We discuss stocks and investment trusts that we have bought, sold or are interested in and the reasons behind our decisions, and try to make sense of the ever changing investment environment. Our members backgrounds are diverse and include corporate banking, engineering, teaching and the leisure industry. Discussions are robust and challenging but tend to be to be informal, and do not generally involve agendas, presentations or detailed preparation. We are a friendly and approachable group who welcome investors of all levels – we just ask that you contribute, at whatever level you can.
Meeting Type/Venue:	Our meetings are held in a very nice pub near to South Ealing tube station (Piccadilly Line), not far from Ealing Broadway (District, Central and Elizabeth Line). Group numbers permitting (and assuming members are happy to purchase food and drink from the bar), we may also have access to a private room in the pub.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	We meet every 2 months, usually on a Wednesday morning at 11am.

Group description:	An online group for those who are new to investing. Including topics such as how to buy and sell shares, unit trusts, investment trusts, exchange traded funds and diversification, tax and how to save it, pensions, portfolio management and research tools, other asset classes and basic technical analysis.
Meeting Type/Venue:	Online using Zoom.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	Meetings are usually held on the 1st Monday of the month at 7:15pm.

Group description:	Group focused on active investing, primarily in small / medium cap UK equities.
Meeting Type/Venue:	Regular Zoom meetings interspersed with occasional face to face meetings and social activities in the North West.
Meeting Frequency/Timing:	Monthly on Saturdays at 10am.