The Middle East Investor Relations Society (ME-IRS) has signed a MoU with Russia’s Financial Communications and Investor Relations Association (ARFI) in a landmark agreement for IR professionals in the Middle East region.

The new deal outlines the areas of co-operation between the two associations, including the continued development of greater levels of transparency and disclosure from publicly listed companies as well as greater cooperation and professional relations between members of the associations.

Maria Hunt, ME-IRS’ general manager, said: "The Middle East IR Society has evolved to include most of the Middle East’s largest companies, and draws support from exchanges, regulators, local and global banks, law firms and other advisers. We are very excited to be cooperating and working with ARFI."

"ME-IRS also collaborates with other global IR associations and this provides our members with access to varied reserves of knowledge and experience, supporting our goal of promoting accessible IR best practice," he noted.

Cooperation between the two associations will include hosting joint events, international exchange programmes for IR professionals, the sharing of best practice and knowledge and conducting joint research.

The MOU also grants cross membership to both ME-IRS and ARFI for their members, said Olga Rink, ARFI’s executive director.

"We are happy to broaden the range of our partnerships to the Middle East. From our past experience an outcome of such an MoU is very positive for a further association development. We consult each other in many spheres," he remarked.

"Co-operation is a good opportunity, for instance, to compare disclosure statistics or conduct joint researches. A common, global standard for the IR-profession is something to aim for in the nearest future in my opinion," he added.-TradeArabia News Service