In this Enquire episode, Clara sits down with Oskar Yasar, Managing Partner at Broome Yasar Partnership and author of The Global IR Revolution. With three decades in capital markets and more than 580 senior IR and corporate affairs appointments, Oskar is an influential voice in investor relations talent and leadership.

Oskar shares how IR has transformed from a back-office function into a strategic, board-level career path and why today’s IROs are increasingly moving into financial planning and analysis, strategy, corporate affairs, and CFO and CEO roles. He discusses the perfect storm of talent shifts, why boards now treat IR as mission critical, and how personal branding can make or break a candidate’s chances in a competitive landscape.

From compensation trends and career pathways to interview techniques and the impact of AI on the profession, this conversation offers an inside look into what great IR really looks like and what ambitious professionals should do next.

Whether you’re early in your IR journey, a senior director evaluating your next move, or a business leader shaping your company’s IR strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights and future-facing perspective.

In This Episode:

• Oskar’s career journey from financial communications to global IR headhunter, and how IR has evolved into a strategic, board-level discipline
• What defines a top-tier IRO today, from rising expectations of leadership to a deeper, more competitive talent pool shaped by bankers, analysts and high-EQ communicators
• How the IR function has transformed over the past decade amid activism, globalisation and greater CEO/board involvement in hiring
• Compensation trends post-COVID, including salary inflation, negotiation tips, and why companies often underestimate the cost of securing elite IR talent
• The power of personal branding in senior IR roles and the common pitfalls Oskar uncovers through his interview “trap"
•  Emerging career paths for IR professionals, including increasing movement into strategy, financial planning and analysis, corporate affairs, CFO and even CEO positions
• Practical advice for candidates to stand out, from networking and professional development, to using headhunters as strategic partners in long-term career planning

Quotes:

• “What makes great IR isn’t just company messaging. It’s personal brand, presence, and ambition.”
• “We are in the middle of a perfect storm: boards suddenly recognise the importance of IR just as a newer breed of ambitious, sophisticated candidates are entering the profession.
• “If you want to move into IR, you have to do the work: read the book, join the IR Association, go to events, meet people.”

Resources

Connect with Oskar on LinkedIn

The Global Investors Relation Revolution by Oskar Yasar 

Broome Yasar Partnership Insights