WHAT TIAGO MUSSA AND SÉRGIO SERIO’S EXPERIENCE REVEALS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND IMPORTANCE OF IR

IR Talks is a program that goes beyond numbers, bringing stories and trajectories of Investor Relations professionals who have been essential to the growth and success of companies. In this special premiere episode of the fourth season, the guests were Tiago Mussa and Sérgio Serio, two professionals from TOTVS, who shared their experiences, learnings and the importance of having a well-constructed narrative within the IR area. 

Tiago, a native of Guarulhos, began his career at TOTVS as an intern, without imagining that he would become involved in the IR area. Having worked in consultancy, systems implementation and sales, Tiago was challenged by executive manager Eduardo Ferreira, who invited him to take on the role of IR coordinator. “I was interested, because I never imagined working in this area, but I accepted the challenge. I’ve been in this area for two and a half years now and it’s been an incredible experience” shared Tiago, reflecting on his growth and the trust he’s received over time.

Sérgio, on the other hand, quickly identified with the complexity of IR, an area where flexibility and the ability to adapt to different audiences are fundamental. “I really identified with IR right from the start, precisely because it’s not an area where one skill is dominant” commented Sérgio. For him, IR requires a set of skills that go beyond the technical aspects. “Literally, it’s important that you have a certain flexibility” he explained, stressing that communication, depth in the business and a balance between hard and soft skills are crucial to success in the field.

On the essential skills in IR

Sérgio also discussed the most important skills for those working in IR. “For me, there are a few main pillars. First: it’s essential to have a compliance skill” he said. He stressed that in order to protect the company and ensure compliance with standards, patience in dealing with regulations and legislation is indispensable. “If you don’t have the patience to read legislation, understand regulations and understand the importance of keeping the company compliant, don’t even start” he advised.

Communication was another topic addressed by Sérgio, who explained how it goes beyond the way you speak. “The way you get the message across to the different audiences is fundamental” said Sérgio. For him, the content of the message may even be the same – the company’s figures, purpose and mission – but the way it is communicated needs to be adapted to the profile of each audience. “The content of the message… that doesn’t change. What does change is the way you adapt the message depending on who the recipient is” he added, highlighting the importance of this flexibility in relationships with investors and other stakeholders.

On the relationship with investors and the shareholder base

Tiago brought an important perspective on monitoring the shareholder base. “We use MZ’s tools a lot, which give us a detailed view of the flow of our base” he explained. He explained how the company monitors the movement of its investors, both local and foreign, and how this helps to identify trends and possible changes in shareholder profiles. “We monitor the top buyers of the week and do a daily follow-up, consolidating on a weekly basis to analyze the dynamism of our base” said Tiago, who also highlighted the importance of analyzing the less priority shareholders. “It’s important to analyze how the lower-priority shareholders are behaving in order to identify possible trends of change in the profile that is entering the base” he said.

In addition, Tiago spoke about how investor service, including cordial and respectful treatment, can positively influence meetings. “Treating the person with affection shows, above all, professionalism on the part of the company and attention to detail” said Tiago, explaining that simple attitudes, such as greeting by name and remembering previous interactions, make a big difference to the atmosphere of the meeting. “Welcoming the person, especially the investor, can completely change the course of the meeting” he concluded, highlighting the impact of humanized communication on investor relations.

On the challenge of balancing global communication

On the challenge of balancing global communication, Sérgio shared his view on the importance of adapting the message according to the investor’s profile: “Flexibility in communication is a fundamental point, especially when dealing with investors from different regions and profiles. What changes is how you adapt the message, always respecting the particularities of the recipient.”

Tiago also talked about how, on a daily basis, the IR team needs to ensure that all investors, regardless of their location, have equal access to the company’s executives. “Every day we wake up, have coffee, and when we talk about IR programs, we’re always asking ourselves: am I making my executives equally available to all parts of the globe?” said Tiago, reflecting on the constant concern to maintain this balance. “We have investors in the United States, many in Europe, and are we managing to get these investors to talk to my CEO, my CFO and our team?” he added, emphasizing the importance of this strategic exchange of information to strengthen the relationship with stakeholders.

The program also featured rich discussions on other subjects, such as the number of individuals in the company’s shareholder base, management and leadership challenges, the importance of teamwork, sustainability practices that strengthen the company, and the role of narratives in building trust with investors.

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Cassio Rufino
CFO & COO

Erica Camanducci
Press & External Communication

Press Offices
imprensa@mzgroup.com | +55 (11) 94242-5988

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About MZ

MZ (www.mzgroup.com) is the largest independent global player and the leader in investor relations (IR) solutions.

The company, founded in 1999, has surpassed 2,500 published websites and currently serves more than 800 companies and investment managers on 12 stock exchanges.

With the purpose of empowering IR strategies, MZ delivers innovative technologies and exceptional customer service, ensuring long-term partnerships.