Membership Committee

Alison Owers

Senior Managing Director, Sodali & Co

Deputy Chair of the IR Society
Chair of the Membership Committee

Alison joined Sodali & Co. in 2023 and is responsible for designing and overseeing the strategy around IR, ESG and shareholder engagement services to clients across the UK and Europe.  Prior to joining Sodali & Co., Alison spent 12 years at Orient Capital and D.F. King Ltd in various senior leadership roles, and most recently as their Global CEO, working with some of the world’s largest companies to support shareholder engagement and investor relations activities.  Previously she spent seven years at Capita plc as Managing Director of IR Services. She started her career within investment banking at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. 

Alison has a French & German Languages degree and began her IR career working in-house for a mining company in Canada.  She is a Deputy Chair of the UK Investor Relations Society and current chair of the Membership Committee.  

Bethany Barnes

Director of Investor Relations - Dr. Martens Plc

Bethany has been Director of Investor Relations at Dr. Martens Plc since its IPO in February 2021. Prior to this Bethany held the same role at Domino’s Pizza Plc and N Brown Group Plc. Bethany previously worked as a sell-side analyst covering European General Retail at both Berenberg and Investec, and for capital markets advisory firm Makinson Cowell. She is a CFA charterholder.

Robert Dann

Head of Marketing & Operations - IR Society

Rob joined the IR Society in January 2012 as head of marketing, with responsibility for the society’s marketing and sponsorship programme. In 2014 Rob’s role developed to incorporate all of the society’s membership activities, including member recruitment and retention and the identification of potential new member groups. In 2019 the roles further expanded to incorporate internal processes and operations. Prior to moving into IR Rob had previously worked in marketing roles across a number of sectors, most recently as group head online for an international media company.

Laura Hayter

CEO - IR Society

Laura is CEO at The Investor Relations Society. Formerly Head of Policy and Communications, Laura took on the role of CEO in 2019 and has been with the Society for over 13 years. Laura has been part of the IR community since 2001, and among other roles, she was formerly a director at the IR consultancy, Taylor Rafferty, providing IR advisory services to blue chip clients, both in London and New York. Laura’s particular interests within IR are around career progression, mentoring and professional development. She graduated from the University of Leeds, with an honours degree in German and management studies.

James Lomas

Membership Executive - IR Society

Bio & photo to follow