The Mentoring Programme
The Society's Mentoring Programme, in partnership with Anna Hartropp Ltd., matches less experienced IR professionals with their more experienced peers, to help them to achieve specific career goals or simply to improve their understanding of the IR profession.
2026 intake
Applications for the 2026 mentoring programme will open in February 2026 for both mentors and mentees.
If you would like to register your interest in the meantime, please contact mentoring@irsociety.org.uk.
Objective of the programme
The programme aims to pair less experienced IR professionals with their more experienced peers, to help them to achieve specific career goals or simply to improve their understanding of the IR profession. We are thrilled that many of those who acted as mentors during the pilot programme have volunteered to carry on as mentors again in 2026.
How to apply
Members are invited to register their interest in taking part, either as mentors or as mentees (or both), by completing a simple online application form. The online application will provide us with enough information to match potential mentees with suitable mentors, based on our matching criteria.
This online form will ask for information such as:
Mentors:
- Current role (Job title, industry sector, company size/Index, etc.)
- Length of IR experience
- Specific career experience (e.g. M&A activity, activist investors, ESG etc.)
If you have previously been a mentor and would be happy to continue for the 2026 programme please just email mentoring@irsociety.org.uk to let us know that you would like to continue.
Mentees:
- Current role (Job title, industry sector, company size/Index, etc.)
- Length of IR experience
- Career aspirations short/mid/long term
- Desired outcomes from mentoring programme (e.g. are you looking to improve in one specific area, or more general career development)
Next steps
Once all of the application forms have been received we will work through the matching process, with a view to making introductions between mentors and mentees by early May 2026. The programme will then run for six months from June - November/December 2026.
If you have any questions at any time please contact mentoring@irsociety.org.uk.
Mentoring Programme FAQs
The IR Society Mentoring Programme is the latest addition to an expanding line-up of our services to support members’ professional development needs. The programme will facilitate the establishment of mentoring relationships and provide a framework for the development of these mentoring relationships with the end goal of helping mentees to successfully complete the actions contained in their individual development plans.
No – the Mentoring Programme is a benefit of membership and is available exclusively to IR Society members. There is no extra charge to use this resource.
Members must first complete an application form as a Mentor, Mentee or both. During the application process, members will provide a range of demographic and professional information, such as company size, industry sector, current and previous roles and specific IR experience. They will also indicate what they are hoping to achieve from the mentoring process. Once the application process is complete the IR Society will undertake a matching process based on the information provided in the application forms. Where it is possible to make a successful match we will inform the mentor and mentee via email that they have been matched and we will make the introduction. Mentors and mentees should then arrange an initial conversation to determine whether they feel they can develop a successful mentoring relationship.
If you are an IR Society member, click here to complete the Mentor application form.
Mentees are other IR Society members who need your help to support their career development.
We would suggest a maximum of three mentees to any mentor at any one time. We recommend that you select Mentees who are most suited to learn from your expertise and experience.
The mentoring programme will last for six months. We recommend that you and your Mentor agree on a schedule that works best for both of you. The most important thing is to discuss your mutual expectations about time and communication at the start of your relationship.
Sponsored by
Anna Hartropp Ltd.
Anna Hartropp connects companies with experienced investor relations professionals.
Anna delivers a bespoke search service for clients looking to hire investor relations officers or teams. Having previously worked in-house as an IRO and as an advisor, she combines her industry insight and experience with an extensive corporate and personal network, to help companies recruit investor relations professionals.