My CIR Journey - Steph Mountifield

I have spent the vast majority of my 17-year career in corporate communications. I started in the defence industry, then moved into beverages, and in 2017 transitioned to the pharmaceutical sector. These roles all included delivering quarterly results communications, so while I have been in investor relations for nearly two years, I have worked alongside IR teams for a long time. I officially made the move to IR in January 2023 and have truly enjoyed every moment of the steep learning curve!

What made you take the CIR?

Coming from a corporate communications background, I had a good grasp of the basics, but I wanted to deepen my knowledge of IR and the capital markets. 

I had already started taking IR Society courses while still in corporate communications, so when I transitioned to IR, pursuing the CIR felt like the natural next step. It was a great way to formalise my knowledge and provided a structured approach to understanding the complexities of IR, along with latest industry standards and regulations.

How did you find the process?

I hadn’t studied for an exam in quite some time, but I had already attended the ‘IR regulation and compliance essentials’ and ‘Demystifying company accounts and valuations’ courses, which provided a solid foundation. I spent a lot of time with the study guide, and to mix things up, I also watched a few YouTube videos for additional insights.

I highly recommend the mock exams – I took one fairly early on, which helped me understand how the questions would be presented and where I had knowledge gaps.

Has the knowledge been useful?

Absolutely. The knowledge I’ve gained from the CIR has been extremely helpful. There are topics that come up daily of which I now have a better understanding, and conversely there are elements of the CIR that I don’t come across regularly, so the CIR has improved my all-round knowledge.

Advice for prospective candidates

If you’re thinking about studying for the CIR, I would encourage you to go for it. The study guide is comprehensive but manageable, and there’s no time limit on how quickly you need to take the exam*, which makes studying feel very achievable.

*This was correct at the time of writing - there is now a one-year time limit to sit your exam without incurring an additional admin fee