International Women’s Day 2023: Interview with Sandra Moura

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An interview with Sandra Moura about her IR career and influences.

Sandra Moura is head of investor relations at British Land

What has been your career path to date?  
I was in traditional financial roles until I discovered IR almost 20 years ago when I was working in finance at Diageo. I fell in love with IR and the rest is history.

What qualities and skills do you think are key to bring to the IR role? 
IR needs a wide range of skills, the backbone of which is an ability to understand the business, the strategy, the numbers and then write and talk about it clearly. You need build a strong network internally and you need good people skills to build relationships with investors, analysts and advisors. Curiosity and willingness to learn is also key. 

What changes have you seen in IR and where do you see the role of IR in the future? 
IR has professionalised since I started and I think IR will continue to evolve to meet the needs of investors. Sustainability is a great example of a topic that was a bit of an afterthought and has now become an integral element of the corporate narrative. 

What challenges, if any, have you faced to reach where you are in your current role? 
Investors’ areas of focus and concerns focus are constantly evolving. Staying on top of an ever moving target is an ongoing challenge but its also what makes IR so dynamic and exciting.   

Any advice to those either thinking about the next step up in their IR career or moving into IR?  
Spend time with your IR team, speak with other IRO’s, advisors, investors and people in the industry to learn what exactly the role requires and what skills you bring to IR.  

Do you have a female role model in your career? Who inspires you? 
My first boss in IR was Catherine James at Diageo. She taught me an incredible amount about IR and was very inspiring. 

Published 8 March, 2023