Who We Are: The High Touch Difference
High Touch Investor Relations (HTIR) is a boutique Investor Relations firm based in New York. Our team ensures our clients get the most accurate, complete, and actionable strategies backed up by real-time analytics to reach their goals - whether seeking IR services to raise capital or in need of marketing and IR strategies to increase a public company's visibility.
What sets HTIR apart is our credo “quality not quantity.” We limit the number of clients we work with at any set time to ensure each gets full-service attention to achieve their goals. We maximize value through our Investor Relations strategies and provide a customized, transformative plan for our clients that optimizes valuation.
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR'S ALL-AMERICA MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARDS
For years 2019 and 2020, Laura Kiernan ranked in the top three for Best Overall Investor Relations in Technology, Media and Telecom in the Mid-Small Cap category as voted by the global buy-side.
"My goal has been to create a boutique Investor Relations firm that meets the needs of its clients with a specialized approach and trusted strategy that I’ve honed over the years. To me, High Touch IR is the realization of that dream.”
“Our clients have come to trust our strategic transformative strategy that presents 'their story' to investors in a way that optimizes valuation and corporate reputation.”
Laura Kiernan, IRC, CPA: CEO, Founder, High Touch Investor Relations
Laura Kiernan brings more than two decades of experience as an investor relations, finance and accounting expert to her company High Touch Investor relations. Her goal was to create a boutique investor relations firm that meets the needs of its clients with a specialized approach and trusted strategy that she has honed over the years. HTIR is a firm where clients have come to trust her strategic transformative investor relations strategies, which enable them to present their story to investors in a way that optimizes valuation and corporate reputation. She serves as a key advisor to Boards of Directors, CEOs and management teams.
Laura is a Board Member of the National Investor Relations Institute, New York. She has served as VP Programs and Sponsorship for NIRI NY, and on the NIRI National Advocacy Agenda (Washington DC Ambassador) and the IRC Examination Development Committee.
Most recently, she headed up investor relations at Ubiquiti Inc. (UI), a ~$10B disruptive wireless technology firm. Her strategic approach to investor relations helped transform this disruptive networking technology company’s reputation in the equity markets. Laura’s interactions with investors helped Ubiquiti more than double their valuation on Wall Street and improve their corporate reputation in less than two years. Ubiquiti is now a part of the Russell 1000 Index.
As the head of IR for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for 3.5 years, she successfully helped more than triple the company's valuation, and also dealt with unique issues regarding managing and bolstering the corporate reputations of the high profile and well-known McMahon family including Founder and CEO Vince McMahon.
Laura has worked in investor relations for several Fortune 500 and Russell 2000 companies, including Harry Winston Diamond Corporation (retailer was acquired by Swatch at 3x the purchase price), Phillip Morris
International (Altria), Playtex Products (acquired by Energizer at 3x valuation when hired), Revlon (where she helped refinance $2B in distressed debt) and others.
Laura’s expertise transcends industries and she has successfully dealt with a variety of complex shareholder related issues including predatory short interest, activist investor campaigns, new issuances for complex securities and insider transactions.
Laura graduated at the top of her class, earning her Masters of Finance and Strategic Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business. She earned her B.S. in Accounting from Ithaca College. She is a CPA and an IRC (Investor Relations Charter). She completed Harvard Business School's Executive Education program titled “Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director” in 2018.
Laura is a Guest Lecturer in Finance, Investments, and Investor Relations at Northeastern University and Fordham Gabelli School of Management.
Laura is an advocate for the Arts, including her longtime involvement with the New York City Ballet. As a career professional and mother, Laura is passionate about mentoring youth and promoting the advancement of women and girls through her involvement in several charities. In her free time, Laura enjoys spending time with her family.
Kelley Stamm - SVP Investor Relations
Kelley Stamm is a seasoned investor relations and corporate communications professional with over 10 years of experience. Prior to joining HTIR, Kelley managed investor relations at Roxgold Inc. where she was responsible for all aspects of the investor relations program from strategy to implementation. Previously, Kelley held roles of increasing responsibility with Dominion Diamond Corporation (formerly Harry Winston Diamond Corporation) participating in successfully leading communications through a variety of situations including CEO and CFO transitions and corporate rebranding following a transformative company transaction.
Kelley is an active member of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) and holds the designation of Certified Professional in Investor Relations (CPIR) from the CIRI/ Ivey Business School at Western University.
Yasmina Edwards - VP Investor Relations & Media Relations
Yasmina Edwards brings more than fifteen years of corporate experience in building strategic partnerships and providing business and brand development to HTIR. Recently, Yasmina has developed robust experience in media relations and content production as she is fulfilling her passion for Africa which has been a central focus of her work.
She is a graduate of Ecole Supérieure de Gestion de Valence a business school in France, she also holds a certificate in Marketing from New York University.
Fluent in English, French, Spanish and Yoruba, Edwards is acutely aware of the unique value which intercultural communication brings to the table. She currently resides between New York, Paris and Lagos.
Conor Dunleavy - Account Executive & Head of Digital
Conor Dunleavy has four years of experience as an investor relations consultant working with companies in a variety of industries and market cap sizes. He has extensive experience in digital media and content creation, including podcasts, blogging and social media management. His experience covers a variety of additional fields from econometrics to film making, and audio/visual production. Previously, Mr. Dunleavy served as a Legislative Intern at the Connecticut General Assembly in Hartford, CT, under the tutelage of Representative Patricia Billie Miller, Chair of the Bonding Subcommittee, where he assisted in crafting, proposing and completing new legislation, as well as aiding in bond proposal analysis.
Mr. Dunleavy graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2018 with a B.S. in Economics and a Minor in Media Studies. A member of NIRI and the NYC chapter, he is currently pursuing the IRC (Investor Relations Charter) certification.