NIRI Annual Conference Call for Proposals

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Contribute your ideas and thought leadership to the NIRI 2026 Annual Conference.

NIRI is now accepting content proposals for the NIRI 2026 Annual Conference, taking place June 7-9, 2026 in Chicago, IL.

We are seeking dynamic, relevant, and practical sessions that reflect the evolving changes and opportunities facing IR professionals today. This is your opportunity to shape the agenda, share your expertise, and contribute to the profession.

Who Should Submit

Submissions are open to all NIRI practitioners and counselor members. Service provider members interested in submitting a session proposal should contact Susie Prue at sprue@niri.org for additional details and requirements.

What to Submit

Each proposal must include:

  • Session Title
  • Proposed Session Description (max 150 words)
  • Proposed Speakers
    • Speakers do not need to be confirmed. Proposed speakers can include “personas” or specific names.
  • Rationale
    • Why is this topic critical for IR professionals right now? What timely issue or emerging trend does it address? How will attendees benefit?  

We encourage submissions that include diverse perspectives, original case studies, and insights that reflect the complexity of the IR role in today’s market environment.

Proposals will be accepted until Friday, October 3. Submitters will be notified regarding the status of their submission in December 2025.

Submit a Proposal

Proposal Evaluation and Selection

The NIRI 2026 Annual Conference Committee is responsible for reviewing and scoring proposals. Top scoring proposals will be selected for inclusion in the NIRI 2026 Annual Conference programming.

Scoring Criteria:

  1. Relevance to Today’s IR Landscape: Does the topic reflect pressing or emerging issues in IR?
  2. Originality & Value: Is it fresh content or a new approach to a familiar topic?
  3. Clarity & Feasibility: Is the proposal well-articulated and realistically executable?
  4. Speaker Expertise & Diversity: Are the proposed speakers or “personas” experienced and do they represent varied perspectives or industries?
  5. Educational Impact: Will attendees leave with clear, applicable takeaways?

The proposal selection process is a competitive process. Please review the instructions and criteria closely and fill out the form in complete detail to strengthen your chances of selection. Incomplete proposals will not be accepted or evaluated.

  • This year, we invite you to indicate your interest as a speaker for the Annual Conference. Using the form below, please indicate up to four topics or areas of expertise about which you would be qualified to present, as well as supporting resources such as videos of other presentations you have given, articles or publications you have authored, etc.
     
    The selection of speakers is a competitive process, so closely reviewing the instructions and filling out the form in complete detail will strengthen your chances of selection.

Terms and Conditions

The submitter acknowledges and agrees to the following terms and conditions when submitting a speaker proposal:

  • Submitting a proposal does not guarantee any person a speaking engagement at the NIRI Annual Conference or other NIRI event. Speakers are accepted at the discretion of the National Investor Relations Institute and its member-based Annual Conference Committee. Diversity is valued in speaking, thought leadership, and other roles within NIRI.
  • Presenters and speakers agree to demonstrate thought leadership without promotion of products or services.
  • Speakers are responsible for all related expenses, including travel and accommodation.
  • Speakers who are IR professionals or service providers or in an IR-related role will not receive a complimentary registration to the conference. They must register and pay to attend.
  • Any speaker(s) identified in the submission have or will obtain rights to use intellectual property, thoughts, concepts, or reproductions provided with the submission and ultimately presented in any final form. See the sample Speaker Agreement for full details.


Please contact NIRI’s Professional Development team at prodev@niri.org with any questions.