The Nokia Lesson: Why IR Needs Curiosity More Than Coding

Dear Colleague,

I hear you! And here is my thought on the whole artificial intelligence in investor relations matter.

Do you remember the ringtone? The one that could interrupt a dinner party or a boardroom meeting and be instantly recognized anywhere in the world?

For a long time, Nokia was more than just a phone manufacturer; it was the nervous system of global communication. Their slogan, "Connecting People," was arguably one of the best mission statements of the 20th century. In many ways, it perfectly describes what we do as Investor Relations officers. We are the connectors. We bridge the gap between internal strategy and external capital. We translate the complex language of operations into the story of value. We connect people.

But we all know how the Nokia story ends. And it did not end just because Apple built a better screen.

Nokia failed because a culture of success turned into complacency. It was not just inferior hardware; it was an overconfident leadership structure and a fundamental lack of vision. They ignored the shifting winds because they were too busy admiring the empire they had already built. It is a harsh reminder that a long string of bad decisions usually precedes a fall, but those mistakes are not unavoidable. If you assess risks and opportunities honestly – without ego – you can usually spot the pitfalls before you fall into them.

This history lesson is critical for us right now. The failure of a giant serves as the ultimate reminder of the importance of staying ahead of market trends and innovating to remain competitive. For IR professionals, "staying current" is not just about knowing the latest disclosure regulations; it is about recognizing the technological tidal wave approaching.

We are standing at a similar crossroads with Artificial Intelligence.

When we consider where the world of IR is heading with AI, it is clear we are moving past the hype cycle and into the utility phase. The future is not about AI replacing the IR function; it is about AI absorbing the noise so we can focus on the signal. The sheer volume of data we must process – peer analysis, sentiment tracking, ESG metrics – is becoming unmanageable for the human brain alone. The industry is shifting toward a model where AI handles the quantitative "what," leaving us to explain the qualitative "why."

That is exactly where value will be created. Value in IR will not come from who can build the fastest spreadsheet or summarize a transcript the quickest – AI will win that race every time. The real premium will be on synthesis, judgment, and relationships. The value lies in taking the output AI provides and applying the nuance that only a seasoned IRO possesses. It is the difference between information and insight.

Let us be honest: AI is not exactly new. It has been operating in the background of our trading algorithms, search engines, and spam filters for decades. What is new is its visibility and accessibility in our daily work. Suddenly, the "black box" is open, and it is conversational. This is where your tenure becomes your superpower. The models are smart, but they lack wisdom. They need guidance on nuance, tone, and regulatory boundaries. Those of us with deep experience in this job must shape AI, teaching it what "good" looks like in a regulated environment. It is about managing AI, not fearing it. We cannot take its answers for granted or treat its output as gospel; we must treat it like a talented but inexperienced junior analyst who requires oversight and verification.

So, how do you participate? You do not sit on the sidelines waiting for IT or a consultant to tell you how your job has changed. You must be the architect of your own evolution. Curiosity is your entry ticket. You need to experiment with these tools, test them on your daily or monthly workflows, i.e. your earnings drafts (safely, of course), and see where they break and where they excel.

There is a lot of anxiety right now about "reskilling," but that is the wrong word. It implies you need to become something else, perhaps a data scientist or a prompt engineer. That is not the case. This is about repositioning.

You know your job better than anyone else. You know the pain points of a relentless earnings cycle, pulling data together for a meaningful Board presentation or keeping your investor up to date on the lates news events from your company. You know the fatigue of the roadshow. Because you own the workflow, you are the only one qualified to decide where AI can and should be implemented. Management and leadership are not looking to replace you; they are looking at you. They are waiting for you to come to the table and say, "Here is how I can use this technology to augment what I do, to work side by side with me, and to make our team faster and sharper."

Don’t be the Nokia of your own career. Be the visionary who sees the shift coming and connects new technology to the old goal: connecting people, better than ever before.

I would love to hear your thoughts and concerns! Comment below!

Best, Muge

Your fellow IR Enthusiast!

Currently serving as the Director of Investor Relations and Sustainability at Galata Wind Enerji (GWIND.IS), Yücel brings a wealth of experience to the role, having begun her investor relations career in 2008 at Dogus Otomotiv (DOAS.IS). Her expertise in proactive strategies utilizing digital technology and AI, particularly in shareholder targeting, is instrumental in communicating Galata Wind's growth story. Traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, Galata Wind operates wind and solar farms in Turkey and is strategically expanding into Europe, targeting a capacity of over 1000 MW by 2030.

Yücel has recently published "The Investor Relations Playbook - Achieving Sustainable Success", a hands-on guidebook on investor relations operations with templates, checklists and how-to guides. The book is available in print in Turkish and in digital form in English.

Yücel also makes the IROVISION newsletter available now as a video podcast. Find the show on spotify here.