Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Most investors read only a fraction of what companies publish — and the gap between disclosure and understanding is widening. As markets become noisier and stakeholders more demanding, companies are being forced to rethink how they deliver context, clarity, and leadership perspective. Traditional IR channels simply aren’t keeping pace.
In a recent Alma Spotlight interview, Alma’s Robyn Fisher sat down with Andrew Craissati, CEO and Co-Founder of Auddy, to explore why secure audio is becoming a defining channel for investor and corporate communication.
Click here to listen to the full interview.
Why do today’s investor communications fall flat?
Despite technology moving forward, investor communication is still dominated by text-heavy PDFs, scripted webcasts, and formal earnings calls. These formats deliver information, but not necessarily understanding.
“If you were to interview your investors, you would likely find that they concentrate on just 10% of the document,” says Craissati. “And they are ignoring or de-prioritising the other 90%.”
A compliance-first mindset has made many investor updates rigid and difficult to engage with. CEOs and CFOs are obligated to present accurate, regulated results — but that same structure restricts their ability to tell the story behind the numbers.
“The exercise is driven by compliance,” Craissati notes. “As a result, it makes it very difficult for a CEO to really connect with their intended audience.”
Yet investors want more than raw reporting. They want clarity, conviction, and context — and the human voice is uniquely capable of delivering those elements.
“We talk a lot in our business about integrity and how voice delivers integrity more than the written word will ever accomplish,” he says.
Creating secure audio infrastructure for modern IR
Andrew Craissati brings an unusual mix of creative and financial experience — a combination that ultimately shaped Auddy and its secure audio platform, Campfire.
“I’m a rather odd and perhaps rare breed of creative industries founder who’s also run an investment bank,” he explains. “It’s now enabled me to really straddle the world of creativity, particularly audio, and financial services.”
Aside from running an investment bank, he built businesses under Virgin and Universal, chaired creative ventures across APAC, ran a family office, and built VC funds.
With Auddy, Craissati launched the Campfire platform, which sits at the heart of Auddy’s work in corporate and investor communications.
“Campfire is the world’s first private and encrypted podcast delivery mechanism,” says Craissati. “It’s the antithesis of a traditional podcast.”
Where open podcasts are searchable and shareable, Campfire is invitation-only, access-controlled, and backed by listener-level analytics.
Why audio beats every other comms channel (yes, even video)
Audio is no longer just an entertainment medium. It has become shorthand for convenience, trust, and attention — especially in business communication.
Audio increases trust.
Andrew referenced research showing that “61% of listeners believe that a podcast creates a halo effect for a brand.” Audiences feel more positively about companies that communicate through audio — in both B2B and consumer settings.
Voice conveys nuance.
“Audio captures tone. It captures nuance in a way that text can’t,” he says. Hearing leadership explain strategy in their own voice provides cues about confidence, caution, and priorities that text alone can’t communicate.
A private podcast format is better suited for investor behaviour.
Investors are time-pressed and often multitasking, making long webcasts or dense reports impractical.
“A short, secure audio briefing offers a much more accessible way to grasp the highlights and underlying story,” Andrew explains. “Audio fits into their day – during commutes, workouts, or between meetings.”
Auddy’s Campfire platform complements formal disclosures.
Audio does not replace required filings; it enhances understanding. “It doesn’t do away with the written word; it is supplemental to it,” he stresses.
Campfire extends the usefulness of disclosures by adding clarity and human interpretation, without altering the official record.
“But aren’t podcasts… public?”
One reason podcasts for investor relations have taken so long to enter the mainstream is the assumption that podcasts are, by definition, open to the world.
“Most people associate podcasts with very open architecture platforms like Spotify and Apple,” Craissati says.
Even the “private podcasts” on those platforms aren’t exactly secure or compliant.
This misconception disappears once companies understand what secure audio enables.
Auddy’s Campfire platform uses encrypted delivery, access controls, and audit trails so companies can control exactly who hears what. Campfire content:
- Is not searchable
- Cannot be shared
- Is revocable at any moment
“Nothing is publicly searchable or shareable unless the client wishes.”
Campfire is more compliant than existing communication methods
Many IR teams still send sensitive updates via email attachments or run large Zoom sessions. Compared to those channels, secure audio is often more compliant because access is trackable and identities are verified.
Access also requires each listener to register — turning what is normally a one-way channel into an opportunity to learn about the audience.
“Asking a question or two at registration gives the IR team new insight,” Andrew says. “Investor relations is historically a one-way flow of information… this introduces optionality for interactivity.”
The future of IR is already playing out in the US
While secure audio is still emerging in the UK market, the United States offers a preview of what’s coming. American IR teams began adopting podcasting and digital audio formats earlier — partly due to the country’s longer familiarity with podcasting as a mainstream medium.
“America is a little more advanced,” Andrew says. “Podcasting was embraced in the American market about seven years earlier than it was in Europe.”
US-listed companies now commonly use private audio to deliver:
- Investor education
- Strategic commentary
- Leadership insights
- Ongoing context between earnings cycles
And importantly, these aren’t reserved only for quarterly updates or major disclosures. They’re part of a continuous engagement strategy.
But the UK is minding the gap
“The approach in London is catching up fast,” Craissati says.
For instance, the London Stock Exchange’s decision to add Auddy to its Issuer Services Marketplace was a clear signal that secure audio is moving into the mainstream of UK corporate communication. It positions audio as a strategic channel that increases clarity, access, and investor understanding.
The UK is well-positioned to excel in comms: its strength in creative industries gives it a natural advantage in adopting more narrative-driven investor communication. Where the US may have led in early adoption, the UK is positioned to excel in execution.
“The UK is obviously well known for its creative industries, which further adds to that impact,” he says.
For listed companies, the opportunity is clear:
- Bring strategy to life using leadership voice.
- Build trust through tone and transparency.
- Offer investors accessible, short-form briefings rather than dense documents.
- Maintain consistent presence between major announcements.
Audio helps companies stay top of mind without overwhelming their audience. A 10–15 minute episode can reinforce messages, clarify decisions, and strengthen investor conviction in a way written disclosures alone cannot.
Short, digestible, high-frequency updates — when properly secured — become a differentiator in crowded markets.
Authenticity will define the future of IR
As investor expectations evolve, companies face pressure to be more transparent, more contextual, and more engaging — without compromising compliance.
“We’re moving from this formulaic disclosure process to clear, contextual, human communication that people actually want to listen to and consume,” says Craissati.
Secure audio bridges the gap between the rigid, structured world of regulatory communication and the need for clarity and trust. It gives leadership a controlled environment to share nuance while maintaining the integrity of formal disclosures.
The result is a more accessible investor experience — one where key stakeholders can understand strategy in less time, with more confidence.
Audio won’t replace the written record. But it is quite quickly becoming the channel where understanding happens.
Enjoyed this article? Click here to listen to the interview.
