As 2025 draws to a close, it has been a year defined by significant change for businesses navigating an increasingly complex investor communications and B2B communications landscape. From heightened expectations around transparency and governance to the growing importance of clear, consistent stakeholder engagement, the past year has reinforced the critical role that effective investor relations and corporate communications strategies play in building trust and long-term value.
This monthly industry trends blog forms part of Decusatio Investor Communications’ ongoing commitment to thought leadership in investor relations, stakeholder communications and B2B communications in South Africa. Each edition highlights emerging trends, risks and opportunities shaping how companies engage investors, boards, regulators and key stakeholders.
Below are the key Investor Communications trends we are tracking for December 2025.
What do our digital channels reveal about Investor Communications trends?
One of our most valuable sources of insight is our own digital ecosystem. Each month, we analyse Google Search data and website performance to understand what business leaders, communicators and investor relations teams are actively searching for.
Recent search trend data points to a few recurring themes, particularly around the following keywords and search phrases:
- “Fabricio Bloisi” / “Fabricio Bloisi net worth”
- “What is the purpose of creating an impact report?”
- “Impact reporting”
Fabricio Bloisi, the CEO of JSE-listed Naspers and Prosus, continues to attract sustained interest. We have previously noted that Bloisi is one of the strongest examples of effective B2B communication and stakeholder engagement in the South African corporate landscape.
The continued rise of searches around impact reporting is equally notable. The question “What is the purpose of creating an impact report?” has appeared consistently over the past few months, signalling growing interest from businesses seeking clarity on how to communicate purpose, ESG outcomes and long-term value to stakeholders.
We unpack the role of impact reporting in more detail here.
Why B2B brands need to think more like business newsrooms
With a CEO who comes from a media background, we often approach communications strategy from a slightly different angle. One idea we return to frequently is the value of treating B2B communications more like a business newsroom.
Emma Montocchio recently explored this thinking in an article for The Media Online, outlining how newsroom principles such as editorial discipline, consistency, audience relevance and narrative clarity can strengthen B2B communications strategies heading into 2026.
The shift reflects a broader reality: stakeholders increasingly expect credible, well-structured information that helps them make informed decisions, not just polished messaging.
We would welcome further discussion on this perspective.
NiemanLab predictions highlight the rise of video and business journalism
The NiemanLab predictions for 2026 align closely with trends we are seeing in both media and corporate communications.
Two predictions stand out in particular.
The first is their view that “journalism will become the centre of gravity for YouTube’s next era”. As NiemanLab notes, creators are moving away from pure entertainment towards more credible, information-driven content, with journalism playing a central role in platform growth and influence.
The second prediction focuses on vertical video journalism, with newsrooms increasingly becoming talent hubs for this format. Vertical video has become a default entry point for news discovery, particularly among younger and mobile-first audiences.
In South Africa, we have been watching this shift closely. One standout example is BizNews, led by Alec Hogg, which has grown its YouTube following to over 280,000 subscribers by combining political economy coverage with consistent video storytelling.
Another emerging voice in 2025 has been Ash Muller, who has carved out a strong following through property-focused video content. By combining sector expertise with accessible video formats, Ash has become one of the most recognisable voices in South African property commentary.
For investor communications teams, the implication is clear: video is no longer optional, and credibility matters as much as production quality.
Fair pay and pay gaps: a growing Investor Communications challenge for 2026
Proposed amendments to the Companies Act will require organisations to disclose the pay disparity between the lowest-paid employees and top executives. For JSE-listed and public companies, this will become a significant investor communications and stakeholder management issue in 2026.
Explaining remuneration structures, pay gaps and governance decisions will require careful messaging that balances transparency with context.
Moneyweb provides a helpful summary of the proposed changes.
Alongside this, the proposed Fair Pay Bill, tabled by BOSA, could extend similar disclosure requirements to a wider group of businesses. While listed entities may be more accustomed to these disclosures, many private companies argue that their ownership structures and operational realities warrant a different approach.
In both cases, organisations will need to ensure that internal and external communications strategies evolve in parallel with regulatory change, particularly as scrutiny from shareholders, employees and the public increases.
Looking ahead: Investor Communications priorities for 2026
Organisations that succeed in 2026 will be those that invest in coherent B2B communications strategies that integrate PR, Financial PR and Investor Communications into a single, credible narrative.
As expectations rise across capital markets, regulators and the broader business ecosystem, communication is no longer reactive. It is a core strategic function that supports governance, trust and long-term value creation.
If your organisation is reviewing its Investor Communications or B2B communications strategy for 2026, Decusatio Investor Communications is well positioned to support you with clear, credible and results-driven communications.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss how our expertise can support your business objectives. If you would like to explore this further, please do not hesitate to contact us.