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Transcontinental car company Daimler-Chrysler AG has made plans to move some of its IR function into New York's Chrysler building, a symbol of its earlier existence. Although the the $53 billion market cap company will retain its joint headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and Auburn Hills, Mich., it wants offices in the Chrysler building to better coordinate management's meetings with Wall Street and to strengthen the perception of Chrysler as an all-American brand, DaimlerChrysler Director of IR Sam Messina said.-ST_TD- "[An office in the Chrysler building] demonstrates to the investment community and employees that we still have our roots in the states and that a large proportion of our earnings come from here. It's a symbolic gesture," Messina said. The company's new New York office may not house any senior IR officers, instead performing a more administrative function. Messina's three-strong IR team will most likely stay in Auburn Hills. The actual move is not likely before the end of the year because the building is under renovation, Messina said. Steep Learning Curve The company's stock price has been declining for most of its joint existence, partly due to teething troubles as the German parent company adapted to tougher disclosure standards in the U.S. (See IRB, 9/6/99). "Disclosure was cut down slightly, but the former Daimler was very progressive compared to what its German peers were doing. Our disclosure is still not equal to the U.S., but it is pretty darn close. From my perspective they have moved with lightening speed," he said. One problem is that DaimlerChrysler's management team is not as accessible to U.S. investors as the company's U.S.-based peers because of their location, but Messina intends to make up for this disadvantage with good, old-fashioned IR. "It's business as usual. We're hosting a number of analyst visits to Auburn Hills and we will be attending conferences around the country, as well as programming other major events for investors," Messina said.