Should companies be required to adopt a hybrid of both physical and virtual annual general meetings (AGMs) in the future?
Maren Schweizer
CEO
Schweizer World
Digital-only live format is the way forward. By doing so, we have to ensure
(1) shareholder rights,
(2) the ability to ask questions before and, more importantly, during meetings, and
(3) governance. Voting integrity and reliable vote-counting also require new regulation standards.
In 2021 we are not jumping at the deep end. Blockchain (DLT) technology such as Nasdaq eVoting, for example, is here while corporates and technology providers can build on 2020 experiences.
We shall offer our shareholders on-demand video training and trial sessions in advance to ensure proper and lively remote interactionduring shareholder meetings.
Besides, we could provide several satellites in the form of smaller conference meeting rooms to be used by shareholders close to their location, easily accessible by all means of transport.
More than ever, it is vital to work together with our shareholders to build trust and find common ground in times of high-pace digital transformation
