The Future of the Annual General Meeting

Annual general meetings (AGMs) are the most significant event on the corporate calendar, but recent reforms raised the compliance bar high. What can companies do to meet these new expectations? According to participants at an event sponsored by The Conference Board in London, companies must learn how to better address shareholders’ need to communicate with the board and other company leaders. As one attendee described it, “Institutions may not like it, but their smaller brethren must have an opportunity to put forward their views and have a proper debate.” This report examines how to best meet this challenge.

Topics covered:

• Evolving Views of the Annual General Meeting
• What Are the AGM’s Purposes?
• AGM Attendance Factors
• Reformatting the Agenda
• The AGM of the Future