Now that I’ve been occasionally attending shareholder meetings for a few years, I’ve noticed they’re quite boring events. More could be gained from them through more active discussion between various owners and management.
For example, I’m annoyed by the strange opposition between owners and management at meetings. For instance, an owner addresses management with “you” (e.g., “how are you going to manage in this market now?”), when in reality, at shareholder meetings, everyone is in the same boat, i.e., “we,” especially if management has significant holdings in the company.
My point is that shareholder meetings could be much, much more fruitful and constructive events, perhaps even like a strategy meeting, couldn’t they?
Yes, using formal address is unnecessary when management and board members have (significant) ownership in the company. However, it’s good to remember, though it’s a somewhat off-putting situation, that this is not always the case, in which instance the attitude of (minority) shareholders towards management can be much more questioning if they feel that management, for example, drains the company’s cash unprofitably but does not bear the risk as owners themselves.
Haha! I just enjoy the powerful feeling of being an owner while stuffing as many buns as I dare into my face (the rest into a big handbag) and, of course, being bowed to for once. Even the CEO is there, looking so smug and feigning forced interest, though he has no idea how many shares are floating in my book-entry account. There could be just one. Additionally, I try to dress as shabbily as possible and not comb my hair in the morning. A bad hair day can be compensated for by wearing an orange and black “hankkija” (farmer’s cooperative) cap. Crocs on my feet. Lipstick applied a bit messily and even a little on my teeth, just to deepen the contrast and maximize the feeling of power.
No, just kidding. There’s certainly room for improvement here, and perhaps some progressive company will think about this differently (within the bounds of the law, of course) and set an example for others. It does create distance when company owners are usually so far removed from anything operational, and different owners have different motives for owning a company, so they’re generally not a unified and organized group. And the company, on the other hand, doesn’t need anything from the owners other than funding, even if the owners might have some vision for the future direction or chosen strategy, and perhaps even good suggestions.
In smaller Finnish companies, there might indeed be drama and twists at meetings, which at worst resembles a contentious housing cooperative’s general meeting, but otherwise, in my experience, things are usually rubber-stamped as before.
Taaleri could be highlighted as a good example where the general meeting is “truly” owner-centric, and, as I understand it, there are proper Q&A sessions à la Berkshire Hathaway.
I’ve been thinking about attending a public company’s annual general meeting (AGM) for the first time this spring. But how should one behave at such an event? What should I know beforehand? Can I just show up with zero knowledge, just to observe and eat a dry meeting roll?
Do forum members already have AGMs on their calendars?
Outerwear to the cloakroom, usually there are ushers present. Catering either before or after the meeting, it’s usually mentioned if it’s before. Registration at the on-site counter that corresponds to the first letter of your last name, e.g., A-H queue if your name is Bullero You’ll receive meeting materials and voting slips when you register (have your ID ready), and your voting slip may be checked when entering the meeting hall. The Chairman of the Board will give a speech, followed by the CEO presenting the previous year’s results. Questions may be asked after this, and meeting assistants will bring a microphone if needed. Did I forget something
On my own list of general meetings: Wärtsilä; Lassila&Tikanoja, Tokmanni, NOKIA CIRCLES (deliberately in capitals) and Sampo.
One more thing is the record date of the annual general meeting, which means you need to be registered in Euroclear’s shareholder register, usually a week or two before the meeting. So you can’t just buy shares on a whim and attend the meeting.
Addition: And naturally, it’s advisable to register for the meeting well in advance; instructions and a link can be found in the notice of the annual general meeting.
What happens to general meetings if mass events are canceled, postponed, and avoided? @Yu_Gong is unlikely to travel to all events with his machines and cameras.
The company can postpone the meeting for a certain period, but it must then be held. “According to law, it must be held no later than six months after the end of the financial year.” Inderes certainly has the capacity to handle every Helsinki Stock Exchange meeting with cameras, virtually if necessary.
You’ll receive meeting materials and voting slips when you register (have your ID ready), and your voting slip may be checked when entering the meeting hall. The Chairman of the Board will give a speech, followed by the CEO presenting the previous year’s results. Questions may be asked after this, and meeting assistants will bring a microphone if needed. Did I forget something 