Copenhagen Stock Exchange Focus: Electronics May Bring Increased Dynamism To General Meetings

Companies have now been given the option to decide that its shareholders shall be allowed to participate online in the company’s general meetings, including be given the opportunity to vote online without being physically present at the venue of the general meeting.

In Focus no. 85 portfolio manager Bente Anderskou, LD Pensions, writes about the impact of partially electronic general meetings on corporate communications and management.

Active participation in the general meetings of the companies is an important and central matter. This is where the shareholders exercise their control of and influence on the way the company is heading. With the introduction of partially electronic general meetings, the companies may thus help create a better foundation for good corporate governance.

Bente Anderskou sees the electronic general meeting as a good supplement to the physical general meeting, as it gives shareholders who are not physically present the opportunity to attend, speak and cast their votes. The physical general meeting with direct human communication is still the best setting for a good dialogue in preference to an entirely electronic general meeting.

The author encourages the companies to start off with a trial period. The future possibilities and design of the electronic general meeting will very much depend on the experiences that the shareholders and companies gather in the near future.

Read more in the article ‘Electronics may bring increased dynamism to general meetings’ in Focus no. 85.