Shareholder meetings provide shareholders a platform to participate in the affairs of the company. With the increasing use of technology, enhanced disclosure requirements and availability of multiple means to engage with companies, shareholder meetings are slowly losing their relevance. While one may opine that shareholder meetings (specifically AGMs) are archaic and merely an annual ritual, it can very well be argued that these meetings serve a useful purpose by providing shareholders an opportunity to question the board, engage with other shareholders, and seek further information before they vote on resolutions. Trends point towards shareholder meetings eventually gaining prominence for institutional investors due to two developments – an increase in stewardship responsibilities and a possible increase in oversight of selective disclosure of information to analysts and investors.

While the relevance of general meetings continues to remain a topic of debate, IiAS has been closely associated the CFA Institute in publishing both the first edition and now this second edition to its “An Investor’s guide to shareholder meetings in India”. The purpose of the guide is to serve as a reference for shareholders to better understand the nature of shareholder meetings, including the activities, procedures, and rules of etiquette of the meetings, as well as other matters, so that they can adequately prepare to engage at these events.

Coverage of the guide: • Brief introduction to shareholder meetings – types of meetings and various logistics including voting • Shareholder resolutions • Meeting etiquette • Research on some of the key agenda items • Virtual meetings • Trends influencing shareholder meetings, including ESG and Stewardship

A copy of the ‘Investor’s guide to shareholder meetings in India’ can be accessed here