Holding Your Annual Meeting Virtually Lessons Learned From 2020
In light of the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes as no surprise that there was a dramatic increase in the number of virtual shareholder meetings held during the 2020 proxy season compared to prior years. According to data from Broadridge with respect to meetings hosted on its platform, the number of virtual shareholder meetings increased from 248 in 2019 to 1,494 in 2020. In many cases, having a virtual shareholder meeting was unavoidable in order to comply with government restrictions and guidelines on public gatherings, as well as to ensure the health and safety of shareholders and company employees. Given the uncertainty for 2021, particularly as it relates to the continuously evolving COVID-19 situation, companies will likely again find themselves planning for the possibility of a virtual shareholder meeting for the 2021 proxy season. Below is a summary of key considerations and best practic