FT, 11 June 2020, Coronavirus Casts Doubt on Future of AGMs

There is an excellent FT article on AGMs  https://www.ft.com/content/1209fa2f-30a9-4a16-bcee-65743814acc2 (11 June 2020) which quotes me in some detail:

Cliff Weight, from the individual shareholders group ShareSoc, says he is concerned that some companies see AGMs as a “waste of time and unnecessary, apart from the formalities” required by law.

He fears some will use the disruption caused by the pandemic to rubber stamp bad practices, such as by making it harder for investors to question the board.

ShareSoc believes a move towards live AGM broadcasts on the web is long overdue, but the ability for shareholders to ask questions of the board at a physical meetings remains vital. “The current crisis provides a real prompt for change. That change must not be allowed to pass us by,” Mr Weight adds.