Arguably the most important event of the year so far in Switzerland took place earlier this month when Swiss voters passed the controversial referendum to impose unprecedented controls on executive pay. Even in this normally pro-business environment, more than 2/3 of the Swiss voters backed the proposal to let shareholders have their ”say on pay.”
The passing of the referendum means that Swiss company shareholders can veto bonus packages, as well as ”golden handshakes” when executives agree to join a company and ”golden handcuffs” when they exit, as compensation and a way to prevent them from working for a competitor.
Many Swiss companies are working on revised bonus schemes that incentivize executives while better aligning the interests of leaders with shareholders. As it’s Annual General Meeting season in Switzerland, shareholders are watching carefully as the large multinational companies announce results and rewards.
Are you expecting a challenging Annual General Meeting? Are you prepared to meet those challenges head on with a proactive approach to messaging — verbally and non-verbally? Ask, assess, then act. We’re here to help!
See also Part 1: Three actionable steps to make your AGM a Thought Leadership Showcase
Illustration: HikingArtist.com
