Formerary meeting: Deutsche Bank: 2026 Again presence general meeting

Deutsche Bank is planning a presence general meeting for the first time since the pre-Corona year 2019. This was announced by Germany’s largest money house with the announcement of the agenda for this year’s shareholder meeting.

The General Assembly 2025 will be organized on May 22nd as a pure online event. However, shareholders do not have to submit any questions in advance, but can ask them live via video counters.

In the future, a regular change with the virtual format is planned: at least every four years, the Frankfurt Dax Group wants to hold a general meeting in presence.

Again more general meetings in presence

Deutsche Bank thus follows the example of other corporations, in which shareholders sometimes forced the return to the presence general meeting, as recently at Siemens and TUI.

“The virtual format, which we have continuously developed in recent years, has undeniable advantages: shareholders can take part in it regardless of their location, and the environmental pollution is less,” said Deutsche Bank supervisory board chief Alex Wynaendts. “At the same time, we are aware that some stakeholders prefer a face -to -face event.”

In addition to the board and supervisory board, the general meeting – HV – is the most important decision -making committee of a stock corporation. Once a year, shareholders have the opportunity to personally tell the management of their company. In addition, the general meeting makes important decisions: the shareholders, for example, vote on the distribution of the dividend and the occupation of the supervisory board.

Shareholder representatives see virtual format critical

Since Corona pandemic, there has been the legal option of virtually holding general meetings. These are cheaper for the corporations than face -to -face events, and interference campaigns are eliminated at the location of the Annual General Meeting.

Shareholder representatives such as Ingo Speich from Dekabank see the development critically: “A virtual HV may be cheaper than the presence format, but it suffers from a deficit of communication. Criticism is stiff. The exchange is not so alive.” Speich emphasizes: “We basically call for the return to presence or hybrid general meetings, especially if there are changes to the supervisory board or capital resolutions, new remuneration models or other major topics are on the agenda.”

From the perspective of Marc Tüngler, managing director of the German Protection Association for Securities ownership (DSW), companies have exaggerated it with virtual HV. Therefore, the resistance of shareholders increased. In the future there must be a good mix between the formats, Tüngler demands: “If shareholder rights are affected, there are special things, then presence.”