“A well-crafted agenda is the satnav for your meeting - without it, you’ll waste time going in circles.” 

Matt Glynn - Director, GLS Group

The company secretary’s role in meetings starts long before the first attendee logs in or takes a seat. The agenda sets the sequence, priorities, and compliance checkpoints for each meeting - whether it’s an AGM, EGM, board meeting, or committee session.

In this station, we’ll unpack why agenda-setting is a core governance skill, what goes into building a great agenda, and how a strong agenda ensures both compliance and productivity.

This is an important stage of the start-up journey because;

◼️Compliance control: Ensures statutory items (e.g., shareholder approvals, financial disclosures) are covered

◼️Meeting discipline: Keeps discussions focused and within time limits

◼️Transparency: Attendees know what will be discussed and can prepare accordingly

◼️Decision readiness: Aligns necessary information with agenda items so decisions can be made

◼️Record accuracy: Makes it easier to capture complete and compliant minutes

◼️Efficiency: Reduces time wasted on irrelevant topics

◼️Stakeholder alignment: Sets expectations before the meeting starts

◼️Risk management: Prevents omission of legally required agenda points

PAA: Is an agenda legally required?

In many jurisdictions, yes - especially for shareholder meetings like AGMs and EGMs where the notice must state the business to be transacted. For board meetings, it’s usually best practice but not always a statutory requirement.

A company secretary’s agenda-setting process often looks like this:

◼️Identify statutory requirements
Review company law, constitution, and prior meeting commitments.

◼️Consult the chair and CEO
Align agenda topics with strategic priorities and operational needs.

◼️Sequence logically
Put compliance matters first, then strategic and operational discussions.

◼️Allocate time
Assign realistic time slots for each item to avoid overrun.

◼️Prepare the “pack”
Include supporting documents for each agenda item: reports, draft resolutions, financial statements, prior minutes, etc.

◼️Distribute in advance
Circulate the agenda and pack within the statutory notice period (and preferably earlier).

PAA: How far in advance should agendas be circulated?

Best practice is at least 7 days before board meetings and in line with statutory notice periods for shareholder meetings - which vary by jurisdiction.

AGM Agenda

◼️Approval of previous AGM minutes

◼️Presentation of audited financial statements

◼️Declaration of dividends

◼️Election/re-election of directors

◼️Appointment of auditors and fixing of remuneration

◼️Any special business requiring shareholder approval

EGM Agenda

◼️Opening and quorum confirmation

◼️Presentation of specific resolution(s) (e.g., constitutional amendment)

◼️Shareholder discussion and vote

Board Meeting Agenda

◼️Review and approval of previous minutes

◼️Matters arising/action items

◼️Financial performance review

◼️Strategic updates

◼️Key risk and compliance updates

◼️Approvals for major transactions

◼️Other business

Committee Meeting Agenda (Audit, Risk, Remuneration)

◼️Review of committee-specific reports

◼️Compliance and regulatory updates

◼️Recommendations to the board

PAA: Is there a standard agenda format?

Yes - many companies use standard agenda templates for each meeting type to ensure consistency and compliance. Templates should be adapted as needed for specific circumstances.

Legal Implications

◼️Failure to include required items (e.g., financial statements) invalidates the meeting’s resolutions

◼️Shareholder challenges to decisions based on incomplete notices

Founder Relationship Issues

◼️Frustration from poorly run, unfocused meetings

◼️Misalignment on priorities if agenda items are unclear

Commercial Implications

◼️Loss of investor confidence in governance capability

◼️Delays in approvals for critical business actions

Operational Implications

◼️Wasted management time on low-value discussion

◼️Missed opportunities to address strategic or risk issues

Biz Valuation Issues

◼️Perception of weak governance processes reducing investor appetite

◼️The above lists are indicative issues - the relevance of which will depend on your circumstances

◼️Standardise your templates - Create agenda formats for AGMs, EGMs, and board/committee meetings

◼️Integrate compliance checks - Ensure statutory items are always included

◼️Attach complete packs - Link every agenda item to the documents needed for decision-making

◼️Circulate early - Allow enough preparation time for attendees

◼️Time-manage - Allocate and enforce reasonable time slots

◼️Review post-meeting - Adjust future agendas based on what worked

The above suggestions are just a few of the steps you can consider taking; many more steps are needed to ensure agenda obligations are met effectively

PAA: Who approves the agenda?

Typically, the chairperson approves the final agenda before it is circulated.

When a company is growing quickly, it’s tempting to treat the agenda as a simple formality. But in practice, it’s the tool that keeps meetings on track, ensures compliance, and focuses discussion on the most important matters. A sloppy or incomplete agenda can cause legal trouble and strategic drift.

The AGM Oversight - The company secretary drafted an AGM agenda without cross-checking statutory requirements, omitting “presentation of audited financial statements” entirely. Shareholders challenged the meeting’s validity, forcing a complete re-run of the AGM. The re-held meeting cost $25,000 in legal/admin fees, delayed dividend declarations by six weeks, and damaged shareholder confidence.

The EGM Meltdown - For a high-stakes merger vote, the company secretary circulated an EGM agenda listing only “merger discussion” without breaking it into specific resolutions or attaching the necessary reports in the meeting pack. On the day, shareholders refused to vote, citing inadequate information. The deal was delayed three months, during which a competing buyer approached the target company and ended the exclusivity period.

The Board Meeting Blow-Up - A poorly structured board agenda buried a major regulatory risk update as the last item. After a two-hour session, several directors left early and never heard the briefing. The board missed critical mitigation steps, leading to a $200,000 compliance penalty six months later.

◼️ Agenda - A structured outline of the items to be discussed at a meeting

◼️Meeting Pack - Documents and reports provided to attendees to support agenda items

◼️Special Business - Items requiring specific shareholder approval outside routine matters

◼️Resolutions - Formal decisions passed by a meeting, either ordinary or special

◼️Notice Period - The minimum time required to give attendees before a meeting, often linked to agenda distribution

PAA: What is the notice period for distributing an agenda?

It must meet or exceed the statutory notice period for the meeting type in your jurisdiction. For example, UK private company general meetings require 14 clear days; Australian companies generally 21 days (listed companies 28 days); Singapore private companies typically 14 days, but special resolutions or public companies require 21 days; UAE (mainland) general assemblies 21 days; DIFC 14 days for general meetings and 21 days for public company AGMs.

Watch out for the legal jargon and refer to the knowledge hub for more detailed explanations and resources.

A good agenda is more than an administrative task - it’s the backbone of a productive, compliant meeting. For a company secretary, mastering agenda-setting means meetings that run to time, achieve their objectives, and withstand legal scrutiny.