Forward-looking continuity: Deutsche Börse AG's first virtual Annual General Meeting

"Let's hope that this remains an exception," said CEO Theodor Weimer commenting on the first virtual Annual General Meeting on May 19, 2020. Outgoing Chairman of the Supervisory Board Joachim Faber named the reason: "We don't owe this form of meeting to a breakthrough in digitization in Germany, no, the reason is otherwise”. The COVID 19 pandemic. 

The success of this year’s AGM thus relied more than usual on technology. Everything rested on the technically flawless transmission, which could be followed live by shareholders on their screens. Much of the technology required for this was installed in the otherwise unused auditorium of the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt-Höchst. 

After a short film on the subject of "Trust", Theodor Weimer stepped up to the lectern and reported on the 2019 financial year and the first quarter of 2020, calling the force of the Corona crisis a "black swan" and a "picture of the unexpected”. Weimer also made an urgent plea for an open exchange of goods even after the crisis: "Our economy thrives on exchange. And for that we need open markets." According to Weimer, the stock market can be relied upon for this. It is a sign of stability and reliability, and he quoted our purpose once again: "We create trust in the markets of today and tomorrow.”

For Joachim Faber it was the last Annual General Meeting as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Börse. Following the AGM, Mr Martin Jetter was elected as the new Chairman of the Board (see report below). Faber emphasised that this created "forward-looking continuity". "I am proud", said Faber in summary, "to be able to hand over the stock exchange to my successor, not only as a reliable and efficient, but also as a flourishing and globally relevant, company".