Don't just play the hand you've been dealt

The coming AGM season is an opportunity for investors to signal how they view developments, not merely through their voting, but in terms of changes they would like to see

Given the overwhelming support the shareholder-proposed resolution at Fortis received for changes to its board and that we have entered a new financial year, the time is right for investors to decide about their engagement with companies. While event-based issues will dominate the conversation, these need not always be company specific: These can be matters that concern them, both as investors and as citizens, regarding the market and the economy, though channelled through the company.

Take the case of Exxon Mobil. Among the various resolutions proposed by shareholders — some of the resolutions are proposed by shareholders who own less