In 1997, Deutsche Telekom held its first public annual shareholders’ meeting with 10,000 shareholders in the Festhalle Messe Frankfurt, with a live broadcast to the adjacent exhibition halls. For the spectacle surrounding Germany’s first “people’s stock,” approximately one metric ton of potato salad and sausages and 5,000 kg of fruit were served.
Today, not every Annual General Meeting ends with an autograph session by the CEO, but a specific set of requirements still characterizes the current Annual General Meetings of DAX and MDAX companies held at our venue:
Legally Compliant Infrastructure
- Audio transmission from the event is guaranteed within the designated attendance area (including restroom and first-aid areas).
- Spacious entrance areas for security checkpoints and screenings are available.
- A high-performance IT environment for voting systems and registration processes is available.
- Barrier-free access to the event area is provided.
Flexible Capacities
- Unlike with many other formats, organizers can only estimate the number of attendees. A recent example: Lufthansa’s Annual General Meeting in its anniversary year anticipated 1,000 people, proactively planned for 1,650 in the Congress Center and Hall 5, and ended up with exactly 1,600 attendees.
- This is ideal when you know for certain that you’ll need more space: For example, Deutsche Bank’s Annual General Meeting moved from the Festhalle to Hall 11 for the first time this year.
- In a smart and resource-efficient move, the two DAX-listed companies Fresenius and Fresenius Medical Care opted to hold their Annual General Meetings at the Congress Center on two consecutive days, using the same event setup for both meetings with only minor adjustments.
Good Transportation Connections
- The ideal location in the heart of Frankfurt makes it easy for international attendees to get here.
Experienced Project Teams
- For many years, Messe Frankfurt’s teams have been supporting annual shareholder meetings of leading DAX and MDAX companies. They assist with space planning, visitor flow management, security plans, and the coordination of all service providers - ensuring that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
- Catering is also part of the service. The Accente team reliably handles the catering - gladly offering a bit more variety than in 1997, but of course including potato salad upon request. :)