Governance & Compliance 6: AGMs and annual reports in 2026 – What you need to know

Having dissected the latest round of company AGMs at the Ashurst Governance & Compliance (AGC) Conference, our experts regroup to pinpoint the trends that boards and execs should watch out for in 2026. In the first 2026 episode of our UK Governance & Compliance mini-series, we reflect on the hot topics and key takeaways from company AGMs held across the UK in 2025. We cover a lot of ground in less than 20 minutes – from executive remuneration to shareholder engagement to sustainability reporting and beyond – explaining how companies are responding to the UK’s constantly shifting regulatory landscape. Podcast host Will Chalk is joined by regular guest Becky Clissmann, sustainability counsel at Ashurst. Also on board are London colleagues John Papadakis, a senior counsel in Ashurst’s incentives practice and Maria McAlister, a senior associate in Ashurst’s corporate transactions practice who focuses on equity capital markets. In conjunction with our AGM podcast above, our experts summarise key developments to be aware of when preparing for 2026 annual general meetings and compiling the narrative aspects of annual reports. To read the briefing click here. To listen to this and subscribe to future episodes in our governance and compliance mini-series, search for “Ashurst Legal Outlook” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast player. You can also find out more about the full range of Ashurst podcasts at ashurst.com/podcasts. To receive updates and alerts on the issues raised in this podcast mini-series, subscribe to Ashurst’s regular Governance and Compliance Updates. Read more about the recent AGC Conference here, and read our latest AGC Update here. The information provided is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Listeners should take legal advice before applying it to specific issues or transactions.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.