How Can I Attend a Turkish Company's General Meeting While Abroad?

Company Management, Representation and General Meetings

Prepared by: Constantinople

Being abroad does not necessarily prevent you from exercising your rights at a Turkish company's general meeting. Depending on the company type and meeting arrangements, attendance by proxy or through a suitable electronic system may be considered. It should not be assumed that every company has an electronic general meeting infrastructure. A simple video call does not automatically make a meeting a legally valid electronic general meeting; the relevant rules and preparations must be checked.

Prepare the meeting notice, agenda, articles of association and records showing your shareholding. The form of the representation document and when it must be submitted to the company are checked according to the meeting type. If you will attend on behalf of a foreign company, the representation documents of the person authorising you are also important. Where electronic attendance is available, registration, signature and request procedures should not be left until the last day; the applicable timetable must be established in advance.

A representative may be given clear instructions on how to vote on each agenda item and which questions to ask. The need to have an objection entered in the minutes is assessed separately. A litigation power of attorney and authority to represent someone at a general meeting may not be the same document or have the same scope. Authority needed for a representative to sell shares, amend an agreement or settle a dispute is also examined separately; authority to attend the meeting does not cover every transaction.

Provide the general meeting notice, agenda and articles of association before the meeting. Representation authority and preparation of votes and questions are determined according to the meeting type.

File review is a paid service. The scope and fee are set out in writing before work begins.