As pandemic restrictions loosen globally, your organization may be leaning towards having a hybrid meeting to slowly ease back into having physical attendees, while still remaining compliant to health and safety protocols. Unlike virtual-only meetings, hybrid meetings have additional requirements such as a physical venue, and the need of state-of-the-art audio & video production equipment. Here is a checklist of the factors to consider when choosing the best hybrid meeting venue.

One of the primary challenges ushered by the shift of companies to digital board meetings is finding the right platform. Video conferencing platforms like Zoom have been popularly used to conduct meetings, especially since businesses had to employ physical distancing when the COVID-19 pandemic started. However, in selecting a platform, most attention is given to how it facilitates the actual meeting, overlooking its support for activities before and after.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Annual General Meetings (AGMs) were typically held in a physical venue where shareholders could directly ask questions and vote for resolutions on site. The chairperson and directors of the company had to be on the ball and be prepared for questions to come their way once spotlighted. However, in the last year, when the pandemic struck the world, everyone was pushed into an era of digital transformation.

Since we live in a digital world where data has surpassed the value of oil and became the most valuable resource in the world, we start to question our digital security. Data has become more accessible for hackers, which results in a constant increase of cyber-attacks over the years. Most industries function digitally, so cyber-attacks are present everywhere, including sport organizations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world and shifted the way many businesses work, physical annual general meetings (AGMs) became difficult to execute. Businesses had to adopt technology to maintain productivity even in flexible work arrangements. Yet, Hong Kong is no stranger to this. Hong Kong has always been proactive in adopting digital technology.

Business digitization is nothing new, but its implications on the success of organizations have been extremely significant. As companies pivot and adapt to these changing times, companies need to stay relevant by adopting digital solutions to as many business operations and management as possible.

The first step in enhancing cybersecurity is acknowledging that cyber attackers do not rest, especially now that most transactions are online. Africa has recently experienced frequent attacks on cybersecurity, increasing the global risk for information leakage. Cyber threats usually target those in the financial sector, and today, the probability is higher due to lockdowns and sudden high reliance on digital processes.

Improving corporate governance should not just be a one-time thing but a continuous initiative. There are different development styles per country in Africa, which makes it important for governing leaders to assess the situation in their locality before planning out their goals for developing sound corporate governance. Africa has seen great efforts in achieving sound corporate governance in the past years. Corporate governance is now considered a prerequisite for economic development.