MZ Pioneers Electronic Proxy Voting with Digital Certification for Shareholders

This is especially good news for shareholders, since they can now vote at a distance without being physically present at the meetings or bearing the cost of appointing a representative. Digital certification replaces the notarization and consular ratification of powers of attorney, which is a legal requirement in certain countries.

The MZ platform is being piloted inBrazil -- one of the countries that requires notarization and consular ratification -- after the company received full approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission ofBrazil (CVM) to implement the pioneering services developed by Online General Meetings, a web portal created by MZ and designed to ensure minority shareholder participation in Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs).

The platform represents an important step in improving and strengthening the capital markets by allowing shareholders -- especially minority shareholders -- to play a greater role in company decisions (AGMs/EGMs) at no cost.

The new platform also brings other innovations, including the possibility of real-time audio or video webcasts of the meetings, allowing shareholders to accompany the discussions and decisions as they happen. In addition, companies will be able to implement blogs or forums through which shareholders can exchange opinions and discuss the proposals prior to the meeting.

The Brazilian pilot website of the Online General Meetings portal (www.assembleiasonline.com.br) is the culmination of two years of work by MZ in developing a solid technological platform and investor database and was officially launched at the end of 2007. The actual Online General Meetings portal (www.onlinegeneralmeetings.com) will be live soon. "One of the many advantages of this service is that we can generate a complete and up-to-date database of shareholders, facilitating companies' access to them and helping build a closer relationship," said Vera Abdo, Financial Services Officer at MZ and responsible for the development of Online General Meetings.

"Companies seeking to increase market capitalization and maintain it at high levels through excellence in corporate governance and minority shareholder best practices should enable shareholders to effectively participate in corporate decisions," said Abdo. The new platform will generate even higher levels of transparency, facilitate access to information and ensure equitable treatment for investors.

    Contact:
    MZ Consult NY LLC
    Amanda Munhoz
    Tel: +1 (212) 813-2975
    amanda.munhoz@mz-ir.com

About MZ: (www.mz-ir.com): MZ is a leading investor relations, technology, financial services and integrated communications consulting firm. Established in 1999, the Company has revolutionized the market by focusing on innovation and customized client service. Having won two entrepreneurship awards in 2007, MZ maintains offices inNew York,Sao Paulo andMexico City, and currently has 270 employees and more than 290 clients in ten countries. Its services include: structuring companies for IPOs (valuation, corporate governance, drafting of the prospectus, management presentations and roadshow training); planning and implementing global investor relations programs; training; market intelligence (value creation, sector analysis, investor targeting and shareholder base and expectation management); business and financial communications consulting; financial restructuring and project finance; and the preparation of annual reports, sustainability reports, conference calls, webcasts, investor events, legal and financial translations and legal publicity. The Company also offers three innovative and exclusive programs: IR Global Rankings(TM) (www.irglobalrankings.com), Exemplary Disclosure(TM) (www.exemplarydisclosure.com) and Online General Meetings(TM) (www.onlinegeneralmeetings.com)

SOURCE MZ Consult NY LLC

Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,ADV,FIN,PUB,PDT,MZ-electronic-voting

   _   _