We’ve compiled a collection of sample opening speeches for the CEO or President to deliver at the AGM. These speeches are designed to help you share your company’s vision and thank attendees, and are a great resource for those preparing for the AGM. We hope they help you craft the heartfelt opening remarks you need for a successful AGM.
Opening remarks by the president of the general meeting
Good morning, everyone. Today at the 18th Annual General Meeting, we’ll be discussing two matters. First, I will report on the progress of the ○○ project, which was launched last month, and examine the areas that need to be improved. This is a time when the cooperation and active participation of each department is crucial to achieve the project’s goals. Second, I will review the results of our company image survey released by ○○. According to the survey, our company received a good overall rating, but we scored somewhat lower in the service sector. In this meeting, we will discuss how we can improve the service sector and come up with concrete action plans.
Before we start the meeting, I’d like to share a short story about “time.” It is said that there are three “steps of time. The future approaches hesitantly, the present flies like an arrow, and the past stands still forever. Does this resonate with you? Does your time feel like the future is far away, the present is flying by too fast, and the past is just that, the past? We should be the kind of people who hasten the coming future, chase the present like an arrow, and learn from the frozen past.
What is the state of our present? Currently, our company has a rather low reputation in the service sector, but we should use this as an opportunity for progress, not as a frozen past. It’s also time to accelerate our ongoing ○○ projects so that they can reach success in time. I’m sure you have a sense of where we stand in time, and perhaps some insight into how to deal with the reality we’re in, whether to leave it in the past or move forward.
In this moment, I find myself thinking more deeply about how we should utilize our time. I think it’s important to use the passage of time strategically to achieve our company’s goals. To do this, we need to choose wisely, leave the unnecessary past behind, and make the necessary changes in the present.
We thank you for always doing your best for our bright future, and we hope that you will take the initiative to move our past, present, and future in the direction we want them to go. Your unremitting efforts will be the driving force that will shape the future of our company.
Now, I would like to call the 18th Annual General Meeting to order. Thank you.
Brief opening remarks
Good morning, everyone, it’s a pleasure to be back here today at the Annual General Meeting. I’m sure you’ve all had a busy week, but how has yours been? I’m sure you’ve had a lot going on in your respective places during the week. Some of you have made small accomplishments, some of you have struggled, some of you have experienced victories, and some of you have faced unexpected defeats.
For those of you who were victorious, I’m sure your weekend was more energized and enjoyable, and for those of you who were disappointed with the outcome, I’m sure your hearts were heavy. But this begs the question: do you want to always win in your life, or do you think that victory is nice to have and defeat is just something that happens?
If you truly want to win, what are you doing to achieve that victory? Rather than simply being satisfied with the outcome, you need to ask yourself if you’re doing the best you can in the process. If you don’t want to win, and you’re not putting in the work to win, you’re probably already losing at that moment. You might win and not feel the accomplishment, and if you don’t look at yourself after a loss, you might miss opportunities for greater progress.
The mindset to win is critical. If you have a deep-seated desire to win, your daily challenges and endeavors will be much more meaningful. It’s that desire that will propel you forward, stronger and faster. And the sense of accomplishment that comes from striving for victory will enrich your life and instill a sense of pride in yourself.
I want you to live with the idea that you truly want to win in your life. We want you to be the kind of person who is proactive in everything you do, and who is passionate about the little things. We believe that our company’s success is the sum of these small individual victories, and just as your growth leads to our growth, your victories will lead to ours.
With that desire for victory in your hearts, I hope that you will continue to do your best today, and I would now like to begin the Annual General Meeting. Thank you.
Opening remarks by the President of the Company
Good morning, everyone. Before we begin today’s 27th Annual General Meeting, I would like to share a few words with you. We are living in a time of rapid change. Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing pace, and customer needs and expectations are constantly changing. The products we’re building and the projects we’re implementing need to exist for tomorrow’s customers, not just today’s customers, and that means we have to constantly adapt, improve, and reinvent ourselves.
But what I’ve seen over the years has been a little disappointing: I’ve seen many of you uncomfortable with making slight changes or new approaches to your work, or reluctant to add an extra element of change. There’s a certain irony to this: we work in changing times and for customers who are living in changing times, yet our reluctance to change internally is a mindset that runs counter to the times and the needs of our customers.
I understand the risk of change and the fear of starting fresh. I also understand the security and comfort of doing things in a familiar way. It’s probably what you want most: to get things done quickly, efficiently, and with what you know, like a skilled assistant. But this kind of stagnation is like stagnant water. A river that never flows will eventually become polluted and unclean. Only those who are constantly adapting and embracing new things can cleanse and improve themselves.
I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you of an analogy. In the movie Transformers, which we all know well, the robots are constantly transforming and evolving themselves to meet their needs. We need that same flexibility and openness to change. To keep up with the times, we need to allow ourselves to ride the wave of change and even lead it. Letting go of our resistance to change and making ourselves flexible is the way to become a true worker of the future.
We want to be a company that is always moving forward and progressing, and people who are complacent or stuck in the past are no longer the kind of people we need. At today’s general meeting, we will review the progress of several projects, and I hope that the stories I have told during this project report time will inspire you. I hope that today’s meeting will challenge us to let go of the familiarity and inertia we’ve been clinging to, and that we’ll hear more challenging and forward-thinking ideas. We must be passionate about transforming ourselves to create value that exceeds our customers’ expectations.
Now, I hope you will join me in helping our company continue to progress and evolve to meet the demands of the times. Thank you for listening, and we will now begin the 27th Annual General Meeting.
Greetings from the President and CEO
Good morning, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here with you today. This month marks a new opportunity for growth for our company. We opened our new Kyoto branch, and the response from customers has been more than positive. Our sales performance has also been very good, which is a great achievement that is the result of the hard work of all of us. I would like to thank all of you for your hard work in your respective positions and ask you to continue to work hard so that this achievement can be sustained in the future. Let’s challenge ourselves together so that our company can achieve new heights.
So, today, I’d like to talk to you about the “spirit of challenge”. As we all know, a challenging mindset is essential for future growth and success, and our newest branch manager in Osaka is always full of it, inspiring us to try new things and set bold goals. It’s not just for great people, it’s for everyone, and it’s what drives our entire company forward.
Why is challenge important? Because it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and lose our passion over time, especially if we’ve been doing the same thing for a long time, so we need to be challenged to keep things fresh. Without it, we would no longer have a reason to open new branches or strive to reach sales targets. Progress is built on this spirit of challenge, and it’s what makes us better tomorrow.
It’s more than just setting goals, it’s a powerful motivator and heart-pounding drive that pushes us to the next level. I’m always pushing myself to set new goals and challenges, and in the process, I feel passionate about life. When I face the consequences of my challenges, whether they are successes or failures, I find my reason for being once again. It’s not just about success, it’s about finding motivation and purpose in life.
What happens when you stop challenging yourself and become complacent? It may be comfortable at first, but little by little, you’re denying yourself the possibility of progress. You may be able to avoid the fear of failure, but you’re missing out on the fulfillment and growth that comes with reaching for higher goals. If you’re tempted to settle for the status quo and stop challenging yourself, take a moment to reflect. Are you satisfied enough with where you are that you don’t mind giving up the challenge, or do you want to grow and achieve more?
Folks, don’t be afraid of change. We must constantly challenge ourselves to be better tomorrow than we are today. We learn and grow through challenge, and I believe that change will come for your branch and for you, and I hope that you will all rekindle the spirit of challenge that lies deep within you, and that it will become a powerful driving force behind your goals and growth.
I hope you’ve been motivated to take on the challenge today, and I look forward to building a better future with you. Thank you.
President’s Project Encouragement Message
Good morning, everyone. I am sure that you are feeling a great deal of pressure and responsibility as you embark on this new project. Starting a new challenge always brings excitement and anticipation, but it also brings pressure and nervousness. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that you will successfully complete this project. I expect that the passion and responsibility that you have shown in your respective positions will shine through in this project.
In any research or project, you will encounter unexpected difficulties and trials and errors. However, failure along the way is never a failure, but rather a challenging part of the road to success and an important foundation for us to reach our end goal. There will be many failures and mistakes before we get to where we want to be, but the experience and learning along the way are the most valuable assets that lead to success.
Sometimes failure can be exhausting and frustrating, but remember that it’s not the end, it’s just another beginning. Don’t be afraid to fail and make mistakes. Every time we fail, we grow and improve. If anything, failure will force you to look for new perspectives and solutions, and in the process, you’ll discover unexpected opportunities and possibilities. Mistakes can lead to rethinking, and serendipitous discoveries can lead to revolutionary ideas.
Folks, it’s often said that a genius is someone who doesn’t give up. Only those who don’t give up and go all the way can reach true success. Failure is an inevitable part of the road to success, not an obstacle to your goals in and of itself. Remember that every failure and mistake you will make is an important step towards new discoveries.
In this project, we need to bring our ideas and passions together to create the best possible outcome. If you encounter failures and difficulties along the way, both big and small, don’t be discouraged, but use them as a stepping stone to better results. I believe that’s what true success looks like: synthesizing all your challenges and experiences to create the best possible outcome.
Given the hard work and dedication you have shown so far, I am confident that this project will also lead to great achievements. I believe that our team is ready to take the leap once again, because you never give up. I hope that you will not be afraid of failure, but rather find possibilities in it, and I sincerely wish you success in this project. I look forward to seeing what your passion and dedication will produce. Thank you.
Opening remarks at the General Meeting of Cosmetics Company
Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to open the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Company today, and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend. Today, I would like to discuss the strategic changes that our company is making to take a new leap forward. In the past, our company has gained popularity among consumers by offering affordable yet high-quality products in the high-priced cosmetics market. With our low-cost cosmetics, we have succeeded in satisfying consumers who value value for money and have built strong brand loyalty. To focus on low prices, the brand has mainly produced a limited range of foundation and some color cosmetics, but consumers’ needs are now much more diverse.
Today, consumers are looking beyond basic and color cosmetics to a variety of functional products, including skin improvement, anti-aging, and problem care. Our research and marketing teams have been working together for a long time to develop products that can fulfill the functions that consumers want, and the result is the launch of the new ○○ line, which aims to provide high quality products with a focus on functionality, rather than simply being reasonably priced.
In order to successfully launch a new product, it is necessary to take a different approach from the traditional marketing strategy. This time, we want to market the product by focusing on its functionality rather than its affordability. To do this, we need to upgrade our brand image to make it more trustworthy to consumers. However, this requires a careful approach. We have built up a reputation as a low-priced brand, so a sudden upscale strategy may confuse consumers. The coexistence of conflicting images of low and high prices can blur our brand identity and potentially destabilize our position in the market. Therefore, the process of upscaling our brand needs to be thoroughly analyzed and approached strategically.
In today’s meeting, we’d like to hear your thoughts on how we can turn our company’s decade-long brand image into a high-end one. This process will require all departments, including marketing, product planning, and design teams, to pool their ideas together. We’re looking forward to hearing your fresh ideas on how to build a high-end brand image.
I’d also love to hear your thoughts on marketing strategies for the new product. Please share your ideas on how to effectively communicate the product’s differentiation and value to consumers as a functional product. It will be important to emphasize the superiority of the features while minimizing any conflicting images of the price point, and a marketing approach that appeals to both your existing loyal customer base and new customers. We look forward to your input to ensure a successful launch and rebranding of our new products.
I hope today’s meeting will be a productive and meaningful discussion as we take our company to the next level and position ourselves as a brand that consumers love. I look forward to working together to find the best strategy. Thank you.
Opening remarks at the AGM (example pep talk)
Good morning, everyone. Before we begin our 22nd Annual General Meeting today, I would like to offer you a word of encouragement and support. In our daily lives, we all strive for our goals, but sometimes we face challenges, big and small, and we often wonder what we should do in such situations. It is in these moments that I would like to remind you of courage and persistence, and I would like to introduce you to one of my favorite books. Have you ever read the book “Keep Going”? It has been a bestseller for a long time and has been a great inspiration to many people. It tells the stories of people who overcame numerous failures and the temptation to give up and finally reached the heights.
In our work, we all have moments when we’re exhausted and really want to give up. How do you deal with those moments? Have you ever been tempted to just throw up your hands and let it all go, or have you ever been tempted to give up, comforting yourself with the words, “I just couldn’t help it”? Sometimes we tend to back down, rationalizing our failures and excuses, but if we don’t push through those moments, we’re likely to miss out on opportunities to reach even greater heights. Maybe the life you’re enjoying today would have been different if you’d stepped up each time.
These experiences teach us an important lesson: how much of a difference it makes to take that extra step, even when it’s hard, to keep moving forward, even if it’s just one step. Even if the path isn’t immediately obvious, if you keep moving forward little by little, you’ll find yourself reaching your goal. It’s that process of finding the courage to take another step when you feel like giving up that leads to true growth.
The same is true in our lives and work. Failure and setbacks are inevitable as we strive to achieve our goals. It’s how we handle them and the mindset we bring to them that matters. Resist the temptation to give up and hang in there a little longer, because that one step could be the turning point that makes all the difference in your life and the success of your company. If we can push through the difficulties of the moment and take one more step, it will be a great asset to us in the future. I hope each of you has the spirit to keep pushing forward, to keep challenging yourself.
Today, we will discuss important issues for the company and make concrete plans to move forward towards our goals. If everyone does their best in their positions and overcomes difficult moments, we will be able to climb higher and higher. With the spirit of never giving up and persistence more than ever, we will begin the 22nd Annual General Meeting from this moment on. I wish you endless challenges and growth. Thank you.
