It’s difficult to overstate the significance of Rapala as a Finnish brand. Rapala VMC Oyj emerged from Lauri Rapala’s (1905–1974) observation of how injured fish attract predators. As a fisherman, he crafted lures mimicking the movements of prey, first selling them at a local cooperative in 1938.
The brand achieved international recognition during the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Notably, Rapala gained further prominence when appearing in the same Life magazine issue as Marilyn Monroe — the publication’s best-selling edition. Today, Rapala VMC operates as a diversified manufacturer offering fishing equipment, outdoor gear, skis, knives, and augers.
The 2024 Annual General Meeting Challenge
Rapala previously conducted traditional in-person AGMs, which demanded considerable resources and time. The permanent legalization of virtual general meetings post-COVID created an opportunity to reassess their approach.
The primary concerns included:
- Impact on shareholder attendance
- Video stream quality and stability
- Voting technology functionality
- Overall digital infrastructure reliability
The Inderes Solution
Inderes provided a comprehensive virtual AGM package featuring:
- Advance voting capabilities
- Professional studio production
- Branded live stream with online event platform
- Digital voting and engagement tools
- Automated integration with Rapala’s investor website
“It’s very convenient that we can do advance voting and bring it to a virtual setting… we ended up commissioning Inderes.”
— Tuomo Leino, Head of Investor Relations at Rapala VMC
Key Outcomes
Attendance remained consistent with previous physical meetings despite the transition concerns.
The CEO’s review received broader distribution through Inderes’ platform, reaching hundreds of additional viewers beyond AGM participants. As Leino noted, this extended reach helped “engage a wider investor audience.”
The arrangement allowed Rapala management to concentrate on substantive meeting content while Inderes handled production logistics and legal complexities.