Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. have registered their international proxy voting services to use the new XML-based proxy voting messages on SWIFTNet. The new messages were developed to improve straight-through processing and create increased transparency in the proxy event lifecycle.
The SWIFTNet proxy messages cover the complete end-to-end information and action flows between issuers, their agents and the parties holding the right to vote, involving as many intermediaries as necessary. The messages include the announcement, voting and result dissemination process. They can be used to notify the meeting; to register participation; to appoint a proxy or meeting attendee; to register or block securities and/or to cast an actual vote. In addition, they also allow for the confirmation of the vote acceptance at the shareholders meeting and the dissemination of the final voting results after the meeting.
Broadridge is currently seeking counterparties to transact the new XML-based messages. Broadridge primarily uses SWIFT messaging to transact with sub-custodians. Broadridge also provides a SWIFT institutional service, where Broadridge will send an institutional voting party a SWIFT ballot and receive their voting instructions back via SWIFT.
“Broadridge has been an integral part of this products evolution, participating in our business validation, modelling and SEG working committees to ensure that this product successfully qualified for ISO 20022 certification,” says Linda Bookheim, global market manager, custody and asset services, SWIFT. “We appreciate their vision and input, and found their assistance as a market leader extremely beneficial.”
“We are pleased to be the leading sender of MT565 messages within our category and have worked with SWIFT since 2003 to help them build a business case for proxy specific messages,” said Elizabeth Maiellano, senior director, investor communication solutions at Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
D.C.