Interesting interview on how important company culture is in investing here -

https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/qiao-ma-why-culture-should-be-key-to-your-investment-decision-making?utm_campaign=87365&utm_content=wrap_up_instant&utm_term=qiao-ma-why-culture-should-be-key-to-your-investment-decision-making&utm_medium=email&utm_source=campaign+monitor

As someone who has created a successful business as well as worked in others, I would put an authentic, appropriate and sustainable culture right at the top of the most important necessities you need to be successful as a business.

So reflecting on this in relation to companies I own or are following this year...

From the snippets I have seen in investor calls, meetings and up close at AGM's, in relation to how they view their shareholders (which is probably pretty similar to how they view staff and customers you'd guess) -

It's excellent at Codan, Nick Scali, Mainfreight, Silk Logistics and Jumbo Interactive.

It's good at Charter Hall relative to the property industry.

It's secretive at Data 3 but I'm not sure if thats ok or not.

It's bad at JB Hi-Fi and Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals.

And I don't know at Dicker Data, Duratec or Resmed as I haven't got up close with them yet.

As always, just my observations and opinions but I am guiding my capital around accordingly...

I attended the JB Hi-Fi AGM this morning. Nothing especially new or exciting business or strategy wise. However I was not impressed by the behaviour of a number of Board members and the Company Secretary in the meeting. In my opinion they came across as over confident, chuckled at legitimate shareholder questions and in one case were disinterested. For the $159 000 + we pay them in Board fees a year I expect a lot better than that at the one event a year they have to interact with their individual shareholders. One of the three Directors up for election today has too much on their plate and another has several black marks against her for significant risk failures at past ASX listed Directorships that destroyed shareholder value. So while I think JB has a dominant market position and structural advantages, I am not comfortable with the Board overseeing my investment at present. All just my opinions of course. Selling IRL and on Strawman.