What type of shares provides shareholders with voting rights at meetings?

Ordinary shares, often referred to as common shares in some regions, are the type of shares that grant shareholders voting rights at company meetings. When someone owns ordinary shares, they typically have the ability to vote on various important matters regarding the company, such as the election of directors or significant corporate policies. This voting power is a fundamental aspect of ordinary shares, linking shareholders directly to governance and influence over the company's direction.

In contrast, preference shares, while they may offer other benefits such as dividends, generally do not carry voting rights. Investors in debentures are more like creditors and do not have any ownership stake in the company, thus lacking any voting privileges. Convertible shares can be a form of ordinary shares that allow for conversion into another class but do not inherently provide voting rights unless they are established as such. Thus, the clear distinction and advantage of ordinary shares lie in their provision of voting rights, making them integral to shareholder participation in corporate governance.