SYDNEY

AUSTRALIAN CHAPTER

SYDNEY
NETWORKING EVENTS
Sydney

GEO CHAPTER TEAM:

Paula Lancaster, Deloitte (Chapter Leader)
 

Jordan Foster, Automic Group
Erica Kidston, Baker McKenzie
Eileen Liu, Arnold Bloch Leibler
 

GEO BOARD CHAPTER LIAISON:

Dheeraj Lalwani, MUFG Corporate Markets

 

 

WELCOME TO THE SYDNEY CHAPTER

This local chapter community is dedicated to sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources to help members develop their skills, expand their networks, and make a positive impact in their communities. You will have access to a wide range of valuable resources and opportunities including educational sessions and networking events. 

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REGIONAL RESOURCES

FILTER:
Country
ARTICLE
12 May 2025
DASHED IPO PLANS ARE SHIFTING CONVERSATIONS AROUND EQUITY COMPENSATION
External News

HR Brew

Private and pre-IPO companies
All plan types
Global

With IPOs increasingly delayed, employees at private companies are questioning the value of equity compensation, which was once seen as a path to significant wealth. To retain and motivate staff, HR teams are emphasizing transparency, educating employees about equity, and exploring alternatives like tender offers to provide liquidity before an IPO. As equity becomes a less certain benefit, companies are also highlighting other aspects of compensation and promoting a culture of ownership and open communication.

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE
28 April 2025, 8am - 30 April 2025, 3pm CEST
GEO'S 26TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Prague

PRAGUE

All plan types
Global

SAVE THE DATE FOR GEO'S 26TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

PRAGUE - 28-30 APRIL 2025

STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS! 

LIVE WEBCAST
10 April 2025, 1 - 2pm EDT
GLOBAL EQUITY UPDATES Q1 2025
Webcast

SPEAKERS: Barbara Klementz, Baker McKenzie | Kela Shang, Baker McKenzie

Trending now
All plan types
Global

GEO is dedicated to keeping you informed about the latest developments in equity compensation worldwide. Stay up-to-date with the fast-paced changes in the industry. In this session, we'll delve into new regulations, reporting obligations, and recent guidance issued in the industry during the past quarter.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

  • Gain insights into the latest regulatory changes impacting equity compensation globally
  • Understand new reporting obligations and compliance requirements affecting your company's equity plans
  • Learn valuable industry guidance to navigate emerging challenges and opportunities in equity compensation


WE ARE OFFERING THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN THIS LIVE GLOBAL WEBCAST:   

ASIA-PAC - 10am AEDT | 12pm IST
EUROPE - 10am GMT | 11am CET | 6pm GMT
THE AMERICAS - 4/9 8pm ET | 5pm PT | 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT

 

COST
GEO members: No charge
GEO non-members*: $85 

Become a GEO member to attend webcasts for free in the future!

*Fees are non-refundable. Recordings are available to access on-demand following the webcast.

CPE Credit Hours: 1.0*
Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit: 1.0 credits

*CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only. Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

REGISTER TO ATTEND
Registration is required. Connection and login instructions are sent to registered participants prior to this webcast.

ARTICLE
3 April 2025
GETTING READY FOR AUSTRALIAN SHARE PLAN REPORTING
External News

Baker McKenzie

Legal and regulatory
All plan types
Australia

For the Australian tax year ending June 30, 2025, Employee Share Scheme (ESS) Statements must be distributed by July 14, 2025, and the ESS Annual Report must be filed with the ATO by August 14, 2025. Compliance is required if an ESS deferred taxing point occurred during the year, typically triggered by events such as option exercise, RSU settlement, or ESPP share purchase. Employers should also ensure payroll tax obligations are met for ESS interests, as these are separate from federal reporting, and non-Australian issuers must engage a local intermediary to lodge reports with the ATO.

LIVE WEBCAST
1 April 2025, 1 - 2pm EDT
DOING MORE WITH LESS: CUTTING THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS IN HALF
webcast

SPEAKERS: Amit Gupta, Salus Financial | Robyn Shutak, FGE, Infinite Equity

Communications
All plan types
Global

Join us as we explore strategies and evidence-based approaches to cut the number of questions your team has to answer in half. Answering equity compensation questions from employees requires reading up on an individual's situation, understanding regional nuances, and taking on personal reputation risk when answering. But, that’s just one of the many drains on your time we will dive into. 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

  • Understand the moments in time that create the most confusion for employees
  • Learn actionable strategies to free up your team's time while also leveling up your participants' expertise
  • Set yourself up to access further time-saving opportunities in your day-to-day work even with a limited budget


WE ARE OFFERING THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN THIS LIVE GLOBAL WEBCAST: 

ASIA-PAC - 10am AEDT | 12pm IDT | 2.30pm IST
EUROPE - 10am GMT | 11am CET | 6pm GMT
THE AMERICAS -  3/31 7pm ET | 4pm PT | 10am PT |1pm ET 
 

COST
GEO members: No charge
GEO non-members*: $85 

Become a GEO member to attend webcasts for free in the future!

*Fees are non-refundable. Recordings are available to access on-demand following the webcast.

CPE Credit Hours: 1.0*
Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit: 1.0 credits

*CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only. Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

REGISTER TO ATTEND
Registration is required. Connection and login instructions are sent to registered participants prior to this webcast.

ARTICLE
26 March 2025
NAVIGATING ESS REPORTING OBLIGATIONS IN AUSTRALIA IN 2025
External News

AUTOMICGROUP

Legal and regulatory
All plan types
Australia

Employee Share Scheme (ESS) reporting in Australia requires employers to meet strict deadlines, accurately prepare statements, and manage complex tax rules, especially for globally mobile employees. Key obligations include issuing ESS statements to employees by 14 July and lodging reports with the ATO by 14 August, while understanding taxing points and legislative changes is crucial for compliance. Services like Automic can help simplify the process by managing data, ensuring accuracy, and handling submissions to the ATO, reducing the risk of penalties and easing the administrative burden on employers.

LIVE WEBCAST
18 March 2025, 1 - 2pm EDT
AUTOMATION IN SHARE PLANS: A GLOBAL ISSUER ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
webcast

SPEAKERS: Dexter Tang (Moderator), Google | Jennie Anderson, Microsoft | Lamont Walker, Lyft | Annemarie Kalsbeek, S&P Global

Operational effectiveness
All plan types
Global

Automation is revolutionizing how organizations manage share plans, enabling streamlined workflows, improved accuracy, and enhanced participant experiences. But how do you determine where to begin, prioritize effectively, and navigate inevitable challenges along the way?

Join experts from Lyft, Microsoft, and S&P Global, moderated by Google, for an in-depth discussion on share plan automation. This session will explore how leading organizations evaluate existing processes, implement solutions, and involve key stakeholders to ensure success. Gain insights on overcoming hurdles like data migration and employee resistance while balancing efficiency with a personalized participant experience.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

  • Craft a roadmap for automating share plan processes, including evaluation, prioritization, and collaboration with stakeholders.
  • Tackle common challenges such as data migration and participant resistance while maintaining a human-centered approach.
  • Learn practical strategies for achieving impactful automation on a limited budget and preparing for AI-driven advancements in share plan management.

WE ARE OFFERING THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN THIS LIVE GLOBAL WEBCAST: 

  • ASIA-PAC - 10am AEDT | 12pm IST
  • EUROPE - 10am GMT | 11am CET |  | 5pm GMT
  • AMERICAS -  3/17 7pm ET | 4pm PT 10am PT | 1pm ET | 5pm GMT


COST
GEO members: No charge
GEO non-members*: $85 

Become a GEO member to attend webcasts for free in the future!

*Fees are non-refundable. Recordings are available to access on-demand following the webcast.

CPE Credit Hours: 1.0*
Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit: 1.0 credits

*CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only. Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

REGISTER TO ATTEND
Registration is required. Connection and login instructions are sent to registered participants prior to this webcast.

ARTICLE
5 March 2025
KEY CHANGES FOR UNLISTED COMPANIES ESTABLISHING AN EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PLAN UNDER PROPOSED ASIC INSTRUMENT
External News

Jackson McDonald

Private and pre-IPO companies
Share incentive plans (SIP)
Australia

ASIC’s 2025 Draft Instrument introduces key updates to the regulatory framework for employee incentive schemes by unlisted companies, replacing the expiring Class Order [CO 14/1001] with more flexible and less burdensome requirements. The new instrument removes obligations such as ASIC notification, financial disclosures, and the $5,000 annual cap per employee, while simplifying trustee administration and expanding small-scale offer exemptions. These changes significantly reduce compliance burdens and enhance flexibility for unlisted companies, though businesses must still consider fair share valuation, employee communication, and tax implications.

ARTICLE
27 February 2025
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS IN MODERN EQUITY ADMINSTRATION
Automation

Sponsored by insightsoftware

All plan types
Global

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, strategic alliances are no longer optional—they're essential for navigating complexity and fostering innovation. Companies that embrace collaborative ecosystems are better positioned to unlock new opportunities, mitigate risks, and achieve sustainable growth in the competitive equity management space.

With their combined decades of experience in the equity compensation landscape, Hannah McCullough, Justin James, and Dan Mullen from insightsoftware offered valuable insights and practical strategies for companies striving to amplify their equity programs and stay ahead in a dynamic regulatory environment.

The equity management ecosystem: key players

Successful equity management relies on a collaborative network of service providers, each offering specialist expertise:

  • Software providers: Companies like insightsoftware deliver technology for reporting, data management, and automation. Certent Equity Management from insightsoftware simplifies equity administration and enhances accuracy.
  • Administrative service providers: handle day-to-day operations like grant administration and stock settlements.
  • Brokerage and participant servicing providers: facilitate transactions and provide employee education and support.
  • HR partners: manage employee data and integrate equity compensation into broader benefits programs.
  • Transfer agents: maintain stock ownership records and ensure compliance.
  • Tax support providers: offer expertise in navigating complex tax regulations.

The challenge is two-fold: firstly, selecting the right vendors for each of these roles, and secondly, ensuring these players work seamlessly together to share data and coordinate processes. As Dan Mullen noted, issuers should consider "best in breed, best in class solutions" that integrate and deliver seamless experiences.

Key challenges for issuing companies

Managing equity plans is a high-stakes responsibility for issuers. They must coordinate multiple providers, each with their own systems, processes, and data formats. The main challenges include:

  1. Compliance and regulatory complexity
  2. Employee education and engagement
  3. Managing global equity plans
  4. Data accuracy, privacy, and record-keeping.

Actionable steps to successful strategic partnership integration

The webcast highlighted that overcoming these challenges requires issuers to embrace technology and cultivate strategic partnerships. Cutting-edge solutions, built for automation and seamless integration across the entire equity management ecosystem, are crucial.

When solutions work in harmony, they enable more efficient transactions and user experiences, ultimately driving optimal outcomes for both issuers and their employees.

Here’s how to identify and maintain successful partnerships:

  • Define clear goals from the outset: outline specific objectives for equity management.
  • Assess current capabilities: identify gaps that partnerships can address.
  • Research potential partners: look for proven companies with strong reputations.
  • Evaluate integration capabilities: ensure seamless integration with existing systems (insightsoftware’s Certent Equity Management is designed to do just this).
  • Establish clear communication: foster open communication and regular check-ins.
  • Monitor performance and provide feedback: continuously assess and adjust for the best outcomes.

Embracing partnership for equity management success

Modern equity management is inherently complex, making strategic partnerships essential in overcoming its challenges. By leveraging integrated solutions like Certent Equity Management, and fostering strong relationships with key service providers, issuer companies can streamline equity plan administration, ensure compliance, enhance employee engagement, and enjoy the impact of equity compensation as a tool for attracting, retaining, and motivating talent.

The key takeaway is clear: a collaborative, integrated approach is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity for success in today’s dynamic equity management landscape. For more information or to arrange a demo of Certent Equity Management, contact Justin James, Hannah McCullough, or Dan Mullen directly.

Watch a recording of the webcast on GEOlearn: HERE.

CHAPTER DISCUSSION BOARD

GEO members in your area can come together to engage in meaningful discussions, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with fellow members who share similar interests via GEOconnect. Whether you're a long-time member or a newcomer, we encourage you to participate and contribute to the vibrant discussions happening here.

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBER ONLY

PAST EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Access details of past local events and their materials. Whether you missed an event or want to revisit the content, our community discussion board provides a platform to access event information, including presentations, videos, and discussions. 

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBER ONLY

REGIONAL NEWS AND INSIGHTS

Explore the GEO Insights area, where you can filter by region to access the latest events, articles, survey findings, and reports. Stay updated with the latest information and insights specific to your region, and gain valuable knowledge from our curated content. 

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBER ONLY
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