HELP SHAPE THE CONVERSATION IN COPENHAGEN
We’re inviting members of the global equity community to share their expertise, experience and ideas at GEO’s 28th Annual Conference in Copenhagen.
For 2027, we’re evolving the traditional conference model. Our programme will take attendees on a simple journey:
DISCOVER → EXCHANGE → APPLY
Over three days, we’ll identify the challenges shaping global equity, explore how organisations are responding and work together to turn those insights into practical action.
So this year, we’re not simply looking for traditional presentations.
Bring us a great idea, a real-world challenge, a case study or a conversation the GEO community needs to have – and tell us how you can contribute.
You’ll be asked to select the session format you think best suits your idea. GEO will then work with selected speakers and facilitators to develop the strongest possible session and may combine complementary proposals or adapt sessions around the challenges our attendees tell us matter most.
To submit your proposal, please complete the online speaker submission form by Friday, 6 November 2026.
CHOOSE YOUR SESSION FORMAT
An expert-led, moderated exploration of a major issue or emerging trend affecting global equity.
Sessions should combine expert insight with audience participation and, where appropriate, live benchmarking, allowing attendees to compare their organisation’s approach with peers in the room.
Best for: emerging trends, regulatory developments, new research, industry data and topics where different perspectives add value
Move beyond theoretical best practice and show us what happened in the real world.
We’re looking for practical issuer stories built around:
What did you do? What worked? What didn’t? What would you do differently?
Attendees should leave with lessons they can apply within their own organizations.
Best for: plan launches, transformations, technology implementations, communications campaigns, corporate transactions and solving specific organisational challenges.
A moderated conversation bringing together complementary perspectives on a shared challenge or important industry issue.
Rather than a series of individual presentations, panels should be designed around discussion, debate, practical experience and audience questions.
You do not need to assemble your own panel. GEO may match selected speakers with other experts and identify a moderator to create the strongest possible conversation.
Best for: complex issues where issuer, adviser, provider, regional or functional perspectives differ.
A highly interactive conversation where a small group begins the discussion before opening it up for attendees to contribute their own experiences, questions and perspectives.
These sessions will be facilitated rather than traditionally presented and may incorporate challenges and questions submitted by attendees before and during the conference.
Best for: topics without one simple answer, emerging issues, shared challenges and subjects where peer experience is particularly valuable.
Start with a real equity challenge and put the collective expertise of the GEO community to work.
Following a structured Reflect → Share → Solve → Act approach, attendees will work in small groups to compare experiences, explore potential solutions and develop recommendations.
Each room will finish by identifying three practical actions for the GEO community.
GEO will work closely with facilitators to structure these sessions and ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
Best for: practical challenges where attendees can learn as much from one another as from the experts in the room.
WHAT COULD YOU TALK ABOUT?
We’re looking for proposals across six core themes, reflecting the issues and challenges GEO members are navigating throughout the year.
DON’T FEEL LIMITED BY THE EXAMPLES
These themes are designed to help you identify where your idea fits – not to prescribe what you should talk about. We’re particularly interested in the real challenges GEO members are facing now, emerging issues that deserve greater attention and practical experiences the wider community can learn from.
Whatever the subject, we’ll ask you to consider:
What challenge are you helping attendees solve? What can they learn from your experience? And what will they be able to do differently as a result?
Plan purpose • vehicles • eligibility • performance • ownership
Topics could include global plan design, broad-based equity, LTIs, plan effectiveness, eligibility, performance measures and innovative approaches to employee ownership.
Boards • disclosure • shareholder approval • executive rewards
Topics could include executive compensation, governance, remuneration committees, investor expectations, disclosure, shareholder approval and evolving approaches to executive incentives.
Tax • legal • mobility • country practice • reporting • accounting
Topics could include global compliance, tax, legal and regulatory developments, financial reporting, accounting, internationally mobile employees and practical country-specific challenges.
Administration • data • controls • vendors • AI • transformation
Topics could include AI and automation, administration, payroll, data, systems, controls, provider management, implementation and operational transformation.
Communication • engagement • financial wellbeing • behaviour
Topics could include employee communications, participation, financial education and wellbeing, changing workforce expectations, behavioural insights and improving employees’ understanding and appreciation of equity.
Benchmarking • business cases • outcomes • employee ownership impact
Topics could include measuring plan effectiveness, demonstrating ROI, benchmarking, building the business case for equity, participation and outcomes data, and evidencing the wider impact of employee ownership.
DESIGNED FOR ACTIVE LEARNING
Where appropriate, sessions will incorporate live polling, benchmarking, audience questions, facilitated discussion and practical exercises.
The aim is simple: attendees shouldn’t just listen. They should be able to compare, contribute, question, solve and leave with something they can use.
WHAT MAKES A STRONG PROPOSAL?
Whatever format you choose, you should consider:
- What real-world challenge or opportunity does your proposal address?
- Why does it matter to the global equity community now?
- What will attendees learn, discuss or do during the session?
- What practical takeaway will they leave with?
- Could live polling or benchmarking strengthen the conversation?
- Can you share genuine examples, experiences, research or data?
- Are you happy for GEO to adapt your proposal or combine it with others based on the challenges attendees identify through registration?
We’re particularly interested in proposals that move beyond theory and provide real experiences, practical lessons and different perspectives.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU’RE SELECTED?
Being selected does not necessarily mean your proposal will appear exactly as submitted.
GEO may:
- Match you with complementary speakers
- Appoint or identify a moderator or facilitator
- Combine related proposals
- Recommend a different session format
- Incorporate attendee-submitted questions or challenges
- Introduce live benchmarking or audience participation
- Work with you to refine the learning objectives and practical outcomes
For facilitated formats such as Fishbowl Conversations, Peer-Solving Labs and Innovation Labs, GEO will provide additional guidance and briefing to speakers and facilitators so that everyone understands the format and intended outcome.
Our goal is to create the best learning experience for the GEO community.
SUBMIT A SPEAKER PROPOSAL BY 6 NOVEMBER
You don’t need a finished presentation or a fully formed panel.
Start with a great idea, a real challenge or an experience worth sharing. We’ll help build the conversation around it.
To submit your proposal, please complete the online speaker submission form by Friday, 6 November 2026.