Navigating Capital Gains Tax (CGT) can be a daunting challenge for UK employees, but NatWest Group is turning complexity into clarity. This session will explore how NatWest supports employees throughout the CGT journey—from initial awareness to understanding available options, such as ISA, pension, or spousal/civil partner transfers, through to confidently completing tax returns. Central to this approach is NatWest’s bespoke CGT base cost calculator, which simplifies calculations across multiple share plans while serving as an educational resource. Attendees will discover how effective tools, resources, and guidance can transform a complex tax scenario into an engaging and empowering employee experience, increasing appreciation for the value of share ownership across the organization.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How to provide employees with practical tools and guidance to navigate CGT across multiple share plans. 
• The impact of effective CGT support on employee engagement, confidence, and overall experience. 
• Lessons from NatWest’s approach to transforming complex tax scenarios into accessible and educational experiences.

This expert panel will deliver an explorative discussion covering two interconnected topics: current industry insights on executive pay—including trends from recent AGM activity—and the measurement of Return on Investment (ROI) for Employee Share Plans (ESPs). Panellists will share their experiences in securing board and shareholder approval, addressing both internal and external challenges. The session will also establish key ROI metrics for evaluating ESPs, such as retention, engagement, and attraction, and explore whether ESPs can drive share price increases through a motivated workforce achieving targets.

KEY LEARNING POINTS: 

• Understand emerging trends and shareholder expectations shaping executive pay decisions.
• Learn practical approaches for defining and measuring ROI in Employee Share Plans.
• Discover how linking ESP outcomes to business performance can enhance employee motivation and potentially impact share value.
   

Tax withholding on equity awards can be a major challenge, particularly for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions with differing rules. This session will uncover the “crown jewels” of global withholding, offering practical insights, strategic approaches, and legal considerations to navigate both common and complex challenges. Our expert panel will address key issues including determining withholding rates and taxable amounts, selecting appropriate methods for different equity vehicles, managing obligations for employees and non-employees, and the role of brokers in covering taxes. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to stay compliant, avoid pitfalls, and optimize their withholding processes.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How to determine the correct withholding rate, taxable amount, and method for various equity plans. 
• Practical approaches to managing withholding obligations across multiple jurisdictions and employee types. 
• Strategies to mitigate risks, address failures to withhold, and leverage brokers effectively.

As companies seek to respond to an increasingly challenging and volatile economic backdrop, the ability to compete for senior executive talent becomes increasingly crucial. There is an active debate as to whether best practice governance and investor scrutiny of executive pay is hindering the ability of companies to effectively compete in a global talent market. This session will explore recent trends in executive pay, the response of proxy agencies and investors and what this means for the operation of senior executive equity plans.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

• Understand key global trends in executive pay market
• How senior executive equity plan design could evolve in the future and the approach to roll-out by global companies
• Practical aspects of equity plan design – what Compensation Committees care about