Explore Experian's groundbreaking global freeshare award initiative, which introduced share grants in countries where employees had never received them before. This session will reveal the unique challenges faced, including effective communication of plan details, ensuring employee understanding, and maximising participation rates. Discover how Experian incentivised long-term commitment with a bonus award for employees who retained their shares for three years. 

Attendees will gain insights into why employees favored shares over cash and how this aligns with Experian’s broader goals. Learn from Experian’s experience to enhance your own strategies for clear communication and driving employee engagement.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Discover the challenges and solutions for rolling out a global freeshare award initiative
• Learn how strategic incentives like bonus shares can boost employee retention and alignment with company goals
• Understand the importance of effective communication in maximising participation and employee engagement

Discover why cash-settling or using phantom awards can be a practical solution for global equity plans in this session. Our expert panel will demystify the process, covering when it’s appropriate to cash settle—such as in cases of complex administration or legal issues in regions like China, the Philippines, or Vietnam. Learn about different cash-settled structures, including how they compare to pure phantom awards, and gain insights into documentation, administration, and common pitfalls. Understand the risks involved, such as Canadian Salary Deferral Rules and securities laws impacting derivatives.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Learn when and why to use cash-settlement or phantom awards for global equity plans
• Explore different cash-settled structures and how to effectively document and administer them
• Identify potential risks and pitfalls, including regional legal issues and securities laws

Examine the impact of the current political climate in Western Europe on share plans and employee taxation with insights from our expert panel. The session will explore current trends, key tax, and legal challenges, and what to expect in the near future. Gain a broader understanding of emerging issues and how they might affect your share plans.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand how the political climate in Western Europe could influence share plans and employee taxation
• Identify key tax and legal challenges currently affecting and expected to impact share plans
• Gain insights into emerging issues across the continent and how they may affect your strategies

Explore how creativity and technology can transform employee communications in this inspirational session. Delve into the use of innovative digital tools—beyond traditional animation and interactive brochures—to enhance employee engagement. The panel will address practical questions such as the effectiveness of these tools, overcoming resource constraints, and actionable steps to immediately improve your digital experience. Feel inspired, energised and dazzled by the possibilities.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Discover how advanced digital tools can significantly enhance employee engagement beyond traditional methods
• Learn practical strategies from experts for implementing innovative communication techniques, even with limited resources
• Get inspired with actionable steps to evolve your digital experience for better results

Discover how broad-based employee share ownership programs can be a game-changer for your organisation, especially during challenging times. This session will highlight the importance of cohesive teamwork, mutual trust, and accountability in achieving success.

Learn how inclusive and wide-reaching equity programs can attract, motivate, and retain employees. Hear from innovative companies about their successful equity plans and strategies, including special retention grants, celebration grants, and stock purchase plans. Explore how these programs can drive corporate strategic goals and maintain competitiveness in a tough talent market.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand the benefits of broad-based employee share ownership programs in fostering trust, accountability, and organisational success
• Discover strategies for designing inclusive equity programs that attract, motivate, and retain top talent
• Learn from success stories about using equity as a long-term incentive to navigate challenges and remain competitive

Explore how recent global changes are reshaping equity plans in this insightful session. We’ll delve into the impact of the evolving economic climate, shifts in government and workplace dynamics, and the changing role of employee equity plans. Our panel of experts will provide perspectives from economists, equity issuers, advisors, and providers, highlighting trends in awards, metrics, and structures. 

Gain valuable insights and practical strategies for leveraging equity as a powerful tool for organisational success in a competitive, globalised world.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand how recent economic and geopolitical changes affect stock plan design and usage.
• Learn how workplace disruptions and government shifts impact employee equity plans and performance awards.
• Discover practical strategies and real-life examples to navigate equity trends and shape successful companies.

Setting up an employee share plan involves crucial decisions about sourcing shares and managing sales effectively. Join Ghal and Tom from EQ's Corporate Dealing team, Ben McCarthy from Linklaters and Rob Lyons from M&S as they share their extensive experience in this area.  They’ll cover current trends in sourcing shares, looking at new issue or market purchase, along with key considerations for an issuer and their finance team.  Discover strategies for hedging, managing large share sales and using the Employee Benefit Trust to your advantage. There will be focus on the recent changes to dilution limits in the Investment Association’s Principles of Remuneration.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Learn strategies for sourcing shares, planning in advance for your share plan vesting whilst managing headroom and dilution limits.
• Understand how an issuer can use various approaches across their share plan grants to keep their finance team and employees happy.
• Discover effective liquidity management techniques to ensure an orderly market at vesting.

Join this session to uncover the latest trends in global share plans with highlights from the 12th annual Global Equity Insights Survey (GEIS) 2024. This unique survey reveals crucial insights into how companies worldwide use equity, focusing on Long Term Incentives (LTIs), Share Purchase Plans (SPPs), and talent.

The panel will also explore survey findings on how companies are harnessing the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for their equity compensation strategies, showcasing real-world applications and best practices.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Discover the latest trends in global share plans from the 2024 Global Equity Insights Survey, including LTIs and SPPs
• Gain insights into how AI is revolutionising equity compensation strategies
• Learn best practices and emerging trends in equity-based compensation to apply in your company

Are you ready for the future of pay transparency? Prepare for the future of pay transparency with our session on the EU's upcoming 'Pay Transparency Directive.' Set to roll out by June 2026, this legislation will affect all member states. Discover what this means for share plan professionals and gain insights on navigating the challenges ahead.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand the implications of the EU's 'Pay Transparency Directive' for share plan professionals
• Identify key challenges and considerations for complying with the new legislation
• Receive a roadmap to help plan and ensure compliance with the directive.

AI: coming for a job near you! Or is it? In this full and frank fireside chat, GEO's Gabbi Stopp will moderate a discussion with two highly-experienced, leading lights in the global equity space, Mark Higgins of WPP and Julie Shepherd of Sage Group. Both these firms are already harnessing the transformative power of AI across their businesses, and are actively exploring AI's potential for aspects of equity compensation. Both these speakers have charted highly successful careers in global equity issuance. Join us to engage with the biggest challenge and opportunity for our industry, and come away informed, inspired and hopefully, illuminated!

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Discover how WPP and Sage Group are integrating AI into their equity compensation strategies
• Gain insights into the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the global equity industry
• Learn from the experiences of leading experts in global equity issuance on harnessing AI's transformative power.