In this mini-workshop, explore how to manage your energy effectively to enhance both your professional and personal life. With stock administrators facing increasing workloads and blurred work-life boundaries, learn strategies to identify energising versus depleting activities. 

Drawing on research from organisational behavior and positive psychology, and insights from Elena’s experience with McKinsey & Company’s Women in Leadership program, you’ll create an energy action plan tailored to boost your personal energy resources and improve overall well-being.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Discover how to identify and leverage energising activities both at work and home
• Learn strategies for managing energy levels to handle professional and personal challenges effectively
• Develop a personalised energy action plan to enhance your productivity and well-being

Explore how to effectively communicate share plans during an IPO in this insightful fireside chat. As companies grow, equity becomes a key part of compensation, yet many face challenges in ensuring employees understand their equity, especially in Europe. With the London IPO market showing signs of recovery, it’s crucial for late-stage companies to prepare for how employees will respond to equity in their new public phase. 

Join Ledgy and Melanie Oakley, an experienced senior people leader, as they share strategies for engaging employees, executives, and investors through clear, thoughtful communication plans. Learn how to use share plans to educate and involve all key stakeholders during this pivotal transition.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand the challenges and strategies for communicating share plans effectively during an IPO
• Learn how to engage employees, executives, and investors with clear and thoughtful communication
• Discover ways to use share plans to educate and involve stakeholders through the IPO transition and beyond

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

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.

Employee share plans play a critical role in fostering employee engagement, retention, and alignment with business objectives. In this panel session, we will explore how leading FTSE companies have implemented and adapted their employee share plans to suit their unique business strategies. Join us as industry experts discuss their real-world experiences, challenges, and key takeaways from designing and managing these initiatives.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain insights into how different FTSE companies structure their employee share plans to reflect their organizational goals and cultures.
• Understand common obstacles faced during implementation and management of employee share plans, and explore strategies to overcome them.
• Learn how employee share plans are leveraged to reinforce company values, drive business performance, and support long-term strategic objectives.

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.

Join this session to explore how private companies leverage share plans strategically to drive growth and enhance employee engagement. These plans serve as potent incentives, aligning employees' interests with the long-term success of the company. They foster a sense of ownership and commitment that can be challenging to achieve with non-equity-based rewards.

The panel will cover navigating the use of equity in private equity-backed portfolio companies, exploring pathways to achieve liquidity for private companies, and understanding the mechanics of growth shares and their potential for tax efficiencies. They will also examine how traditional tax-advantaged plans can be optimised to maximise benefits and discuss fostering an employee ownership culture through initiatives like employee ownership trusts (EOT) and broader employee plans. Additionally, considerations for private companies when extending equity on an international scale will be covered.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• A clear understanding of how share plans align employee interests with company growth
• Insight into effective strategies for achieving liquidity in private companies
• Knowledge of the benefits and tax efficiencies associated with using growth shares.