UK and Channel Islands | Global Equity Organization

David Edwards

Head of Share Plans and Corporate Governance

Natwest

UK and Channel Islands

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David is head of share plans and corporate governance at NatWest. Qualified as a lawyer and is on the board of GEO.

David has extensive experience and expertise in corporate governance, share plans, and legal matters, David has been a valuable asset since joining RBS in 2011. As the Head of Share Plans at Natwest Group, David provides guidance on legal, tax, and regulatory aspects related to the bank's employee equity arrangements. His proficiency in implementing global equity plans, managing corporate actions, and ensuring share plan compliance makes him an invaluable addition.

David graduated from the University of Bristol in 2008 and joined the Allen & Overy LLP Incentives team, where he worked on a range of global, stand alone and transactional share plans matters.

Anna Fletcher

Group Head of Reward at Rentokil Initial plc

Rentokil Initial plc

UK and Channel Islands

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Anna Fletcher is the Group Head of Reward at Rentokil Initial plc, based in the UK and has more than 18 years’ experience in reward. Prior to her current role she held similar roles in consumer goods and financial services organizations. Anna has been with RI for 5 years and in her current role is responsible for overseeing a wide range of reward initiatives across the group, including share schemes, executive remuneration compensation, and global mobility.

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

6 December 2023, 4:30 - 9pm GMT

UK AND CHANNEL ISLANDS DECEMBER NETWORKING EVENT

UK and Channel Islands

As 2023 draws to a close - the GEO UK Chapter team invites you to join us for some year-end updates, networking and fun!

Linklaters will kindly host, as we share 2023 industry updates and highlights, and offer a chance for a bit of healthy competition - it’s your opportunity to take our quiz and find out if you are part of the share plan 1% club! It will also be your last chance to try and top the GEO UK Chapter leader board before the year is out.

WHEN?
Wednesday 6 December from 4:30 - 7:30pm

WHERE?
Linklaters, 1 Silk St, London EC2Y 8HQ

Followed by optional festive fun at a venue nearby.

We look forward to seeing you there – hopefully in your best festive outfit!

NEWS

7 August 2023

ENFORCEMENT OF DODD-FRANK CLAWBACK POLICIES UNDER FOREIGN LAW

Duncan A. W. Abate, Miriam Bruce, Aline Fidelis, Christopher Fisher, Régine Goury, Julien Haure, Dr. Hagen Köckeritz, Ryan J. Lieb, Laura D. Richman, Jad A. Taha, Jennifer C. W., Tam Hong

Executive pay

Finance, tax and accounting

Executive plans

Stock options

France

Germany

Greater China

Hong Kong

Singapore

UK and Channel Islands

USA

The article discusses the enforcement of Dodd-Frank clawback policies under foreign law, focusing on executive compensation. The US SEC's Rule 10D-1 mandates the recovery (clawback) of incentive-based executive compensation in the event of accounting restatements. The NYSE and Nasdaq proposed listing standards to comply with this rule. The article explores how clawback policies could be enforced in various countries including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. It addresses aspects such as enforceability under local law, deducting amounts from future compensation, and provisions to enhance enforcement. The application of these policies varies across jurisdictions based on legal frameworks and regulatory guidelines.

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NEWS

26 September 2023

THERE'S ANOTHER GENDER PAY GAP: STOCK OPTIONS

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal

Trending now

Cash deferral

Choice plans

Discount shares

Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)

Equity deferral

Executive plans

Non-qualified plans

Performance cash

Performance shares

Restricted shares

Save as you earn (SAYE)

Share incentive plans (SIP)

Stock appreciation rights (SAR)

Stock options

UK and Channel Islands

USA

Women often don’t know what to ask for, experts say. And companies don’t tell them.

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NEWS

9 August 2023

EMPLOYEE SHARE OWNERSHIP IS A PERK WORTH EXPANDING | FINANCIAL TIMES

SOURCE: Financial Times

Design and strategy

Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)

UK and Channel Islands

USA

The article discusses how few companies offer equity ownership to most employees, despite its potential benefits for engagement and wealth equality. It highlights the need for well-designed plans, policy support, and financial education to make this practice more widespread. Turning more stakeholders into capitalists can align with stakeholder capitalism principles.

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1.1 EUROPEAN SHARE PLAN INSIGHTS: EQUITY OFFERINGS ACROSS THE CONTINENT

Read more about 1.1 EUROPEAN SHARE PLAN INSIGHTS: EQUITY OFFERINGS ACROSS THE CONTINENT

Join our enlightening session as we unravel the intricate web of country-specific challenges in Europe and equip you with the knowledge to overcome them effectively.

Don't miss this opportunity to arm yourself with the knowledge and strategies needed to thrive in the diverse regulatory landscape of European markets.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

Navigate legal hurdles: Delve into the key tax, legal, and administrative challenges that businesses encounter in various European jurisdictions, including Belgium, Germany, Russia, the UK, France, and more.
Stay informed on enforcement: Stay ahead of the curve by gaining insights into enforcement activities that could impact your company's operations.
Create a strategic action plan: Leave the session with a concrete action plan to address these challenges head-on. Discover how to leverage country-specific appendices and compliance matrices to tackle issues such as securities exemptions, data privacy, tax withholding obligations, entitlement matters, and more across Europe.

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group live
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit: 1.0 credits

Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

Speaker/Author

Will Clifton, Baker McKenzie
Don-Tobias Jol, Baker McKenzie
Ludmilla Maurer, Baker McKenzie

Event date

Thursday, 16 Nov 2023, 08:30 - 09:30

Topic

Legal and regulatory

Plan type

Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)

Country

UK and Channel Islands

Breakout series

BREAKOUT I

1.3 CRYPTO AS AN INCENTIVE: FROM ESOP TO VSOP TO COP

Read more about 1.3 CRYPTO AS AN INCENTIVE: FROM ESOP TO VSOP TO COP

Join this enlightening session that sees our expert panel provide a beginner's guide to the dynamic realm of crypto assets and their emerging role as rewards and salaries, both within the crypto sector and across industries. Discover the compelling reasons behind companies' adoption of these innovative incentive structures.

This user-friendly and thought-provoking session will equip you with valuable knowledge about crypto assets as incentives and provide insights into the future landscape of employee compensation.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

Crypto asset basics: Understand crypto assets with a user-friendly overview, covering terms like security tokens, utility tokens, exchange tokens, bitcoin, and NFTs, to grasp the essentials.
Taxation and compliance: Delve into taxation complexities, valuation methods, legal aspects, and regulatory considerations linked to crypto assets. Focus on Germany and the UK's regulatory landscapes and approaches for companies.
Future of crypto Incentives: Join a forward-looking discussion on crypto currencies as employee incentives, exploring implications and possibilities in innovative compensation methods.

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group live
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit: 1.0 credits

Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.

Speaker/Author

Cathy Wears, CMS
Martin Friedberg, CMS

Event date

Thursday, 16 Nov 2023, 08:30 - 09:30

Topic

Trending now

Country

Germany

Global

UK and Channel Islands

Breakout series

BREAKOUT I

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

5 September 2023, 3 - 4pm BST

UK CHAPTER MEETING - 3 LOCATIONS

LOCATION: London, Manchester, Edinburgh

Trending now

UK and Channel Islands

Join us for an enlightening session that explores how UK companies utilize equity to incentivize their executives and broader workforce in today's global marketplace. Delve into the strategies, best practices, and innovative approaches employed by organizations to align executive compensation with corporate objectives and drive performance.

In this session, we will explore:

Equity to incentivise: How do UK companies currently use equity to incentivise their executives and broader workforce in a global marketplace?
The power of purpose: Purpose was a theme in both the GEO in-person and virtual conferences. What are companies doing to bring purpose to their plans?
Growing governance: From updates on clawback in the US and UK, to a new European pay transparency regime, there’s lots to catch up on.

5 September - London
12 September - Manchester
14 September - Edinburgh

ARTICLE

19 July 2023

CROWN ESTATE TRIPLES PAY OF CEO IN THREE YEARS TO NEARLY £1.6M

SOURCE: The Guardian

UK and Channel Islands

The article discusses the significant increase in CEO pay at the crown estate, an ancient portfolio of land and property in England and Wales. The current CEO, Dan Labbad, received almost £1.6 million last year, triple his pay in 2019, and far surpassing his predecessor's salary. The rise in compensation has raised concerns about the management of taxpayer funds and calls for reform to ensure the income from the crown estate benefits the nation appropriately.

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