What does the hospitality industry—restaurants, hotels, and other service-led brands—have in common with your ESPP? One shared challenge: creating demand in a crowded, high-choice environment.

In this focus session, these experts will draw on their unique experience across both equity compensation and hospitality to share five proven, people-driven lessons that can be directly applied to ESPP design and communication. Borrowing from the hospitality playbook, this session focuses on how perceived value, accessibility, messaging, and social influence shape participation decisions.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Apply hospitality-inspired thinking to ESPP design, including how employees perceive discounts, matches, and overall value.
• Learn how hospitality reduces friction and stays top of mind—and how those tactics translate to cash vs. cashless ESPPs and ongoing communication.
• Leverage messaging, exclusivity, and peer influence to boost awareness, enrollment, and sustained ESPP participation.
   

UK Share Incentive Plans (SIPs) and US ESPPs are both designed to promote broad-based employee ownership—but meaningful differences in structure, taxation, and administration can create challenges for global companies seeking consistency. As employee expectations evolve, many companies are exploring ways to modernize SIPs to feel more ESPP-like, without compromising UK compliance.

This session will examine how companies are bridging the gap between SIPs and ESPPs by introducing greater flexibility, improving the participant experience, and aligning plan design across jurisdictions. Through practical examples, we’ll explore the legal, tax, operational, and communication considerations that come into play when adapting SIP features for a global workforce.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Understand the core structural, tax, and operational differences between SIPs and ESPPs—and why companies are increasingly seeking alignment between the two.
• Learn practical design strategies for creating a more flexible, ESPP-like participant experience within the constraints of UK SIP regulations.
• Explore real-world operational and communication approaches used by global organizations to deliver a seamless employee experience across the UK and US.

This session will provide a timely deep dive into the latest developments shaping employee compensation and equity in France. Recent regulatory changes have significantly impacted the qualification and treatment of free share plans, creating new considerations for issuers operating in the French market.

These experts will also address the increasingly important topic of US citizens working in France, focusing on how to structure and administer equity plans in compliance with both French and U.S. regulatory requirements. In addition, attendees will explore effective benchmarking strategies and approaches to designing competitive management compensation packages that align with evolving market expectations and company goals.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain clarity on the latest developments affecting free share plan qualification and how these changes impact plan design and administration.
• Learn best practices for treating U.S. Persons in France while maintaining compliance with cross-border tax, securities, and employment regulations.
• Explore benchmarking approaches and management package design strategies to remain competitive in the French market while aligning with broader business objectives.

What would global equity programs look like if seasoned stock plan professionals were truly “in charge”? This interactive panel brings together highly experienced practitioners to explore the changes they would make—and the decisions they would rethink. 
Drawing on more than 100 years of combined experience, panelists will share candid perspectives on what works, what doesn’t, and what they would redesign if given the opportunity. Attendees can expect an honest, thought-provoking conversation grounded in lived experience and informed by today’s evolving global landscape.
 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain insight into how experienced professionals would approach decisions differently if starting with a clean slate.
• Understand where real-world challenges arise between policy, regulation, and day-to-day administration—and how seasoned leaders would address them.
• Take away practical advice, common pitfalls to avoid, and forward-looking recommendations informed by over a century of collective expertise.
   

Back in 2016, the ASC 718 updates transformed stock plan administration—allowing companies to use the highest marginal tax withholding rate on net-settled awards without the previous accounting headaches. Stock admins and payroll teams celebrated hours of work saved… yet nearly a decade later, some companies are still debating whether to stick with the highest marginal rate or revert to actual payroll rates.

This lively, debate-style session brings together a panel of experts to go head-to-head on the best approach to tax withholding under ASC 718. Expect candid opinions, real-world examples, and practical guidance to help your company decide the right path—without the guesswork.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Get clarity on how the highest marginal rate works versus using actual payroll rates, and the accounting implications of each approach.
• Learn the operational and administrative considerations for stock plan admins and payroll teams, including efficiency and compliance benefits.
• Gain actionable guidance on choosing the right withholding method for your organization, backed by real-world examples and expert debate.

Designing global performance awards is both an art and a science. From fluctuating foreign exchange rates to evolving disclosure requirements, creating effective performance-based equity programs requires careful calibration and technical precision. This deep-dive session explores the architecture of successful global performance awards, covering metric selection, peer benchmarking, multi-currency valuation, and alignment with local tax rules.

Ideal for professionals in plan design, accounting, or global mobility, attendees will gain actionable insights to elevate their performance equity programs from simply compliant to strategically cutting-edge.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how to calibrate performance metrics and benchmark against peers to drive meaningful, measurable outcomes.
• Explore strategies for navigating FX fluctuations, multi-currency valuation, and local tax and compliance requirements.
• Gain practical approaches to transform your programs from compliant structures to innovative, workforce-engaging solutions.

ESPPs may share a name, but their design and impact can vary widely. In this lively, practical session, a panel of ESPP experts will guide you through three distinct plan designs, examining how each influences employee perception, participation rates, company expense, and dilution. Whether you’re launching a new plan or optimizing an existing one, you’ll leave with actionable strategies, creative ideas, and practical tips to make your ESPP successful.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Explore how different ESPP structures—from generous discounts to unique offering periods—affect employee participation and perception.
• Learn what motivates employees to take part in ESPPs and identify potential barriers to adoption.
• Discover strategies for designing plans that maximize employee value while maintaining financial sustainability for the company.

Executives face complex challenges in managing equity compensation, including navigating 10b5-1 plans, Rule 144, blackout windows, and liquidity planning. This session explores how plan administrators can leverage frameworks and best practices used by private wealth advisors to support executives holistically. Lucid Motors will share real-life experiences, highlighting practical applications of these strategies in a corporate setting. Participants will gain insights on aligning administrative operations with executive needs, optimizing equity as part of overall wealth, and supporting transitions, succession planning, and legacy considerations.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understanding 10b5-1 plans, Rule 144, and blackout windows, and how to support executives effectively.
• Leveraging private wealth management tools to align equity administration with executive goals.
• Strategies for managing executive equity from grant through succession, including liquidity and legacy planning.

In today’s world of tighter budgets and rising expectations, how can issuers reduce the cost of their share plans without compromising their appeal? This session brings share plan accounting to life, showing that what may seem like a dry, technical topic is actually critical for program success.

Attendees will explore practical strategies to optimize expenses while maintaining eligibility and plan attractiveness. The session will also examine the tension between U.S. trends toward more discretion in performance conditions and the measurement challenges this can create. Participants will leave with actionable insights to make informed decisions, manage costs effectively, and maintain high-performing equity programs.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn practical approaches to reduce share plan expenses without impacting employee eligibility or program appeal.
• Understand the challenges and implications of discretionary performance metrics and their effect on measurement and compliance.
• Gain actionable insights for maintaining attractive, high-performing share plans in budget-constrained environments.

The world of equity compensation is evolving rapidly—and some of the most meaningful innovation comes not from new tools or plan designs, but from shared experience and open dialogue. This interactive roundtable brings together industry peers to exchange ideas, compare approaches, and discuss what’s next for equity compensation.

Through candid conversation, participants will explore emerging trends in plan design, communication, and administration, while tackling the real-world challenges stock plan professionals face today. From simplifying complexity to increasing employee engagement, this session is designed to surface practical solutions and fresh perspectives drawn directly from those in the trenches.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain insight into the latest developments in equity plan design, communication, and administration.
• Learn strategies to address operational, compliance, and engagement challenges faced by stock plan professionals.
• Exchange real-world experiences and creative approaches with fellow equity compensation practitioners to inspire new solutions.