GEO INSIGHTS

ACCESS THE LATEST GLOBAL EQUITY COMPENSATION INSIGHTS

Read industry news, explore technical updates, access ideas on global employee compensation innovation, and find ways to connect.

CONTINUING EDUCATION INFORMATION

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

25 June 2026, 2:30 - 7:30pm CEST

NETHERLANDS CHAPTER MEETING - AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam

Netherlands

EXPLORE THE EQUITY AND TAX LANDSCAPE FOR 2026

Join your local share plan community on 25 June at the KPMG offices for an engaging discussion on the latest trends and tax developments shaping equity incentives in the Netherlands, followed by networking drinks.

As the competition for talent continues to intensify, organisations are adapting their equity strategies to remain attractive in a rapidly evolving market. During this session, we will explore the impact of new stock option rules for startups and scale-ups, and discuss how larger and listed companies can continue to compete effectively in attracting and retaining key talent.

The session will also examine current market trends in equity incentives and Management Incentive Plans (MIPs) within the Dutch investment landscape. In addition, we will unpack recent and upcoming tax developments relating to Box 2 and Box 3, with a focus on the implications for employee investors, entrepreneurs, and long-term value creation.

LOCATION:
KPMG Meiburg
Laan van Langerhuize 1
1186 DS Amstelveen
The Netherlands

Thank you to our generous host.

REGISTRATION AND COST:
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. There is no cost for this chapter meeting, but registration is required.

View the event attendee terms and conditions.

REGISTER

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

25 June 2026, 3 - 5pm BST

UK AND CHANNEL ISLANDS CHAPTER MEETING - BRISTOL

Bristol

UK and Channel Islands

FROM AUSTIN TO BRISTOL: YOUR GEO CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

The GEO UK and Channel Islands Chapter is delighted to bring its GEO Austin Conference Highlights Roadshow to Bristol — marking our very first GEO Chapter meeting in the South West.

This interactive session will bring key insights and takeaways from GEO's 27th Annual Conference in Austin directly to the region, while also creating an opportunity for local members to help shape the future of GEO activity in the South West.

Designed to encourage open discussion and peer exchange, the event will combine conference highlights, issuer perspectives, practical examples, and collaborative conversation on the topics and support most valuable to the regional community.

Join fellow issuers and industry professionals to connect, share experiences, exchange ideas, and help define how the GEO Chapter can best support members across the South West going forward.

LOCATION:
JTC Offices
Crescent, Temple Back
Redcliffe
Bristol, BS1 6EZ
United Kingdom

REGISTRATION AND COST
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. Non-member providers will incur a fee - join GEO. Registration is required.
View the event attendee terms and conditions.

REGISTER

IN-PERSON CHAPTER EVENT

16 June 2026, 11:30am - 1:30pm PDT

NORCAL CHAPTER MEETING - SAN FRANCISCO OR SANTA CLARA

San Francisco, CA

Santa Clara, CA

USA

Join the AI Club for Equity with the GEO NorCal Chapter!

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the equity compensation landscape, creating both new opportunities and new challenges for equity professionals. From streamlining day-to-day administration to reshaping talent markets and compensation strategies, AI is becoming an increasingly important topic across the industry.

Join the “AI Club for Equity” session, live in San Francisco and streamed in Santa Clara, where industry practitioners will share practical insights into how AI is currently being used — and where its limitations still exist — within equity administration and operations.

The session will also explore emerging data on AI-related talent premiums and examine how companies are adapting equity plan design to attract and retain AI-critical talent across both private and public organizations.

Designed as an interactive and forward-looking discussion, this session will provide attendees with practical examples, market perspectives, and valuable peer insights into one of the most significant shifts currently impacting the equity compensation profession.

LOCATIONS:
Aon - Santa Clara
3979 Freedom Cir #620
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Aon - San Francisco
425 Market St., #2800
San Francisco, CA 94105

Thank you to our generous host and sponsor:

REGISTRATION AND COST:
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. There is no cost for this chapter meeting, but registration is required.

View the event attendee terms and conditions.

REGISTER

VIRTUAL CHAPTER EVENT

2 July 2026, 3:30 - 5am PDT

BELGIUM CHAPTER MEETING - VIRTUAL

VIRTUAL

Belgium

FROM AUSTIN TO BRUSSELS: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF SHARE OWNERSHIP

SPEAKERS: Henk Debrock, Bekaert | Matthieu Sabonnadière, Banque Transatlantique

The Belgian Chapter made a strong impression at GEO’s 27th Annual Conference in Austin — and we’re bringing those insights back to our community.

Henk Debrock (Bekaert) served on the prestigious GEO Awards judging panel, reviewing more than 80 applications across ten categories from companies of all sizes around the world. Meanwhile, Matthieu Sabonnadière (Banque Transatlantique) represented Belgium on a European practices panel alongside experts from the UK and Nordics, sharing valuable perspectives on Belgian market specificities and cross-border equity trends.

To top it all off, the Belgian Chapter was honoured with GEO’s '2026 Best New Chapter' award — a testament to the energy, collaboration, and commitment of our growing community.

LOCATION:
This meeting is online. Login instructions will be sent to you as the meeting date approaches.

REGISTRATION AND COST:
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. There is no cost for this chapter meeting, registration is required.

View the event attendee terms and conditions.

REGISTER

VIRTUAL CHAPTER EVENT

25 June 2026, 10 - 11:30am PDT

BRAZIL CHAPTER MEETING - VIRTUAL

VIRTUAL

Brazil

JJOIN US FOR A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LATEST GEO CONFERENCES

SPEAKERS: Alex de Souza, QuintoAndar | Vinicius Barcelos, Pris

Join the Brazil Chapter online for a conversation connecting insights from GEO Prague 2025 and GEO Austin 2026—two editions of GEO’s flagship annual conference bringing together global leaders and professionals in equity compensation.

In this session, attendees from both conferences will share key discussions, emerging trends, and practical takeaways presented across the two events, offering a unique perspective on how the global equity compensation landscape evolved from one year to the next.

The discussion will explore which topics gained momentum, which themes became less prominent, and how market priorities continue to mature globally in areas such as plan design, governance, compliance, taxation, technology, communication, and employee experience.

By comparing the conversations held in Prague in 2025 and Austin in 2026, the event aims to provide participants with a broader understanding of the direction of the industry worldwide and the implications for Brazilian professionals and companies operating internationally.

The 90-minute session will feature perspectives from professionals who attended each conference, followed by an interactive discussion focused on the evolution of themes, industry expectations, and global practices in equity compensation.

LOCATION:
This meeting is online. Teams instructions will be sent to you as the meeting date approaches.

REGISTRATION AND COST:
Members and non-members are welcome to attend. There is no cost for this chapter meeting, registration is required.

View the event attendee terms and conditions.

REGISTER

ARTICLE

16 May 2026

IFRS AUDIT READINESS CHECKLIST FOR SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS

Optio

Finance, tax and accounting

Executive plans

European Union

On 18 March 2026, the European Commission proposed “EU Inc.”, a new optional EU-wide corporate structure designed to simplify cross-border operations, boost competitiveness, and support startup growth through a harmonised set of corporate rules. A key feature is the introduction of EU employee stock option plans (EU-ESOs), which would allow companies to grant portable stock options across EU member states and defer taxation until the shares are sold, helping employees avoid “dry tax” on unrealised gains. The proposal would significantly change the treatment of share options in countries like Ireland by aligning EU-ESOs more closely with Ireland’s Key Employee Engagement Programme, and it is now under review by the European Parliament and Council with a target agreement date by the end of 2026.

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LIVE WEBCAST

14 May 2026, 1 - 2pm EDT

INSIDE CANADIAN EQUITY PLANS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Andrew Schwartz, Computershare
Cynthia Gosselin, Computershare
Katherine Leung, EY

All plan types

Canada

Canada offers a wide range of equity compensation plans for Canadian employees, each with its own set of advantages, compliance requirements, and tax reporting obligations.

Through a panel discussion addressing issuer, administrator, and employee perspectives, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how different Canadian equity plans are administered throughout the lifecycle—from initial enrollment, to dividend payment, to sale of shares, and the resulting taxation and reporting requirements. The panel will also discuss how these requirements come together in practice, current CRA enforcement activities, and best practices.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Learn the key differences between Canadian equity plans, including their benefits, limitations, and applicable tax and reporting requirements.
Gain practical insight into issuer, administrator, and employee responsibilities for accurate tax tracking, withholding, and reporting for Canadian participants.
Take away actionable best practices to improve compliance and administration.

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Levels: O
Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit:1.0 credits *CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only.

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

COST

Members: Free access — Live and on-demand
Non-members: $85 per webcast — Live and on-demand

Unlock unlimited access! Join GEO from just $375/year and watch every webcast free—live or on-demand plus more member perks!

WATCH THE WEBCAST

ARTICLE

13 May 2026

IPO READINESS: EXECUTIVE EQUITY COMPENSATION CHECKLIST

J.P. Morgan Workplace Solutions

Private and pre-IPO companies

Executive plans

Global

An IPO marks a major shift for executive compensation, bringing new stakeholders, stricter regulations, disclosure requirements, and trading restrictions tied to material non-public information (MNPI). To prepare, companies should establish a compensation committee, create a strong benchmarking peer group, review equity plans, define a clear compensation philosophy, and ensure compliance with evolving pay transparency and market abuse regulations. Executive education is also critical, as IPO-related equity compensation, lockups, blackout periods, and trading rules can be complex and may limit executives’ ability to access liquidity even after going public.

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ARTICLE

12 May 2026

EMPLOYEE SHARE SCHEMES, LESS “TAX-WITHOUT-CASH” FOR UNLISTED COMPANIES

Deloitte

Private and pre-IPO companies

All plan types

New Zealand

From 1 April 2026, New Zealand’s new Employee Deferred Shares (EDS) regime allows unlisted companies to defer taxation on employee share schemes until a real “liquidity event” occurs, helping reduce the “tax-without-cash” problem where employees are taxed before they can sell shares. The final rules refine earlier proposals by excluding dividends and illiquid restructures from triggering tax, while requiring employers to designate shares as EDS and notify both employees and Inland Revenue within 20 days. While the regime improves alignment between tax timing and actual liquidity, it still involves trade-offs, as employees may ultimately be taxed on higher future share values when they are finally able to sell.

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