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.

Executive compensation is under increasing scrutiny from investors, proxy advisors, and governance stakeholders—particularly during annual general meetings. This panel brings together experienced practitioners to examine the evolving executive pay landscape, including shareholder activism, board dynamics, and rising expectations around transparency and accountability. 

The panel will share practical strategies for engaging boards and compensation committees, aligning equity programs with performance and ESG priorities, and preparing for activist challenges. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen governance practices and confidently navigate investor and stakeholder expectations.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Identify key trends shaping executive compensation, including investor priorities, proxy advisor influence, and emerging regulatory expectations.
• Learn practical approaches for partnering with boards and compensation committees to design equity programs that align with performance goals and governance standards.
• Gain strategies to anticipate, respond to, and manage shareholder activism—particularly in the AGM context—while maintaining credibility and trust.

The role of the equity professional is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Once viewed primarily as administrators and technical experts, today’s equity leaders are expected to serve as strategic advisors—educating executives, influencing enterprise-wide decisions, and proactively managing risk in an increasingly complex environment.

In this session, industry experts with decades of hands-on experience will share candid reflections from their professional journeys, offering rare perspective on how the role has evolved and what has remained constant. Drawing on real-world lessons learned at the highest levels, speakers will explore shifting expectations from executives and boards, how to build lasting equity literacy across the company, and what it truly takes to move from execution to influence.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain perspective from seasoned industry leaders on how the equity role has evolved over time and what future equity professionals must understand to remain relevant and influential
• Understand changing expectations from executives and boards, and learn practical approaches to building enterprise-wide equity literacy and trust
• Learn how to elevate your impact by leveraging data, storytelling, and proactive risk management to influence strategy and strengthen your organizational and career positioning

Operating share plans globally is no easy task—but there are proven ways to significantly improve their effectiveness and impact. In this session, a highly experienced panel featuring leaders from NatWest, Sage, Tapestry, and Wealth at Work will share practical insights drawn from real-world experience across industries and regions.

The discussion will explore evolving trends in plan design, effective approaches to financial education (without crossing into financial advice), and strategies for engaging a multigenerational and multicultural workforce. 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how to deliver responsible plan communications and financial education without crossing into regulated financial advice.
• Discover innovative solutions to common communication challenges that improve how employees perceive and value their share plans.
• Explore strategies for addressing cultural and generational differences to ensure equity programs resonate across regions.

Equity plan reporting can be a minefield of data discrepancies, compliance risks, and audit challenges. This session provides practical guidance for maintaining clean, accurate data and preparing for audits with confidence. 

Participants will explore strategies for reconciling information across systems, managing reporting schedules, and addressing common pitfalls. Attendees will leave with actionable tools and best practices to ensure equity plan reporting is efficient, reliable, and audit-ready.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn strategies for reconciling information across multiple systems and preventing discrepancies.
• Gain insights into preparing for audits, managing reporting schedules, and addressing common pitfalls in equity reporting.
• Explore actionable approaches and best practices to streamline equity plan reporting while ensuring accuracy and compliance.