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.
   

Equity compensation is often one of the most complex and sensitive aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and spin-outs. When a transaction occurs, decisions around vesting, acceleration, and award treatment can significantly affect deal outcomes, retention, and employee morale.

This session offers a practical overview of the key equity compensation issues that arise in M&A transactions, illustrated through two contrasting case studies: Rentokil’s £4.5bn merger with U.S.-listed Terminix and Magnum Ice Cream’s spin-out from Unilever. The discussion will focus on how companies approach equity plan mechanics, manage conflicting provisions, and navigate tax and regulatory constraints.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Understand how vesting, acceleration, and change-in-control provisions are applied, and when cash-out, rollover, or top-up structures may be appropriate.
• Learn how to address conflicting plan terms and navigate key tax, accounting, and securities considerations that shape equity outcomes.
• Explore practical approaches to motivating employees and aligning incentives during and after M&A activity.

As companies expand globally, equity plans must do more than scale—they must resonate with employees across diverse markets while staying aligned with business objectives. This panel takes attendees beyond the mechanics of grants and vesting to explore how thoughtful design, regional adaptability, and market dynamics shape successful global equity programs.

Panelists will share practical strategies for launching or expanding broad-based equity, fostering a culture of ownership, and managing cost and complexity. Attendees will gain insight into balancing tax, regulatory, and cultural considerations with compliance and administrative efficiency, while also examining how market forces such as ownership norms, trading environments, and transaction costs influence employee engagement and perception of equity compensation.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how to scale equity across regions while fostering a culture of ownership and aligning programs with strategic business goals.
• Understand how tax, regulatory, and cultural factors influence plan design and participation—and how to adapt without overcomplicating administration.
• Identify the right metrics to assess engagement, retention, and program effectiveness, ensuring global equity remains a long-term driver of value.

Join this session to learn how Allianz, EY, and Equatex have partnered since 2018 to design and scale a truly global ESPP—driving employee ownership at Allianz from 9% to an impressive 79%, representing more than €1.5 billion in assets under management.

This session will explore how Allianz evolved from simply offering an ESPP to cultivating a holistic, enterprise-wide culture of employee share ownership. By combining thoughtful plan design, tax-efficient strategies, and a strong focus on employee experience, Allianz has successfully engaged its global workforce across 48 countries.

This is a practical, end-to-end case study on the power of partnership, innovation, and execution in building sustainable global employee ownership.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how Allianz transformed its ESPP into a holistic employee shareholder program spanning 48 countries and dramatically increased participation across its workforce.
• Gain insights from EY on managing diverse tax and legal frameworks while maintaining global consistency, compliance, and tax efficiency.
• Discover how Equatex optimized the employee journey and centralized communications to boost engagement and participation worldwide.

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.

In today’s competitive talent market, companies are rethinking equity compensation structures to attract and retain top performers while supporting long-term business goals. While the traditional four-year vesting model remains common, companies are increasingly experimenting with shorter vesting periods and more frequent vesting intervals.
This session explores the latest trends in equity vesting schedules and highlights some surprising outcomes from these shifts. Participants will gain insights into what’s driving these changes, the impact on both employees and employers, and the tax and operational considerations companies should weigh when designing an effective equity strategy.
 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Discover why companies are adopting shorter or more frequent vesting intervals and how these changes affect retention and engagement.
• Understand the benefits and potential challenges of evolving vesting strategies for workforce motivation, cost management, and long-term business objectives.
• Explore tax, administrative, and compliance implications, and learn what to consider when designing a modern, effective equity compensation strategy.

This interactive session dives into innovative equity compensation strategies for private and early-stage companies navigating rapid growth, market volatility, and evolving regulatory demands. Using real-world case studies, participants will explore practical solutions for designing high-impact equity programs that align with strategic goals while staying cost-efficient and operationally manageable.

Topics include creating effective equity purchase and performance share plans on limited budgets, leveraging data-driven tools such as 90-day VWAP and ESG-linked plans, managing liquidity and cap tables through growth to IPO, and optimizing operational efficiency with HRIS platforms and automation. 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how to create equity purchase and performance share plans that align with company goals, ESG targets, and growth objectives, even on limited budgets.
• Discover how to leverage HRIS platforms, third-party administrators, and automated processes to streamline plan administration and minimize complexity.
• Gain practical insights into navigating liquidity events, cap tables, carve-outs, and employee engagement while scaling plans from early-stage to IPO or group-wide programs.