This expert panel will deliver an explorative discussion covering two interconnected topics: current industry insights on executive pay—including trends from recent AGM activity—and the measurement of Return on Investment (ROI) for Employee Share Plans (ESPs). Panellists will share their experiences in securing board and shareholder approval, addressing both internal and external challenges. The session will also establish key ROI metrics for evaluating ESPs, such as retention, engagement, and attraction, and explore whether ESPs can drive share price increases through a motivated workforce achieving targets.

KEY LEARNING POINTS: 

• Understand emerging trends and shareholder expectations shaping executive pay decisions.
• Learn practical approaches for defining and measuring ROI in Employee Share Plans.
• Discover how linking ESP outcomes to business performance can enhance employee motivation and potentially impact share value.
   

Navigating Capital Gains Tax (CGT) can be a daunting challenge for UK employees, but NatWest Group is turning complexity into clarity. This session will explore how NatWest supports employees throughout the CGT journey—from initial awareness to understanding available options, such as ISA, pension, or spousal/civil partner transfers, through to confidently completing tax returns. Central to this approach is NatWest’s bespoke CGT base cost calculator, which simplifies calculations across multiple share plans while serving as an educational resource. Attendees will discover how effective tools, resources, and guidance can transform a complex tax scenario into an engaging and empowering employee experience, increasing appreciation for the value of share ownership across the organization.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How to provide employees with practical tools and guidance to navigate CGT across multiple share plans. 
• The impact of effective CGT support on employee engagement, confidence, and overall experience. 
• Lessons from NatWest’s approach to transforming complex tax scenarios into accessible and educational experiences.

In today’s highly competitive talent landscape, companies are reevaluating how they structure equity compensation to better attract, motivate, and retain top talent—while staying aligned with long-term business goals. Although the traditional four-year vesting model still dominates, a growing number of organizations are shifting toward shorter vesting periods and more frequent vesting intervals.

This session explores the latest trends in vesting schedule design, including what’s driving these changes and the unexpected outcomes they’re creating for both companies and employees. We’ll examine the strategic, behavioral, and tax implications of modern vesting approaches and provide guidance to help you assess what’s right for your organization.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Understand the emerging shift toward shorter and more frequent vesting and what’s motivating this evolution
• Evaluate the impact of vesting changes on employee behavior, retention, and company objectives
• Identify key tax, administrative, and design considerations when implementing nontraditional vesting schedules

In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, equity compensation continues to serve as a powerful tool for attracting, retaining, and engaging talent. But delivering effective global stock plans is more complex than ever—regulatory shifts, increasing expectations around equity and transparency, and the realities of a globally mobile workforce all demand new approaches.

This session—rooted in findings from GEO's 2025 Global Equity Insights Survey (GEIS), which includes data from over 170 companies across 20 countries—offers a comprehensive view into how leading organizations are meeting these challenges head-on and reimagining their equity strategies for the future.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Discover how top-performing companies are structuring LTIs and SPPs to align with strategic goals, culture, and talent retention.
• Explore data-driven approaches to pay equity, global mobility, and private company equity plans based on leading survey trends.
• Learn how AI and digital tools are driving operational efficiency, improving compliance, and elevating participant engagement.
   

Discover how Sage transformed its global Save & Share plan by tapping into the power of its people. This session explores how Sage revitalized its communications strategy, enhanced the colleague experience, and implemented a financial education and wellbeing program that empowered employees to make informed decisions at maturity.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Strategies to boost participation and engagement in employee share plans
• The role of financial education in driving confidence and informed decision-making
• How to measure success beyond numbers—real stories and testimonials from employees

This session will dive into the unique landscape of equity compensation in India, examining best practices and emerging trends that are shaping the market. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities companies face when structuring equity plans, including tax implications, legal frameworks, and employment laws specific to India.

The session will also explore how cultural factors influence plan adoption and participation, offering insights into how global companies can effectively tailor their equity compensation strategies to the Indian market.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Understand the tax, legal, and employment law considerations unique to India in equity plan design.
• Explore cultural factors and their impact on plan adoption and employee participation.
• Learn how to align global equity strategies with India's evolving corporate and regulatory environment.

As global companies continue to compete for top talent, equity compensation has become a key tool in attracting and retaining employees.

This session provides a unique opportunity to explore how equity incentives are structured and implemented across Central and Eastern Europe, with a special focus on the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Poland. The session will also address considerations specific to private companies, providing insights into how they can effectively leverage equity compensation in competitive markets.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Gain an understanding of the legal landscape for offering equity compensation in the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Poland, including common pitfalls and red flags.
• Explore the practical implications of managing equity awards for employees working across multiple jurisdictions, including the unique case of Ukrainian employees relocating throughout Europe.
• Learn about current trends in equity compensation, including stock options, RSUs, and strategies tailored for private companies to optimise employee engagement and impact.

In a globalised business environment, offering equity plans that cater to diverse workforces across multiple jurisdictions presents unique challenges. While global share plans provide a consistent framework, many companies adopt local tax-approved sub-plans to align with regional tax incentives and regulations. This dual structure offers significant benefits but also introduces operational complexities.

This expert panel will delve into the intricacies of implementing global equity plans alongside local sub-plans, offering practical strategies and tools to help organisations strike the right balance between global consistency and local relevance. Attendees will gain actionable insights and tools, including frameworks for aligning objectives and managing complexities.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Understand the benefits of local tax-approved sub-plans in enhancing participation, delivering tax efficiencies, and boosting engagement by tailoring benefits regionally.
• Explore strategies for harmonising global equity plan objectives with local regulations, tax laws, and cultural considerations.
• Learn practical approaches to managing the operational impacts of running global plans with local variants, including streamlined administration, effective communication, and accurate reporting.

In 2022, ErsteGroup launched WeShare by ErsteGroup, an annual employee share plan with a five-year holding period that achieved an impressive 88% participation rate across seven countries. This session will explore the strategies behind the programme's success, including creative plan design, effective financial education, and approaches to addressing challenges during its multi-country rollout.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Explore how well-structured plan design, including an annual offering model and a five-year holding period, boosted participation rates.
• Understand how targeted financial education campaigns improved employee knowledge, engagement, and confidence in the programme.
• Gain insights into tackling cross-country implementation challenges and fine-tuning post-launch processes to enhance programme outcomes.

Join S&P Global and Moss Adams for an insightful session on leveraging technology and specialized software to enhance corporate stock plan administration. Learn how these tools can reduce manual efforts, boost accuracy and efficiency, and improve the participant experience.

The session will cover business drivers for these technological investments and provide specific examples of how advancements are transforming stock plan management.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Explore advanced equity platform-to-payroll reconciliation tools, including open-source and purpose-built applications that surpass manual spreadsheets.
• See how Generative AI can accurately and swiftly address participant questions, ensuring error-free information.
• Understand how AI and machine learning enhance error detection, improving the reliability of stock plan administration.