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.
   

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.

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.

A well-designed ESPP is more than a benefit—it’s a powerful tool for fostering ownership, engagement, and alignment across your organization. But creating a lasting program requires a strong foundation.
In this session, participants will explore the essential elements of sustainable ESPP design, from aligning with corporate objectives and managing financial trade-offs to navigating compliance and global complexities. Attendees will gain a practical framework for evaluating plan features, modeling participation, and future-proofing their ESPP to meet evolving workforce and market needs. 

Whether you’re refreshing an existing plan or launching a new one, this session provides actionable tools and strategic insights to build an ESPP that endures.
 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• Learn how to align your ESPP with corporate goals, financial strategy, and workforce objectives for long-term impact.
• Gain insights into managing regulatory, tax, and operational challenges across multiple jurisdictions.
• Discover strategies for modeling participation, evaluating plan features, and adapting your ESPP to evolving workforce and market needs.

Equity programs only create value when employees truly understand them. Yet for many—particularly those with limited financial experience—equity benefits feel complex, confusing, or out of reach. This panel brings together seasoned equity and communication leaders to share how companies are simplifying equity education and making participation more accessible across all employee populations.
 

Experts will focus on practical communication strategies that cut through confusion, correct common misconceptions, and drive engagement—from ESPP enrollment decisions to understanding the value of RSUs. Through real-world examples, the panel will highlight how interactive videos, digital content, and intuitive modeling tools can build equity literacy and confidence across a global workforce.

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

• How to communicate equity concepts clearly without losing accuracy or credibility.
• Which tools and formats most effectively increase employee understanding and participation.
• How to address common misconceptions that prevent employees from engaging with equity.

ESPPs are the most common way to share ownership, yet these plans can be surprisingly complex—and equally fascinating. Join this session to explore the top questions every equity professional should have on their radar: Are qualifying dispositions worth the wait? Can non-qualified plans be compelling and efficient? How generous should your ESPP be? How do ESPPs impact other voluntary programs? Do ESPPs really move the needle on company performance? Can an ESPP be offered globally? Attendees will leave with fresh insights and new perspectives that could reshape how they think about ESPPs.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understand the impact of qualifying dispositions and timing strategies.
• Evaluate the efficiency and appeal of non-qualified ESPPs.
• Explore considerations for offering ESPPs to a global workforce.