Programme

Morning Plenary: Call for Evidence

Government’s Call for Evidence - panel discussion on key points raised by the Call for Evidence, what happens next and how we as an industry can support positive change to broaden employee share ownership.

Panellists:
Cathy Merry - Partner, CMS
Janet Cooper OBE - Chair of ProShare Advisory Panel, NED of Nurture Landscapes Group 
Oliver Kendall - Managing Director, Westminster Public Affairs
Graham Bull - Head of Employee Share Plans, Equiniti
Inna Banks - Head of All Employee Share Plans, HSBC

Making Sharesave history with the ‘Beth Test’

Drax, Equiniti and WEALTH at work join forces to share experiences of running a successful Sharesave maturity.

Following record gains at maturity, this case study highlights how financial education enabled employees to make informed financial decisions. Drax will share how engaging with its ‘Employee Voice Forum’ including employee Beth Fensome, ensured the programme was successful, with over 88% of participants taking action to mitigate tax.

Panellists:
Nigel Youds - Deputy Company Secretary, Drax Group
Beth Fensome - Senior Assistant Company Secretary, SSP Group plc
Marc Biddle - All Employee Share Plans Manager, Equiniti
Sarah Long - Head of New Business, WEALTH at Work

How Emerging Technologies Could Change Share Plan Education and Communication

If the world of emerging technologies is a bit of a mystery to you, then join us for this session where we’ll cover some of the recent trends and how they can be incorporated into your day-to-day education and communication with your employees. Our panel will explore the capabilities, possibilities and considerations of using emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, machine learning and gamification, to reach your workforce.

Incorporating Environmental and Sustainability Metrics to Share Plans to Build a Better World

This session examines the incorporation of environmental targets into Telefonica and Natura &Co’s share plan performance metrics.
Both firms will discuss their aims for reduction of CO2 emissions and the incorporation of these targets to their share plans, why and how it was rolled out, and their hopes for the achievement of these metrics.
We hope to have some lively discussion on role of Share plans in ESG and discuss best practice for the sustainable communication of sustainability metrics.

Panellists:
Zoe Denny-Thomas - Senior Consultant, AON
Ben Al-Hassan - Share Plans Manager, Natura &Co
Miguel Navarro Fron - Total Reward and Executive Compensation Manager, Telefonica
Guy Holden - Group Share Plan & Reward Manager, Spectris plc

Tax changes - are you ready?

New tax rates and allowances are going to impact UK share plan participants: are you ready? Join this panel session to explore why these changes matter and what your employees need to know.
The session will cover practical tips for clarifying typical areas of confusion, as well as ideas – including the use of ISAs and SIPPs – to allow employees to maximise the value they receive.

Speakers:
Ben McCarthy - Associate, Linklaters
Beata Kubala-Todd - VP, Share Plans and Deferred Compensation, Barclays

Caring Through Sharing: Stock Plans and the Total Rewards Experience

The needs and expectations of today's global workforce are changing fast. When it comes to rewards, money alone cannot help organisations attract, keep and inspire their people towards success.

In fact – data shows that employees are 3.5 X more likely to fulfil their potential in cultures where they feel they belong.

So, we as employers need to adapt our approach – by aligning Equity with the full human-centric total rewards experience: from joining to motivating performance and retaining top talent. From our experience working with nearly 23,000 companies, Fidelity understands that employees’ lives are different and employers need to shape their full rewards offering – from share plans to workplace benefits and retirement strategies – to support them.
Through this, organisations can signal the best of their culture to drive belonging, connection and performance.

Join us in this panel discussion to hear how leading organisations have partnered with Fidelity to deliver a human-centric Total Reward Experience to:

• Strengthen understanding, engagement and financial wellness across diverse workforces
• Drive attraction, retention and performance of talent
• Build stronger employer and employee connection and commitment to the organisation

Panellists:
Maurice Day - Senior Consultant, Fidelity
Christine Karlsson - Vice President of Total Rewards, Saint Gobain

Flexible working practices - overcoming the legal, tax and administrative challenges

New and flexible working arrangements have become everyday life for most employers. Whether through engaging atypical workers or allowing employees to work from a beach in Bali, being able to facilitate new ways of working is key to business success and to attracting and retaining talent.
However, with flexibility comes tax and legal risks which need to be managed, in particular, where remuneration and share plan participation is concerned. Through real-life examples, our session will explore the challenges of flexible working and offer practical and compliant solutions for businesses.

Panellists:
Rasmus Berglund - Partner, Macfarlanes
Philip Swinburn - Senior Associate, Macfarlanes
Jack Filer - Employment Tax Specialist, Macfarlanes

Afternoon Plenary: Remuneration Governance – Is this time for change?

An opportunity to hear from the Institutional Voting Information Service (IVIS), one of the UK's leading providers of corporate governance research, on remuneration governance themes for the 2024 AGM season.   This will be followed by a panel discussion with industry experts on market trends and hot topics in remuneration governance.

Panellists:
Sonia Gilbert - Partner: Incentives, Clifford Chance
Charlotte Mager - Director of Reward, Entain
David Edwards - Head of Share Plans, NatWest 
Juliette Graham - Senior Associate: Incentives, Clifford Chance 

All your questions answered! Everything you need to know about SAYE bonus rates

Focussing on impacts of reintroducing SAYE bonus rates, we’ll highlight what to look out for in scheme rules, tips for setting an invitation timetable and suggestions for updating employee documentation.
By sharing experience from managing launches since August, covering both UK SAYE and international plans with notional bonuses, ensures this will be a practical and interactive session, expertly preparing issuers for their next plan launch.

Panellists:
Jennifer Rudman - Industry Director, Employee Share Plans, Equiniti
Gemma Paull - All Employee Share Plans Manager, Equiniti

A change at the top

You've been taken over and all your share plans have ended. Now is the time to dust off and get those share plans in place.
Join Rupert Smith (RSA) and Jake Dear (Link Group) discuss the successes and challenges encountered with Intact’s takeover of RSA, and the impact this had from a Share Plan perspective.

Panellists:
Jake Dear - Senior Relationship Manager, Link Group
Rupert Smith - Head of Executive Compensation and Shares Plans, UK&I, Royal Sun & Alliance

What I wish I knew about being a Share Plan Manager

This session will explore the practical side of delivering share plans. You'll hear from share plan managers who previously worked as providers.  What's it like moving from being a provider to working in house?  This session will be useful for anyone thinking of making the move, but also for providers who would like to better understand the practical challenges your clients face.
Come and hear how your advice and support works in practice. How can you help us influence our stakeholders?  There will be time for Q&A so please ask us anything you always wanted to know about being a share plan manager.

Panellists:
Anna Jex - Head of Share Plans, RELX
Ceri Newby - Head of Shares, Diageo
Natalia Sablewska - Head of Total Reward, Klarna

AGM Outcomes - Strategic share holder engagement & effective plan design

Shareholder activism is currently vibrant and a very visible. The increased focus on executive remuneration, climate change and societal inclusivity, together with development on digital platforms and forums, have meant it has never been easier for shareholders to voice an opinion. In recent years, it is not unusual to see footage from AGM shared on social media and technology platforms.

Remuneration policy and reports are the most contested resolutions at AGM in the UK and across the EU in the 2023 season, which has direct and obvious link to share plans and equity compensation in general. Analysis of previous year’s show this consistently appears to be the case. Organisations are becoming increasingly aware that in order to achieve the outcomes they desire at the AGM, they must be able to communicate their vision and narrative effectively to wide group of stakeholders.

Deploying share plan design best practice including ESG objectives, Malus & Clawback plus appropriate vesting & holding periods, together with effective strategic shareholder engagement can significantly contribute to achieve the AGM outcomes organisations are looking to achieve. This session explores how current LTI plan design trends together with effective strategies for structured engagement with both institutional and retail shareholders can helps organisations can achieve their desired AGM outcomes

Panellists:
Marcus McEvoy - EMEA Director of Business Development, Computershare
Daniele Vitale -  Head of Proxy Solicitiation, Georgeson
David Coleman -  Flutter Entertainment
Lauren Brown - Coca Cola European Partners
Jeremy Edwards - Partner, London Employment & Employee Benefits, Baker McKenzie

Changing Times - the move to an ownership mindset!

With change comes opportunity! Hear from two companies who have expanded their all-employee offering to boost employee share ownership and encourage development of an ownership mindset within the wider workforce. Whilst employees and employers alike are dealing with changing circumstances, whether driven by the economic context or political landscape, the benefits of employee share ownership come into sharper focus, boosting engagement, productivity, retention and financial wellbeing.

Our panellists will talk about how they have tailored plan design to cater to the needs of the workforce, to maximise take-up of the plan offerings. We will hear about the approach to plan communication has played a key role, not only in driving take-up but also in informing and educating participants, so they truly feel the evolution to greater levels of employee ownership.

Panellists:
Hannah Needle - Legal Director & Board of Directors, Tapestry Compliance
Suzannah Crookes - Legal Director, Tapestry Compliance
Bill Warner - Deputy Company Secretary, SThree plc
Geri Wall - Total Rewards Manager, The Coca-Cola Company

How employee share ownership can boost social mobility

How much your parents earn when you’re 14 is the single biggest factor in how well you’ll do in life. It’s time for this to change.

In this talk we explain what social mobility means, and why we think employee share ownership and financial education from employers can play a part in improving it.

We explain what we as an industry can do better, designing and communicating plans and programmes in a way that includes everyone.

Speakers:
Andy Bamford - PointZero Group
Ben Brettell - RewardPointZero
Tom Gwinnell - RewardPointZero

Learning from PE: Capital LTIP Design
Inland Terminals LTIP Case Study

Listed company LTIPs differ markedly from private equity practice, often delivering much higher rewards for success.

This PE case study highlights the differences in LTIP quantum and design, explains how benchmarking is used, and shows how PE principles work well in various listed company situations.

Panellists:
Damian Carnell - Founder/Director, Corpgro
Lee Hamano-Crossingham - Asset Management Director, Infracapital

Equity plans on a takeover - looking after your employees

Share plans are vital in corporate takeovers, impacting employees—the most valuable asset of companies. Buyers and sellers strive to achieve the best outcome, recognising employees' contributions and maintaining motivation. Factors to consider include external regulations for employee communication and commercial pressures for timely deal completion.
In this session, CMS and Investec explore key themes: communication strategies, technology use, and global legal and tax implications in takeovers. Drawing from real-life experiences, they will share top tips for effective planning and execution, ensuring employee engagement and seamless collaboration among stakeholders.

Attendees will learn:

• The legal and tax implications of a takeover on share plans, including accelerated non-vested awards.
• The importance of effective employee communication and explore the use of technology for information dissemination and tracking elections and acceptances.
• How to help employees to understand their own positions, including guiding employees outside the UK and dealing with the unique considerations for tax-advantaged plans.

Panellists:
Aleda Denner - Business Manager, Investec Share Plan Services
Cathy Wears - Of Council, CMS

Mind vs Machine: unraveling the intricate play between brains, communication and AI

Change can be exciting or overwhelming. Humans adapt, but resist. Join us as we explore the psychology of change and share tips on communicating change to our colleagues.

It’s not just the message that changes. AI developments are changing how we communicate. They can save time and increase personalisation. Eximia’s trialled some new tools – we’ll share what's possible now, and what to watch out for!

Panellists:
Chrissie Davis - Founder, MD & Fellow Chartered Secretary, Eximia
Martha Parkhurst - Strategic Communications Lead, Eximia

Time for change: adapting and operating share plans in challenging times.

The role of share plans as a reward tool has increased in recent years. Companies have used share plans in unexpected ways, and increasingly use their plans to underpin delivery of their broader corporate strategy. External change continues to impact share plans, from the way companies communicate change to the types of awards offered. This panel of issuer experts from HSBC, RELX, Serco and Shell, chaired by Deloitte, have been at the forefront within their organisations. From putting in new plans, using existing plans in innovative ways, grappling with the impact of tax changes on all employee plans through to managing incentives on acquisitions and disposals: they’ve seen more than most. Join us to hear from those who’ve been there and done that, and remain passionate about share plans as a key part of a reward strategy.

Moderator:

Liz Pierson - Partner, Deloitte

Panellists:
Kevin O'Hare - Manager, Share Plans & Deferred Compensation, Shell
Inna Banks - Head of All Employee Share Plans, HSBC
Lianne Dance - Group Reward Director, Serco Group plc