What is financial wellness and how does it relate to equity compensation? A common challenge facing companies launching an equity compensation plan is employees lacking sufficient financial knowledge to fully understand what is being proposed. So, when an organization such as Stanford sets up a program to offer Financial Education to students, it should be recognized. In the latest episode of Own Up Chris Dohrmann and John Bagdonas are joined by special guest, Manager of the...

Are you focused on how to get the best out of your employees and achieve your business objectives? If so, now may be the time for you to explore the possibilities around equity compensation in your workplace. In the latest episode of Own Up, Chris Dohrmann is joined by guests Erin Fraser, VP of Business Development, Global Shares a J.P. Morgan company and Joanna Phillips, VP, ESOP Builders to take you through all you need to know about how employee ownership can help your company succeed and...

Are you considering granting equity awards to PEO employees? Don’t miss the latest episode of Own Up with Christopher J. Dohrmann and guests Marlene Zobayan Partner Rutlen Associates LLC and Jon F. Doyle Managing Shareholder International Law Solutions as they discuss the pros and cons of granting equity awards to PEO employees. Find out if engaging with a PEO could be the right move for your business, and, if so, how you can get started.

Extending an equity compensation package to executives in any company does not end with simply signing over shares. There are considerations such as insider trading liabilities, the handling of material non-public information and protecting against negative reputational damage that need to be taken into account. With strict regulation to be followed, for HR departments and Rewards & Benefits teams it is a complex situation, one that needs to be managed correctly. Taking a look at the...

The New Year is always a good time to take stock. With some many interesting developments having happened across the equity compensation industry in recent years, including Pay versus Performance, and pay transparency, we thought it was the perfect time to get some of our most experienced Own Up commentators together to discuss their predictions for 2024, in terms of emerging trends and incoming regulatory changes to watch closely, including: Mergers and Acquisitions in 2024The end of the...

Do you have an SAYE scheme? If so, you may have heard about the recent updates introduced by the HMRC that impact Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Bonus Tax Rates – as well as the announcement of more changes coming in 2024. What does this mean for you and your participants? Some participants may receive CGT tax bills for the first time, while others may receive higher bills than before. Meanwhile, the change in Bonus Tax Rates may yield higher returns for some. In this episode, Darren Smith,...

SEC’s pay vs performance rule was first proposed back in 2015 – and after struggling for a number of years to make any progress, it was finally reopened in January 2022 and officially adopted in August 2022 in a 3-2 vote. In broad terms, the ruling requires companies to disclose executive compensation payments and actual company financial performance. However, it’s a lot more complex than it sounds and it’s expected that many issuers will have to spend a significant amount of time on their...

Between record levels of inflation and on-going market volatility, it can be hard to predict what will happen in the coming months. So as companies all over the world gear up to face the looming recession, we’re focusing on what you need to know to get your compensation strategy ready.  Joining us to share insights on what’s to come is Principal of Semler Brossy, Michael Gorski.  Michael is an expert in performance measurement and goal-setting, equity and incentive plan design, equity plan...

What do you do if a disaster impacts the well-being of your employees and in turn your business?  With an uncertain world and a rocky economic future ahead of us, employee financial wellness has quickly become a top priority for organizations of all shapes and sizes around the world.  Interest in this area has skyrocketed during and post-COVID-19. In today’s podcast, we look at employee relief funds to discover if they are good for business, by offering assistance to troubled employees, who...

Attracting and retaining employees is key to any business, which is why an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) works so well. With their own stake in the company, people deliver better performance and for longer. But how can you make ESPP a simple, tax-effective and cashless process? Cally Bruce is an expert in the area with a gift for explaining ESPP in a way we can all understand. She works with Carver Edison, the award-winning NYC-based fintech company, who are committed to propelling the...

In this episode, we dive into the world of corporate governance and share ownership guidelines. It’s a noble and effective tool in the corporate governance arsenal but many aspects of maintaining these programs can be painful.  Geoff Hammel has faced all the problems and has the solutions on how to get it right, first time, and without the headaches. He shares the pain points observed during his own in-house experience and the solutions he has developed to cure reliance on inefficient manual...

As we approach the halfway mark of another busy year, we’re taking stock of everything that has happened in the world so far – some of it was expected, and some was definitely not. Joining us to look at the current state of affairs in different regions around the world is partner at White and Case, Henrik Patel. Henrik is Global Head of White & Case's Employment, Compensation and Benefits practice and he has vast experience advising clients on the full spectrum of executive compensation...

Last year was a record year for IPOs. According to data from Nasdaq, there was over 1,000 new listings in 2021 alone, and an 85% increase in capital raised last year compared to 2020. Although 50% of this capital was fueled by SPACs, it was still a standout year, beating records last seen during the dot-com bubble. These are topics that no doubt need to be tackled by experts, so to help us simplify this complex subject are  Ben Cohen and Brittany Ruiz, who are both partners at Latham and...

As the world gets used to remote working, many organizations are not prepared.  Issues from responsibility for home offices to data security are still being ironed out.  An even greyer area is issues arising around where remote workers are taxed or how equity grants should be most effectively handled.   These are tricky situations and complicated questions, particularly around tax and regulation. To help us explore this relatively new and evolving topic is tax and equity expert Marlene...

Employees who are paid less for the same job don't get to finish the day earlier. So, what can we do about it?  As we continue the conversation we started in episode 3, we are joined by Carver Edison's Chief Revenue Officer, Cally Bruce, who believes the answer lies with compensation education and transparency across all aspects of the recruitment and onboarding process. Cally works directly with issuers and plan administrators to spur the modernization of Employee Stock Purchase Plans...

According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics, women earn only 82% of what men earn.  And it doesn’t stop there. In terms of equity, women on average receive 15% - 30% less equity-based awards than men.  It’s a problem that needs to be urgently addressed, but how can individual companies begin to tackle this issue?  Associate Partner and the East Coast Practice Leader with Aon Equity Services, Amanda Benincasa Arena joined Chris Dohrmann and John Bagdonas to discuss what needs to be done,...

With 2022 right around the corner, Chris and John called upon attorney and partner at PwC, Jennifer George to share her insights on what to expect in the next 12 months for tax and legislation – and most importantly, what this means for your equity.  From potential changes in Capital Gains Tax, a rise in employee migration, and possible SALT deductions, to the future of the traditional IPO and the emergence of new remote working policies, Chris, John and Jennifer leave no stone unturned in...

Kicking off Own Up, Chris Dohrmann and John Bagdonas are joined by industry vet, Terry Adamson, otherwise known as Mr. Relative TSR, to discuss how the equity landscape has been shaped by the pandemic over the last 18 months.  The pandemic brought about change, both good and bad. While some companies have been quick to adapt by adjusting their performance metrics to be more flexible and accessible, others have struggled against the growing need to close the equity pay-gap, which has never...

Welcome to Own Up by Global Shares. Join Chris Dohrmann and John Bagdonas as they take a deep dive into the ever-changing equity landscape, examining the latest business trends and what they mean for your equity. From the post-pandemic economy to the gender equity pay-gap, Chris and John will share their wealth of knowledge on the industry’s hottest topics and will be joined each episode by a leading equity expert from some of biggest names in business.