ESOP Latest News

Save a date in your diary - Tuesday October 5 2010 - as The Esop Centre will be holding its third annual 'Best International Employee Share Plan' awards dinner.
The event will take place at the Oriental Club, Stratford Place, London W1C 1ES, starting with drinks at 6:30pm followed by dinner in the main drawing room.
The cost per table of 10 will be Ł1,300 & VAT. Individual places cost Ł140 & VAT.
This promises to be a splendid event and a tribute to those who have done so well in spreading employee ownership in the UK and internationally.
More details will follow soon. Top

Save a date for Guernsey - November 19 2010

We are pleased to announce a second combined Esop Centre/STEP Worldwide conference will take place in the Autumn. This half-day event, centred on latest employee equity developments affecting trustees, will be held at the Saint Pierre Park Hotel, Guernsey on November 19 2010.
A conference held by the same organisers in Jersey last Spring was an overwhelming success and demand for another Channel Islands event along similar lines has been strong.
More details will be announced in our events section shortly.
Hope to see you all there! Top

Global Employee Equity Forum in Davos - February 3 & 4, 2011

The World Centre's 12th annual Global Employee Equity Forum takes place in the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel, Davos Platz, Switzerland, on Thursday February 3 and Friday February 4.
Five speakers - Louise Jenkins, Alan Judes, Mike Landon, David Pett and Adrian O'Shannessy have already booked their slots.
Other prospective speakers are advised to contact organizer Fred Hackworth (fhackworth@hurlstons.com) with their topic suggestions.
Please see the latest registered speaker interest and logistical info about Davos 2011 in the 'events' section of this website.
Top

Latest HMRC Approved Scheme Statistics -

The latest set of statistics on the take-up of HMRC approved schemes can be found here:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/emp_share_schemes/menu.htm

Top

World Centre: 23rd annual conference - July 7 & 8, 2011

DIARY NOTE:
The provisional dates for the World Centre's 23rd annual employee equity conference in Cannes are Thursday July 7 and Friday July 8, 2011.
The Centre is negotiating with the Majestic Hotel - this event's home during the past decade - about the 2-day accommodation + conference package deal arrangements.
More info on attendance price bands will be available shortly.
Please consult the 'events' section of this website for more logistical details about Cannes 2011 and/or email Fred Hackworth at: fhackworth@hurlstons.com

Top

World Centre: 22nd conference CANNES - July 8 & 9, 2010

Latest executive compensation trends in both the US and Europe featured strongly in the programme of the Centre's 22nd annual conference, which took place in the five star Majestic Hotel on the Cannes seafront on Thursday July 8 and Friday July 9.
A major review of latest regulatory pressures on executive compensation was delivered by Joe Saburn, Executive Compensation Partner at the New York HQ of Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP.
Leslie Moss from leading remuneration advisers Hewitt Associates discussed what's been happening this year on the UK and European executive reward fronts.
Patrick Neave, from the Association of British Insurers, went beyond the new guidance on executive remuneration to discuss possible outcomes impacting reward strategies post the UK General Election.
Mick McAteer, panel adviser to the Committee of European Securities Regulators, discussed moves to reform the controversial European Prospectus Directive and advocated employee equity for the broad mass of employees as a useful foil to depressed wages in Europe.
For the first time, this year's programme contained a segment on private wealth management, with a presentation from Killik & Co.
Equity plans in action, new plan administration techniques and national studies were also on the menu.
DOWNLOAD OUR CANNES CONFERENCE PROGRAMME FROM THE 'EVENTS' SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE.

Speakers:
Sarah Pickering - Alvarez & Marsal Taxand UK
Wolfgang Kloevekorn - Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft
Patrick Neave - Association of British Insurers
Amanda Flint - BDO Human Capital
Jon Hather - Barchester Healthcare Homes
Justin Cooper - Capita Registrars
Mick McAteer - Committee of European Securities Regulators (panel adviser)
Andrea Hasell - Equiniti
Francis O'Mahony - BT
Mark Gearing - Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP
Pierre-Philippe Hendrickx - Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP
Professor Jens Lowitzsch - University of Berlin
Quentin Digby - Freehills, Australia
Leslie Moss - Hewitt Associates
Peter Leach - Killik Employee Services
Joe Saburn - Squire Sanders & Dempsey (USA)
Malcolm Hurlston - Esop Centre

The conference brochure was co-sponsored by:
1) Channel Islands based APPLEBY GLOBAL, the leading provider of offshore legal, fiduciary and administration services. Contact: Patrick Jones, Partner, Appleby Trust (Jersey) Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1534 818 390
Email: pjones@applebyglobal.com and website: www.applebyglobal.com
2) SANNE TRUST COMPANY LTD, the international fiduciary services company, SANNE GROUP of 13 Castle Street, St Helier, Jersey JE4 5UT. Your contact is Peter Mossop Director, T. +44 (0)1534 750550 m. +44 (0)7797 719085 f. +44(0)1534 769770 email: Peter.Mossop@sannegroup.com w. www.sannegroup.com

Centre members and other delegates enjoy the Cannes sunshine at the cocktail
party during the 22nd annual conference at the Majestic Hotel.

Centre Chairman Malcolm Hurlston reads out the names of the finalists for the Centre's 'Best international employee share plan 2010' awards.
Behind him (L to R) are Patrick Jones of Appleby Global; Mark Vanderpump of JPMorganCazenove; Patrick Neave of the Association of British Insurers and Michael Sleet of JPMorganCazenove.

Amanda Flint of BDO Human Capital and Mike Kemsley of Indigo Planning Ltd

Fred Hackworth the Centre's international director with Wolfgang Kloevekorn of Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft; Sarah Pickering of Alvarez & Marsal Taxand UK LLP and Leslie Moss of Hewitt Associates

Centre senior staffer Dave Poole with Mike Kemsley of Indigo Planning Ltd and Joe Saburn of Squire Sanders & Dempsey (USA)

Andrea Hasell of Equiniti; Paul McLean of Bedell Trust and Francis O'Mahony of BT

Patrick Neave of the ABI with Ian Murphie of MM & K

Patrick Jones of Appleby Global; Georgina Jeffries of Volaw and Mark Vanderpump of JPMorgan Cazenove

Peter Mossop of Sanne Group; Rachel Benjamin of Mitchells & Butlers plc and Martin Mitchell of Volaw

Top

Centre chairman welcomes Royal Mail plans -

Esop Centre welcomes coalition Royal Mail plans

Esop Centre chairman, Malcolm Hurlston, welcomed plans announced today [20/05/10] in the government’s coalition document to include opportunities for employee ownership in its revamped vision for Royal Mail.

The Centre reacted to the news by calling together leading members to consider how Royal Mail could best make use of employee ownership.

Malcolm Hurlston, chairman, said “this is an exciting opportunity for some of our leading lights to discuss how employee ownership can be best integrated into Royal Mail. Employee ownership can improve productivity and create happier customers as well as employees.” Top

World Centre: Awards 2010 - Autumn 2010

We are pleased to announce that the nominations for the World Centre for Employee Ownership’s 2010 Awards are now open.
This year awards will be in two categories: best employee share ownership plan for a company with over 1,500 employees; and best employee share ownership plan for companies with fewer than 1,500 employees.
The attached form contains all the rules and information needed to submit a nomination. Please note that the deadline for all applications is early June.

Top

Employee Share Schemes for Trustees - Friday May 14

Fifty people attended the Centre’s latest Share Schemes for Trustees conference, held in association with STEP Jersey, which took place on Friday 14th May at the Royal Yacht (Hotel), St Helier, Jersey.
Former Tory Front-Bencher Howard Flight, who is a member of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and Rosemary Marr, vice-president of STEP International and the Esop Institute’s International Research Fellow, both delivered major presentations at this event.
Centre members who sent speakers included: David Pett & Co., RBC Corporate & Executive Employee Services, BDO Human Capital, David Craddock Consultancy Services and Osborne Clarke.
This extended half-day conference allowed delegates to learn and share knowledge about issues concerning the use of trusts in employee share ownership.
Please go to the 'events' section of this website to review the full programme and speakers.
Top

David Pett's Guide to Share Schemes - November 24, 2009

David Pett's Guide to Share Schemes.

Top

Minter Ellison's Guide to Australian Employee Share Schemes - February 8 2010

Minter Ellison's Guide to Australian Employee Share Schemes.

Top

Eleventh Global Equity Forum DAVOS - February 4 & 5, 2010

The Centre's Eleventh Global Employee Equity Forum took place at the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel in Davos Platz on February 4 & 5. Public quoted companies such as BT, Cyril Sweett, Diageo, Invista Real Estate, Richemont sent delegates to what was a memorable conference, especially in terms of programme content.
New Centre member Collins Stewart, the leading independent financial advisory group, delivered a key speaker presentation entitled 'Trading employee shares: getting the best deal for the employee and the corporate,' which covered: FTSE100 company case studies; The process of broker trading and achieving best execution; Hedging employee share awards:equities vs call options vs contracts for difference(CFD) Choosing a custodian for employees shares and Effective cash management - maximizing return whilst assessing risk
The speakers were: Michael Smith, Head of Corporate Executive and Employee Trading Desk (CEET); Glenn Coxon, Head of Wealth Management (Geneva office) and stockbroker Justin Jouan.
Credit Suisse delivered a very impressive case study presentation on innovative employee compensation and equity administration plan solutions at the same event, hosted by the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel in Davos Platz. The bank's lead speaker was Philip Halliday, Global Head of Equity Compensation (based in New York), supported by Marcelo Victoria. Credit Suisse, a leading global financial services company (private banking, investment banking and asset management), operates in more than 50 countries and employs 47,000 people.
Dr. Jens Lowitzsch, an assistant director at the Free University of Berlin, spoke to his report: 'Benchmarking Financial Participation (employee share ownership) within the EU - PEPPER IV Report & new EU Trends,' which was commissioned by the European Commission. He discussed the 'Building Block Approach' to a European Model of Employee Financial Participation and ESOPs as a vehicle for Business Succession in SMEs.
This annual forum - headlined 'Employee Equity reward: Business As Usual?'- was held immediately after the meeting of the World Economic Forum.
The brochure was co-sponsored by Appleby Global - contact Patrick Jones, Partner, Tel: +44 (0)1534 818 390; Computershare Plan Managers - contact Davinia Smith Tel +44 (0)1534 845 603 and by RBC Corporate Employee & Executive Services - contact Kevin Lim, Tel +44 (0) 20 7002 2420 and see website at: www.rbccees.com
The event was dominated by three themes:
The extent to which governments and regulators will influence present and future levels of executive equity reward and by what means
The ways in which broad-based international employee share/stock plans being adapted to cope with problems arising from the global economic crisis
How best should corporate governance principles be applied to international employee share/stock ownership plans

Top

Esop Awards Dinner - 20 October 2009

SERCO BAGS MAIN 2009 ESOP AWARD AT CENTRE BLACK TIE DINNER
The FTSE 100 international service company Serco Group plc won the 2009 Esop Award for the ‘Best International Employee Share Plan’ in the large companies category.
There was loud applause from diners at the Centre’s annual black-tie reception and dinner as Emma Penn from Serco stepped forward to receive the coveted award from guest of honour, Shadow Treasury minister Mark Hoban. He was introduced by Centre chairman Malcolm Hurlston, who said that whichever party won the next General Election, the refinement of broad-based employee share ownership deserved a place on the incoming government’s agenda, even if the granting of more tax relief to Eso plans would prove extremely difficult, given the huge UK public deficit. Mr Hurlston hoped, for example, that employees would be given an equity stake in the impending raft of state asset sales.
More than 80 people from the employee equity industry attended the now annual event, which took place at the Oriental Club in central London.
Esop Award winner Serco is advised by Linklaters and its all-employee plan is administered by Equiniti.
Three companies were finalists for the main prize; the other two being the runners up Diageo - advised by Linklaters - and RSA (formerly Royal SunAlliance) - advised by Equiniti.
The Centre's international director Fred Hackworth read out the judges citations. It had been very difficult to separate the finalists, but somebody had to be named the winner, he said.
Janet Cooper, senior share schemes partner at Linklaters, collected a certificate of commendation on behalf of Diageo while Jan Henry and Marsha Francis, both of RSA, collected their certificate of commendation.
Telecity, whose lead adviser is Capita Share Plan Services, was the clear winner of the SME section. For the second year running, this company won the Centre's 'Best International Employee Share Ownership Plan 2009' award category for companies with less than 1500 employees. Megan Cook of Capita collected the award on behalf of her client Telecity.
THE ESOP INSTITUTE'S ‘Student of the Year Award 2009’ was won by Charlie Germain from Ogier. Centre deputy director Anna Burgess announced that for the second year running, a special prize was being awarded for outstanding individual performance in the Institute’s diploma in employee share ownership studies. Charlie received his certificate and a Mont Blanc pen from Francesca Wilson of Centre member Cyril Sweett plc, which kindly donated the prize and from Chris Pond of the Financial Services Authority.
Later in the evening Graeme Wheatley, for eight years a corporate governance expert at BT and former member of the Centre steering committee, entertained the throng with pulsating music from his six piece CW/Rock band 'Little Devils.'

ESOP AWARDS 2010
To qualify for entry in 2010, the employee share plan being proposed for an award must be broad-based and - in the case of larger companies - must have been/in the process of/being introduced in at least three countries. Candidates for each year's awards can be nominated by either the plan issuer companies themselves OR by one or more of their principal advisers. The Centre accepts entries from non-member plan issuers where at least one of its main advisers is a Centre service provider (practitioner).

Top

Enhancing your business with employee share plans - November 24, 2009

Employee share ownership (Eso) is a concept whose time has come again - now that occupational pension schemes are in full retreat - company delegates heard.
The Esop Centre, in association with the Genesis Initiative*, held a one-day share schemes conference in London for small & medium size busineses (SMEs) on Tuesday November 24. Centre member law firm Travers Smith hosted this event in its HQ building at: 10 Snow Hill, London. An expert panel talked delegates through the choices, implementation and results of installing employee share plans.
An Eso plan can transform a smaller company's compensation strategy and align staff with shareholder interests, said Centre chairman Malcolm Hurlston. Businesses should consider installing an Eso plan because it can: boost profitability, align employee and shareholder interests, polish the company image, attract experienced staff without having to deplete cash reserves, facilitate exit solutions without surrendering control and beat the skills shortage by retaining key employees. Whether the company is privately held or listed, one or more tax efficient share or share option schemes can be installed without spending a fortune. Some smaller companies have signed up for the Share Incentive Plan, the most tax-advantaged Inland Revenue approved scheme ever. These and many others have installed Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI), the share option scheme introduced by the Government in 2000 to help SMEs attract and retain the services of 'key' employees. This has become the most popular share option scheme ever among smaller companies - with over 9,100 companies operating EMI last year.
The speakers were:
Malcolm Hurlston, chairman, Esop Centre; Colin Kendon, Bird & Bird; Mahesh Varia, Travers Smith; Catherine Gannon, Gannons; Guy Abbiss, Abbiss Cadres; Maoiliosa O'Culachain, Global Shares; David Craddock, David Craddock Consultancy Services; Robert Postlethwaithe, Postlethwaite & Co; Sara Cohen, Lewis Silkin; Alan Judes, Strategic Remuneration; David Pett, David Pett & Co. and Ian Murphie from MM & K. You can read David Pett's Guide to Share Schemes on our news page.

*The objectives of the Genesis Initiative are to encourage the creation and growth of SMEs and to support them through research, the writing of policy papers and acting as an advocate for their common interests. Genesis acts as a co-ordinating body, bringing together Entrepreneurs, SME Academics, SME Representative Organisations, and Members of All Party Groups within Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. Genesis supplies policy papers from its Senate for onward transmission to Government and interested parties. Conferences, seminars and other meetings are held to harness the collective views of the SME community and channel their vision and culture towards policy-makers/legislators.

Top

Esop World Centre 21st Conference - Cannes - July 9 & 10 - 2009

The Centre assembled its strongest-ever speaker line-up for the annual conference at the Majestic Hotel in CANNES on Thursday JULY 9 and Friday JULY 10. Among large companies attending this event were: AstraZeneca, Diageo, Pearson, RSA Insurance Group and Unilever. Programme highlights included:
- Whither executive reward packages? This wasdiscussed in depth by (aomng others) Leslie Moss of Hewitt Associates and by Alan Judes of Strategic Remuneration.
- The Association of British Insurers, which speaks for leading City investment institutions, explained post crisis executive reward guidelines. Patrick Neave, the ABI's senior remuneration analyst, updated delegates on the evolving guidelines as controversy mounted over executive bonuses and other forms of incentive reward.
- A case study from Centre member Pearson plc – publisher of the Financial Times - Share plans manager Gabbi Stopp told delegates what this global media group looks for when it conducts ‘beauty parades’ - putting out to tender the administration of new share schemes.
- The Sky TV employee equity plans being introduced this year for executives and rank-and-file employees were presented by John Daughtrey of Equiniti
- The impact of post-recession regulation on employee equity plans in Spanish companies - a joint presentation by Alvarez & Marsal Taxand UK LLP and by Jaime Sol, of Garrigues, Spain
- Employee share scheme opportunities in China were discussed by Colin Kendon, Head of Employee Incentives at Bird & Bird LLP. This had added relevance following the May announcement by the Chinese Government that foreign based companies will be able to list their shares on the Shanghai stock market.
- Top US lawyers from Greenberg Traurig updated delegates on US corporate governance regulation and executive reward issues in the Obama era.
- Employee equity Down Under - (1) a broad-brush study report by Dr Shann Turnball, VP of the Australian Employee Ownership Association and (2) a forensic analysis of the impact of the global slowdown on Oz executive reward structures and what multinational companies are looking at in order to deal with this situation - by Michael Whalley, partner at Minter Ellison.
There were delegates' open forum debates on executive reward and on the future of broad-based employee equity plans
APPLEBY GLOBAL and LLOYDS TSB OFFSHORE TRUST CO co-sponsored the conference brochure

Left to right: Gabbi Stopp - Pearson; Iain Williamson - HBOS EES, Julian Foster - HBOS EES ; Davinia Smith - Lloyds TSB Offshore Trust Co

<>

Left to right: Sara Cohen - Lewis Silkin ; Jennifer Cooper; Justin Cooper - Capita; Sue Mellors - Diageo; John Daughtrey - Equiniti

<>

Left to right: Sarah Pickering - Alvarez and Marsal; Peter Leach - Killik Employee Services; Malcolm Hurlston - Esop Centre; Natasha Kapp - Carey Olsen"

Top

Share scheme trustees: meeting the challenges - Friday April 24, 2009

Almost 50 people attended the joint extended half-day conference organised by the Esop Centre and STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) on Friday April 24(09) about latest regulatory and market developments impacting trustees and their share scheme work.
The venue for this event, entitled: 'Share Scheme Trustees - Meeting The Challenges,' was Old Government House Hotel in St Peter Port, Guernsey.
It was the latest in a series of successful Channel Islands conferences to be co-hosted by the Centre and STEP, allowing a largely trustee audience to share knowledge about rapid changes in the ways trusts can and are being used in both executive and broad-based employee share ownership schemes.
The Centre assembled a lively mix of mainland and local speakers who presented a balanced set of topics. Admission prices started at Ł295 sterling for Centre and STEP members.
A similar event is planned in Jersey. Centre staffer Anna Burgess will help to organise this event and her co-ordinates are: T 020 7436 9936 or email- aburgess@hurlstons.com Top

DAVOS: Tenth Global Employee Equity Forum - Feb 5 & 6, 2009

The World Centre's tenth Global Employee Equity forum took place in the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel, Davos Platz, Switzerland, on Thursday February 5 and Friday February 6.

The event focussed on the predicament facing many companies and their advisers worldwide - how best can they fine tune or redesign their employee equity plans in the wake of the global credit crunch, stock market falls and economic recession?

A key session was devoted to the intense pressure on executive reward structures, both from media - hunting scapegoats in the wake of the crisis - and from increasingly sceptical institutional investors. 'Let the market decide' is still a powerful rallying point, but is that still socially acceptable in the new scorched earth global landscape, or is much stricter regulation and even new legislation inevitable? - speakers asked.

Our brochure sponsors were: Appleby Global (Jersey-based trustee and plan administration services) Lloyds TSB Offshore Trust Co and RBC Corporate Employee & Executive Services.

The World Centre places on record its gratitude to the speakers who between them produced a very high level of information and technical exchange. They were:
Paul Stoddart - HBOS Employee Equity Solutions;
Jean-Nicolas Caprasse - Riskmetrics Group;
Kevin Lim - RBC CEES & Euan Fergusson - White & Case LLP;
Sara Cohen - Lewis Silkin LLP
Peter Mossop - Sanne Group
Alan Judes - Strategic Remuneration
Julie Withnall - Watson Wyatt
David Pett - Pinsent Masons LLP
Sarah Pickering - Alvarez Marsal Taxand LLP
Dale Giedd & Ulrich Semmler - UBS
Rosemary Marr - Investec Trust & Grant Barbour - Bedell Group
Marcus Wallman - Al Tamimi & Co (Dubai)
Malcolm Hurlston - Chairman, Esop Centre Ltd

The 11th Global Employee Equity Forum will take place at the Steigenberger Belvedere Hotel on February 4 & 5, 2010.

Left to right: Guest of Sarah Pickering, Caroline Jones - HBOS, Paul Stoddart - HBOS,
Mark Vanderpump - JPMorgan Cazenove, Tamara Murray - Invista Real Estate Management

Left to right: Paul Stoddart - HBOS, Anna Burgess - Esop Centre, Fred Hackworth - Esop Centre

Left to right: Euan Fergusson - White & Case LLP, Malcolm Hurlston - chairman, Esop Centre,
Paul Stoddart - HBOS, Ulrich Semmler - UBS

Left to right: Sarah Pickering- Alvarez & Marsal Taxand UK LLP, Martin Osborne-Shaw - Killik & Co, Anna Burgess - Esop Centre, Grant Barbour - Bedell Group

Our camera man was Michael Sleet of JP Morgan Cazenove Top

DUBAI: Esops in the Gulf Region Pathfinder conference - November 17 & 18 2008

The Esop Centre's Pathfinder conference in Dubai took place in the impressive surroundings of the five-star Palace Hotel in downtown Burj Dubai. Delegates were extremely well looked after - the cocktail party (Dubai being a 'wet' Gulf state) being particularly memorable!
The Centre had put together a comprehensive agenda despite the unexpected decision by Emirates NBD to withdraw from the event. The quality of the open forum delegate discussions about Esop opportunities in the Gulf Region was exceptionally high throughout and some 'Western' pre-conceptions bit the dust.
Work is in progress on a Centre paper containing proposals for improving the opportunities for UAE based employees to participate in employee equity reward plans, though the obstacles are not to be under-estimated.
UK based service providers made some very good contacts with local business people and practitioners, among whom the Centre's old friend Richard Lamptey - now with Mercer Dubai - featured.
The agenda content was finalised following consultation with senior co-sponsor international lawyers WHITE & CASE LLP. The event was also co-sponsored by Channel Islands based APPLEBY GLOBAL, who were represented in Dubai by director Patrick Jones.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority was represented by speaker Mark McGinness, director international relations, who explained the development of the Dubai stock exchange and the growth in the number of local public companies.
Centre chairman Malcolm Hurlston singled out for praise other speakers who had remained loyal to the event, namely: Alan Judes of Strategic Remuneration; Grant Barbour of Bedell Group; Carl King of Deloitte; David Pett of Pinsent Masons; Paul Randall of Ashurst and Nicholas Greenacre of co-sponsors White & Case.
Mr Hurlston announced that the Centre hopes to stage an Esops conference on a much larger scale in the Gulf Region next year (2009) with the help of financial co-sponsors - who are invited to come forward (contact fred hackworth at fhackworth@hurlstons.com to discuss their ideas for such an event). Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai are all potentially in the frame as venues.

A number of delegates and speakers still sufficiently upright (or almost) to be photographed after a good night out in downtown Dubai during the Centre's recent Pathfinder Esop Conference. They are (clockwise round the table) : Alan Judes Strategic Remuneration; Joe Lucas Lloyds TSB Offshore Trust Co Ltd; David Pett Pinsent Masons; Carl King Deloitte & Touche Consulting; Fred Hackworth ESOP Centre; Richard Lamptey Mercer and Malcolm Hurlston Centre chairman

Malcolm Hurlston and Fred Hackworth of the Esop Centre with Joe Lucas of Lloyds TSB Offshore Trust Co Ltd enjoying the conf cocktail party in the Palace Hotel, Dubai

Tories & Esops - Speech by David Gauke MP - October 14 2008

David Gauke's speech at the Esop Centre's Awards Dinner.

Top

Esop Centre Awards Black Tie Dinner - October 14 2008

We held our first awards dinner at the splendid Oriental Club in Stratford Place London W1 on Tuesday, October 14. More than 70 members attended.

Shadow Treasury minister David Gauke MP stepped in at short notice as guest of honour to replace fellow shadow Treasury minister Mark Hoban, who was speaking on the Banking Bill. In his keynote David Gauke applauded the Centre’s efforts to refresh Sharesave schemes. You can read his speech on our news page.

This year's Award-winners emerged from the European Centre's 'Best employee share ownership plan in Europe' 2008 competition in two categories: large and SME companies - and their advisers. RSA and Telecity group were the respective winners. Diageo and Pearson were both highly commended.

L-R: Fred Hackworth, European Centre; Megan Cook, Capita (collecting the Telecity group award); David Gauke MP; Anna Burgess, Esop Centre.

L-R: Fred Hackworth, European Centre; Jan Henry, RSA; Marsha Francis, RSA (collecting the RSA award); David Gauke MP; Anna Burgess, Esop Centre.

For the first time there was an award, given by Mike Kemsley of Cyril Sweett, for the Esop Institute’s student of the year. The mont blanc pen came as a total surprise to Kristopher Poulton of Deloittes – his colleagues kept the secret to the last.

Before the dinner, the guest were entertained by silhouette artist Megumi Biddle. The likenesses, produced using scissors and black card, were amazing as Paul Stoddart of HBOS discovered.

We were able to use the Oriental club thanks to David Geake, husband of Janet Cooper. A date is set for the same time next year...and the same place.

Enjoying the reception before dinner.

To view the rest of the photographs or order these, email: enquiries@caponphotography.co.uk

Top

Transforming Your SME Business Through Eso - September 17 2008

About 100 people attended the 12th joint ESOP CENTRE and the INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS conference about employee share schemes for small and medium-size businesses on September 17. This event was entitled 'Transforming Your Business Through Employee Share Ownership' and featured Centre practitioner (service providers) experts as speakers and was held at One Whitehall Place, London SW1.
The large majority of delegates who registered were representatives of SME businesses, keen to learn more about how to install share schemes in either unlisted privately-held companies, or in small quoted companies (eg AIM listings).
Top

Esop Centre - STEP Jersey trustees conference - July 11 2008

The Esop Centre and the Jersey branch of STEP (Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners) held a joint extended half-day conferences for trustees at the Royal Yacht Hotel, St Helier, Jersey on Friday July 11. This event was entitled 'Employee Share Schemes & Trustees - How regulatory changes are affecting their work'.
Top

European Awards competition... - June 2008

...for the Best European Equity Plans

From L to R: Davinia Smith of Lloyds TSB Offshore Trust Co Ltd, Centre chairman Malcolm Hurlston presenting Gabbi Stopp, share plans manager of Pearson Group, with a 'Best Employee Share Ownership Plan' 2008 certificate of commendation, Anna Dubois-Mulholland of JPMorgan Cazenove.

The winners of the Centre's 2008 'Best European Employee Equity Plan' competition were announced in Cannes during the Centre's 20th anniversary conference.
RSA, formerly Royal & SunAlliance, came out on top in the larger companies section for its international Sharesave plan, which was submitted by Equiniti, its plan adviser. Equiniti’s senior manager John Daughtrey received RSA’s award certificate from Centre chairman Malcolm Hurlston during an informal ceremony at the European Centre’s 20th anniversary conference in Cannes.
A fingertip behind RSA came Diageo and Pearson, whose entries were both commended by the judges. Diageo was advised by Linklaters and its certificate was received by Lucy Blackie, Diageo’s Head of Shares. Pearson’s certificate was received by Gabbi Stopp, the media company’s share plans manager. Its plan advisers were Equiniti, Ernst & Young and Freshfields
This year’s award winner for best international scheme in the smaller companies section was Telecity Group, whose scheme administrators are Capita Share Plan Services. Capita SPS MD Justin Cooper collected the certificate on behalf of his client.
Lord Digby Jones, the former CBI boss, is seeking a date for a formal awards ceremony in London later in the year.
Top

European Centre 20th anniversary conference CANNES - June 5 & 6 2008

The 20th anniversary conference of the European Centre for Employee (stock) Ownership took place at the Majestic Hotel, on the Cannes seafront, on Thursday June 5 and Friday June 6, 2008. More than 50 people from eight nations attended this event.
The hot sunshine on Friday more than made up for the rain and grey skies on Thursday.
At least one Channel Island delegate took advantage of the newly scheduled direct Flybe.com flight from Nice to Jersey on Saturday, the day after the conference ended.
Delegates were impressed by the quality of the newly refurbished modern room interiors and the standard of the set conference luncheon menus was again very high.
Top

News Archive