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GEOnews - 01 March 2013
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Upcoming GEO Webcast
Please join GEO and industry expert Mike Melbinger of Winston & Strawn for a webcast " Rule 10b5-1 in the Hot Seat: What Public Companies Should be Doing Now" on Wednesday, 13 February to hear why insider trading plans are making headlines again and what you can do to ensure your executives stay out of the limelight. For more information about this webcast or to register for it, please click here.
Registration for GEO's14th Annual International Conference
Make sure you mark your calendars and plan to join GEO in Munich, 12-14 June, for our premier conference event of the year. GEO's International Conference will feature keynotes from the world of academia, regulators and top professionals as well as more than 50 sessions presented by leaders in their fields and companies. GEO's annual International Conference is known for the quality of its educational opportunities and average speaker ratings at past GEO conferences typically in excess of 90%. If your company offers equity on a global basis, this is an event that you cannot afford to miss! Registration will open soon.
Now Accepting GEO Award Submissions
GEO is currently accepting submissions for GEO Awards. Past winners include a combination of large and small companies from around the world in various industries. If you'd like to join GEO's elite group of award winners, please visit the GEO website to learn more about how to submit an award application.The deadline to submit an award application is Friday, 12 April 2013.
Now Accepting NECF Speaking Proposals 
GEO is currently accepting speaking proposals for its 3rd Annual National Equity Compensation Forum (NECF). We encourage anyone interested in being a part of this year's agenda to submit a proposal before the submission deadline on Friday, 22 March 2013. GEO's NECF is known for bringing together senior, strategic-minded attendees who are knowledgeable about employee share plans and interested in topics that address current issues vital to the application of equity in all of its core disciplines. Please visit the GEO website for more information on how to submit a proposal.
GEO Out & About
Later this month, GEO will be at the 9th Annual CEP Symposium in Santa Clara, California on Tuesday, 27 March 2013. Please take a moment to drop by the GEO booth located in the exhibitor area to say hello to your friends at GEO.
In April, GEO will be in Seattle, Washington for the NCEO/Beyster Institute Employee Ownership Conference from the 24-26 where our own Robyn Shutak will lead an expert roundtable discussion on "Administration: Stock Options, Restricted Stock & Other Equity Compensation Plans."
GEO rounds out the month of April with a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the World at Work Total Rewards Conference from 29 April to 1 May. Don't miss our own Danyle Anderson at the conference who will be speaking on "Insights from the Inside: Private vs. Public Global Equity Compensation" and be sure to visit the GEO booth, number 225, in the exhibit hall.
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CONFERENCES
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18 April 2013
Northern California Forum
San Carlos, California REGISTRATION OPEN
12-14 June 2013
14th Annual International Conference
Munich, Germany
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WEBCASTS
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CHAPTER MEETINGS
| | | 13 MARCH 2013
Rule 10b5-1 in the
Hot Seat: What Public Companies Should
Be Doing Now REGISTER
23 APRIL 2013 Rethinking Your French Equity Compensation Plan SAVE THE DATE
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05 March 2013
Boston Chapter
Boston, Massachusetts
MORE INFORMATION
09 April 2013
UK and CI Chapter
London, England
SAVE THE DATE
18 April 2013
Toronto Chapter
Toronto, Canada
SAVE THE DATE
16 May 2013
NY Chapter
New York, New York
SAVE THE DATE
23 May 2013
Netherlands Chapter
Amsterdam, Netherlands
SAVE THE DATE
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 Kelley Garrett, CEP 
GEO Pacific Northwest Chapter Advisory Board Member
International Stock Plan Manager
Microsoft Corporation
Kelley Garrett is the International Stock Plan Manager within the Global Compensation Programs group at Microsoft Corporation. Kelley is responsible for oversight of global stock program (restricted stock units, stock options, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan) issues, including regulatory, tax and employment concerns, impacting non-US stock plan participants in over 110 countries. She also manages the stock component of mergers and acquisitions for Microsoft. Kelley has 15 years of experience working with employee equity programs in the technology industry. Kelley received her B.A. in History from the University of Washington and M.B.A. from Seattle University, and earned her Certified Equity Professional (CEP) designation in 2001. She is a currently a member of the GEO Pacific Northwest Chapter Advisory Board and GEO Issuer Advisory Council, and is a past member of the CEPI Advisory Board and the NASPP Seattle Chapter Board.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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French Finance Bill 2013 - Do You Need to Review Your Compensation Policy?
Source: Lexcom The Finance Bill for 2013 introduces significant changes to the personal income tax rules, leading to a tax increase for the highest earners. The changes bring the taxation of employee share plan gains, capital gains on shares and dividends into line with taxation of employment income. In the light of these changes, employers should consider the effectiveness of these changes, and the structure of their share-based compensation plans employment.
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Stock Options Part of Managerial Pay
Source: Business Line Under Companies Bill, "remuneration" means any money or its equivalent given or passed to any person for services rendered, and includes perquisites defined under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Accordingly, stock options are now part of managerial remuneration, as they are considered perquisites under the Income Tax Act.
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Exercise of Stock Options: Compensation or a Fringe Benefit?
Source: Phil Star Just as the annualization of withholding tax is about to begin, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. (RMC) 88-2012 dated December 27, 2012, to clarify the tax implications of income or gain from the exercise of stock option plans.
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Firms Fear Straying Into Regulated Advice on AE
Source: WSB Some employers are fretful about discussing automatic enrollment with their employees for fear of straying into "heavily regulated" financial advice, a study suggests. It found that a quarter of employers were worried about communicating the right messages to their workers, while a fifth feared incorrectly stating the benefits of their pension scheme.
Employee Shareholders: The Basics
Source: Shoosmith A new employment status intended to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to take on staff was proposed by the Government last year. Following a short consultation the legislation incorporating the changes is now making its way through Parliament. Government to Make it Easier for Employee-Owned Businesses to Buy Back Shares When Employees Leave Source: Out-Law.Com The Government will amend the Companies Act to make it easier for businesses that incentivise their employees by issuing them with shares in the company to buy those shares back when employees leave, it has announced. MORE |
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Trouble Brewing for 10b5-1 Trading Plans
Source: Cohen & Gresser Rule 10b5-1© under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is intended to provide a safe harbor from insider trading liability for corporate insiders who trade their company's stock pursuant to certain pre-arranged, automatic trading plans that are adopted when the insider has no material undisclosed information. The plan must specify (or provide an algorithm to determine) the amount, price and timing of the trade, or give the broker or another third party the discretion to determine the amount, price and timing of the trade.
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Restricted Stock or Stock Options? 5 Factors to Consider
Source: Business 2 Community Startups often use equity to help attract and keep talented workers. This article outlines the differences and similarities of stock options and restricted stock purchase agreements, and why most early-stage startups that issue stock shortly after formation select restricted stock when compensating their workers.
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