Products and Services

Computershare ACC 2025: bringing insights and industry expertise to our EquatePlus community

The 2025 Computershare Annual Client Conference (ACC) united over 300 delegates at the Landmark Hotel in London and the Park Hyatt in Zurich. This year’s event introduced a refreshed format, emphasising tailored experiences, actionable intelligence, and a vibrant sense of community—demonstrating Computershare’s ongoing commitment to partnering with clients for success and helping them navigate the complexity around global share plans.

Dual-stream innovation and strategic partnership

This year the ACC featured two distinct content streams:

• Strategic Stream One: With focus on strategy for senior leaders, this track delved into board-level issues such as executive pay, M&A strategies and the evolving role of AI in employee share plans. These sessions showcased Computershare’s role as a valued partner and strategic advisor, sharing industry insights.
• Practitioner Stream Two: Designed for day-to-day users of Computershare technology, sessions focused on communication, reporting, grants, tax, and maximising value from EquatePlus. Here, our international expertise and local knowledge were on display, delivering solutions that simplify the management of employee share plans.

Delegates could customise their experience, selecting sessions most relevant to their roles and interests, ensuring every client received relevant, actionable value.

A Community united by shared purpose

Opening remarks from Francis Catterall, Global CEO, Employee Share Plans, and Jay Foley, Managing Director EMEA, underscored Computershare’s commitment to its global community of 1,500+ clients. The conference fostered collaboration, with delegates connecting as peers, mentors, and future leaders—strengthening the shared journey and reinforcing Computershare’s role as a trusted partner.

Key themes and insights

• EquateInsights was spotlighted for transforming complex data into actionable guidance, enabling faster, better decision-making and empowering clients with industry-leading information.
• Attendees expressed a desire for ongoing engagement, with peer forums and real-time ROI dashboards emerging as popular ideas – reflecting Computershare’s commitment to sharing insights and supporting clients year-round.
• Product sessions highlighted how EquatePlus deepens employee engagement and strengthens company connections, simplifying plan management and delivering tangible value.
• Informal networking throughout the day – proved as valuable as formal sessions, allowing delegates to build relationships and share experiences.

Inside the sessions

The agenda catered to all, from global strategy updates to technical deep dives. Strategic sessions explored board engagement and the future of AI, while practitioner sessions offered practical tips and showcased new features in EquateFalcon and EquateInsights. Personal career stories added a human touch to technical content, reinforcing Computershare’s thought leadership and client-centric approach.

Looking ahead

ACC 2025 reaffirmed that clients value strategic insight, practical support, and – above all – connection. Computershare plans to build on this momentum for ACC 2026, promising more client-led discussions, year-round engagement, and innovations shaped by attendee feedback. The journey continues at ACC 2026, where the spirit of partnership, innovation and community will reach new heights.

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Session Spotlight: Product Update – Creating share plans employees truly love

 

At ACC 2025 Adrian Wyss, our Head of Product Innovations explored what makes employee share plans not just functional but genuinely loved by participants. Adrian emphasised that true engagement stems from a blend of value, simplicity, and experience – backed by data showing 84% of participants with outstanding plans are highly engaged, checking their portfolios frequently.

With over 5 million active participants globally, this session highlighted the importance of regular contributions, emotional connection, and trust. Adrian detailed how Computershare listens to both participants and corporate clients, using insights from 46,000 surveys to drive innovation in user experience, automation, and reporting.

Key product advancements – like EquateInsights for actionable data, EquatePyramid for financial reporting, and TaxConnect for seamless tax mobility – were showcased as part of a roadmap shaped by client needs. The session also addressed the critical role of accuracy, automation, and resilience, with ongoing investments in APIs, payment innovations, and mobile solutions.

Watch the recorded session

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A Reminder: Canadian Reporting for Overseas Trusts – 31 March reporting deadline

Does your employee share trust provide shares to share plan participants who live or work in Canada? If so, the trust may be caught by Canadian tax reporting requirements and have to pay tax to the Canadian Revenue Authority.

Will your Employee Share Trust be “deemed” Canadian resident?

Canadian legislation originally introduced in 2013, and updated from 2023, can “deem” a non-Canadian trust with beneficiaries employed by a Canadian company as a Canadian resident trust and required to submit an annual T3 trust tax return to the CRA by 31 March following the tax year. A Canadian tax liability may also arise, depending on the circumstances. Therefore, all companies with an employee share trust should consider annually whether there may be a tax reporting obligation under these Canadian rules.

Working together to identify whether CRA reporting is required

Canadian employers in your group can be jointly and severally liable with the trustee for any Canadian tax liability under these rules. As trustee, Computershare proactively works with clients to complete and submit any Canadian non-resident trust filing – collaboration is key here since we need clients to consider the extent to which there are share plan participants “caught” by the legislation, being broadly any participants who have been directly employed by or seconded to a Canadian company during the year. The rules are only applicable to trusts – they do not apply to nominee arrangements. It is therefore only the population of participants with unvested share awards during the year that need to be considered.

Calculating any tax liability

Just one plan participant “caught” by the scope of the legislation may be sufficient to potentially bring 100% of the trust’s income within the scope of Canadian tax. However, it is possible to make an election to “bifurcate” the trust – this limits the Canadian tax exposure to the portion of the trust that relates to Canadian beneficiaries. Computershare has plenty of experience working with clients and advisors to determine an appropriate bifurcation methodology and make the necessary elections.

Do the Canadian Non-Resident Trust rules apply to your trust?

The rules are in this area are complex so we always recommend that any trust clients with a Canadian employing entity and/or Canadian resident plan participants speak to us, or their tax advisors, to explore the extent to which these rules may apply.   

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Contact Centre enhancement with new callback feature

As part of our commitment to deliver continuous improvement to the participant experience, we are launching a new callback feature, offering a more efficient and responsive service when phone lines are busy.

How the Callback Feature works

When participants call and all lines are occupied, they will now hear a message offering the option to receive a callback. This message will include an estimated wait time and will allow the caller to choose between waiting on the line or requesting a return call. If the callback option is selected, callers can hang up, secure in the knowledge that their place in the queue is preserved. Once they reach the front of the queue, the system automatically calls them back and connects them with an agent, eliminating the need to wait on hold.

Key Benefits for participants

• No more waiting on hold – saving valuable time.
• Queue position is held, so participants won’t lose their place.
• Estimated wait times are shared upfront, helping manage expectations.
• Improved experience with fewer dropped calls and greater responsiveness.
• Multilingual capabilities provided.

Rollout Timeline

We will soon begin to roll-out this functionality to our clients using the Bristol Contact Centre. We plan for all clients to have access to this functionality by summer of 2026.

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Jersey Trust celebrates double victory at the CGI Awards 2025

Computershare Channel Islands (CI) has emerged as a standout performer at the Chartered Governance Institute – Bailiwick of Jersey branch (part of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland) Annual Dinner & Awards Evening, held at The Royal Yacht Hotel in Jersey. The team secured two of the nine prestigious CGI Awards presented this year, underscoring its commitment to excellence in corporate governance and leadership.

The CGI Awards evening is recognised as a premier event celebrating the dedication, expertise, and innovation of firms that set the benchmark for good governance. The ceremony honours organisations that rise to challenges, push boundaries, and deliver exceptional value across the industry.

Computershare CI’s Employee Benefit Trust team was named the outright winner of the newly introduced “Employee Benefit Trust Team of the Year Award” for 2025. The team also continued its impressive track record by being named joint winner of the “Risk & Compliance Initiative Award,” an honour it has now claimed—either outright or jointly—for three consecutive years.

The award submissions were rigorously reviewed by a panel of professionals, with shortlisted entrants interviewed by the award judges. The Branch Chair emphasised the qualities that set winners apart: “We were looking for a compelling narrative; the challenges faced, the innovative solutions displayed, and the measurable outcomes achieved. What distinguished the winners across all categories was expertise in action, a client-centric focus, robust evidence, and ethical foundations.”

“As part of Computershare’s Global Plans business, we set out not just to meet expectations, but to redefine what excellence looks like in employee share plan trust services and to establish ourselves as a thought leader and trusted partner, helping balance regulatory compliance with practical operational needs. I’m immensely proud of the team, recognition like this can set us apart in a competitive market and reflects the hard work and commitment of our people in delivering great service for our clients.” – Heidi Wilson, Managing Director Channel Islands, Computershare

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Computershare support to UK ProShare – Making SIPs more accessible

Computershare is supporting ProShare’s lobbying of the UK Government to reduce the mandatory holding period for Share Incentive Plan (SIP) shares from five years to two years. We’re proud to be one of several organisations backing this important initiative.

The current five-year holding period presents a barrier for many employees who might otherwise participate. Reducing it to two years would make SIPs more accessible and appealing, helping more people to take part and build a tax-advantaged stake in their employer. Importantly, this reform aligns with government priorities outlined in the Mansion House speech and the Leeds Reforms agenda – specifically, increasing retail share ownership and strengthening the connection between working people and the companies they help grow. It’s also a practical way to deepen UK capital markets and promote inclusive long-term growth. For employers, greater participation in SIPs can support talent attraction and retention, while fostering a stronger culture of share ownership and good savings habits across the workforce.

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View the latest product release notes

Click here to download the latest product release notes.

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Events

UK ProShare Conference 2025

We were delighted to attend as major sponsor at this year’s ProShare Conference and to welcome so many of you to our stand. The event’s theme, ‘Thriving in Uncertainty,’ which explored how businesses can adapt and grow amidst various challenges, including geopolitical and economic pressures.

The conference offered a variety of engaging sessions.  Computershare participated in two panel sessions:

• Walking forward together – How Diageo connected global employees to their company strategy through the power of share ownership, with Ceri Newby Head of Share Plans of Diageo, along with Grainne Howes, Senior Relationship Manager of Computershare.
• Experian transition from International SAYE to Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan, with Jen Owen, Executive Compensation Manager of Experian, along with Colin Buchanan, Associate Director, Computershare.

We extend our sincere thanks to ProShare for orchestrating such a valuable event, which brought together industry leaders and experts to discuss the evolving future of employee share plans. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, connect with clients, and explore new trends in share plan management.

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Get Ready for the 2026 GEO Awards

As we enter this season, our team is focused on supporting your entries for the prestigious GEO Awards, with winners to be announced at the 27th Annual GEO Conference in Austin, Texas on 22 April 2026. These awards honour outstanding achievements in innovative and effective share ownership structures, recognising efforts that drive employee engagement and business success.

Award categories include:

• Best Plan Communication
• Best in Financial Education and Wellbeing
• Best in Executive Compensation
• Best Plan Effectiveness
• Best Use of Employee Share Plans in an Emerging Market
• Best Use of Employee Share Plans in a Corporate Action
• Best Use of Technology
• Most Creative Solution
• Most Innovative Plan Design

These categories provide an excellent platform to showcase your accomplishments—whether through creative plan design, innovative solutions, or leveraging technology to enhance participant experience. If you’d like more details about the categories or guidance on crafting a standout submission, please reach out to the Computershare Team. We’re here to help you highlight the impactful work you’ve done with employee share plans.

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ProShare Awards – Congratulations to our clients who made the shortlist

We hope to see you at UK ProShare Awards… and congratulations to those short-listed… Aecom, AngloAmerican, Aviva, Barclays, BAT, bp, Carlsberg, Centrica, Diageo, Entain, Haleon, Marsh McLennan and Wise.

The ProShare Annual Awards evening is a highly anticipated, sell-out event each year, bringing together the best in the share plans industry. This year’s ceremony will be held at the InterContinental on Park Lane on Wednesday 26 November 2025.

These awards honour issuers who have navigated complexity and achieved success whether through exceptional communications strategies, outstanding results, or innovative use of technology.

If you are interested in entering for a ProShare Award next year, please reach out to your relationship manager, who will be happy to guide you through the process.

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Hope to see you at GEO’s Pan European Regional Event (PERE) on 12 November

We’re looking forward to connecting with you at GEO PERE on November 12. Our team – including Relationship Managers, Product Experts, and the Jersey Trust team – will be available throughout the event to discuss your employee share plans or answer any specific questions.

If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so by clicking here. This year’s event, held at a new central venue, will bring together over 200 attendees from Europe, the US, and beyond. GEO PERE 2025 is a unique opportunity to network with key equity compensation decision-makers and gain insights from three focused content streams on global share plans.

We’re especially excited about this year’s keynote speaker, Mandy Hickson – a former Royal Air Forces pilot and Human Factors facilitator. She was the only female pilot on her Front-Line Tornado Squadron, flying multimillion pound fast jets. In her session she will share practical strategies for thriving under pressure, goal setting, resilience, teamwork, decision-making and self-belief.

We look forward to seeing you at GEO PERE 2025, make sure you come and say hello to our team and enter for a chance to win our ‘White Company’ advent calendar.

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Invitation to attend the next Issuer Insights event: How to build a high performing board

Topic: Developing high-performing boards

Date: Thursday 20 November

Time: 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Location: IDEALondon, 69 Wilson Street, London. EC2A 2BB

Following the success of our 'Engaging with your Board' sessions at ACC 2025 in London and Zurich, we’re delighted to invite you to an exclusive in-person event designed to help you strengthen board performance and governance. This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to share industry insights and help you navigate the complexity in an evolving landscape.

Join our expert panel as they share valuable insights on:

• Building stronger governance frameworks
• Enhancing board strategic decision-making
• The role of company secretaries in driving board culture, compliance and performance

This is your chance to sharpen your impact and lead with confidence.

Places are filling up, so register today to ensure you don't miss out.

This session will include an interactive Q&A and a networking reception – an opportunity to connect with peers and continue the conversation.

Speakers:

• Sara Thomson – Former Interim Group Company Secretary, Tesco
• Jason Wright – Group Secretary, Nationwide 
• Neil Alderton – Partner, Lintstock
• Ceri Jamond – Head of Board Governance, National Grid

Maddie Scrafton (Moderator) – Managing Director, Entity Governance and Compliance, Computershare

Register Now

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