The Final Day of the International Conference

Day Three included key presentations from Anne Ruddy, President of WorldatWork, on Equity and the New Employee Value Proposition, and Dr. Marco Caramelli of the INSEEC Business School in Paris, and Dr. Ed Carberry of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasumus University on Why Is Broad-Based Employee Ownership a Good Idea? From Engagement to Corporate Performance. Between additional breakout sessions, delegates also spent a delicious lunch in the Exhibit Hall with many opportunities to discover new tools in their work.  Our Day 3 in 1 Minute video takes us to the end of our best International Conference yet. Now it's time for GEO to jump into high gear and prepare for the National Equity Compensation Forum coming to Scottsdale, Arizona, September 14-16. We'll keep you updated with details on the Forum as they come, but plan on attending. We're about to set new standard for Global Equity Organization, mostly thanks to you and your support.

Day 2 in 1 Minute

Day Two went off with a welcome to all delegates as they bounced from session to session, packed with great speakers and engaging topics. The boat cruise meandered the city's canals to the Koepelkerk, where we hosted the GEO Awards Gala.

Our Day 2 in 1 Minute video covers yesterday's events. We're in the homestretch with Day 3.

Waiting for the breakout session to start.

The boat arrives at the Hotel Okura. 

Delegates take a canal cruise to the Koepelkerk for GEO Awards Gala. 

The GEO awards

Janet Cooper starts the Gala off with a "bang" ... or a "pop." 

A shot of the Koepelkerk floor from the balcony.

The Gala sold out, delegates filled the balcony tables for dinner as well.

Winners of the GEO Awards

Day 1 in 1 Minute

We're off! The delegates have arrived, and we dashed off to Issuers Only Luncheon at the Heineken Experience ...

The Heineken Experience

The Issuer Only Luncheon

... followed by a strategic symposium on the Impact of CRD III ... a quiet VIP reception ... 

VIP Reception

... and energetic Opening Reception among the Exhibitor Hall.

Opening Reception

Our Day 1 in 1 Minute video will give you a glimpse of yesterday's events. Now we've got to dash, because Day 2 is underway. Come back for updates along with photos and videos of the event as it happens.

Follow Us on Twitter, Facebook

While at the Conference or at home, keep up to date, and join in on the conversation on Twitter, #geoams, or find us on Facebook.

Exhibitors setting up for the event

The Day Before the Conference

Lobby of the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam

Can you say "grandeur"? The Okura Hotel is a beautiful venue with its simple, elegant Japanese aesthetic blended with Dutch hospitality.

It's the day before the International Conference, and the GEO staff is powering through jetlag. We're with the event planners and hotel representatives in the pre-conference meeting, reviewing the final logistics of the three-day event. The team is covering all aspects, including the exhibit hall, conference sessions, special evening events, as well as any contingencies. We are prepped and ready, so keep in touch. I'll be posting daily updates here with photos and videos of the event as it happens.

Making final preparations for the conference 

After Hours - Amsterdam by Night

After the opening reception, take advantage of a free evening to explore one of Northern Europe's most beautiful and romantic cities. With the Renaissance core of Amsterdam just a short tram ride away, you're sure to experience the majesty & magic of our historic host city.

Opening Reception in the Conference Exhibit Hall

Reintroduce yourself to friends from around the world while exploring the professional solutions and services offered by more than 25 exhibitors. The Opening Reception is an ideal time to relax and enjoy, while preparing for the days ahead.

Strategic Symposium - The Impact of CRD III

This session will delve into the rapid change in the regulation of remuneration in the financial services sector driven by the Capital Requirements Directive III, which all 27 EU Member States are required to implement by 1 Jan, 2011.

Issuer Luncheon at the Heineken Experience

Join us for an exclusive tour of the historic Heineken Brewery, followed by GEO's traditional Issuer-only Luncheon. This year's luncheon features a special session led by Dennis Paalman of Royal Ahold and Pam Rolfe of Royal Dutch Shell, co-winners of the 2009 GEO Award for Best Plan Effectiveness.

The Only Constant

As anyone involved in managing events knows, change is the only constant. In our case, despite the fact that we began planning for our upcoming 12th International Conference in Amsterdam about ten months ago, the changes keep coming in. Thank goodness I've got a flexible, responsive and incredibly dedicated team helping to ensure that the Conference will be a great experience. Thanks, all!

Sometimes, change can be good...and occasionally, it can be VERY good! Such is the subject of this post...due to unforseen circumstances, Kerry Chou, one of our plenary speakers in Amsterdam, won't be able to join us after all.

Don't get me wrong...Kerry's a great guy. As the compensation subject matter expert for WorldatWork, he's an knowledgeable and articulate speaker. In that regard, he'll most definitely be missed.

So why is this great news? His replacement on the plenary dais in Amsterdam will be Anne Ruddy, President of WorldatWork (that's her picture above). I've known Anne personally for a few years now, and have heard her speak many times prior to that. Once you've heard her in Amsterdam, I think you'll agree that she's incredibly engaging and passionate about the impact a strong total rewards strategy, including equity, can have on the success of a company.

We couldn't have asked for a better plenary speaker...and are fortunate to have her join us. Please join me in welcoming her to the Conference next month.

MB

The Hotel Okura has Sold Out

The Hotel Okura has sold out of rooms for the International Conference. We are currently sourcing alternative accommodations. Please check the General Information conference page on the GEO website for updated hotel information.

Professional firms joining us in Amsterdam

Service Provider Early Registration Discount Ends Soon!

The early registration discount for service providers ends 30 April at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Service providers who register prior to 30 April will receive a €200 discount on conference fees. This deadline will not be extended again, so don't miss out! Register now to take advantage of the early registration rate of €1095 + VAT. Registrations made after the deadline will be charged at the full conference rate of €1295 + VAT.

Michael Bendorf Discussing GEO's 12th Annual International Conference

Stay Connected with GEO

At Global Equity Organization, we constantly explore new and creative ways to support our local chapters. One of our main goals is to raise GEO’s profile among equity compensation professionals to increase our membership. Toward that end, we offer easier ways for active and prospective members to connect with GEO. Here’s what’s on tap:

Blogs
This month, GEO launches three new blogs. Whenever we have special announcements or exclusive news, you’ll hear it here first:

• The Exec Blog: Executive Director Michael Bendorf shares his insights and opinions regarding equity compensation and wants to hear your thoughts too.
• The International Conference Blog: We’ll keep you updated about the latest news on GEO’s 12th Annual International Conference in Amsterdam this summer.
• The NECF 2011 Blog: Stay in touch with and get all of the details on what to expect at the Forum as we “break with convention” in Scottsdale, Arizona in the fall.

YouTube
Subscribe to GEO’s channel. Watch for us to post new videos that you can share with colleagues or embed on your personal or professional site.

LinkedIn
We have new discussion groups available. If you haven’t done so yet, ”Follow GEO”, and take part in discussions of the latest news in equity compensation and our upcoming events.

Facebook
If you’re on Facebook, ”Like” GEO’s page to see our updates as they happen.

We'll see you on the social network!