Episode #4
The Power of Community: How the UK Built the World's Best Share Plan Ecosystem with ProShare
Employee share ownership is more embedded in the UK than almost anywhere else, and this episode goes inside the community that keeps it there. At the centre sits ProShare , the member-funded hub for UK employee share plans since 1992. Christoffer Herheim is joined by Sophie Altaf, Head of ProShare , with 20 years across the share plan industry, and David Mortimer, Head of External Affairs at ProShare and the Chartered Governance Institute, who leads the lobbying and campaigning work. They walk through what ProShare is and why it exists, how SIP and SAYE became the UK's bread and butter, and the current push with the Treasury to modernise the plans for the way people actually work today. In this episode: ProShare's origins with the Treasury, the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 Why tax-advantaged plans like SIP and SAYE became standard in UK companies The productivity uplift and "wealth dividend" that broad-based plans can create The case for cutting the SIP holding period from five years to two How ProShare maps share plan participants to MPs and constituencies to drive change Whether you work in a listed or private company, advise on equity, or want to build the same kind of community elsewhere, there is a lot to take from this one. Please note: This podcast content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional advice. Always consult qualified legal, tax, and financial advisors for guidance specific to your situation. Connect with Sophie Altaf and David Mortimer via ProShare . For more information Check our website: https://www.optioincentives.com/stock-n-roll Follow Optio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optio-incentives Message us here Join Stock 'N Roll with Christoffer Herheim, CEO and co-founder of Optio, as we break down what works—and what doesn’t—in equity compensation, with insights you can act on.
