{"id":254701,"date":"2026-06-16T11:04:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T09:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/highgate.sk\/slovak-esops-in-practice-what-works-and-where-are-the-risks\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T11:10:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T09:10:02","slug":"slovak-esops-in-practice-what-works-and-where-are-the-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/highgate.sk\/en\/slovak-esops-in-practice-what-works-and-where-are-the-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Slovak ESOPs in Practice: What Works and Where Are the Risks?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How can you motivate key people in a company to think like co-owners rather than \u201cordinary employees\u201d? Peter Varga and Tom\u00e1\u0161 Demo from the Highgate Group discussed this and other topics with Juraj Hrbat\u00fd, founder of the investment firm Finax, <\/strong>in episode 42 of the Highgate Talks podcast <\/strong><\/a>. The interview addressed the topic of how ESOP programs operate in Slovakia, their legal and tax limitations, as well as why an ownership mindset can be more powerful than the salary itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

An ESOP isn’t just a benefit. It’s a culture of ownership <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

In the podcast, Juraj Hrbat\u00fd openly admitted that his motivation to build a culture of ownership stemmed from a previous work experience, when he first acquired a stake in a company. According to him, it was precisely this experience that fundamentally changed his motivation and the way he thinks about work. <\/p>\n\n

That is why, from the very beginning, Finax has sought out people with an entrepreneurial mindset\u2014not employees who simply \u201cdo their minimum,\u201d but people who want to actively build the company, bring new ideas to the table, and take ownership of the results.<\/p>\n\n

The design of incentive parameters for ESOP plans is one of the areas we at Highgate Group have long focused on when structuring ESOP plans. In practice, we often find that motivation in the form of potential future returns is not enough. What matters is a combination of psychology, legal structure, and the tax efficiency of the incentive plan. <\/p>\n\n

You can watch<\/a> the full Highgate Talks #42<\/strong> podcast with Juraj Hrbat\u00fd on how the ESOP works at Finax, ownership culture, employee motivation, and the legal and tax challenges involved in issuing employee shares here:<\/p>\n\n

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