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Capricorn Energy’s Seamless Migration to ShareForce

Share plan migration doesn’t have to mean disruption. For Capricorn Energy PLC, a London Stock Exchange-listed independent energy company, moving their Deferred Bonus Plan and Long-Term Incentive Plan to ShareForce was a smooth, structured process, led by a hands-on Client Management team that understood their plans from day one. This case study explores how Capricorn Energy achieved integrated IFRS 2 reporting, automated participant communications, and a modern self-service portal through their share plan migration to ShareForce.

Headquarters

Edinburgh, UK

Products Used

ShareForce

Headquarters

Edinburgh, UK

Products Used

ShareForce

Before ShareForce

  • Limited responsiveness and support from the previous provider
  • A lack of integrated IFRS 2 valuations and accounting functionality
  • Manual processes around participant communications and exercise workflows
  • The need for a more modern, secure participant portal with real-time projections

    • After ShareForce

  • Enhanced participant experience: Employees benefit from a modern, visual portal that clearly displays award data and projections, making share plan participation more engaging and transparent.
  • Streamlined financial reporting: Integrated IFRS 2 valuations and the accounting module have simplified reporting workflows for the finance team.
  • Automated exercise and communications: Participants can exercise awards when they choose, with automated confirmations flowing directly from the system.
  • Reliable, relationship-driven support: The Client Management team’s deep knowledge of Capricorn’s plans ensures fast, informed responses to any query.

    • See how Shareforce is a trusted partner to more than 400 companies in 30 countries

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    Capricorn Energy PLC is an Edinburgh-headquartered independent energy company focused on oil and gas exploration, development and production, primarily in Egypt’s Western Desert. Listed on the London Stock Exchange for over 30 years, the company is committed to developing the scale and longevity of the business to deliver shareholder value.

    Read more on their website

    “It was an overall package - the accounting module, the participant portal, automated communications, security, and the team behind it all. ShareForce was competitively priced and the IFRS valuations were a real differentiator for our finance team.”
    Claire Busby Senior Legal Advisor, Capricorn Energy
    Problem

    Managing Complex Share Plans Without the Right Support

    Capricorn Energy manages various share-based compensation plans including a Deferred Bonus Plan (DBP) for executives and a Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) open to all employees, with administration spanning the legal, finance and payroll teams.

    Before ShareForce, Capricorn Energy’s share plans were administered by another third-party provider. While the plans themselves were well established, the service experience fell short of what the team needed. Key pain points included:

    • Limited responsiveness and support from the previous provider
    • A lack of integrated IFRS 2 valuations and accounting functionality
    • Manual processes around participant communications and exercise workflows
    • The need for a more modern, secure participant portal with real-time projections
    Solution

    A Smooth Migration, Led by a Hands-On Team

    For Capricorn Energy, one of the most valued aspects of ShareForce is the responsiveness and depth of the Client Management team. Rather than operating as a traditional helpdesk, the team acts as an extension of Capricorn’s own internal teams – handling shareholder queries, providing advice, and proactively supporting day-to-day plan management.

    This service model sets ShareForce apart from other providers, where support is often reactive and impersonal. The ShareForce Client Management team is always responsive, accessible and invested in the success of each client’s share plans.

    When evaluating alternative platforms, Capricorn Energy’s team looked at the complete picture, not just features, but the quality of service behind them. Several factors stood out:

    • Accounting module and IFRS valuations: Capricorn’s finance team valued the ability to run IFRS 2 valuations directly within the platform, removing the need for separate calculations and reducing the risk of error.
    • Automated communications: All participant communications — from award letters to exercise confirmations — are generated and sent directly from the system, eliminating manual steps.
    • Participant experience: ShareForce’s employee portal gives employees visibility over their awards, including real-time projections, in a secure environment.
    • Competitive pricing: ShareForce offered a compelling combination of features, service and value.
    Result

    Results After Migrating Share Plans to ShareForce

    Since moving to ShareForce, Capricorn Energy has seen tangible improvements across several areas:

    • Enhanced participant experience: Employees benefit from a modern, visual portal that clearly displays award data and projections, making share plan participation more engaging and transparent.
    • Streamlined financial reporting: Integrated IFRS 2 valuations and the accounting module have simplified reporting workflows for the finance team.
    • Automated exercise and communications: Participants can exercise awards when they choose, with automated confirmations flowing directly from the system.
    • Reliable, relationship-driven support: The Client Management team’s deep knowledge of Capricorn’s plans ensures fast, informed responses to any query.

    Capricorn Energy’s experience demonstrates that migrating to ShareForce doesn’t have to be daunting. With a hands-on Client Management team that leads the migration and stays with you afterwards, the transition is smooth, the service is personal, and the platform delivers real value – from IFRS valuations and automated communications to a best-in-class participant portal.

    Further Reading

    Frequently asked questions about equity plan administration

    How does ShareForce handle IFRS 2 reporting?

    ShareForce includes an integrated IFRS 2 valuation and accounting module, allowing finance teams to run IFRS 2 valuations directly within the platform. This removes the need for separate calculations, reduces the risk of error, and simplifies financial reporting workflows — as experienced by Capricorn Energy after migrating to ShareForce

    ShareForce’s Client Management team leads the migration process from start to finish, acting as an extension of the client’s internal team rather than a traditional helpdesk. The hands-on approach ensures a smooth transition with minimal disruption to ongoing plan administration. Capricorn Energy completed their migration without service interruption to participants.

    Yes. ShareForce automates participant communications end-to-end, including award letters and exercise confirmations, which are generated and sent directly from the system. This eliminates manual steps for plan administrators and ensures participants receive timely, accurate communications at every stage of their award lifecycle.

    ShareForce administers a wide range of share-based compensation plans, including Deferred Bonus Plans (DBPs), Long-Term Incentive Plans (LTIPs), Employee Share Purchase Plans (ESPPs), stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and share appreciation rights (SARs). Plans can span multiple jurisdictions and employee groups.

    Yes. ShareForce provides a modern, secure participant portal that gives employees real-time visibility over their award holdings and projections. The portal is designed to make share plan participation more engaging and transparent, and supports self-service exercise workflows so participants can act on their awards at a time of their choosing.

    ShareForce’s Client Management team operates as an extension of each client’s internal team rather than a reactive helpdesk. The team develops deep knowledge of each client’s specific plans, enabling fast and informed responses to queries. Capricorn Energy’s Senior Legal Advisor noted this relationship-driven support model as a key differentiator when selecting ShareForce.

    Yes. ShareForce is trusted by more than 400 companies across 30 countries, including publicly listed companies such as Capricorn Energy PLC, which has been listed on the London Stock Exchange for over 30 years. The platform is designed to handle the compliance, reporting, and multi-stakeholder requirements of listed company share plan administration.

    Companies typically switch to ShareForce to gain integrated IFRS 2 valuations and accounting functionality, automate manual participant communication and exercise workflows, access a more modern and secure participant portal, and benefit from a responsive, relationship-driven client management model. Capricorn Energy cited all four of these factors when selecting ShareForce.