What Venture Capitalists Need to Know About 2008-2009 Compensation Plans

Business Wire, May 9, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c91198) has announced the addition of What Venture Capitalists Need to Know About 2008-2009 Compensation Plans for CEOs of VC-Backed Companies with Joe Bartlett, Andrew Updegrove and Stuart Lewis to their offering.

We are pleased to present "Compensation Plans for CEOs of VC-Backed Companies in 2008" - a video seminar for venture capitalists on making sure new and existing portfolio companys' compensation plans are updated with the equivalent structure, bonus packages and equity compensation of other executives of VC-backed companies in 2008. The video seminar is led by leading venture capital lawyers who have worked with hundreds of management teams and venture capitalists and have extensive experience in negotiating and structuring compensation plans for executives who have received venture capital funding.

The video seminar includes three 45-minute DVDs viewable on any computer, television or video iPod featuring insights and benchmarks unavailable anywhere else. The video seminar focuses on:

- Specific changes to compensation structures in 2008 that are already being granted to CEOs of other VC-backed companies

- Management contract changes that can provide additional advantages when structuring compensation plans

- Case studies of specific comp plans for executives of VC-backed companies

The video seminar takes approximately 2 hours to complete and is guaranteed to make sure that your management teams are being compensated appropriately and that you know which key provisions have recently been updated. Questions answered in the video seminar include:

1. What are the new components of CEO compensation packages in VC funded companies in 2008?

2. What are the basics of the annual wage package for CEOs of VC backed companies going to be in 2008?

3. What is the average CEO cash compensation being received by CEOs of VC-backed companies? How does this vary based on the stage and profits of the company?

4. What are the special perks being offered to CEOs that were not offered in the past?

5. Is it easier to request more equity or cash compensation?

6. How do executives value the different components of the compensation offer? What emphasis is placed on bonuses? Stocks? Wages?

7. How does the CEO package set the tone for the other compensation programs offered to additional executive members of the management team?

8. What language is important when it comes to the compensation in the employment contract? How is this new in 2008?

9. What are the 5-7 most important components of the employment contract and can you walk me through the wording that should be included to be most advantageous for the executive?

10. Which components are the most challenging to negotiate in 2008? Why?

11. Which components can be bargained away in favor of other, more important contract terms?

12. What system is most effective when trying to update an executive compensation contract?

13. When is the best time to review deferred compensation packages?

14. What is the most common compensation structure for members of the management team? Why? How has this changed since last year?

15. What terms do the VC investors usually incorporate into updated employment contracts of key management members?

16. What method is used to analyze the compensation structure for each executive when a plan is updated - CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CMO, BOARD OF DIRECTORS?

17. What industry standards are applied to the compensation and employment contracts in 2008?

18. What calculations and metrics are used to structure the executive compensation - what are VCs most often using as a benchmark?

19. Which structural elements constitute the greatest amount of executive pay? How is this different than in previous years?

20. How are performance measurements detailed in the employment contract and compensation agreement?

21. Which executive positions are most closely tied to performance measurements? Why?

22. How are complicated elements of the compensation plan analyzed and monitored?

23. What procedure is used to peg compensation to other organization goals?

24. What schedule is outlined for reviewing compensation against performance goals on an annual basis?

25. Which incentive based elements of the package are preferred by executives? And Venture Capitalists? How has this changed since most CEOs originally received funding?

26. Which elements of the employment contract are most important to executives? What will be most important next year?

27. What negotiating strategies and techniques are most successful when dealing with VCs in 2008? How is this different than in previous years?

28. What are the most difficult terms to negotiate? What can the executive do to prepare for these hot topics?

29. What language must the CEO or executive insist upon when it comes to updating an employment agreement?

30. What are the non-financial aspects of the contract? Why are these important to executive level management?

31. What must executives be careful about when it comes to date specific terms of the compensation and employment contract?