Employee Ownership Across the Globe

This August, our very own Ali Jamshidi had the privilege of speaking on a panel at the 2025 Oxford Symposium on Employee Ownership. Held at the historic Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford University, widely regarded as the world’s oldest English-speaking university with records dating back to 1096, the Symposium has been organized annually for the past four years by Jim Bonham of the Employee Ownership Foundation and Professor John Hoffmire of the Center on Business and Poverty.

The three-day event brought together participants from 26 countries, representing business leaders, government officials, academic experts, and nonprofit organizations. This year’s theme centered on the global rise of employee ownership, with discussions on overcoming financial challenges, ensuring fair valuations, and safeguarding employee interests during ownership transitions.

Ali presented during a session titled “How Wealth is Being Created in These US ESOP Transactions.” His talk highlighted the benefits of ESOPs, their role in driving employee wealth creation, and how they strengthen businesses. This also gave him the opportunity to share the story of CTL Engineering on an international stage, showcasing our successes and the life-changing impact of employee ownership on our team.

The Symposium concluded with a dinner at Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, where attendees continued building connections after several days of meaningful dialogue. Since the event, Ali has received outreach from international participants eager to learn more about CTL’s ESOP journey and explore how similar models might benefit their own countries, companies and employees.