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Matthew Rowbotham

Matthew RowbothamPartner

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I am a tax specialist and head up our Tax, Reward & Incentives group. I advise on all kinds of tax issues affecting businesses, employers and entrepreneurs.

I work closely with my colleagues in other teams to ensure that tax advice is integrated into our advice on corporate transactions, restructurings, incentive planning, property and commercial transactions. Any tax planning has to be right for the client, as well as right for the transaction – and it’s crucial for it to be delivered in a way that’s clear and easy-to-understand. I qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 2006.

Outside of work, I try to balance my more sedentary pursuits (baking and hobby coding) with less sedentary activities like running and open-water swimming.

Tax, Rewards & Incentives

I advise clients on all kinds of transactions (for example, business sales, management buy-outs, investments, real estate and commercial deals) and also on equity incentive plans of different kinds, with an emphasis on clear and comprehensible advice.  Examples of the sorts of work I do include:

  • advising on business/share sales and acquisitions, both from a structuring point of view and negotiating the commercial deal on tax 
  • helping shareholders to achieve a tax-efficient exit when they sell their business. This includes advising on entrepreneurs’ relief, substantial shareholders’ exemption and how best to structure the sale price
  • advising VCT / EIS backed companies 
  • advising on the implementation of EMI share option plans and bespoke plans of various kinds

Advertising & Marketing

I advise businesses and business owners in a wide range of sectors (all of which raise their own interesting tax issues!) but a substantial proportion of my clients come from the Advertising & Marketing sector.  In particular I have advised on dozens of M&A deals in this sector, for both buyers and sellers.  Price structures are often critical, and I enjoy the challenge of working out the structure that will meet the tax objectives of my client while also factoring in the commercial objectives of all parties.

I also work on other commercial contracts relevant to this sector, such as international customer and talent agreements, advising on (amongst other things) withholding tax and VAT/sales tax issues.

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