Kathy GranbyPartner

I advise on the legal and tax aspects of an extensive range of employee share and other incentives for both private and listed companies, from UK start-ups to multinationals.  

I assist clients from all sectors with the structuring, launch and operation of UK and global employee share plans, including corporate governance considerations concerning executive remuneration, and advise on the impact of corporate transactions on share incentives and broader employment taxation queries.

Tax, Reward & Incentives

I am experienced in assisting a broad client base, ranging from UK start-ups and micro businesses seeking to establish exit-driven option plans, to FTSE100 and non-UK listed companies operating global all-employee and executive share plans.  

My practice includes advising on the set up and ongoing operation of HMRC-backed Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) option plans, Company Share Option Plans (CSOPs) and UK tax advantaged all-employee share plans, as well as unapproved share option plans, tax-efficient nil-paid shares, growth shares and joint share ownership plans, performance share plans (PSPs) / long-term incentive plans (LTIPs) and deferred share bonus plans.  I also assist with establishing cash bonus plans and phantom equity arrangements where equity is not suitable.  

I regularly advise companies on the impact of corporate transactions on equity awards, including on takeovers, company/business acquisitions, reorganisations, demergers, listings and re-domiciliation, and the handling of the grant and settlement of share awards on recruitments and terminations – focusing on navigating commercial concerns whilst protecting companies and individuals from inadvertent taxes, compliance issues and other risks. I also advise on general UK employment taxation queries, including the UK tax implications for mobile employees.

I am also experienced in advising on the UK corporate governance requirements concerning executive remuneration for listed companies, including the Listing Rules, the Corporate Governance Code, the Directors’ Remuneration Report Regulations and institutional investor guidelines.  I have spoken at a series of events focusing on employee share plans for listed companies, and co-written a series of articles for Lexis Nexis on LTIPs.

I also assist companies with establishing Employee Benefits Trusts (EBTs) to support their share plan arrangements, and with queries regarding the administration and wind up of EBTs and other share plan specific trusts.

I am a member of the Share Plan Lawyers group, The Quoted Companies Alliance, ifs ProShare and the Employee Share Ownership (ESOP) Centre.