The client
This family-owned group includes a well-known household name trading company, real estate investments and passive shareholdings in another high-profile company.

Our involvement
The directors began with the objective of providing share incentives for management in the trading company but not the wider group; and increasing the direct shareholding of active family members in the trading company, with a view to a future sale or listing of the trading company.

We listened to the director’s objectives and proposed a wider restructuring of the group that would initially allow the use of tax-advantaged share incentive schemes but also would be commercially beneficial for the future of the group.

The outcome
The family owners and directors immediately saw the commercial advantages of our proposals and agreed to proceed with the group restructuring and share incentive schemes. The group was divided such that the trading company was held separately from the other assets. This enabled a Company Share Option Plan to be put in place for employees. A direct share plan was implemented for active family members to increase their direct shareholding in the trading group. This revised structure will be beneficial when the trading group is sold or listed in future.