About Share Incentives
The world of share incentives and employee ownership is currently one of the hottest topics and a huge priority for the current government. The law is constantly changing and companies are regularly having to grapple with new legislation, new guidance and new ideas. In such a complex, ever-changing area, where the repercussions of getting it wrong can be unforgiving, companies need to understand the law and implement it correctly.
Corporate governance content
Reports on executive pay are regularly in the news. We include subtopics on corporate governance, remuneration issues for financial services firms and a comparison of UK Corporate Governance remuneration principles.
Disguised remuneration
Get updated documents and a Practice Note examining common disguised remuneration scenarios in share schemes. There’s nothing like this elsewhere.
Key Share Incentives developments
Keeping up-to-date on developments naturally important. We produce a weekly Share Incentives highlights report and email it straight to subscribers' inboxes. It's also posted on our news carousel.
Topics We Cover
Our Share Incentives Experts
Nicky Griffin
Stephen Woodhouse
David Pett
William Franklin
David Cohen
Latest Share Incentives News
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) Alvarez & Marsal’s report on executive remuneration in the FTSE 350 and (2)...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) Glass Lewis’s report on UK executive pay issues during the 2026 proxy season,...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) WTW’s 2026 market data report on director remuneration in FTSE 100 companies,...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) a government consultation on modernising corporate reporting which proposes...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes a focus on executive pay, as peak AGM season comes to an end....
Latest Share Incentives Practice Notes
This Practice Note provides an overview of retained EU law as it applied from 2021–23, including the key definitions and concepts with reference to...
The UK’s formal withdrawal from the EU took effect at 11 pm on 31 January 2020 (exit day). At this point, the withdrawal period under Article 50 TEU...
What is an employee ownership trust?An employee ownership trust (EOT) is an employee benefit trust that meets certain statutory criteria within the...
Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR), MIFIDPRU and the MIFIDPRU Remuneration CodeFor general information on the UK Investment Firms Prudential...
This Practice Note considers the UK prudential framework for investment firms, known as the Investment Firms Prudential Regime or IFPR, as set out in...
Latest Share Incentives Precedents
Company No [insert registered number of company][insert name of company](the Company)Minutes of a Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company...
That:•the [insert name of company] Company Share Option Plan (the Plan), in the form of the rules of the Plan on display before and at the meeting,...
IntroductionThis legal due diligence questionnaire relates to the proposed purchase by [insert buyer name] (the Buyer) of the entire issued share...
HM Revenue and Customs Trusts[insert relevant address][insert date of letter]To whom it may concern,THE [insert name of EBT] (EBT)[REFERENCE NUMBER:...
This Deed is dated [insert date]BY[insert full name of Trustee] incorporated and registered in [insert country in which the trustee is incorporated]...
Latest Share Incentives Q&As
Featured Share Incentives content
Malus and clawback
Malus and clawbackThe use of malus and clawbackThe concept of withholding or even recovering value from executives if a material adverse event occurs...
What is a long-term incentive plan?
What is a long-term incentive plan?A long-term incentive plan (LTIP) is a term that is commonly used among listed companies to describe executive...
Nil paid shares and partly paid shares—practical considerations
Nil paid shares and partly paid shares—practical considerationsWhat are nil paid shares and partly paid shares?When shares are issued, their...
Implementing share plans—ways to manage dilution of existing shareholders
Implementing share plans—ways to manage dilution of existing shareholdersWhat is share dilution?Share dilution happens when a company issues...
Introduction to enterprise management incentives (EMI) schemes
Introduction to enterprise management incentives (EMI) schemesIntroduction to EMI schemesThe EMI scheme is a highly flexible and tax-efficient scheme...
Corporation tax relief and employee share schemes
Corporation tax relief and employee share schemesCorporation tax deduction for costs incurred in setting up and operating employee share schemesCosts...
What is an employee benefit trust?
What is an employee benefit trust?The EBT as a trustAn employee benefit trust (EBT) is a form of trust. A trust refers to the legal relationship...
Phantom share awards and options
Phantom share awards and optionsWhat is a phantom award?Phantom awards, broadly speaking, can be split into two categories, phantom share awards and...
Growth shares—practical examples and comparisons with options
Growth shares—practical examples and comparisons with optionsWhat are growth shares?Growth shares, also known as value shares or hurdle shares, are a...
Value Creation Plans
Value Creation PlansWhat is a Value Creation Plan?The term ‘Value Creation Plan’ (VCP) normally refers to an employee incentive plan which is designed...
Cashless exercise of options
Cashless exercise of optionsWhat is a cashless exercise of options?The ‘cashless exercise’ of options or a 'cashless exercise facility' refers to the...
Employee ownership trusts
Employee ownership trustsWhat is an employee ownership trust?An employee ownership trust (EOT) is a particular type of employee benefit trust (EBT)...
Shares for non-executive directors—issues and considerations
Shares for non-executive directors—issues and considerationsMeaning of ‘non-executive director’The general definition of ‘director’ is not exhaustive....
Underwater share options
Underwater share optionsWhat is an underwater share option?'Underwater option' is the term used to describe a share option (granted under any share...
What is a SIP?
What is a SIP?This Practice Note provides an introduction to the HMRC tax-advantaged share incentive plan (SIP). It provides a summary of:•the types...
Pitfalls of setting up and operating an employee ownership trust
Pitfalls of setting up and operating an employee ownership trustWhat is an employee ownership trust?An employee ownership trust (EOT) is a particular...
Long-term incentive plans—income tax and NICs treatment
Long-term incentive plans—income tax and NICs treatmentTypes of LTIP awardsThe most common type of awards that can be made under a long-term incentive...
Notice of exercise of option
Notice of exercise of optionThe Company Secretary[insert date of letter][insert name of company who granted the option] (Company)[[insert address of...
Associated legal terms
Corporate governance
This is the principle of shareholders taking more than just a simple financial interest in their shareholdings.
Dodd-Frank
The Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010, a corporate governance regime in the United States.
Exercise of share options
Share options gives the option holder the right to buy and sell shares at a predetermined price. The exercise of share options relates to the process of paying that pre-determined price (know as the exercise/strike/option price [can we link to this glossary term]) and receiving the shares under the option.
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