James is Head of the Incentives group at Andersen LLP. He provides advice in respect of the design, implementation and operation of employee incentive arrangements to companies, partnerships and individuals with a particular focus on tax, legal and technical aspects. Areas of particular expertise include:

• UK approved and unapproved share incentive plans;
• Deferred compensation arrangements;
• Partnerships;
• Carried interest and co-investment arrangements;
• Employee benefit trusts;
• Corporate tax deductibility of equity and bonus plans;
• Incentives implications on corporate transactions;
• Advice to management on acquiring or selling equity;
• Structuring of equity packages for new hires; and
• International aspects of employee incentives.

James has over 20 years experience of delivering advice on employee incentives. He qualified as a solicitor in 1997 and practised with a major city law firm before moving to PwC where he was a director for 11 years until leaving to found a boutique advisory firm. He also qualified as a chartered tax adviser in 1999.

James has acted for a wide variety of clients ranging from large listed businesses and US inbound financial services institutions to private equity backed corporates to partnerships and individuals.

He has particular experience in the financial services sector and has acted for a range of UK and US investment banks, insurers and mainstream and alternative asset managers.

James is able to provide bespoke advice depending on particular client needs, from designing, drafting and implementing a new, or amending existing arrangements to advising on specific questions as to the tax treatment or legal operation of these arrangements.