Graham Rowlands-Hempel is a consultant specialising in employee share plans and executive incentives.
I was taught A Level law by a retired judge. He told us some amazing stories which got me hooked. Originally I was a tax lawyer. It was at a time when share plans were just starting. It was an exciting new area full of promise and I thought it would offer me the best future.
Many years ago I put in place an SAYE on the flotation of a company’s shares on the London Stock Exchange. 5 years later all the staff (many of whom had been with the company from the start) made a profit over £50,000 each. It was great to be a part of that.
I am convinced that if employees feel part of an organisation by owning the shares in the company they work for they will be more interested and better motivated leading to greater productivity.
Make the rules more simple, improve the tax benefits and give companies greater flexibility to use the type of plan that is right for them.
Complexity and ignorance.
I would love to see the EU promote an annual tax free allowance for employee share ownership for all employees with little restrictions on how companies implement the arrangements.
The introduction of SIPs.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
My family.
Dawn French.
Tennis.
With my plants and Radio 4 in my greenhouse.