Understanding EMI Share Option Scheme for Startups & SMEs | Tax Advisors

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What is it: A roundtable discussion and Q&A on what an Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) scheme is, what its benefits are, and how it can be used to incentivise key employees in a tax-efficient way.
Why is it important: Share options are an important tool in the incentivisation of key employees in start-ups and SMEs. EMI options allow companies to provide significant tax advantages to qualifying employees without an upfront outlay of cash or immediate dilution of equity. However, granting EMI options can and often does go wrong so it’s important to know how and why they can be used.
What are the benefits: Assuming this means what are the benefits of the webinar:
1. Companies will be provided with the knowledge they need to make more informed decisions on how they can best incentivise their employees.
2. Companies will leave the webinar understanding when EMI options are best to use and how both the company and employee might benefit from them.
3. We’ll give some advice on what companies need to be careful of when granting and maintaining an EMI option scheme to help them avoid the most common pitfalls.
Who it is for: Any company who wants to explore ways to incentive their UK employees but particularly start-ups and SMEs where the value of shares will have significant time to grow.
Workshop Topics
1. What are EMI options?
2. Who are EMI options for?
3. What are the benefits of EMI options?
4. Are EMI options right for your business?
5. Are the EMI options right for the employee in question?
6. What are the alternatives to EMI options? Cash, shares etc.
7. How can you structure EMI options? Vesting, class of share, performance targets etc.
8. What can negate the EMI tax advantages- things to look out for.
9. What do you need in place before you can issue EMI options?
10. Short conclusion on how EMI can be a big incentive for employees if used carefully.
👉 Schedule a discovery call with our EMI experts: dragonargent.a...
About the Speaker:
James Kearns | General Counsel & Head of Legal Practice, Dragon Argent
Commercially astute and risk-aware, James is an accomplished lawyer with a wealth of experience as a corporate and commercial solicitor for Startups & SMEs in the UK. James advises on a variety of matters including share and asset sales, equity investments, corporate reconstruction, shareholders’ agreements, and a broad range of commercial contracts, in each case across a range of industry sectors. James joined Dragon Argent as General Counsel in 2017, having previously worked in private practice at Collyer Bristow LLP.
Before practising law, James worked at a local newspaper, and later as a law reporter covering judgments given at the High Court and Court of Appeal. He then moved into publishing, working as a commissioning editor for two major legal publishing houses where he oversaw the commercial development of a large portfolio of print and online titles.
Freddie-Nicolle Brace | Corporate & Commercial Solicitor, Dragon Argent
Before joining Dragon Argent, Freddie completed her LPC at BPP University and qualified as a solicitor at a West End firm in 2019. Freddie advises on a wide variety of corporate and commercial matters. She is analytical and passionate about her work and is one to watch in the Dragon Argent team.
Misha Patel | Head of Tax, Dragon Argent
Misha joined the Dragon Argent team in 2022 following 6 years of experience working primarily with start-ups. She is ACCA qualified and has extensive experience providing companies with help and advice in sectors including R&D, EMI, S/EIS and personal tax.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This video is published by Dragon Argent Limited. The information in this video is for general guidance only and, although the presenters and publisher believe it was correct at the time it was recorded (July 2022), the law may have changed since then. You should always seek your own independent legal advice. Please note that for employment law, the law explained applies to England, Scotland and Wales. For all other areas of law, it applies to England only.