The Freshfields Podcast Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

In this episode, Craig Montgomery and Emma Gateaud are once again joined by Tom Smith KC, to continue their discussion on UK restructuring plans. They discuss the concept of the Relevant Alternative, when is the best time for a company to present a plan and the availability of new European tools for restructurings.

In this episode, Craig Montgomery and Emma Gateaud are joined by Tom Smith KC, to discuss some of the recent high profile challenges in restructuring plans and what we can learn from these to shape future plans.

In the first episode of this series, Being prepared for the (not so) unexpected: planning for executive exits, partners Alice Greenwell and David Mendel sit down to discuss the essential considerations for remuneration committees when an executive is leaving the company. Alice and David cover exit packages and the restrictions on publicly listed companies, as well as other tricky topics for companies to be aware of.

The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, has delivered the Spring Budget 2024.

In a rowdy House of Commons, the Chancellor delivered what will be his last Spring Budget before a UK general election widely expected to take place in autumn this year.  Further details on some of these measures are expected to follow on Tax Administration and Maintenance Day 2024 – confirmed as taking place on 18 April – but there were plenty of interesting points (and politics) in the tax policies included in this wave of announcements.
In our latest podcast Jill Gatehouse, Emily Szasz, Josh Critchlow and David Haughey from our London tax team discuss some of the tax measures they found the most noteworthy in the Spring Budget 2024, including:
Replacing the current tax rules for non-UK domiciled individuals (so-called ‘non doms’) with a new residence-based regime;
Changes to the transfer of assets abroad rules following the Supreme Court decision in Fisher to ensure this anti-avoidance regime cannot be bypassed by individuals transferring assets offshore via a UK company;
The introduction of Reserved Investor Funds (RIFs), a new type of UK investment fund in the form of an unauthorised contractual scheme; and
Other changes to the UK’s tax code, including:
Further reductions to NICs, benefitting both employed and self-employed workers;
On stamp duty/SDRT, new guidance on recently-enacted legislation restricting the application of the higher rate charge on the issue and certain transfers of UK shares and securities into clearance services or depositary receipt systems – but nothing further on the Stamp Taxes on Shares Modernisation proposal;
Delaying the sunsetting of the Energy Profits Levy, so that it will end in 2029 (or earlier if energy prices fall below levels set by the previously-announced Energy Security Investment Mechanism);
Establishing a new R&D tax relief expert panel tasked with ensuring relevant HMRC guidance remains up-to-date as industry develops; and
Consulting on the introduction a new UK ISA, giving individuals a £5,000 annual allowance to invest in certain UK-focussed assets on a tax-free basis.

The first episode of our new restructuring podcast series, No Worse Off, which provides legal and commercial insights, and practical tips, on the world of restructuring.
Podcast hosts Lindsay Hingston, and Emma Gateaud, in our London office, cover recent trends including the looming wall of debt maturities, liability management, contested restructuring plans and the increasing use of parallel/interlocking processes in a cross-border context.

In January 2024, China implemented significant changes to its merger control thresholds – marking the first revisions in 16 years.  Coupled with last year's amendments to the Anti-Monopoly Law, they represent a comprehensive revamp of China’s merger control regime. 
In this episode of our Essential Antitrust podcast, host Jenn Mellott is joined by Freshfields’ Ninette Dodoo and Laurent Bougard and RuiMin’s Hazel Yin to examine these changes and their impact on filing deals for regulatory clearance in China. Their discussion features critical insights into navigating the merger control process as well as addressing sectors at risk of increased scrutiny and underscoring broader regulatory issues, including national security reviews.