The Employee Share Ownership (Esop) Centre is a non-profit organisation promoting all forms of employee share ownership. Click here to find out more.

In what ways does employee share ownership serve a useful purpose?

It can help to bridge the divide between labour and capital and encourage more productive and equitable businesses and societies.

How can we widen and deepen the adoption and use of employee share ownership?

We need to encourage share schemes among smaller UK listed companies and private equity backed companies.

What would you tell someone who is ‘on the fence’ about introducing employee share ownership to their company?

You are right to be cautious. Share schemes are not a panacea. Nothing is. But it is worth giving it a real try.

What do you think will change about employee share ownership over the next five years?

The start of a convergence between pensions and employee share schemes.

What do you wish other people knew about employee share ownership?

That its use of EBTs is benign and not abusive.

What has been the most important development in employee share ownership during your career?

Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI).

Which change to employee share plans legislation, in the UK or elsewhere, would you most like to see?

Easier and more tax efficient buybacks being permitted for employee owned shares in unquoted companies.

Pett Franklin are experts in all aspects of employee share schemes, including Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI), share valuation and share plans. To find out how we can help you and your business, call William Franklin on 0121 348 7878 or email William at william.franklin@pettfranklin.com