Following last month’s article about gender diversity, this month, MM&K will dive into a different area of diversity: age. Diversity is an increasingly important matter for companies of all kinds- but it is not just limited to race and gender.  In fact, age diversity may play a significant role with regard to managing key social…

February 25, 2021 Read more >

Six recent renewable energy start-ups have attracted more than £1bn in funding. It is clear to many that the development of renewable energy sources is essential for the planet. It is now also equally clear that investors are willing to put serious money behind viable renewable energy business ventures. Start-ups don’t have a monopoly on…

February 25, 2021 Read more >

Overview The Board oversees all strategic decisions within a company – it makes sense then for it to be composed of a diverse and representative range of individuals. Given that it can be a simpler process to find and appoint Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) compared to Executives Directors, there is seemingly an opportunity for companies to…

January 25, 2021 Read more >

Last month, the QCA published its updated guidance for remuneration committees. The guidance is well-written and contains useful guidance for small and medium-sized companies, with helpful examples. It also indicates a tougher regulatory regime for AIM companies. The guidance starts by defining an effective remuneration committee in the following terms: “Effective Remuneration Committees ensure both…

January 25, 2021 Read more >

January has started to become the time when the pay of executive directors (and in particular the pay of the CEO/Managing Director) comes into sharp focus.  Having waded through the initial headlines, the early signs about 2021 are that (probably unsurprisingly, given the economic conditions) CEO pay has broadly remained flat. As a result of…

January 25, 2021 Read more >

1. Introduction For so long as the UK was part of the European Union, some types of EU legislation such as Regulations and Decisions, were directly applicable as law in the UK pursuant to section 2(1) of the European Communities Act 1972. Other types of EU legislation such as Directives were implemented through domestic legislation.…

January 25, 2021 Read more >

The roller-coaster that was 2020:  The FTSE100 index entered 2020 at 7,542.40.  By the start of the first lockdown in March, it had dropped to 4,993.90, a fall of nearly 34%.  At the time of writing, the FTSE has risen to 6,572.18, up nearly 32% but still almost 13% below where it was at the…

December 22, 2020 Read more >

Introduction In July this year, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to carry out a review of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to ‘identify opportunities relating to administrative and technical issues as well as areas where the present rules can distort behaviour or do not meet their policy intent.’ Publication of…

November 27, 2020 Read more >

In this article, we review a recent report published by the QCA in conjunction with Henley Business School entitled “ESG in Small and Medium-sized Quoted Companies: Perceptions, Myths and Realities”. ESG (which to remind readers stands for “Environmental, Social and Governance”) has received huge coverage recently, which may have worn the patience of many readers…

November 27, 2020 Read more >

Our April newsletter included an article on restricted share schemes, in particular making reference to research from the Purposeful Company (published at the end of 2019) suggesting that a growing body of investors are willing to consider alternative remuneration structures (to the standard LTIP), if the Remuneration Committee can argue the strategic benefits of adopting…

November 27, 2020 Read more >

Whether or not you are a December year-end business, the unprecedented year that 2020 has become means that we think all businesses need to a have a good look at their remuneration policies and practices before heading into the New Year. “Making good promises” Did entry into “lockdown” cause you to make hard decisions regarding…

November 27, 2020 Read more >

A Non-Executive Director or NED is a member of the board of directors but not a part of the executive team. NEDs are external or independent directors who help the company to achieve its full potential through guidance and governance. In these strange times it is of the utmost importance for these key members of…

October 29, 2020 Read more >