Follow us

Mark specialises in remuneration and employee incentives, advising listed and private companies.

Mark is a co-author of Employee Share Schemes published by Bloomsbury Professional; a contributor to Revenue Law – Principles and Practice on the taxation of share plans; and author of the United Kingdom chapter on share plans in Employee Share Plans: International Legal and Tax Issues published by Globe Law and Business.

Mark's experience is particularly in the establishment and operation of cash- and share-based incentive arrangements for listed and private companies. 

Accolades

"Mark Ife is exceptional – whip smart, pragmatic and gives quick, commercially aware advice. He is a pleasure to partner with." Legal 500 UK 2024

"Mark is very commercially astute, pragmatic and responsive. He provides excellent advice that often challenges our own thinking." Chambers UK 2024

"Mark is client-focused and solution-oriented." Chambers UK 2024

Background

Mark advises on the share scheme aspects of corporate transactions, including takeovers, IPOs, rights issues, demergers and schemes of arrangement.

He also advises on the remuneration aspects of executive recruitment and termination and financial institutions on the implementation and effect of the FSA's Remuneration Code.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

  • BlueBay Asset Management on the share-scheme aspects of its £963 million takeover by Royal Bank of Canada and day-to-day advisory work
  • Arriva on the employee incentives aspects of its £1.6 billion recommended takeover by Deutsche Bahn AG
  • Resolution on the share-scheme aspects of merger proposals made by Friends Provident, Standard Life and the ultimately successful bid by Pearl Group
  • Serica and Veolia on the establishment of new all-employee share plans approved by HM Revenue & Customs
  • British American Tobacco on the operation of its various incentive arrangements in more than 100 countries.