Profile

Paul Cooper (Partner)

Paul is head of our Transactions Tax Team based in London. He and his team provide specialist tax advice to clients undertaking transactions.

Experience

Paul joined us at Grant Thornton in 2008. Previously he was Director of tax and structuring at Terra Firma Capital Partners and before that a tax partner at KPMG specialising in Transactions work. He also had a number of in-house roles in risk management, treasury and tax in the banking and telecoms industry.

Paul has a wide range of experience in Private Equity and corporate transactions in the UK and overseas including DDs, VDDs, IPOs, refinancings and demergers. Paul also advises Private Equity funds on structuring issues.

Paul's expertise covers:

  • International and UK tax due diligence (including vendor due diligence)
  • Buy side and sell side tax structuring for corporates, private equity funds and individuals
  • Particular experience in large international leveraged buy-outs and "public to private" transactions
  • Tax issues on IPOs and demergers 
  • Tax issues on refinancing (including securitisations and cram-downs)
  • UK capital gains tax planning particularly around the substantial shareholdings exemption
  • Structuring and advising on fund tax issues for infrastructure and private equity funds (including structuring carried interest for deal executives and sweet equity for management teams)
  • Particular sector experience in Private Equity, Telecoms, Media, Infrastructure, Utilities (Gas, Water, Ports), Renewable Energy, Hotels, Aircraft leasing and Real Estate

 

Qualifications

  • First class BSc Hons in Physics
  • FCA (ICAEW)
  • CIOT
  • AMCT
  • IMC
  • ASI (Islamic Finance Certificate)