Practice area · Company structures
Holding and trading structures that fit how you operate
Holding and trading architecture, restructuring and economic substance across the UK, Switzerland and the UAE — designed around the way your business actually works.
Who we advise
- Groups adding a UK, Swiss or UAE entity and needing to decide where it sits.
- Businesses whose entities no longer reflect how they operate after years of growth.
- Founders separating trading activity from holding and investment assets.
What we look at
- Group architecture: holding, trading and investment layers and the role of each company.
- Economic substance: where decisions are made, where people sit and what each jurisdiction expects.
- Governance and documentation that keep the structure coherent as it changes.
From design to redesign
Whether you are building a structure from scratch or untangling one that grew by accident, the approach is the same: map what exists, agree what should exist, and coordinate the steps with the relevant specialists in each jurisdiction.
How we work with you
- 01
Diagnosis
We analyse your activity, markets, current structure and shareholder residency to understand the full picture.
- 02
Design
We propose the model and the structure that supports it — across the UK, Switzerland, the UAE or wherever your plans take you.
- 03
Execution
We coordinate the agreed steps — entities, substance, contracts, banking — with the relevant specialists.
- 04
Management
We stay alongside you as the business runs: governance, compliance, reporting and ongoing optimisation.
Common questions
Which jurisdiction should hold the group?
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It depends on the activity, the shareholders' residency and where value is created. We compare the UK, Swiss and UAE options against your situation and explain the trade-offs before recommending one.
What is economic substance?
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Substance means the real activity — people, decisions, risks — sits where the structure says it sits. Jurisdictions increasingly expect it, and we design structures with substance in mind rather than after the fact.
Can you restructure an existing group?
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Yes — that is a core service. We map the current entities, design the target structure and coordinate implementation. For the dedicated page, see Company restructuring under Related.
How long does a redesign take?
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It depends on the number of entities and jurisdictions. A simple two-company adjustment is a matter of weeks; a multi-country redesign is a staged project. We agree the sequence with you before anything moves.
Auditaxes UK provides consulting and coordination services. Where a step requires a regulated professional — for example a lawyer, notary, auditor or licensed adviser — we coordinate with qualified professionals in our international network or with your own advisers.
Related
Tell us how your group is organised today
Write to us with a short description of your situation and goals. We will reply to arrange an initial consultation with the right consultant.
contact@auditaxes.uk