A global guide to business relocation

Considering relocating your operations

There are a number of cost and commercial reasons why a group may consider relocating, but it is also important to understand the consequences.

The key to successful business relocation is early planning, clear commercial objectives and careful execution. This guide provides pragmatic advice for executives, including outlining the drivers of relocation, the types of activity commonly relocated and the commercial, cost and tax factors of popular relocation destinations.

The highest profile cases involve full corporate migrations or inversions. However the options are numerous and the right answer may be much simpler, from setting up a regional hub to offshoring support services.

Key highlights

• companies from large multinationals to entrepreneurial businesses are relocating part or all of their operations to new territories for cost and commercial reasons
• relocating can impact operational, legal and tax affairs of the business so careful planning is essential
• access to markets, simplified compliance and cost savings are cited as key reasons why businesses relocate
• companies' relocating decisions will be impacted by the ever changing world of tax rules such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Developments (OECDs) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)  initiative.

This guide includes detailed country profiles across 26 countries and an overview of an additional  32 countries. With the current considerable complexity, mitigating risk is crucial. Grant Thornton has significant experience in advising clients on how their businesses can benefit from relocation. Talk to your local firm about how Grant Thornton can help your organisation reach its growth potential.