- UK companies have three legal routes to hire employees in India: set up a Pvt Ltd subsidiary in 2 to 6 months, use an Employer of Record in 5 to 10 business days, or engage contractors with classification risk under both jurisdictions.
- Total monthly cost per Indian employee through an EOR runs £1,500 to £4,500, covering gross salary in GBP, 13 to 15% statutory contributions (PF, ESI, gratuity), and the EOR fee. Most UK CFOs underestimate the statutory layer.
- The UK-India DTAA prevents double taxation, but UK companies can still trigger Permanent Establishment risk if Indian staff conclude contracts or run sales. EOR structures with support-function staff typically keep UK profits outside India's tax net.
- EOR works for the first 1 to 25 employees in India. The cost crossover sits at roughly 25 to 40 employees, where a Pvt Ltd subsidiary starts paying for itself, especially with GCC plans, Indian customer revenue, or ESOP rollouts.
Scaling your UK company into India? Talk to our India experts today.
Wondering how we wrote this? See our research methodology.
For a UK company hiring employees in India, the real question is no longer whether to hire there. It is which legal structure protects you from HMRC scrutiny, Permanent Establishment risk, and the IR35-style misclassification traps that catch most first-time hirers.
This guide walks you through the three legal hiring options, real GBP cost breakdowns, UK-India DTAA mechanics, and the 25 to 40 employee threshold where EOR stops making sense. By the end, you will have a defensible answer for your CFO.
Why are UK companies hiring employees in India in 2026?
UK companies are hiring in India because the maths has shifted. Post-Brexit talent costs have climbed across London and Manchester. IR35 reforms have squeezed the contractor pool. India now offers a deeper engineering bench at 60 to 70% lower fully loaded cost than UK equivalents.
The cost arbitrage is the headline. A mid-level software engineer in Bengaluru costs roughly £15,000 to £25,000 base, against £55,000 to £85,000 in London. A senior engineer in Hyderabad runs £25,000 to £45,000, where the UK equivalent crosses £90,000.
For a Series A SaaS startup burning £400,000 a month, three Indian senior engineers free up enough runway to fund two more London hires. That is real money, not theoretical savings.
The talent depth is the second pillar. India produces around 1.5 million engineering graduates a year, the largest STEM pipeline globally. English is built into business and higher education, so UK companies hiring foreign employees face no language friction.
India produces 2.5 million or more STEM graduates annually, giving UK companies access to one of the deepest talent pipelines globally. (Source: Wisemonk India IT Services Report 2026)
Time zone alignment helps too. India sits 4.5 to 5.5 hours ahead of UK time. That leaves three to four hours of live overlap each day for standups, code reviews, and pairing.
The third driver is structural. Three forces are pushing UK firms offshore at the same time:
- Post-Brexit access to EU talent has tightened
- IR35 has shrunk the pool of UK contractors willing to take fixed engagements
- Salary inflation in UK tech hubs has outpaced funding rounds
Together, these pressures make India less of an experiment and more of a default for UK companies hiring engineers in 2026.
Once UK companies decide India is the answer, the next question is how to do it legally.
What are the three ways a UK company can legally hire in India?
A UK company has three legal routes to hire employees in India: set up its own legal entity in India, use an Employer of Record (EOR), or engage independent contractors. Each carries a different trade-off across setup time, capital commitment, control, and compliance burden.
Option 1: Set up an Indian subsidiary.
The UK company incorporates a Private Limited company (Pvt Ltd) or wholly owned subsidiary, becoming the parent of an Indian legal entity. Setup runs 2 to 6 months and costs £4,500 to £14,000, plus ongoing ROC filings, GST returns, and statutory contributions. Best for UK companies committed to 25+ Indian employees, GCC plans, or invoicing Indian customers directly.
Option 2: Use an Employer of Record.
A third-party Indian entity becomes the legal employer of record on Indian soil. The UK company directs day-to-day work; the EOR handles employment contracts, payroll management, statutory benefits, and termination compliance. Onboarding takes 5 to 10 business days, with no entity setup, no FEMA registration, no ongoing Indian compliance burden on the UK side.
Recommended read: Employer of Record vs Subsidiary in India: Business Expansion Strategy
Option 3: Engage independent contractors.
Fast and flexible for project work, but carries serious worker classification risk under both Indian labor laws and UK IR35 rules. Suitable for short, defined-scope engagements with multiple clients, not for full-time roles where the UK company controls hours, tools, and integration.
Which option fits which UK company?
| Factor | Subsidiary | EOR | Contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 2 to 6 months | 5 to 10 days | 1 to 3 days |
| Upfront cost | £4,500 to £14,000 | £0 | £0 |
| Monthly overhead | £1,400 to £2,800 | £80 to £960 per employee | Invoice based |
| Compliance burden | High (UK side) | None (UK side) | Medium (classification risk) |
| Ideal headcount | 25+ employees | 1 to 25 employees | 1 to 3 short-term |
| Control | Full | Full operational | Limited |
The decision usually comes down to headcount plans and timeline. UK companies hiring their first 1 to 25 employees in India almost always start with EOR, then evaluate entity setup once they cross the threshold.
When you're ready to scale, read the guide on transitioning from EOR to a legal entity or compare the costs directly with the EOR vs. entity calculator.
That makes EOR the path most UK companies actually walk, so it is worth understanding exactly how it works.
How does an Employer of Record work for UK companies?
An Employer of Record acts as the legal employer of your Indian hires while you direct their daily work. The EOR signs the employment contracts, runs payroll management in INR, deducts and remits PF, ESI, and TDS, and handles statutory benefits. The UK company keeps full operational control over what gets built, by whom, and how performance is judged.
Across 300+ companies and 2,000+ employees, with $20M+ in annual payroll moving through our platform, here's how the split actually plays out in practice.
What the EOR handles, and what stays with the UK company
The cleanest way to think about the split is legal employer versus operational employer. The EOR is the legal employer in India. The UK company is the operational employer everywhere else.
| UK company owns | EOR owns |
|---|---|
| Candidate selection and interviews | Employment contracts under Indian law |
| Compensation and offer decisions | Monthly payroll in INR |
| Day-to-day management and performance | PF, ESI, TDS, gratuity, professional tax |
| Project assignments and goals | Statutory leaves, maternity, POSH compliance |
| Tools, equipment, access | Termination handling, full and final settlement |
| HMRC reporting on the EOR invoice | Indian tax filings and labour tribunal exposure |
Read more: Employer of Record UK: Guide to Hiring Without Entity
The UK side stays light. You receive a single monthly invoice in GBP or USD, book it as a deductible business expense, and your Indian employees never appear on UK payroll, PAYE, or HMRC records.
What the EOR onboarding timeline looks like
Onboarding typically runs 5 to 10 business days from offer acceptance to first day of work. Day 1 to 2 covers contract issuance and background checks. Day 3 to 5 covers PF, ESI, and bank account setup. Day 6 to 10 covers equipment dispatch, system access, and induction.
For UK companies that need a hire live before the next sprint or board meeting, the EOR speed advantage over entity setup (months) is decisive.
That speed comes at a cost, and UK CFOs want the GBP number, not the brochure.
What does it actually cost a UK company to hire in India?
The total cost to hire an employee in India through an EOR runs roughly £1,500 to £4,500 per month, all in. That figure breaks into three layers: gross salary in GBP terms, statutory employer contributions of 13 to 15% on top, and the EOR fee itself. Most UK CFOs underestimate the second layer, which is where budgets quietly slip.
At a broader level, a mid-level IT engineer in India costs roughly $20,000 annually compared to $130,000 in the US, a ~6.5x cost difference. (Source: Wisemonk India IT Services Report 2026)
What are typical Indian salary ranges by role in GBP?
Salary depends on role, seniority, and city. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune sit at the top of the tech salary band; Tier 2 cities run 20 to 30% lower for equivalent talent. The numbers below reflect base salary only, before statutory contributions.
| Role | City | Base salary (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-level software engineer | Bengaluru | £15,000 to £25,000 |
| Senior software engineer | Hyderabad | £25,000 to £45,000 |
| Engineering manager | Bengaluru / Pune | £45,000 to £70,000 |
| Finance manager | Mumbai / Gurgaon | £18,000 to £30,000 |
| Customer service representatives | Tier 2 cities | £6,000 to £12,000 |
| Product designer | Bengaluru | £18,000 to £35,000 |
These ranges reflect Wisemonk's active payroll across 300+ client companies in India as of 2026.
For comparison, the same senior engineer costs £90,000+ base in London before NI, pension, and equipment.
Want a quick cost breakdown? Check out our blog on “How Much Does it Cost to Hire Developers in India?”.
What employer-side statutory costs apply on top of salary?
Statutory contributions add a predictable 13 to 15% to gross salary cost. The Employees Provident Fund (PF) takes 12% of basic salary as employer contribution. Employee State Insurance (ESI) adds 3.25% of gross for employees earning under ₹21,000 per month. Gratuity provisioning runs roughly 4.81% of basic salary. Professional tax varies by state and rarely exceeds £25 per month per employee.
Plus 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the EOR invoice, which UK companies cannot reclaim under Indian tax regulations.
To understand where these costs come from, see how India salary structures work or run your numbers with the India salary calculator.
How does the total cost compare between EOR and entity at different headcounts?
At 1 to 5 employees, EOR wins decisively. Worked example for a senior engineer at £30,000 base:
- Gross salary: £30,000 / year (£2,500 / month)
- Statutory contributions (~14%): £4,200 / year (£350 / month)
- EOR fee at $199 / month: ~£155 / month (£1,860 / year)
- Total: ~£36,060 / year (£3,005 / month)
At 25 to 40 employees, the cost crossover starts. EOR fees scale linearly, while entity fixed costs do not. Above 40 employees, a Pvt Ltd subsidiary typically costs less per head, though it adds compliance overhead the EOR was absorbing.
For a UK Series A hiring three senior engineers, the all-in annual spend lands at roughly £108,000, against £320,000 for the same three roles in London. That is 12 to 15 months of additional runway recovered.
Check out: EOR vs Entity in India: Cost, Timeline & When to Switch
The cost case closes the EOR question. The compliance case is what keeps it open.
Which Indian labour and compliance laws should UK employers know?
UK employers hiring in India operate under a layered system: four central labour codes, state-specific Shops and Establishments Acts across 28 states, and statutory contribution rules that apply uniformly. Most non-compliance penalties stem from missed PF or ESI deadlines, incorrect TDS deductions, or termination missteps, not from misunderstanding the headline laws.
Having handled compliance for 300+ companies and 2,000+ employees across India, processing $20M+ in annual payroll, here's where UK employers most often get caught off guard.
What do the new 2026 Labour Codes change for UK employers?
India is consolidating 40+ legacy laws into four codes: the Code on Wages, Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code, and Occupational Safety Code. Rollout is staggered through 2026. The biggest shifts for UK employers: gratuity now applies to fixed-term contracts after 1 year (down from 5), social security coverage extends to gig and contractor workers, and the definition of "wages" is standardised across statutes. Translation: the cost base under temporary contracts goes up, and worker classification gets harder to defend.
Which statutory contributions and deductions are mandatory?
Five mandatory employer obligations cover most of the compliance load:
- Provident Fund (PF): 12% employer + 12% employee on basic salary, mandatory for establishments with 20+ employees
- Employee State Insurance (ESI): 3.25% employer + 0.75% employee for those earning under ₹21,000 / month
- Gratuity: Lump sum after 5 years of continuous service (1 year for fixed-term under the new codes)
- Tax Deducted at Source (TDS): Monthly income tax withheld on salary, Form 16 issued annually
- Professional tax: State-level, varies; not levied in every state
How do state-level rules add complexity?
Each state has its own Shops and Establishments Act governing working hours, leave, and notice periods. Karnataka allows 48-hour weeks, Maharashtra caps at 48 with stricter overtime, Delhi mandates separate registrations. The Equal Remuneration Act, POSH Act on sexual harassment, and Industrial Disputes Act apply nationwide, but local registrations and labour welfare fund contributions vary. Termination of 100+ employee establishments requires state government approval before retrenchment.
Read also: Minimum Wage in India 2026 in INR & USD: Employer Guide
The compliance picture only sharpens once UK tax considerations enter the frame.
How does the UK-India tax treaty (DTAA) affect cross-border hiring?
The UK-India Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) prevents the same income from being taxed in both countries. For UK companies hiring employees in India, the practical question is not whether double taxation gets resolved, but whether the hiring structure accidentally creates a Permanent Establishment (PE) in India and pulls UK profits into the Indian tax net.
What is Permanent Establishment risk and when does it apply?
PE risk is the single biggest tax exposure for UK companies hiring in India without proper structure. Under the DTAA and the Indian Income Tax Act, a foreign company creates a PE in India when its activities there cross into substantive business presence. If triggered, the UK company's India-attributable profits become taxable in India at 40% plus surcharge, on top of any UK corporation tax owed.
PE typically gets triggered by one of three patterns:
- Fixed place PE: A UK company maintains a physical office, warehouse, or branch in India
- Agency PE: An Indian-based individual habitually negotiates or concludes contracts on behalf of the UK company
- Service PE: UK employees or dependent agents provide services in India for more than 90 days in a 12-month period
How does an EOR mitigate PE risk?
When an EOR is the legal employer of the Indian staff and those staff perform ancillary or support functions (development, back-office, customer service representatives), the UK company typically does not trigger PE. The EOR carries the Indian employment relationship; the UK company does not have a physical presence, dependent agent, or contract-concluding authority in India.
This is not absolute protection. PE risk is a fact-specific test. Indian tax authorities look at substance, not labels. An "EOR employee" who negotiates contracts with Indian customers, signs deals on behalf of the UK parent, or runs a sales territory can still create agency PE. The protection holds when Indian staff support the UK business rather than represent it.
Dive deeper: What is Permanent Establishment Risk in India & How to Avoid It?
What does the UK company actually report to HMRC?
The UK side stays clean. The EOR invoice (typically issued in GBP or USD) is booked as a deductible business expense for UK corporation tax purposes. The Indian employees are not on UK payroll, do not require UK National Insurance numbers, and are not subject to HMRC PAYE.
Three reporting obligations remain on the UK side:
- Corporation tax return: EOR fees claimed as expense
- Transfer pricing documentation: If the structure involves an Indian subsidiary or related-party arrangement
- R&D tax credits: Indian engineering work generally does not qualify for UK R&D relief (work must be performed by UK staff)
What about TDS on contractor payments?
UK companies paying Indian freelancers directly (without an EOR) typically face a 10% TDS withholding under Indian rules, plus 18% GST on the invoice, neither of which UK companies can reclaim under Indian tax laws.
Tax structure resolved, the next question is which workers belong on payroll versus contract.
How should UK companies handle worker classification in India?
UK companies hiring in India face the same classification trap they already know from IR35 at home: engaging "contractors" who functionally behave like employees. Indian authorities, like HMRC, look at substance over form. A worker treated as a contractor on paper but managed as an employee in practice triggers backdated PF, ESI, gratuity, and labour tribunal exposure, plus possible FEMA violations on the UK side.
How do Indian classification rules compare with UK IR35?
The factor tests are remarkably similar. Both jurisdictions look at control, integration, exclusivity, and substance. UK readers already understand the framework; only the labels differ.
| Test factor | UK IR35 | Indian classification |
|---|---|---|
| Control over work | Right of control by client | Direction of work by employer |
| Working hours | Fixed hours suggest employment | Set hours suggest employment |
| Tools and equipment | Provided by client = inside | Provided by employer = employee |
| Exclusivity | Single client = inside | Single client = strong indicator |
| Integration | Part of client's team | Integrated into operations |
| Substitution | Right to substitute = outside | Personal service expected = employee |
| Length of relationship | Long, ongoing = inside | Continuous = employment relationship |
If the engagement looks "inside IR35" under UK rules, it almost certainly fails Indian classification too.
What are the consequences of misclassification in India?
Misclassification consequences stack quickly. Indian authorities can claim backdated PF and ESI contributions for the entire engagement period, gratuity exposure if the relationship exceeded the threshold, and TDS recovery on payments treated as contractor invoices. Employee disputes in labour tribunals can claim wrongful termination, unpaid statutory benefits, and reinstatement. On the UK side, FEMA violations can flag the UK company as conducting unauthorised business in India without registration.
When should a UK company convert a contractor to an EOR employee?
Move to EOR the moment the engagement looks like employment. Triggers: fixed working hours, exclusivity, integration into team rituals (standups, OKRs, performance reviews), employer-supplied equipment, ongoing role with no defined end. Contractors only fit defined-scope, deliverable-based, multi-client engagements.
To understand this in detail, read our guide on how to convert a contractor to an employee.
Once classification is resolved, IP and data protection become the next exposure to close.
How do UK companies protect IP and data when hiring in India?
UK companies hiring in India have stronger IP protection than most assume. Indian law defaults to employer ownership of IP created during employment, India is a signatory to TRIPS, Berne, and Paris Conventions, and Indian courts enforce IP rights against domestic infringers. The exposure is rarely the law itself; it is the employment contracts, NDAs, and data flows that get drafted casually.
What clauses must be in an Indian employment contract?
Five clauses are non-negotiable in every Indian employment contract:
- IP assignment: Explicit assignment of all work product, code, designs, and inventions to the UK company or its Indian EOR
- Confidentiality: Survives termination indefinitely for trade secrets, time-bound (typically 2 to 3 years) for commercial information
- Non-disclosure: Signed at offer stage, before any code or customer data is shared
- Return of property: Equipment, code repositories, customer data, credentials returned within 7 days of exit
- Moral rights waiver: Specific to creative work; Indian copyright law recognises moral rights separately from economic rights
Non-compete clauses are largely unenforceable under Indian law beyond the term of employment. Non-solicitation clauses hold up better but are still narrowly construed.
How do UK GDPR and India's DPDP Act interact?
UK companies processing personal data of UK residents through Indian staff must satisfy UK GDPR transfer rules. Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) typically cover the EOR arrangement. India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 adds local obligations on consent and purpose limitation, which the EOR contract should reference.
With IP and data closed off, the strategic question becomes when to graduate from EOR to a UK company's own Indian entity.
When should a UK company switch from EOR to its own Indian entity?
The cost crossover point sits at roughly 25 to 40 full-time employees. Below that, EOR fees are cheaper than running a Pvt Ltd subsidiary with its compliance overhead. Above 40, the per-employee economics flip and entity setup starts paying for itself, even before strategic factors enter the calculation.
We've guided 300+ companies through this decision, manage 2,000+ employees today, and process $20M+ in annual payroll, so here's the threshold we actually see clients cross.
What is the cost crossover point between EOR and entity?
At 1 to 25 employees, EOR wins on cost and speed. At 25 to 40, the maths gets close. Above 40, a Pvt Ltd subsidiary typically costs less per head, accounting for incorporation (£4,500 to £14,000 one-off), monthly compliance overhead (£1,400 to £2,800), and statutory contributions you would pay either way.
But cost is rarely the only trigger. Strategic reasons that push UK companies toward entity setup before the cost crossover:
- GCC plans: Building a Global Capability Centre with 50+ engineers, leadership, and shared services
- Indian customer revenue: Need to invoice Indian customers directly, which an EOR cannot do
- IP centralisation: Holding patents, trademarks, or critical IP in an Indian entity for tax or legal reasons
- Equity grants: Issuing ESOPs to Indian employees through an Indian entity (cleaner than cross-border grants)
- Acquisitions: Acquiring an Indian company, which requires a domestic acquirer
How does a UK company transition staff from an EOR to its own Indian entity?
Most specialist India EORs support the migration. Employment contracts get reissued under the new entity, PF accounts move via UAN portability, gratuity continuity is preserved, and ESI registrations transfer. Setup runs 2 to 6 weeks; full operational readiness typically lands at 2 to 3 months.
Many UK companies run a hybrid during the transition window: new entity hires core staff, EOR continues for the rest until cutover.
That covers the lifecycle. The remaining question is which India partner makes that lifecycle smooth for a UK company specifically.
How does Wisemonk help UK companies hire in India?
Wisemonk is an India-native EOR built for global companies hiring in India, including UK companies that have decided India is the answer and now need a partner that goes deeper than a generalist global platform. We're not a global EOR with India as one of 90 countries.
India is the only country we work in, which is why our compliance, payroll, and HR support go deeper than the alternatives, especially when your UK company is hiring its first 1 to 25 employees in India and the simple version of EOR stops being enough.
What this looks like for a UK founder, COO, or Head of People hiring employees in India:
- One human contact, not a ticket queue: we assign a dedicated HR manager who knows your team and handles the routing-layer work that would otherwise sit on the founder.
- End-to-end Indian compliance built for the breakpoints: we handle PF, ESI, gratuity, TDS, Professional Tax, POSH, Shops & Establishments, Labour Welfare Fund, and the new 2026 Labour Codes across every Indian state.
- Multi-state payroll built for scale: we run state-wise Professional Tax filings, leave-without-pay pro-rating, full-and-final settlements, and audit-grade payslip trails, with exchange-rate transparency at the transaction level.
- India-specific employment contracts and IP assignment: we draft contracts using India-compliant notice periods, IP language that holds up under Indian law, and clauses aligned to state Shops & Establishments rules, not generic templates copied over.
- Transparent pricing with no hidden FX markups: we invoice clearly, with exchange rates visible at every transaction, so your finance team can forecast spend without surprises.
- EOR + internal HR layer, in-house: when you cross 25 employees and need a local HR lead with real authority, we help you hire and onboard one through our EOR. Same partner, more capacity, no vendor switch.
- Path to your own entity when the maths flips: we transition your team from EOR to your own Pvt Ltd entity when headcount crosses 25 to 40. Same employees, same continuity, no re-papering pain.
If you're a UK founder, COO, or Head of People whose India team is somewhere between the first hire and 25 employees and starting to feel the pain this article describes, this is built for you.
See why UK companies pick Wisemonk for India
India-only specialisation, dedicated HR managers, multi-state compliance depth, and a partner who scales with you from first hire to your own entity
Voices from Our Clients
"Process was professional & very smooth. We've worked with Wisemonk to source developers in India and it's worked incredibly well for us. We are very pleased with the talent of the developers and the Wisemonk process was professional and very smooth. We highly recommend using Wisemonk for talent sourcing!" - Gear Fisher, Co-founder at Onform, USA
"I'm very Happy that I discovered Wisemonk. They have been a pure pleasure to work with, and their attention to detail is impressive. They helped us understand their pricing model, find top-qualified individuals, interview them, and then onboard them. I gave them criteria for the type of people we sought, and they delivered. The individuals they were able to find have been some of the best engineers I have ever worked with. I recommend Wisemonk to anyone who is in need of staffing assistance." - Dan Sampson, Head of Engineering at Cobu, USA
Frequently asked questions
Can a UK company hire employees in India without setting up a local entity?
Yes. A UK company can legally hire employees in India through an Employer of Record without a local entity, FEMA registration, or PAN/TAN. The EOR holds those registrations and acts as the legal employer, while the UK company directs daily work and decisions.
Do UK companies pay tax in India when they hire Indian employees?
It depends on the structure. With an EOR, the UK company itself usually does not become an Indian taxpayer, subject to Permanent Establishment risk. With a subsidiary, the Indian entity pays Indian corporate tax. The UK-India DTAA prevents double taxation across both jurisdictions.
How do UK companies find qualified candidates in India?
Most UK companies hiring in India use a mix of online job portals (Naukri, LinkedIn), recruitment agencies, and employee referrals. Skilled workers in tech and engineering hubs respond well to direct sourcing. An EOR partner can also support sourcing alongside payroll and compliance.
What is the minimum salary for hiring employees in India?
Minimum wages vary by state and role category, typically ranging from £100 to £250 per month for unskilled work. For skilled workers in tech, finance, or operations, market salaries far exceed statutory minimums, so minimum wages rarely affect UK companies hiring professional roles.
What employee benefits do UK companies typically offer in India?
Beyond statutory benefits (PF, ESI, gratuity), UK companies typically add private health insurance and medical insurance for the employee and dependents, paid leave above statutory minimums, performance bonuses, and professional development opportunities. These extras drive employee satisfaction and improve retention in India's competitive market.
Do Indian employees hired by UK companies need an employment visa?
No. Indian employees working from India for a UK company do not need an employment visa. They live and work in India under Indian law. Employment visas only apply if you are sending UK staff to work in India, which is a separate process.
How does an EOR support performance management and engagement?
A good EOR handles the legal employment layer (contracts, payroll, statutory benefits) while the UK company runs performance management, goal-setting, and employee engagement directly. The EOR can administer appraisal cycles, leave tracking, and exit processes, but day-to-day people leadership stays with the UK company.
