Nick Hipwell

Nick has over 25 years' experience of advising companies on the design and implementation of employee incentive arrangements for a wide range of companies, incorporated and listed in many different countries, including many UK plc's. Over his career, Nick has advised multiple large companies in relation to their employee incentive plans operated across the world. He also has extensive experience of advising smaller main list and AIM companies as well as a wide range of private companies, including many PE and venture backed companies on incentive plans designed to deliver value on an 'Exit'.

Formerly a lawyer at a "magic circle" law firm, Nick leads DLA Piper’s Incentives team. Before joining DLA Piper, Nick was a Partner at a "Big 4" firm, heading the legal team which worked closely with its market leading executive compensation practice, gaining huge experience of reward and incentivisation issues. Along with leading remuneration consultants, for many years Nick has hosted a series of "reward agenda" dinners with company secretaries and heads of reward from a cross-section of UK plc companies to discuss and share knowledge and practice in relation to the reward, legal and governance issues that are on the agendas of the attendees.

Nick is recognised as a Leading Partner in Legal 500 and has received praise in the legal directories for being: a "true business partner" who "gives outcome-based advice", and a "stand out advisory contact in the market" with a "wealth of experience", who is “responsive, engaging and client focused”. He is also described as "a straight-talking adviser with decades of experience to back up his advice" and having “an amazing way of making the client always feel special, and always delivering expertise on time to the price stated”.