Key Takeaways
- • BC Partners' Europe chairman Nikos Stathopoulos is reportedly relocating from Britain to Greece, where the buyout firm plans to open an Athens office, though the office has not yet opened.
- • Greek Law 5313/2026 taxes carried interest at 15%, but qualifying managers who change tax residence can pay 5% for seven years, conditional on Greek employers incurring at least €3 million in annual operating costs in Greece.
- • The UK continues to tax carried interest as trading income subject to Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance from April 6, 2026, with 72.5% of eligible net profits treated as taxable income; the autumn 2026 budget made no changes.
- • European PE and VC funds raised €68 billion in H1 2026 (up 6% year on year), but investment fell 35% to €43 billion; these figures are Europe-wide and do not show fresh inflows into Greece.
Summary
Nikos Stathopoulos, chairman for Europe of BC Partners, is reportedly relocating from Britain to Greece, where the buyout firm plans to open an Athens office. According to a person familiar with the firm, the move was driven by specific business goals rather than Greek tax incentives. Neither Stathopoulos nor BC Partners has commented publicly. The firm already invests in Greece through Pet City, a pet retailer, and Alphabet, an education services provider.
Greek Law 5313/2026 sets carried interest tax at 15%. Fund managers who meet certain conditions and change their tax residence may pay a reduced 5% rate for the first seven years of new residence, starting from the year they apply. A key condition is an annual expenditure obligation: the Greek employer must incur at least €3 million in operating costs in Greece, which EY notes can be met by spending €250,000 per month. Shorter qualifying periods are prorated. Eligible managers must comply with employment and tax-residency rules and apply via myAADE. Managing funds from Greece does not, by itself, make foreign funds Greek tax residents.
By contrast, the United Kingdom has treated carried interest as trading income subject to Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance since April 6, 2026. Under HMRC rules, 72.5% of eligible net profits is taxed as income; this is a multiplication factor rather than a rate. The UK government's autumn 2026 budget made no new changes to carried-interest taxation. Reports indicate hedge-fund manager Chris Rokos has left the UK for Greece, though it remains unclear whether other professionals will follow.
European private equity and venture capital funds raised €68 billion in the first half of 2026, up 6% year on year, with buyout fundraising rising to €54 billion from €42 billion. Actual investment, however, fell 35% to €43 billion. A survey found 43% of investors expected to increase European allocations due to US trade policy, while 30% planned to reduce US exposure. These figures apply to Europe as a whole and do not indicate fund inflows into Greece.
Separately, Cryptopolitan reported that Binance sought a Greek license for EU expansion, citing talent and security. That decision was unrelated to carried-interest taxes, but both developments point to Athens' ambitions as a financial-services hub.
Greek Law 5313/2026 sets carried interest tax at 15%. Fund managers who meet certain conditions and change their tax residence may pay a reduced 5% rate for the first seven years of new residence, starting from the year they apply. A key condition is an annual expenditure obligation: the Greek employer must incur at least €3 million in operating costs in Greece, which EY notes can be met by spending €250,000 per month. Shorter qualifying periods are prorated. Eligible managers must comply with employment and tax-residency rules and apply via myAADE. Managing funds from Greece does not, by itself, make foreign funds Greek tax residents.
By contrast, the United Kingdom has treated carried interest as trading income subject to Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance since April 6, 2026. Under HMRC rules, 72.5% of eligible net profits is taxed as income; this is a multiplication factor rather than a rate. The UK government's autumn 2026 budget made no new changes to carried-interest taxation. Reports indicate hedge-fund manager Chris Rokos has left the UK for Greece, though it remains unclear whether other professionals will follow.
European private equity and venture capital funds raised €68 billion in the first half of 2026, up 6% year on year, with buyout fundraising rising to €54 billion from €42 billion. Actual investment, however, fell 35% to €43 billion. A survey found 43% of investors expected to increase European allocations due to US trade policy, while 30% planned to reduce US exposure. These figures apply to Europe as a whole and do not indicate fund inflows into Greece.
Separately, Cryptopolitan reported that Binance sought a Greek license for EU expansion, citing talent and security. That decision was unrelated to carried-interest taxes, but both developments point to Athens' ambitions as a financial-services hub.
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