Business publisher Informa is the latest UK business to swell the ranks of Swiss tax exiles.

It joins other major UK companies, including fellow business publisher UBM, advertising group WPP, pharma giant Shire, workplaces provider Regus and insurers Beazley and Brit Insurance. A number of foreign companies, including Google, have relocated their European HQ out of the UK.

Informa is to restructure so it can be tax resident in Switzerland. The board chose the Alpine refuge because of its highly stable political and economic environment, plus a less complex taxation system which offers upfront certainty of treatment. Critically perhaps, it does not seek to impose tax on the unremitted profits of subsidiary companies in other jurisdictions.

The proposed changes to UK tax law, which take effect from 1 July, would have a 'detrimental' and 'material' impact on the group's tax position, said Informa. The move will enable the company to keep its tax rate at 26-27% compared with 30-31% if it stays in the UK.

The group intends to reorganise its corporate structure by creating a new parent company to be incorporated in Jersey. The parent company’s shares will be listed on the London Stock Exchange.