Leeds Conference 2026: Building on Manchester's Success as Northern Advisors Navigate the New Tax Landscape

PCD Group Returns to Yorkshire on 3 March with Expanded Agenda Addressing Critical Issues Facing HNW Clients

Following October's Manchester Conference, which examined the evolving challenges of wealth planning under Labour, PCD Group returns to Leeds on Tuesday, 3 March 2026 at Aspire—the organisation's first Yorkshire event since 2019.

The return to Leeds reflects increased interest in wealth sector activity across the North, with Yorkshire and North East advisors seeking practical guidance on navigating unprecedented regulatory and tax changes. With an expanded agenda covering everything from business exits and international relocation to landed estates and family office trends, the one-day conference addresses the critical issues facing wealth professionals and their HNW clients.

The Manchester Foundation

The Manchester Conference in October established several themes that will resonate throughout the Leeds programme. Christopher Noel's opening keynote painted a stark picture of the evolving tax landscape, predicting CGT rates rising to 25-28%, possible restrictions on private residence relief, and the seven-year gifting period extending to ten years. His analysis of the £1 million cap on Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief created particular urgency for business owners and farmers facing the April 2026 implementation deadline.

The "Entrepreneurs & Exits" panel delivered the conference's most striking statistic: predictions of 16,000 millionaires leaving the UK in 2025—the largest outflow of any nationality globally. As Andrew Perchtold from Henley & Partners observed, even three-generation family businesses are now deliberately ensuring liquidity events don't take place in the UK.

Perhaps most tellingly, Anne Baggesen from Charterhouse Lombard captured the fundamental shift in the succession planning session: "In the past, a lot of planning was around tax or it was about where can I put this money so that someone else doesn't see it. Then every conversation was about estate planning and succession planning. It's starting to talk about tax a lot more now."

This return to tax-driven planning—after years of more holistic family wealth strategies—will inform every session at the Leeds Conference.

Isle of Man: Strategic Partner

The Leeds Conference launches with a welcome from Finance Isle of Man and Locate Isle of Man, reflecting the Crown Dependency's increasingly important role in UK wealth advisory. As highlighted in Manchester's discussions, the Isle of Man consistently receives praise for well-aligned trust laws, robust regulation, and effective firewall provisions that provide genuine asset protection.

The Island's presence as opening sponsor signals its commitment to the Northern advisory community and recognizes the growing importance of Crown Dependencies in comprehensive wealth planning strategies. With offshore structures coming under increasing scrutiny—both from HMRC and English divorce courts—the Isle of Man's reputation for transparency and substance has never been more valuable.

Morning Programme: Urgent Priorities

The Leeds agenda opens with Chris Etherington from RSM delivering the keynote on "Wealth Planning Under Labour," examining the policy changes reshaping HNW strategies. This follows naturally from Christopher Noel's Manchester presentation, providing updated analysis as the government continues managing its £30 billion shortfall.

Etherington continues directly into the "Entrepreneurs & Exits" session alongside Mark Brown from UBP, addressing current market conditions, structuring options for optimal exits, and crucially, international migration options for UK business owners. Following Manchester's revelations about sophisticated deferral structures using holding companies, this session will provide practical guidance for entrepreneurs weighing the stay-or-go dilemma.

The International Relocation session brings together Paul Bricknell from Kuits and Anne Baggesen alongside Alison Teare and a confirmed HNW relocator to the Isle of Man. This panel addresses the adviser's perspective on what truly matters to HNWIs choosing jurisdictions—covering drivers of selection, speed and transparency expectations, and critical substance and governance considerations. In Manchester, the panel exposed the profound irony of UK tax advisors recommending offshore structures for optimal efficiency, creating what one attendee described as "the worst of all possible worlds."

The morning concludes with Succession Planning & Wealth Transfer, featuring Anne Baggesen, Catherine French from DQ, Ellie Milner from Mills & Reeve, and Laura Clapton from Consilia Legal. This session directly builds on Manchester's discussions about the rise of Family Investment Companies, the challenges facing legacy offshore structures, and the growing importance of prenuptial agreements in protecting family wealth.

Afternoon Deep Dives

The post-lunch programme addresses specialized areas of increasing importance. The Landed Estates session tackles heritage, succession, and innovation for estate management—particularly urgent given the April 2026 implementation of agricultural relief changes discussed extensively in Manchester.

A UK & International Pensions Update covers cross-border considerations, QROPS, and pension planning for relocating clients—critical as pensions enter the inheritance tax net from April 2027. The Private Capital Investment Trends session examines PE, VC, sustainable investment, and philanthropy, while the Family Office panel explores regional trends and international linkages.

Confirmed speakers include Phil Harris from Coppice, Ruben Sinha from JMW (who provided powerful insights on divorce court attacks on offshore structures in Manchester), and representatives from major firms including KPMG.

Why Leeds Matters Now

The timing of the Leeds Conference could not be more critical. The April 2026 implementation of BPR and APR caps creates an urgent planning window. As Paul Bricknell emphasized in Manchester, the headline 20% rate masks a reality "potentially nearer to 30%" when accounting for dividend taxes required to extract funds for IHT payments.

For family-owned businesses, the competitive implications are profound. International competitors without generational 30% tax charges will enjoy structural advantages over UK family enterprises.

Yet as Stuart Stobie noted in Manchester, many entrepreneurs stay not for tax reasons but because "they still want to grow the company. They still have an affinity with this country." The Leeds Conference provides the strategic framework these committed entrepreneurs need—balancing growth ambitions with intelligent tax planning and asset protection.

Northern Network Advantage

Beyond the formal programme, the Leeds Conference offers unparalleled networking opportunities with Yorkshire and North East wealth professionals. From registration coffee through the afternoon reception, delegates will connect with the region's leading tax advisors, wealth managers, family lawyers, trustees, and private bankers.

The Manchester Conference demonstrated that regional gatherings foster more substantive conversations than London-centric events. Northern advisors share similar client bases, face common challenges, and increasingly collaborate across disciplines to

deliver comprehensive solutions.

Securing Your Place

With Manchester's insights informing an agenda that addresses the most pressing issues facing HNW advisors, early registration is encouraged. The intimate format at Aspire enables genuine dialogue between speakers and delegates—the kind of nuanced discussion that leads to actionable strategies rather than theoretical frameworks.

Full details and registration: https://www.pcd.group/conferences/leeds-2026

As the wealth advisory landscape continues its transformation, the Leeds Conference offers Northern professionals essential insights, practical strategies, and valuable connections precisely when they're needed most. The conversations begun in Manchester will continue in Leeds—with the collaborative spirit that defines PCD Group's unique approach to professional development.

Tuesday, 3 March 2026 | Aspire, Leeds

The future of Northern wealth advisory begins here.