Buying Shares in Employer

[Big_Dan]

I've been offered the opportunity to buy some shares in my Employer. It's a limited Co, I don't believe these shares would have voting rights / dividends etc

We already have an EMI scheme, which I am a part of, and this is outside of that

Understanding the risk of investing my money in my employer (in that I loose my investment and my PAYE job if it goes pop) what's the most cost effective (tax efficient) was of handing them some cash and getting the shares?

I considered buying them via my own Ltd co I have some cash in, but that seemed fraught with danger on a previous thread from 2010! Is this still the case?

Clearly I am gambling on buying them cheap and getting the money when the Co is sold to a competitor. Or something. Profits would go into my pension (subject to limits etc)

[sociopath]

YMMV but having gone through the rigmarole of selling a minority stake in a non public company when my mother died, I'd stick my money somewhere else.

You don't get any rights and they'll bend you over and tear you a new one you when you try to sell.

[aspender]

Too fraught with risk and uncertainty. Your holding will no doubt get diluted down over time and what’s the real likelihood of a crystallisation/exit event? Simpler and more reliable ways to invest your money.

[Big_Dan]

Thanks all - only I can speculate whether it's a gamble worth taking (I believe it is)

What's the most cost effective (tax efficient) was of handing them some cash and getting the shares?