When David Beckham moved to Real Madrid in 2003, the excitement was not limited to fans of the English midfielder. His move heralded a change in Spanish tax policy aimed at attracting wealthy and successful foreigners. The “Beckham Law”, as it became known, created generous tax breaks for overseas professionals living in Spain for up to six years.

Spain is not alone. As talented employees become increasingly mobile, personal taxation is a powerful influence on their choice of where to work. A growing number of countries, including Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, have tried to boost their economies by devising special tax breaks to attract footloose executives.