Directors
Company law

Directors are responsible for the administration of a company, caring for its assets, ensuring that the company complies with the obligations imposed by the Companies Acts. In doing so, directors attend board meetings to allow the company to function and vote at those meetings.

If a company is to have a chairman or managing director, they are elected by the board of directors. These posts must be provided for in the articles of association, and they are included by default in the Table A articles.

Individuals may be disqualified from being a director of a company where they conduct themselves in a manner that is seen to be inappropriate for a person in charge of a company and its assets. The DTI usually pursues these applications. Undischarged bankrupts and auditors of the company may also not be a director of a company.

Public companies must have two directors, and private companies may have one provided the articles of association permit it. In single member companies, another person must be the company secretary.

Directors have the responsibility to ensure that the accounts, annual returns, appointed directors & secretaries and changes to the registered office are maintained with Companies House. Failures to update Companies House is a criminal offence, and repeated failures may disqualifiy a person from holding office as a director of a company.

Restrictions may be placed in the articles of association to put in place qualification criterion for directors of a company, which may relate to the nationality, share holdings or country of residence.