Directors

Directors are appointed to manage a company.

Almost anyone can be a director of a limited company, providing they are aged 16 or over, have not been declared bankrupt and are not legally disqualified from being a director.

The Companies Act 2006 requires a minimum of 1 director to form a limited company. There is no limit to the number of directors permitted.

No, you do not have to be a UK resident to be a director of a limited company.

A corporate body or company can be a director of another company, but it cannot be the only director – there must be at least one other director who is a ‘natural’ person. However, as per the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2016, it will no longer be possible to appoint a corporate director to a limited company from October 2015. Exceptions in certain group structure will be the subject of separate regulation.

Directors are not required to own any shares in the company they run, but they are permitted to. Similarly, a shareholder is not required to be a director, but they are allowed to be.

Directors are responsible for running a company lawfully and trying to make it successful. They must follow company rules, make decisions for the company’s benefit, maintain records and file accurate accounts and returns on time.

Shareholders can add a new director at any time after company incorporation. This can be done online using our admin portal (free of charge), and the information is sent to Companies House for approval.

A director can be removed from a company by a majority vote from the shareholders, or disqualified by a court or governing body. If the terms of the director’s contract or a shareholders’ agreement are breached, a director may be entitled to damages.