Last updated Nov 08, 2024 and written by Admin

Appointing Company Directors

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What Happens After Company Formation?

 

Once you have registered your company the next step in the company formation process is appointing your Company Officers. Company’s officers are appointed members of the company who are formally named as Company Director and Company Secretary in the Articles of Association. 

As stated in the Articles of Association, to comply with company formation legal requirements, Company Directors must be appointed at the point of company formation and their names and personal addresses detailing in the company registration documents It is a legal requirement for company officers to be in place at all times and for their names and current addresses to be written on the registration documents

Company Directors

Your company must have at least one director, but you can have multiple directors. Your director must be over 16. They do not have to live in the UK but all companies must have a UK registered office address.

A company director's name and personal information are publically available on the Companies House register. 

The Company Director is responsible for ensuring that the company conducts itself in accordance to what was stated in the Articles of Association. They are the managers of the company. Though the Companies Act offers no definitive list of what a Company Director’s responsibilities are, the roles outlined below are commonly thought fall under the jurisdiction of Director’s responsibility. 

Responsibilities of a Director

  • Manage a Companies accounts
  • File an annual confirmation statement with Companies House
  • Inform Companies House of a change of directors or secretaries
  • Notice of change of registered office
  • File annual accounts with Companies House

Though there are no formal requirements for being a company director, there are a couple of restrictions. You cannot hold a directorship if:

  • You are an undischarged bankrupt
  • You have been prohibited by a court from holding a directorship
  • You are under 16

Appointing a Company Secretary 

You do not need a company secretary for a private limited company. Some companies use them to take on some of the directors’ responsibilities. The company secretary can be a director but they cannot be: 

  • The person who audits a company 
  • an 'undischarged bankrupt'

Don't forget: even if you have a company secretary, the director(s) are still legally responsible for the company. The buck stops with them. Therefore, it is essential for a director to fulfill their duties or face penalities.