公司法outcome3

1.Adirectorhastwotypesofduty.Oneisknownasafiduciaryduty.Thismeansthatthedirectorhasapositionoftrustandmustactinthebestinterestsofthecompany.Theotherisadutytoactasaprofessional,tocarryoutdutieswithcareandskillandnottoactnegligently.Therearecircumstanceswhichstopapersonfrombeingadirector.Age,adirectorcannotbeolderthan70andmustretirefromofficeonreachingthisage.Specificrules,thecompanycanplacespecificrequirementsontheirdirectorsinthearticles.Rulescanalsobemadetoremovesomeonefromoffice,e.g.ifnotattendingrequiredboardmeeting,ifcertifiedinsane,ifdeclaredbankrupt,etc.Requiredtobeashareholder,althoughlegallyadirectordoesnothavetoholdsharesinthecompany,thecompanyrulesthemselvesmayrequirethis.Thedirectormustbuythespecifiedamountofshareswithintwomonthsoftakingupoffice.Illegalconduct,ifaUKcourthasfoundaDirectorguiltyofanoffence,theycanissueanordertodisqualifythemfromoffice.Bankruptcy,itisillegalforsomeonetobecomeadirectoriftheyarean‘underchargedbankrupt’.Whenthecompanyissetup,therewillusuallybeatleasttwodirectors.Signedagreementstoactasadirectormustbeincludedinthedocumentsdeliveredtotheregistrarofcompanies.Apersonmayberegardedasacompanydirectorifformallyappointedtotheboardandmaybe:non-executivedirector,amemberoftheboardofdirectorsbutnormallytakingnopartinthedaytodayrunningofthecompany.Theyareoftenappointedtoprovidethecompanywithanobjective/experiencedvoiceontheboard.Executivedirector,thistermisusuallyusedtodescribeapersonwhoisamemberofthecompany’sboardaccompaniedwithday-to-dayresponsibilities.Theyusuallyhavepowertoactasanagentofthecompany.2.Thecompanysecretary’sdutiesaredecidedbythecompany’sboardofmanagement.Thesewillnormallyinclude:dealingwiththenecessarypaperworkandreturnstotheregistrarofcompaniesatcompanieshouse;keepingthememorandumandarticlesuptodate;checkingthatthecompanycomplieswithcurrentlegislation;thepreparationanddispatchofthecompany’sannualreturnandreports;communicatingwiththestockexchange;maintainingtheregisterofmembers—loggingexistingshareholders,dealingwithsharetransfersandissuingcertificatesofownership;issuingdividendstoshareholders;maintainingothercompanyregisters—registersofcharges,registersofdirectorsandtheirinterests;preparingforvariouscompanymeeting—scriptingagendas,notifyingattendeesandorganizingtherelevantpapers;takingminutesatthemeetingsanddistributingtheseafterwards;actingasawitnessfortheauthenticityofcompanydocumentationandlookingaftersecuredocuments;providinglegaladvicetotheboard;dealingwithrequestsforinformationfrommembersofthepublic,thegovernmentorotherinterestedparties.Thedifferencebetweenpubliccompanysecretaryandprivatecompanysecretaryisnoqualificationsarenecessarytobecomethecompanysecretaryofaprivatecompany,butinpubliccompany,strictqualificationsarenecessarytobecomethecompanysecretary.3.AnewcompanyhasalittlemoretimetobeginholdingitsAnnualGeneralMeetings(18monthsfromincorporation),butthereafterthetimingmustbeonceayear.Therecanbenomorethan15monthsbetweensuccessiveannualgeneralmeetings.ThismeetinggivesmemberstheopportunitytovoicetheiropinionontherunningofthecompanyandputthesetotheDirectorsTherearenostrictlegalastowhatisincludedinthemeeting.However,thefollowingissuesareusuallycovered:theelectionandretirementofcompanydirectors;declarationoftheshareholders’dividendsforthatyear;considerationofthecompanyyear-endaccounts.Thedirectorswillpresenttheaccountstotheshareholdersandreportontheprofitsorlossesofthecompany;theshareholderswillbeabletoquestionthedirectorsontheirdecisions;attheAGMofapubliccompany,theboardofmanagementwillreportonthepayandbenefitsaffordedtothedirectorsandasktheshareholderstoapprovethisreport.ExtraordinaryGeneralMeetingsincludeallofthesamepeopleastheAnnualGeneralMeetingbutcanbeheldinadditiontotheyearlyAGM.TheDirectorswilldecideiftheywishtoconveneanEGMtodiscusscertaincompanydecisionswiththemembers,orwhetherthisbusinesscanwaituntilthenextAGM.4.Ordinaryresolution:where50%ormoreofthemembersattendingvoteinfavouroftheproposal—asimplemajorityofthevote.Thesearethemostcommonresolutions.Extraordinaryresolution:thisrequires75%ormoreofthevote.Thevotesarethoseofthemembersattendingandvotescastbyproxies.Noticemustbegiventoshareholdersthatthistypeofmotionistobeconsideredatthemeeting.IfthemotionistobeincludedinanAGM,then21cleardays,noticeisrequired.IfthemotionistobeincludedisanEGM,andthen14daysclear,noticeisnecessary.