Local and foreign investors
opening companies in Ireland need to comply with various formalities among which the appointment of directors and managers. For this purpose, they can also use
nominee directors in Ireland.
Below, our company formation specialists in Ireland explain the main requirements related to appointing managers and directors. We are also at your service with nominee director solutions.
Appointment of company directors in Ireland
The Companies Act of 2014and a company's Articles of Association play a significant role in determining who can be appointed as a director. A single director is permitted for a
private business limited by shares. Other categories of Irish businesses need a minimum of 2 directors, however the law does not specify a limited number of officers.
However, there is also a restriction on how many times a person can hold this position in Irish-registered businesses. Namely, an individual may not serve as a local director in more than 25 Irish enterprises.
The first directors are chosen at the time of the company's registration, and those listed on Form A1 will be regarded as having been appointed as initial directors. In order to avoid being asked for an insurance bond or a certificate from the Registrar of Companies stating that the firm has a sufficient economic link with Ireland, every locally registered company must have at least one director who is a resident of an EEA member state. A person is only permitted to serve as a director of Irish registered companies for a certain period of time.
Considering the appointment of company officers is one of the first stages when incorporating a business, many foreign entrepreneurs decide to use nominee directors in Ireland.
Our
company registration advisors in Ireland can offer detailed information about
nominee services.
The residency of company directors in Ireland
According to the
Companies Law in Ireland,
companies are required to have a resident director.
The director must be an Irish resident or a resident of an EEA (European Economic Area) country. According Section 44 (8) in the Company Act, a director is considered a resident if he or she is present in Ireland or in an EEA country:
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- for at least 183 days in 12 months,
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- one more times amounting up to 183 days in a 12 month period.
What are the duties of Irish resident directors?
The
duties and responsibilities of Irish resident directors are established by the Companies Act. The Companies Act ,
resident directors of Irish companies have common law duties and statutory duties.
The common law duties of resident directors in Ireland refer to:
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- exercising their power in a good faith and in the best interest of the company,
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- not disclosing confidential information or make personal profits from such information,
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- to exercise their functions with care, skill and appropriate diligence.
The
statutory duties of resident directors of Irish companies as company officers are:
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- to maintain the account records,
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- the prepare annual financial accounts,
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- the make sure an annual audit is carried out,
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- to maintain all relevant registers and documents,
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- to make public certain personal information,
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- to assemble the company’s general meetings,
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- duties regarding certain financial transactions,
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- to discharge any duty arisen from liquidation or insolvency procedures.
Please note we are also at your disposal with nominee services in Ireland.
Types of resident directors in Ireland
The Irish legislation allows for the following types of resident directors:
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- the shadow director that is usually a holder of the majority shares in the company has a great influence over appointed directors,
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- the alternate director appointed to act on behalf of the director while absent,
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- the
executive director that are involved in the daily management of the
Irish company,
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- the non-executive director that are independent directors from outside the company.
Replacement of directors in Ireland
Irish company directors can be appointed for a limited duration, however, their replacement can occur during a general meeting of the shareholder. For this purpose, a notice of appointment and the consent of the new director must be obtained. The documents can be filed with the Companies Registration Office no later than 21 days from the appointment of the new manager.
This procedure does not apply to nominee directors in Ireland, however, it is worth considering such services because they are easy to obtain.
Using nominee directors in Ireland
In
Ireland, a
nominee company director is a person who is hired by the company owners to obtain the authorization to conduct business here. The nominee director will serve as a non-executive corporate officer. They lack any authority over corporate decisions or access to
company's bank accounts. In rare circumstances, if a candidate and the company agree, the nominee's address may be recorded as the company's registered address.
The information about a nominated company director is available to the general public and may be accessed in all official records and places like the Company Registration Office.
Foreign investments in Ireland
Ireland is one of the most appealing investment destinations in Europe, hosting a great number of headquarters of some of the largest corporations in the world. According to the
latest statistics:
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- at the level of 2021, there were more than 1,600 foreign companies operating in Ireland;
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- they employed more than 250,000 workers;
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- the foreign investments made by these companies represent around 20% of the country’s economy.
For complete information about all the
requirements for qualifying as a resident director, please
contact our
specialists in company incorporation in Ireland.