UK Private Limited Companies
UK private limited companies must have at least one director at all time during its existence. There is currently no upper limit.
Since 6th April 2008, there is no longer a requirement to have a minimum of one company secretary. Where the company opts to have a secretary and there is a single director, then the secretary must be another person.
Essentially, this means that only one person or corporate entity is required to register a limited company, or where the option is taken to appoint a secretary, this number then increases to a minimum of two.
Public Limited Companies
Public limited companies must have a minimum of two directors and at least one secretary, which remains unchanged from pre 6th April 2008.
The secretary must have the required qualifications or degrees of experience before the appointment will be ratified by Companies House.
The criteria for becoming a secretary of a public limited company is that the person should be a member of either one of the recognised accountancy bodies, a chartered secretary of have the requisite experience gained from a previous appointment in a PLC.
There are no such prerequisites relating to directors of either a private or public limited company.
Corporate Officers
It is possible for one company to be a director or secretary of another. Company A Limited can be appointed as a director of Company B.
It is not possible (permissible) for a company to be a director or secretary of itself. This Company A could not be a secretary of Company A.
Corporate officers are often used in a nominee capacity, whereby the person incorporating the company wished to remain anonymous or does not wish to use an associate as a company officer.
