Ltd/LLP Is it possible to hide directors names?

[jxm28788]

Is suspect not, but it's worth asking...

I run a Ltd company and sell goods online, supplied by a large manufacturer.

Myself and a friend wish to start a business selling goods online from the manufacturers competitor. We know that other resellers supplied by this large manufacturer have suddenly found it more difficult to obtain rebates, discounts and other deals from this manufacturer when they started selling (more profitable) products from this competitor.

Rather than add the competitors products to my existing website the plan would be to start a new website under a different ltd co (or possibly llp). However, I recognise that as directors names are public it would be possible/probable that our ownership of this company would get back to our current manufacturer leading to possible loss of benefits.

So is there any way to obscure our ownership of the Ltd co or LLP? Perhaps use a partner/friend as the director but just give them no actual ownership of the company? Or are there services that will set up the ltd co/llp for us with them as the owner but we are the effective owners, if that make sense? Basically is there any way to set up a UK Ltd company or LLP without our names being splashed all over the companies house website?

 

[HFE Signs]

No, you have to be listed on companies house by law

 

[The Resolver]

Nominee directorships were possible not so long ago but the People With Significant Control (PSC) disclosure rules put paid to that. Addresses cna be hiddden from public view. More than that Companies House do understand that sometimes there are genuine reasons to hide names. s790 of the Companies Act 2006 specifically gives power to CH to enable non-disclosure. For example, they can be persuaded not to reveal all PSC information if the reason involves the business being one that has been targeted by activists, or being in the defence industry, or doing animal testing or another 'appropriate reason'. They have applied cover where directors did not want their employers to know. What do you sell? Anything to attract the interest of Just Stop Oil or Peta?

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

So it's a purely online company. And you can be based anywhere? And you are trading internationally, not just the UK?

Have you considered setting up offshore? Years ago, when it was completely legal to do so, I set up a bank account and company offshore with someone else as a nominal head. A friend of mine did me a favour as we've known each other a very long time and he somehow ended up as head of fiduciary at a major bank in Switzerland. The govt changed all the regulation around this but he still does stuff like this for a price.

One of my customers, a multi-billion dollar software firm is headquartered in the Bahamas. Another in Switzerland. Another in Luxembourg. So it's pretty commonplace amongst big corps trying to make the most of efficient tax planning.

 

[jxm28788]

So it's a purely online company. And you can be based anywhere? And you are trading internationally, not just the UK?

Have you considered setting up offshore? Years ago, when it was completely legal to do so, I set up a bank account and company offshore with someone else as a nominal head. A friend of mine did me a favour as we've known each other a very long time and he somehow ended up as head of fiduciary at a major bank in Switzerland. The govt changed all the regulation around this but he still does stuff like this for a price.

One of my customers, a multi-billion dollar software firm is headquartered in the Bahamas. Another in Switzerland. Another in Luxembourg. So it's pretty commonplace amongst big corps trying to make the most of efficient tax planning.

Sounds like it would be expensive and a hassle (foreign company, foreign bank account (it's difficult enough to open an account in this country these days!), foreign accountant, foreign taxes). Also, our specific customers would be expecting a UK company, so this isn't really an option for all those reasons.

 

[jxm28788]

An option that I've heard mentioned is for one person to be the (publicly visible) director and owner of the business, but then another "hidden" partner can be set up in a trust, to benefit form the company without being publicly exposed.

But I'm not really clear how that works...