The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is looking at how it treats directors’ addresses in the Companies Register as part of its deliberations on whether to introduce a director identification number.
General manager, commerce, consumers and communications, James Hartley says MBIE wants feedback on a discussion document on this issue.
“It is important that people who are doing business with a company are able to contact its directors. Directors’ residential addresses are publicly available on the companies register so people can send them documents about the company or to serve legal papers. Residential addresses also help users to distinguish between directors with the same name and identify other companies they hold directorships for,” says Hartley in a media release.
“But at a time when information is so readily available over the internet, individuals are becoming more conscious about their personal information being accessible.”
This discussion document focuses on directors’ concerns about their residential address being publicly available on the companies register. It follows a consultation last year about the possible introduction of a unique identification number for all company directors.
“As part of our work on the possible introduction of a director identification number, we have the opportunity to look at the settings for the publication of residential addresses and consider potential options. Under the two options identified, directors would have to provide an address for service to ensure that the public can still contact them.
“I encourage people with an interest in this issue to provide feedback, which will inform what measures are put in place,” says Hartley.
More information on the discussion document and how to provide feedback at http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/business/business-law/supporting-the-integrity-of-the-corporate-governance-system
