Adding or removing a director at Companies House: what Arab directors need to know

Adding a new director, removing an existing one, or updating a director's details are among the most common changes Arab directors make to their UK companies — and among the most commonly handled incorrectly. The rule is straightforward: any change to your company's officers must be notified to Companies House within 14 days of the change taking effect. Miss that window and the public record is inaccurate. Companies House does not send automatic reminders, and there is no grace period.

To appoint a new director, the process requires a board resolution (a formal decision by the existing directors), completion of form AP01 (for individuals), and submission to Companies House via WebFiling or through your accountant or agent. The new director must consent to the appointment in writing. From the date of appointment, the new director has all the legal duties of a director under the Companies Act 2006: the duty to act in the company's interests, to exercise reasonable care and skill, to avoid conflicts of interest, and to comply with all Companies House and HMRC filing obligations. These duties are not diminished by the fact that the director lives abroad.

To remove a director, the company needs a board resolution or, in some circumstances, an ordinary resolution of the shareholders. Removal is notified to Companies House via form TM01. The removed director's details remain on the public register permanently — Companies House keeps a historical record of all past officers — but the 'current director' status is updated. A point that catches Arab directors out: removing a director does not automatically remove their access to any company bank accounts, Companies House WebFiling credentials, or third-party services. Those access revocations must be handled separately, manually, for each system.

Director details — address, date of birth, nationality — can also become outdated on the register. If a director moves home, changes their service address, or changes their name, that update must be filed within the same 14-day window. A common scenario for Arab directors: a director relocates from the UAE to Saudi Arabia, or updates their residential address, but never notifies Companies House. The public register shows an outdated address. This creates a discrepancy that can surface during bank due diligence, partner checks, or HMRC correspondence matching.

Director ID verification links to appointment. For companies with new directors appointed after November 2025, the incoming director must verify their identity through an ACSP or the government's own system before or at the point of appointment. An unverified director appointed after the mandatory date will appear on the register with an 'unverified' notation, which is publicly visible. Fileminder handles director changes as part of our ongoing client service — board resolutions, Companies House submissions, and verification where required.