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Carillion: a director’s strict duty to know the company’s true financial position?

18 March 2024 / Author(s): Andrew Thompson KC , Philip Morrison
Issue: January 2024 / Categories: Feature

The Secretary of State recently argued in high profile disqualification proceedings that directors owe a freestanding, strict legal duty to know a company’s true financial position at all times while holding the office of director. This article argues that this position is clearly wrong as a matter of law, would be inconsistent with the directors’ duties in the Companies Act 2006, and would be fundamentally impractical and impossible to comply with.

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