英国法上影子董事制度评述

Comment on Shadow Directors System in British Laws

英国《1980年公司法》正式使用"影子董事"一词,《1985年公司法》始有标准定义,并在《1986年公司董事资格剥夺法》、《1986年金融服务法》以及《1986年破产法》中进行相关规定。Re Tasbian Ltd(No.3)Official Receiver诉Nixon等典型判例反映了对影子董事定义的理解与使用。影子董事虽然不是董事,但依靠其在公司中的"地位"却能够指挥公司行为之人,如果其实际上进行了指挥,即应承担董事责任。从司法实践来看,影子董事责任主要出现于公司破产或无力偿付阶段,对于保护债权人利益具有积极意义。影子董事制度在保护公司债权人权益上确有其独到之处,我国相关立法、司法操作可资参考。

The term ＂shadow directors＂ was first addressed formally in the Companies Act 1980 of UK, and established a standard definition in the Companies Act 1985, and was later regulated in the Company Director Disqualification Act 1986, the Financial Services Act, and the Insolvency Act 1986. Cases such as the Official Receiver of Re Tasbian Ltd （No. 3 ） vs. Nixon demonstrated the explication and adoption of shadow directors. Though not as directors, shadow directors can control the operators of the company by virtue of their ＂position＂ in the company. Thus those actually controlled the operation of the company will assume the director＇ s liability. In judicial practice, the liability of shadow directors, which often imposed in bankruptcy or in- solvency of the company, has a particular positive effect in protecting the creditors＇ interests, from which we can take reference in our country＇ s pertinent legislation and judicial operation.