SUP 10.6 Governing functions

Every firm will have one or more persons responsible for directing its affairs. These persons will be performing the governing functions and will be required to be approved persons unless the application provisions in SUP 10.1, or the particular description of a controlled function, provide otherwise. For example, each director of a company incorporated under the Companies Acts will perform the governing function in relation to that company.

10A sole trader does not fall within the description of the governing functions.

The effect of SUP 10.6.2 R and SUP 10.6.2A R16 is that a person who is approved to perform a governing function (other than the non-executive function and the function described in SUP 10.6.4 R (2))13 will not have to be specifically approved to perform the systems and controls function,16 the significant management function10 or the part of the customer function specified in SUP 10.10.7AR (7). However, a16 person who is approved to perform a governing function will have to be additionally approved before he can perform any of the required functions or the customer function7 (except the part specified in SUP 10.10.7AR (7)).16

4610A firm carrying on insurance mediation activity11, other than a sole trader, must allocate to a director or senior manager the responsibility for the firm's insurance mediation activity (MIPRU 2.2.1 R)11.610MIPRU 2.2.2 R (1)610 provides that the firm may allocate this responsibility to one or more of the persons performing a governing function (other than the non-executive director function)5.

4Where a person performing a governing function is also responsible for the firm's insurance mediation activity, the words "(insurance mediation)" will be inserted after the relevant controlled function (see 610MIPRU 2.2.5 G610).

Examples of where SUP 10.6.4 R (2) would apply include (but are not limited to):

1. (1)

   a chairman of an audit committee of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm where that audit committee is working for that UK firm (that is, functioning as the audit committee for the group); or13

2. (2)

   a director (other than a non-executive director) of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm exercising significant influence by way of his involvement in taking decisions for that UK firm; or13

3. (3)

   an individual (such as a senior manager) of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm who is responsible for and/or has significant influence in setting the objectives for and the remuneration of executive directors of that UK firm; or13

4. (4)

   an individual who is a director (other than a non-executive director) or a senior manager of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm who is accustomed to influencing the operations of that UK firm, and acts in a manner in which it can reasonably be expected that an executive director or senior manager of that UK firm would act; or

5. (5)

   an individual of an overseas firm which maintains an establishment in the United Kingdom from which regulated activities are carried on where that individual has responsibilities for those regulated activities which are likely to enable him to exercise significant influence over the UK branch.15

A director can be a body corporate and may accordingly require approval as an approved person in the same way as a natural person may require approval.

Examples of where SUP 10.6.8 R (1)(b) would apply include (but are not limited to):

1. (1)

   an individual who is a non-executive director of a parent undertaking or holding company who takes an active role in the running of the business of a UK firm, for example, as a member of a board or committee (on audit or remuneration) of that firm; or13

2. (2)

   an individual who is a non-executive director of a parent undertaking or holding company having significant influence in setting and monitoring the business strategy of the UK firm; or13

3. (3)

   an individual who is a non-executive director of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm involved in carrying out responsibilities such as scrutinising the approach of executive management, performance, or standards of conduct of the UK firm; or13

4. (4)

   an individual who is a non-executive director of a parent undertaking or holding company of a UK firm who is accustomed to influence the operations of the UK firm, and acts in a way in which it can reasonably be expected that a non-executive director of the UK firm would act; or13

5. (5)

   an individual who is a non-executive director of an overseas firm which maintains a branch in the United Kingdom from which regulated activities are carried on where that individual has responsibilities for those regulated activities which are likely to enable him to exercise significant influence over the UK branch. 1315

1. (1)

   This paragraph explains the basis on which the director function and non-executive director function are applied to persons who have a position with the firm's parent undertaking or holding company under SUP 10.6.4 R (2) or SUP 10.6.8 R (1)(b).13

2. (2)

   The basic position is set out in SUP 10.3.4 G. As is the case with all controlled functions, SUP 10.6.4 R (2) and SUP 10.6.8 R (1)(b) are subject to the overriding provisions in SUP 10.3.1 R, which sets out the requirements of sections 59(1) and (2) of the Act. This means that unless the firm has an arrangement or a contract permitting the performance of these roles by the persons concerned, these persons will not be performing these controlled functions. Therefore, the FSA accepts that there will be cases in which a person performing these roles will not require approval.13

3. (3)

   However the FSA expects that in general a person who performs these roles will perform the director function or the non-executive director function. This is because the FSA would expect that a firm that allows major decisions to be taken by a group decision-making body will do so on the basis of a formal delegation from the firm's governing body. This delegation will amount to an arrangement for the purposes of section 59 of the Act.15

This function is having the responsibility, alone or jointly with one or more others, under the immediate authority of the governing body, for the conduct of the whole of the business (or relevant activities); or, in the case of a branch in the United Kingdom of an overseas firm, for all of the activities subject to the UK regulatory system.

For a branch in the United Kingdom of an overseas firm, the FSA would not normally expect the overseas chief executive of the firm as a whole to be approved for this function where there is a senior manager under him with specific responsibility for those activities of the branch which are subject to the UKregulatory system. In some circumstances, the person within the firm responsible for UK operations may, if the function is likely to enable him to exercise significant influence over the branch, also perform the chief executive function (see SUP 10.7.4 G).

A person performing the chief executive function may be a member of the governing body but need not be. If the chairman of the governing body is also the chief executive, he will be discharging this function. If the responsibility is divided between more than one person but not shared, there is no person exercising the chief executive function. But if that responsibility is discharged jointly by more than one person, each of those persons will be performing the chief executive function.

Note that a body corporate may be a chief executive. If so, it will need to be approved to perform the chief executive function.

Any apportionment referred to in SUP 10.6.17 R (3)(b) will have taken place under SYSC 2.1.1 R or SYSC 4.3.1 R and SYSC 4.4.3 R.12 The FSA may ask to see details of the apportionment but will not require, as a matter of course, a copy of the material which records this (see SYSC 2.2).

The effect of SUP 10.1.18 R is that regulated activity in SUP 10.6.17 R (and elsewhere) is to be taken as not including an activity that is a non-mainstream exempt regulated activity. Therefore, a partner whose only regulated activities are incidental to his professional services, in a partnership whose principal purpose is to carry on other than regulated activities, need not be an approved person. What amounts to the principal purpose of the firm is a matter of fact in each case having regard to all the circumstances, including the activities of the firm as a whole. Any regulated activities which such a partner carries on are not within the description of the partner function.

1. (1)

   Typically a non-directive friendly Society will appoint a "committee of management" to direct its affairs. However, the governing arrangements may be informal and flexible. If this is the case, the FSA would expect the society to resolve to give responsibility for the carrying on of regulated activities to one individual who is appropriate in all the circumstances. That individual may, for example, have the title of chief executive or similar. The individual would have to be an approved person under SUP 10.6.26 R.

2. (2)

   Any apportionment of responsibilities will have taken place under SYSC 2.1.1 R. The FSA may ask to see details of the apportionment but will not require, as a matter of course, a copy of the material which records this (seeSYSC 2.2).