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SUP 10A.6 FCA governing functions

Introduction

SUP 10A.6.1GRP

Every firm will have one or more persons responsible for directing its affairs. These persons will be performing the FCA governing functions and will be required to be FCA-approved persons unless the application provisions in SUP 10A.1, or the particular description of an FCA controlled function, provide otherwise. For example, each director of a company incorporated under the Companies Acts will perform an FCA governing functions. However, if the firm is a PRA-authorised person, the governing functions do not apply. Instead, those persons will be performing the PRA governing functions and will be required to be PRA-approved person instead.

SUP 10A.6.2GRP

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

What the FCA governing functions include

SUP 10A.6.3RRP

Each of the FCA governing functions includes:

  1. (1)

    (where apportioned under SYSC 2.1.1 R or SYSC 4.3.1 R and SYSC 4.4.3 R):

    1. (a)

      the systems and controls function (if it applies to the firm); and

    2. (b)

      the significant management function;

  2. (2)

    (in respect of bidding in emissions auctions) that part of the customer function specified in SUP 10A.10.7R (7) (bidder’s representative).

This does not apply to the non-executive director function or the function described in SUP 10A.6.8 R.

SUP 10A.6.4GRP
  1. (1)

    The effect of SUP 10A.6.3 R is that a person who is approved to perform an FCA governing function will not have to be specifically FCA-approved to perform the systems and controls function or the significant management function or the part of the customer function specified in SUP 10A.10.7R (7). However, a person who is approved to perform an FCA governing function will have to be additionally FCA-approved before he can perform any of the FCA required functions or the customer function (except the part specified in SUP 10A.10.7R (7)).

  2. (2)

    SUP 10A.6.3 R does not apply to the non-executive director function. It does not apply to the director function if the only part of that function that the FCA-approved person is performing is the function described in SUP 10A.6.8 R.

SUP 10A.6.5G

A firm carrying on insurance mediation activity, 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). MIPRU 2.2.2 R (1) provides that the firm may allocate this responsibility to one or more of the persons performing an FCA governing function (other than the non-executive director function).

SUP 10A.6.6G

Where 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 FCA controlled function (see MIPRU 2.2.5 G).

Director function (CF1)

SUP 10A.6.7RRP

If a firm is a body corporate (other than a limited liability partnership), the director function is the function of acting in the capacity of a director (other than non-executive director) of that firm.

SUP 10A.6.8RRP
  1. (1)

    If a firm is a body corporate (other than a limited liability partnership), the director function is also the function of acting in the capacity of a person:

    1. (a)

      who is a director, partner, officer, member (if the parent undertaking or holding company is a limited liability partnership), senior manager, or employee of a parent undertaking or holding company of the firm; and

    2. (b)

      whose decisions or actions are regularly taken into account by the governing body of the firm.

  2. (2)

    (1) does not apply if that parent undertaking or holding company has a Part 4A permission or is regulated by an EEA regulator.

  3. (3)

    (1) does not apply to the function falling into SUP 10A.6.13 R (non-executive director of the parent undertaking or holding company).

SUP 10A.6.9GRP

Examples of where SUP 10A.6.8 R might 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); or

  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; or

  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; or

  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.

SUP 10A.6.10GRP

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

SUP 10A.6.11GRP

The director function does not apply in relation to a PRA-authorised person. PRA approval is required instead.

Non-executive director function (CF2)

SUP 10A.6.12RRP

If a firm is a body corporate, the non-executive director function is the function of acting in the capacity of a non-executive director of that firm.

SUP 10A.6.13RRP
  1. (1)

    If a firm is a body corporate, the non-executive director function is also the function of acting in the capacity of a person:

    1. (a)

      who is a non-executive director of a parent undertaking or holding company; and

    2. (b)

      whose decisions or actions are regularly taken into account by the governing body of the firm.

  2. (2)

    However, (1) does not apply if that parent undertaking or holding company has a Part 4A permission or is regulated by an EEA regulator.

SUP 10A.6.14GRP

Examples of where SUP 10A.6.13 R might 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; or

  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; or

  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; or

  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; or

  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.

SUP 10A.6.15GRP

The non-executive director function does not apply in relation to a PRA-authorised person. PRA approval is required instead.

Guidance on persons in a parent undertaking or holding company exercising significant influence

SUP 10A.6.16GRP
  1. (1)

    This paragraph explains the basis on which the director function and the non-executive director function are applied to persons who have a position with the firm's parent undertaking or holding company under SUP 10A.6.8 R or SUP 10A.6.13 R.

  2. (2)

    The basic position is set out in SUP 10A.3.4 G. As is the case with all controlled functions, SUP 10A.6.8 R and SUP 10A.6.13 R are subject to the overriding provisions in SUP 10A.3.1 R, which sets out the requirements of section 59(1) and (2) of the Act. This means that unless the firm has an arrangement permitting the performance of these roles by the persons concerned, these persons will not be performing these controlled functions. Therefore, the FCA accepts that there will be cases in which a person performing these roles will not require approval. However where there is such an arrangement the function may apply.

Chief executive function (CF3)

SUP 10A.6.17RRP

The chief executive function is the function of acting in the capacity of a chief executive of a firm.

SUP 10A.6.18GRP

This function is having the responsibility, alone or jointly with one or more others, under the immediate authority of the governing body:

  1. (1)

    for the conduct of the whole of the business (or relevant activities); or

  2. (2)

    in the case of a branch in the United Kingdom of an overseas firm, for the conduct of all of the activities subject to the UK regulatory system.

SUP 10A.6.19GRP

For a branch in the United Kingdom of an overseas firm, the FCA would not normally expect the overseas chief executive of the firm as a whole to be FCA-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 UK regulatory 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 10A.7.4 G).

SUP 10A.6.20GRP

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.

SUP 10A.6.21GRP

Note that a body corporate may be a chief executive. If so, it will need to be approved (if the firm in question is an FCA-authorised person) to perform the chief executive function.

SUP 10A.6.22GRP

The chief executive function does not apply in relation to a PRA-authorised person. PRA approval is required instead.

Partner function (CF4)

SUP 10A.6.23RRP
  1. (1)

    If a firm is a partnership, the partner function is the function of acting in the capacity of a partner in that firm.

  2. (2)

    If the principal purpose of the firm is to carry on one or more regulated activities, each partner performs the partner function.

  3. (3)

    If the principal purpose of the firm is other than to carry on regulated activities:

    1. (a)

      a partner performs the partner function to the extent only that he has responsibility for a regulated activity; and

    2. (b)

      a partner in a firm will be taken to have responsibility for each regulated activity except where the partnership has apportioned responsibility to another partner or group of partners.

SUP 10A.6.24GRP

Any apportionment referred to in SUP 10A.6.23R (3)(b) will have taken place under SYSC 2.1.1 R or SYSC 4.3.1 R and SYSC 4.4.3 R. The FCA 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).

SUP 10A.6.25GRP

The effect of SUP 10A.1.17 R is that regulated activity in SUP 10A.6.23 R (and elsewhere) is to be taken as not including an activity that is a non-mainstream 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 FCA-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.

SUP 10A.6.26RRP

If a firm is a limited liability partnership, the partner function extends to the firm as if the firm were a partnership and a member of the firm were a partner.

SUP 10A.6.27RRP

If a partnership is registered under the Limited Partnership Act 1907, the partner function does not extend to any function performed by a limited partner.

SUP 10A.6.28GRP

The partner function does not apply in relation to a PRA-authorised person. PRA approval is required instead.

Director of unincorporated association function (CF5)

SUP 10A.6.29RRP

If a firm is an unincorporated association, the director of unincorporated association function is the function of acting in the capacity of a director of the unincorporated association.

SUP 10A.6.30GRP

The director of unincorporated association function does not apply in relation to a PRA-authorised person. PRA approval is required instead. PRA approval is required instead.

Small friendly society function (CF6)

SUP 10A.6.31RRP
  1. (1)

    If a firm is a non-directive friendly society, the small friendly society function is the function of directing its affairs, either alone or jointly with others.

  2. (2)

    If the principal purpose of the firm is to carry on regulated activities, each person with responsibility for directing its affairs performs the FCA controlled function.

  3. (3)

    If the principal purpose of the firm is other than to carry on regulated activities, a person performs the small friendly society function only to the extent that he has responsibility for a regulated activity.

SUP 10A.6.32RRP
  1. (1)

    Each person on the non-directive friendly society's governing body will be taken to have responsibility for its regulated activities, unless the firm has apportioned this responsibility to one particular individual to whom it is reasonable to give this responsibility.

  2. (2)

    The individual need not be a member of the governing body.

SUP 10A.6.33GRP

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 FCA 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 FCA-approved person under SUP 10A.6.31 R.

SUP 10A.6.34GRP

In practice, the FCA expects that most non-directive friendly societies will be PRA-authorised persons. Where that is the case, the small friendly society function will not apply. PRA approval is required instead.