Appointing a chairman
The term 'chairman' is used here as it is the statutory term and the that used in both the Model Articles and Table A.
Statutory provisions
Model articles provisions
Table A provisions
Statutory provisions
The only statutory regulation is in Companies Act 2006, sec319:
Sec319 Chairman of meeting
(1) A member may be elected to be the chairman of a general meeting by a resolution of the company passed at the meeting.
(2) Subsection (1) is subject to any provision of the company's articles that states who may or may not be chairman.
Note also the following provision relating to the chairman's powers:
Sec320 Declaration by chairman on a show of hands
(1) On a vote on a resolution at a meeting on a show of hands, a declaration by the chairman that the resolution-
(a) has or has not been passed, or
(b) passed with a particular majority,
is conclusive evidence of that fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution.
(2) An entry in respect of such a declaration in minutes of the meeting recorded in accordance with section 355 is also conclusive evidence of that fact without such proof.
(3) This section does not have effect if a poll is demanded in respect of the resolution (and the demand is not subsequently withdrawn).
Model Articles provisions
Chairing of directors' meetings
12. (1) The directors may appoint a director to chair their meetings.
(2) The person so appointed for the time being is known as the chairman.
(3) The directors may terminate the chairman's appointment at any time.
(4) If the chairman is not participating in a directors' meeting within ten minutes of the time at which it was to start, the participating directors must appoint one of themselves to chair it.
Chairing general meetings
39. (1) If the directors have appointed a chairman, the chairman shall chair general meetings if present and willing to do so.
(2) If the directors have not appointed a chairman, or if the chairman is unwilling to chair the meeting or is not present within ten minutes of the time at which a meeting was due to start-
(a) the directors present, or
(b) (if no directors are present), the meeting,
must appoint a director or shareholder to chair the meeting, and the appointment of the chairman of the meeting must be the first business of the meeting.
(3) The person chairing a meeting in accordance with this article is referred to as "the chairman of the meeting".
Table A provisions
Art. 91. The directors may appoint one of their number to be the chairman of the board of directors and may at any time remove him from that office. Unless he is unwilling to do so, the director so appointed shall preside at ever meeting of directors at which he is present. But if there is no director holding that office, or if the director holding it is unwilling to preside or is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the directors present may appoint one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.
Art. 42. The chairman, if any, of the board of directors or in his absence some other director nominated by the directors shall preside as chairman of the meeting, but if neither the chairman nor such other director (if any) be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting and willing to act, the directors present shall elect one of their number to be chairman and, if there is only one director present and willing to act, he shall be chairman.
43. If no director is willing to act as chairman, or if no director is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be chairman.
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