# How to find who owns shares in a company



## viztopia (8 Sep 2005)

I am looking at a company and i am trying to find out who exactly owns the shares. I have downloaded all the memo's and articles of association from the CRO. I have also downloaded al the form B1's. It is difficult to follow the share transfers in these forms. In fact it is impossible. Is there anywhere else i can look to find out who owns the shares in any particular company?


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## ClubMan (8 Sep 2005)

*Re: shares*

The company registrar and/or the stock exchange should hold a publicly accessible register of shareholders. However the names of shareholders who hold their shares in a broker/registrar nominee account will not be available as they are held sort of at arm's length.


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## quickquestio (8 Sep 2005)

viztopia said:
			
		

> I am looking at a company and i am trying to find out who exactly owns the shares. I have downloaded all the memo's and articles of association from the CRO. I have also downloaded al the form B1's. It is difficult to follow the share transfers in these forms. In fact it is impossible. Is there anywhere else i can look to find out who owns the shares in any particular company?


 
 the memo's and articles will only have the details of who started the company
 usually 2 shares issued to the Company formation agents.

 the b1's will change each year so only get the latest.

 So on the latest B1 just read the *List of Past and Present Members*

 also you can just go to the companies registered address and ask to
 see the list of share holders which they are obligied to show you by law.


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## ClubMan (8 Sep 2005)

Oh - I was assuming a publicly listed company but I guess this is privately held?


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## viztopia (8 Sep 2005)

thanks for the replys.
it is a private limited company and there have been quite a few share transfers down trough the years. i have all the B1's but these seem to contradict each other. I should have mentioned that i am doing this on behalf of the companys directors and they are unsure as to who owns the shares. Is there not some agency i.e. CRO that the shares would have to be registered with? who issues share certificates? would they not have a register?


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## dam099 (8 Sep 2005)

viztopia said:
			
		

> thanks for the replys.
> it is a private limited company and there have been quite a few share transfers down trough the years. i have all the B1's but these seem to contradict each other. I should have mentioned that i am doing this on behalf of the companys directors and they are unsure as to who owns the shares. Is there not some agency i.e. CRO that the shares would have to be registered with? who issues share certificates? would they not have a register?


 
It is the company secretary who is responsible for issuing shares and maintaining a register. The CRO would only have the info that they were given on the B1's etc. If the directors are the ones trying to find out sounds like the company has not been keeping their records correctly.


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## quickquestio (8 Sep 2005)

viztopia said:
			
		

> thanks for the replys.
> it is a private limited company and there have been quite a few share transfers down trough the years. i have all the B1's but these seem to contradict each other. I should have mentioned that i am doing this on behalf of the companys directors and they are unsure as to who owns the shares. Is there not some agency i.e. CRO that the shares would have to be registered with? who issues share certificates? would they not have a register?



who appointed these directors??


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