Beneficial Owner

A beneficial owner is the person who really owns or controls a company, even if their name isn’t officially listed on the company records.

In CIPC terms, this means:

  • Anyone who owns 5% or more of the company (directly or through someone else).
  • Or anyone who has the power to influence or control the company’s decisions.

Even if a person isn’t a shareholder or director on paper, if they have real control, they must be listed as a beneficial owner.

This is part of new rules to help prevent fraud and money laundering. All companies must now submit a Beneficial Ownership Register to CIPC.

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