Beneficial Owner (BO)

A beneficial owner is the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company, other legal entity, or legal arrangement, or on whose behalf a transaction or business relationship is ultimately carried out. The concept focuses on the ultimate ownership or control, not only on the formally registered legal owner.

EU / Germany
Under German anti-money-laundering law and EU rules, a natural person is generally treated as a beneficial owner if they directly or indirectly hold more than 25% of the shares, control more than 25% of the voting rights, or exercise control by comparable means. If no such person can be identified, or if there are doubts, German law provides for identifying the senior managing official as a substitute beneficial owner.

United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the equivalent concept is the Person with Significant Control (PSC). This includes individuals who hold more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, have the right to appoint or remove a majority of the board, or otherwise exercise significant influence or control.

International context
The underlying principle is broadly consistent across jurisdictions: the aim is to identify the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a legal entity or structure. However, the exact thresholds, control tests, and disclosure requirements may differ from one country to another.

 

 

North Data displays beneficial owners, if available, in the network and marks them with the abbreviation “BO".