Who's Who of Britain's Youngest Directors

[dude69]

As a Company Director, one is in receipt of various items of junk mail.

One such item which recently came through my letter box (not once, but twice, when I ignored the first one), is a letter from 'Who's Who Publications' (despite the silver-coloured monogram at the top and Latin motto, 'ad homorem de excellentia', the paper is disappointingly thin, as befits what is junk mail).

Anyway, they have asked me to update my entry in "Who's Who of Britain's Youngest Directors" (first edition), which I qualify to be in on the basis of me being a tax-dodging contractor, which apparently features Directors and Company Executives under the age of 30 as of 1/1/2009.

I have to opt out (done) if I don't want to be in. They'll flog me a 'Certificate of Recognition' at £11.95 + Vat, and the book's £39.

It's not entirely clear whether this is all under-30 directors, I'm guessing there are sufficiently few as not to make it too bulky a tome.

I can't imagine anyone buying this, so I assume it's a pure vanity exercise - sell enough of these books to the people in them, and you turn a profit.

Personally, I don't particularly fancy having my name in print.

[StuntManMike]

Quite Agree. I received this today too, and opted out. Rude how they can use public information, and sell on etc. What would someone use for anyway???

I don't want to have to keep 'opting out' of things I didn't freaking want in the first place!!!!

[Gonzo]

It's not entirely clear whether this is all under-30 directors, I'm guessing there are sufficiently few as not to make it too bulky a tome.

I can't imagine anyone buying this, so I assume it's a pure vanity exercise - sell enough of these books to the people in them, and you turn a profit.

Personally, I don't particularly fancy having my name in print.

Slightly fewer than half of the total of 45,000 directors under the age of 30 according to their website.

Call me a cynic if you like, but I would be inclined to agree with you on the vanity idea. I can't see anyone buying this (or any of their other titles) except the people that are in them.

I never opted-out of that sort of thing though, I wouldn't want these people evening knowing that I had read their mailshot in case that indicated to them that it could be worth pushing a little harder on the sales front.

Not that I would be invited these days as I am not under 30 any more.

[BrilloPad]

How old do you have to be to become a director? I might register my kids then sell their story to the papers as child prodigys.....

[dude69]

How old do you have to be to become a director? I might register my kids then sell their story to the papers as child prodigys.....

I think this would have worked better 8 or 9 years ago '14-year-old sets up multibillion pound internet business in his bedroom'

[Gonzo]

How old do you have to be to become a director? I might register my kids then sell their story to the papers as child prodigys.....

There never used to be a minimum age for directors of English companies but I think a minimum of 16 years was introduced in the last lot of changes made to the Companies Act last year.