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Director of a company

Spanish translation: administrador (or) consejero, depending on the corporate structure (see below)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Director of a company
Spanish translation:administrador (or) consejero, depending on the corporate structure (see below)
Entered by: Pedro Monreal Marmol

10:17 Sep 24, 2008
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Law: Patents, Trademarks, Copyright / Companies
English term or phrase: Director of a company
¿Es válida la traducción de "director" por "administrador", o se traduciría por "director"?
¿Me puede alguien orientar? Un notario pone pegas a la hora de ver el término director traducidor por director...
Pedro Monreal Marmol
Spain
Local time: 07:01
administrador (or) consejero, depending on the corporate structure (see below)
Explanation:
This question has come up several times before on Proz and I have found most useful the translations provided in a publication of the DLA Piper law firm in Madrid called: "10 FAQs--Acquiring a Business in Spain" published by the DLA Piper law firm. I am reproducing it below, but to summarize:

--administrador único = sole director
--administradores mancomunados = joint directors
--adminisgtradores solidarios = joint and several directors
--consejo de administración = board of directors
--director (or) member of the board = consejero (or) miembro del consejo

"There are several options for the management structure
of both SAs and SLs, each of which is mutually
exclusive:

Sole Director or "Administrador Unico". This is often
the preferred structure where important decisions
need to be taken relatively quickly and easily, and
where a trusted individual is available in Spain; or

Joint Directors or "Administradores
Mancomunados" (directors who may only act
jointly). This may be appropriate where unanimity of
decision-making is required; or

Joint and Several Directors or "Administradores
Solidarios" (two or more directors who may take
decisions either jointly or severally); or

Board of Directors or "Consejo de
Administración" (not less than three directors), jointly
voting on the relevant resolutions. In this case, a
company secretary must also be appointed. Board
resolutions may be adopted in writing. Meetings may
be held by means of telecommunication methods."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-09-24 13:06:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I might add that I believe the notario is correct, and that "director" in Spanish is only used with the meaning of "member of the board of directors" in Latin America. In Spain (but not in Latin America) the Spanish word "director" may sometimes refer to an "officer" or even "manager", but not to a member of the board (consejo de administración) who are called "directors" in English, but "consejeros" in (Spain) Spanish. As Tom West underscores in his "Spanish-English Dictionary of Law and Business," "In countries where the board of directors is called a "directorio" (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Perú and Uruguay) or a "junta directiva" (Colombia, Costa Rica and Venezuela" the (Spanish word) "director" means "director" in the sense of "member of the board of directors." In countries in which the board of directors is called a "consejo de administración" (Guatemala, Honduras; Mexico and Spain), the Spanish word "director" refers to the officers. The board members are called "consejeros" or "administradores". (p. 101-102)

This is one of many cases in which Spanish as used in Spain and Latin American Spanish legal terminology differ, so just merely looking in a dictionary without taking into account the local context may result in inaccuracies. I like the West dictionary because instead of giving whole string of possible definitions for a term, he indicates each time in which Spanish-speaking country it is used.
Selected response from:

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 07:01
Grading comment
Thanks! Quite clear your explanations and references
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6Consejero / Miembro del Consejo de Administración / Directivo
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
3 +5director/ presidente de una compañ´la
AliciaNGS
5 +2administrador (or) consejero, depending on the corporate structure (see below)
Rebecca Jowers
5director
Ana Cauthen


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
director of a company
director/ presidente de una compañ´la


Explanation:
:)

AliciaNGS
Uruguay
Local time: 02:01
Native speaker of: Spanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marina56: ok, voy por presidente, aunque si no es el titular puede ir director.
5 mins
agree  Mario Ramirez (X)
5 mins
agree  Paula Tizzano Fernández: No es lo mismo administrador que director, así que yo descartaría el primero. Suerte.
7 mins
agree  Laura Gómez: Director o presidente
9 mins
agree  Maria Faella
47 mins
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
director of a company
Consejero / Miembro del Consejo de Administración / Directivo


Explanation:
Dicc. Enrique Alcaráz

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 minutos (2008-09-24 10:38:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Consejero / Directivo de una empresa

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 minutos (2008-09-24 10:38:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

O incluso: Gerente de una empresa

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 07:01
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 122

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Conchi Otaola: El Oxford dice "consejero de una sociedad"
43 mins
  -> Gracias Conchi
agree  Enrique Huber (X)
1 hr
  -> Gracias Enrique
agree  MikeGarcia
1 hr
  -> Gracias cielo!
agree  David Girón Béjar
1 hr
  -> Gracias David
agree  Rafael Molina Pulgar
2 hrs
  -> Gracias Rafael!
agree  Adriana Martinez: Sí, cualquiera de tus sugerencias es buena, ya más bien depende del destino de la traducción (y el origen, claro!)
5 hrs
  -> Gracias Adriana
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
director of a company
administrador (or) consejero, depending on the corporate structure (see below)


Explanation:
This question has come up several times before on Proz and I have found most useful the translations provided in a publication of the DLA Piper law firm in Madrid called: "10 FAQs--Acquiring a Business in Spain" published by the DLA Piper law firm. I am reproducing it below, but to summarize:

--administrador único = sole director
--administradores mancomunados = joint directors
--adminisgtradores solidarios = joint and several directors
--consejo de administración = board of directors
--director (or) member of the board = consejero (or) miembro del consejo

"There are several options for the management structure
of both SAs and SLs, each of which is mutually
exclusive:

Sole Director or "Administrador Unico". This is often
the preferred structure where important decisions
need to be taken relatively quickly and easily, and
where a trusted individual is available in Spain; or

Joint Directors or "Administradores
Mancomunados" (directors who may only act
jointly). This may be appropriate where unanimity of
decision-making is required; or

Joint and Several Directors or "Administradores
Solidarios" (two or more directors who may take
decisions either jointly or severally); or

Board of Directors or "Consejo de
Administración" (not less than three directors), jointly
voting on the relevant resolutions. In this case, a
company secretary must also be appointed. Board
resolutions may be adopted in writing. Meetings may
be held by means of telecommunication methods."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2008-09-24 13:06:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I might add that I believe the notario is correct, and that "director" in Spanish is only used with the meaning of "member of the board of directors" in Latin America. In Spain (but not in Latin America) the Spanish word "director" may sometimes refer to an "officer" or even "manager", but not to a member of the board (consejo de administración) who are called "directors" in English, but "consejeros" in (Spain) Spanish. As Tom West underscores in his "Spanish-English Dictionary of Law and Business," "In countries where the board of directors is called a "directorio" (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Perú and Uruguay) or a "junta directiva" (Colombia, Costa Rica and Venezuela" the (Spanish word) "director" means "director" in the sense of "member of the board of directors." In countries in which the board of directors is called a "consejo de administración" (Guatemala, Honduras; Mexico and Spain), the Spanish word "director" refers to the officers. The board members are called "consejeros" or "administradores". (p. 101-102)

This is one of many cases in which Spanish as used in Spain and Latin American Spanish legal terminology differ, so just merely looking in a dictionary without taking into account the local context may result in inaccuracies. I like the West dictionary because instead of giving whole string of possible definitions for a term, he indicates each time in which Spanish-speaking country it is used.

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 07:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 29
Grading comment
Thanks! Quite clear your explanations and references

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Maria Eugenia Moron: This was very helpful Rebecca! I'm thinking of getting this dictionary, it seems it covers most context issues, like no other does! Do you know if it is available for download somewhere?
3152 days
  -> I believe it is only available in print form.
agree  Carlos Díaz
3809 days
  -> Gracias, Carlos
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
director of a company
director


Explanation:
Presidente de una compania.
Hay un presidente, un vice presidente y los socios miembro, Ana Cauthen

Ana Cauthen
United States
Local time: 01:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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