Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) is a natural person who owns or controls a company, trust, or legal entity, and benefits from its assets and profits. It is the real person behind a legal entity, who ultimately exercises control over the entity, whether directly or indirectly.
According to the new resolution, companies licensed or registered in the UAE (excluding in the financial free zones) must create and maintain a register of their Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) Declaration and should submit UBO data to the relevant registrar or licensing authority (“Registrar”).
The regulatory authorities require companies to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of their UBOs, which should include details such as the individual's name, nationality, address, and percentage of ownership. The disclosure of UBO information is important for transparency and accountability and helps prevent the misuse of companies for illegal activities.