惱人的 director

[Kenny同志]

I find this word particularly annoying recently because it can mean so many different things in similar contexts, for example 董事, 理事, 經理, and 主管, all in a business context.

 

Now I really want to know what a director is exactly in the context of a business card such as:

 

XXX Pty Ltd

 

Kenny同志

Director

 

Phone: xxx

Email: xxx

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[skylee]

Consider 總監.

Pty …… this is Australian, isn't it? I've only seen it on namecards of / contracts with Australians.

[Kenny同志]

Thanks Skylee.

 

Yes, I think it's Australian but what does it mean exactly in this context? The person who's in charge of the company? 

[skylee]

The person in charge. Head. 老闆.

How about 總裁？

[Kenny同志]

If such is the case, 總裁 would fit but I would use 總經理 to avoid sounding pretentious (if it's a small company).

[Kenny同志]

Thanks Skylee.

[imron]

If it's an Australian company (and pty ltd indicates this is a high likelihood), then director has specific legal implications. An Australian company can also have multiple directors, and if that is the context, then 董事 is probably the closest in meaning.

[fanglu]

I agree with Imron. A director is simply a member of the board and does not necessarily have a day-to-day management role in the company. 董事 is right.

(The other way director is used in Australia is for bodies other than companies, most often research bodies, in that case it refers to the head of the organisation, so 主任 is probably appropriate.)

[skylee]

Yes perhaps 董事 is right, depending on the nature of the organisation.

[Kenny同志]

謝謝三位熱心的同志。

[imron]

If it's a small company a director is also likely to be the owner or co-owner, but that's just a reflection of the situation rather than being an intrinsic meaning of director. For example, I am (the sole) director of the small company I run.

[skylee]

Re #11, that is why I suggested 總監. I got the impression from #1 that it is a small (one-man) company.

[Kenny同志]

I see. Thanks again, 二位.