The 2008 financial crisis brought increased scrutiny to the ways in which the directors of the world's major financial institutions handle their duties and how they impact investors, shareholders and consumers. In this comprehensive Handbook, leading scholars from around the world explore the nature of the relationship between a company and its directors, assessing issues such as how duties are discharged, what liabilities may arise and whose interests directors should consider before embarking on commercial ventures.The Handbook begins with chapters that explore the range of company law developments in several common law countries, with further chapters examining the law in several civil law jurisdictions. The Handbook then looks beyond company law to issues such as the role of directors in fostering corporate social responsibility and directors' duties to consumers. The final chapters consider directors' duties in times of financial turmoil.A comprehensive and ground-breaking book of original scholarly research, the Handbook will be a valuable contribution to the libraries of company law scholars and students, as well as to business people with a professional interest in the topic.Contributors: C. Amatucci, A. Anand, V. Brand, T.A. Gabaldon, M.M. Harner, J.G. Hill, S.H. Goo, M. Jaramillo, D. Klingler, A. Lista, J. MacIntosh, A. Paolini, P. Pais de Vanconcelos, S. Watson