Form of entity

Peru
The most common types of business organizations operating in Peru are (i) sociedades anónimas (S.A.), or stock corporations or corporations; (ii) sociedades de responsabilidad limitada (S.R.L.), or limited liability companies/partnerships; and, (iii) branches of foreign entities.
Corporation (Sociedad Anónima or S.A.)
This type of company is mainly regulated by Law No. 26887 (the Corporations Act), as well as by the Corporations’ Registry Regulations (Reglamento del Registro de Sociedades).
A corporation may be open (public), in which case it would be a sociedad anónima abierta (S.A.A.) or private, in which case it could be: (i) a closed stock corporation or sociedad anónima cerrada (S.A.C.); or, (ii) a regular corporation or sociedad anónima (S.A.).
Open corporations are those that register, voluntarily or by legal obligation, their shares in the Public Registry of the Securities Market of the Superintendency of the Securities Market (Registro Público del Mercado de Valores de la Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores) and are under control of such Superintendency. Closed stock corporations are those incorporated as such and may not have more than 20 shareholders. Finally, corporations are those that do not qualify as open or closed.
A corporation share capital is divided into shares. In case of open corporations, the shares may be transferred without limitation. Restrictions to shares’ transfers regulated in their bylaws or in shareholders’ agreements are not enforceable. On the contrary, a right of first refusal applies to closed stock corporations, unless otherwise provided in their bylaws. In case of regular corporations, the shares may be transferred without limitation, except if certain restrictions are established in their bylaws or in shareholders’ agreements.
The liability of shareholders is limited to the amount of their contributions to capital.
Corporations (except for some closed stock corporations) are managed by a board of directors, formed by -at least- 3 members, appointed by the shareholders. The board is responsible for the administration and representation of the company and is entitled to delegate part of its powers to the CEO and other officers. A director's term of appointment, which is set forth in the bylaws, cannot be less than 1 year and shall not exceed 3 years. Directors may also be re-elected indefinitely.
If the shareholders of a closed stock corporation decide so, such entity could refrain from having a board of directors, in which case it would be managed by a CEO.
Limited Liability Company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada or S.R.L.)
This type of company is mainly regulated by Law No. 26887 (the Corporations Act), as well as by the Corporations’ Registry Regulations (Reglamento del Registro de Sociedades). The liability of the members of a S.R.L. is limited to the amount of their contributions. A right of first refusal shall always be applicable and equity rights may only be transferred by virtue of a public deed that shall be recorded before the Public Registry of the domicile of the corresponding entity. There is great flexibility as to the rules that may be included in the bylaws.
The management of a S.R.L. is entrusted to 1 or more managers (whether partners or not), who shall represent it in all matters relating to its company purpose. The managers are prohibited to engage (for their own account or for the account of others) in the same type of business that corresponds to the company purpose.
Branch of a Foreign Legal Entity (Sucursal)
A branch acts as an alternative form of entity, as it corresponds to the presence of a foreign company (the parent company) iin Peru that does not seek to incorporate a new company, but instead only establishes a branch of the existing company. It is not a separate legal entity, except for tax purposes. The parent company is ruled by its local laws, but shall comply with the applicable Peruvian legislation regarding the obligations undertaken by the branch in Peru. The Corporations Act contains certain special rules regarding the establishment (and amendments) of a branch by foreign companies.
A branch is managed by a permanent legal representative appointed by the parent company.