Memorandum of Association (MOA)

The memorandum of association is the foundational contract of a UAE company, signed by its founders and — for onshore companies — typically notarised before the notary public. It records the company's name, legal form, objects, registered office, share capital, the partners and their shareholdings, profit distribution, and management arrangements such as who the manager is and the limits of their authority. Banks, government departments and counterparties constantly ask for it, because it proves who owns and who can bind the company. Amendments — adding a partner, changing the manager, increasing capital — require a notarised addendum and updating the licence and commercial register. It matters because disputes between partners almost always turn on what the MOA says, and sloppy boilerplate MOAs are a leading cause of shareholder litigation. You meet it at incorporation, on every bank account opening, in due diligence, and at the heart of any partner exit or dispute.