The aim of this dataset is to provide a comprehensive set of financial, structural and contextual facts and figures which depict the setting in which directors and organisations work. These data cover a selection of characteristics, including demographic and biographic information of FTSE 100 directors and senior executive directors in top management teams in 2008, as well as financial and other corporate indicators. The methodology of this data collection is codified in the user guide (see documentation section below) which further elaborates the assumptions underlying choices made in collating these data. This quantitative dataset was collected as part of a wider qualitative project which interviewed executive, non-executive directors, chairmen and investors of the FTSE 100 companies, as well as selected investors, auditors, regulators and executive search consultants. The qualitative data are not available from the UK Data Archive. Further information is available from the Leading FTSE Companies: an interdisciplinary study of directors, boards and corporate governance process ESRC Award web page. The data detail FTSE 100 companies in 2008 and are divided into two sections which cover:Director data: name; company; executive/non-executive; position; birth year; gender; nationality; career length; company tenure; team tenure; international experience; education; professional qualifications; board committee membership; remuneration; interlocks; other rolesCompany Data: company name; headquarters location; business description; primary Standard Industry Classification (SIC); other SIC; market capitalisation; sales figures; asset figures; number of employees; performance indicators; ownership structure; annual number of board meetings; annual number of meetings with shareholders; reporting on relations with shareholders, board and committees effectiveness evaluation; company advisors, compliance with the Combined Code/reason for non-compliance