Founder
Identified as the person who establishes the foundation, or on whose behalf it is established or by whoever makes a disposition (transfer) of property. Generally, an offshore foundation can be set up by one or more founders.

Board of Trustees
Identified as the people who carry out the purpose of the foundation according to the instructions of the Charter; Thus, the Board distributes the foundation's assets, administers the assets, signs contracts, conducts transactions, and invests on behalf of the foundation. Board members have a fiduciary duty to the foundation.

Foundation Charter
Identified as the document in which the foundation's governance rules are set out.

Beneficiary or Purpose
Identified as the person or class of persons for whose benefit the foundation is created. “Purpose” refers to any cause/purpose for which the foundation is established (e.g. charity).

Guardian or Protector
Guardians and protectors are generally optional, serving as a protective mechanism to ensure that the board's actions and decisions comply with the terms and objectives of the foundation.