Nominee director services offer individuals to serve as directors on public documents for a company, without participating in the actual management of the business. Nominee directors provide a variety of services to clients, such as filing annual documents, supporting daily operations, providing advice, and safeguarding interests. Their services may include company formation, secretarial duties, accounting, and the registration of an office address.

 It is important to note that our Nominee Secretary do not actually get involved in the management of the company. The nominees will be used for the public record only with Companies Registries. 

These jurisdictions either require a local resident director (often fulfilled via a nominee) or regulate nominee directors under AML/beneficial‑ownership rules.

Singapore requires at least one local resident director for every company. Nominee directors are fully liable and cannot be “sleeping directors.” Penalties include fines up to S$5,000, imprisonment up to 2 years, and a 5‑year ban. 

Ireland requires at least one EEA‑resident director unless the company obtains a €25,000 Section 137 surety bond. Foreign companies often appoint a nominee director to satisfy this requirement. 

Canada’s federal corporate law requires 25% of directors to be Canadian residents. Some provinces (e.g., Ontario) repealed this requirement, but federally incorporated entities still need resident directors. 

Mexico requires a local representative registered with the RFC tax system to activate operations. This role is often fulfilled by a nominee director or legal representative. 

New Zealand requires at least one director who lives in New Zealand or Australia and is a director of an Australian‑incorporated company. Foreign companies often appoint a nominee director to meet this requirement. 

The UK does not require nominee directors, but the Companies House now mandates identity verification for all directors. Nominee directors are still used to navigate bank onboarding delays for foreign‑owned entities. 

Panama allows nominee directors but imposes strict transparency, due diligence, and registry disclosure obligations under Agreement JD‑02‑2022. 

Many jurisdictions are updating laws to regulate or restrict nominee directors to prevent misuse for money laundering or terrorist financing. Mechanisms include:

• Transparency (public disclosure of nominee status)
• Licensing (nominees must be licensed professionals)
• Prohibition (some countries may ban nominee directors entirely)