Local director and administrative services for international businesses
Meet Australia's local director requirements without the operational distraction.
Local director and administrative services for international businesses
Does an Australian company need a local resident director?
Yes. Under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), every Australian proprietary company must have at least one director who ordinarily resides in Australia. Public companies must have at least two Australian resident directors. A foreign company registering in Australia as a foreign company must have at least one local agent who is an Australian resident. These requirements are enforced by ASIC and failure to meet them can result in compliance action against the company.
What are the responsibilities of a local director?
Can a foreign company operate in Australia without incorporating a local subsidiary?
What are ASIC's ongoing annual review requirements?
ASIC issues an annual review notice to each registered company on the company’s anniversary of registration. The annual review includes a review of the company’s registered details and requires payment of the annual review fee. If any details have changed, such as director appointments or resignations, changes to the registered office, or changes to the share structure, these must be notified to ASIC within the required timeframes. We manage these ongoing ASIC compliance requirements as part of our local director and administrative services.
ASIC compliance met
Reduced operational burden
Expert local presence
Meet your Australian local director requirements with confidence.
Now you understand the essentials. Let us show you exactly how we help families like yours secure their legacy.
A nominee director with no real oversight is not a compliance solution.
The local director requirement is not a formality. An Australian resident director carries personal legal obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) – including the duty of care, the insolvent trading provisions, and the requirement to be genuinely accessible to ASIC. A nominee director arrangement that is not properly supported by informed legal oversight can expose both the director and the company to significant risk.
- We will provide a qualified Australian lawyer to serve as a local director for your Australian entity.
- We will provide a registered office address for ASIC purposes.
- We will manage ASIC annual review and compliance obligations.
- We will advise on director duties, governance requirements, and any legal matters arising from Australian operations.
- We will coordinate with your global legal and accounting team to ensure Australian requirements are met.
When your international business needs a local director to operate in Australia
Your business is expanding into Australia or already operates here through a local subsidiary. The Corporations Act requires at least one Australian resident director, and you need that position filled by someone who understands the legal obligations it carries. You also need a registered office address, ASIC compliance management, and reliable support for the ongoing administrative and governance tasks that come with operating an Australian entity.
You want a trusted professional who can fulfil the role properly, not a nominee arrangement that provides no real governance oversight.
What's included in your local director and admin service
- Local director appointment.
- ASIC registered office address.
- Annual ASIC compliance management.
- Ongoing director duties advisory.
- Coordination with global legal and finance team.
A local director who does not understand the obligations is not a solution.
Many international businesses appoint a local director as a compliance formality without fully considering what the role involves. An Australian resident director is personally liable under the Corporations Act for the company’s compliance with Australian law. That includes obligations around insolvent trading, financial reporting, related party transactions, and ASIC notifications. A director who is simply a nominee – who does not review board decisions, does not understand their duties, and cannot be genuinely accountable – does not meet the spirit of the requirement and creates personal and corporate risk that the international parent may not be aware of.
From a compliance gap to a properly supported Australian presence
We provide a qualified Australian lawyer to serve as local director – someone who understands the Corporations Act obligations that come with the role, who can review and advise on governance decisions, and who is genuinely accountable for the Australian entity’s compliance. The arrangement is supported by ongoing advisory access and ASIC compliance management, so the Australian entity meets its obligations efficiently and reliably.
From meeting requirements to reliable ongoing compliance.
Engagement and structure
We take instructions on your Australian entity, its activities, and the specific requirements to be met before we confirm the arrangement.
Director appointment and setup
We complete the ASIC director appointment, establish the registered office, and set up ongoing compliance processes.
Ongoing support
We manage ongoing ASIC compliance, provide advisory support on Australian governance matters, and coordinate with your global team.
Australian corporate lawyers providing local director and governance services for international businesses operating in Australia.
We understand that international businesses need their Australian compliance handled efficiently and reliably, without the administrative burden of managing it themselves. We provide a genuine advisory relationship, so your Australian entity is properly supported and your directors are properly protected.
We understand you want to know the cost, before we get started.
We will map out our process, from beginning to end, so you know what the journey will look like before you get started.
We will provide you with a clear and detailed Work Proposal covering each step along the way.
Our fair fees are all-inclusive. No hidden costs for telephone calls, emails, photocopying, couriers, or coffee.
Our great lawyer guarantee
We want to be part of your team over the long term. We achieve this by adhering to these core principles:
Take the time
We listen carefully to understand what you want to achieve. Then we thoroughly explain our advice and step you through the documents. You can be sure you know the full consequences.
Share our knowledge
We will pass on as much knowledge as we can, so you can make your own informed decisions. We want to make you truly independent.
Stick to our knitting
We only do what we're good at. You can be confident that we know what we're doing and don't pass on the cost of our learning.
Work as one team
Someone will always be available to answer your questions, or point you in the right direction. You will also benefit from a range of perspectives and experience.
Fair pricing
For advice and documents, we provide a fixed or capped quote so you don't take price risk. If you're in a dispute, we map out the process and costs so you know what to expect.
It's your show
We're not in this for our egos. We're in it for a front row seat to witness your success.
Meet your Australian local director requirements with confidence.
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