Nominee Director Services
A nominee director is a professional who takes up a director’s seat on a Cyprus company’s board on behalf of the beneficial owner, most often to support local governance, tax residency planning, or privacy on the public register. The role carries the same legal duties and liability as any other director, so we only accept an appointment once we understand the business, its ownership, and the activity involved.
The appointment process typically includes onboarding, review of business activities, beneficial ownership checks, risk assessment, and agreement on how decisions, documents, and board approvals will be handled.
What’s Included
- Director appointment coordination and onboarding
- Review of company activity, structure, and expected transactions
- Board resolutions, written approvals, and meeting records
- Review and execution of corporate documents where appropriate
- Coordination with accountants, auditors, lawyers, banks, and tax advisers
- Maintenance of governance records and approval history
- Annual review of company activity and compliance information
Nominee Directors and Cyprus Tax Residency
Cyprus tax residency depends on management and control genuinely being exercised in Cyprus, not simply on a Cyprus-resident name appearing on the register. A nominee director who takes no real decisions, and who signs whatever is put in front of them without proper review, can actually work against the tax-residency case rather than support it.
For a nominee appointment to hold up, decisions need to be seen to happen in Cyprus: board meetings held or chaired locally, resolutions properly considered before signing, and a documented record showing the director engaged with the substance of what they approved. We build the appointment around that standard rather than treating it as a formality. (Tax residency also depends on your company’s wider facts and advice from your tax adviser — we coordinate the administrative record, we don’t provide tax advice.)
How Decisions Are Made and Documented
Nominee director support works best when the approval process is clear from the outset. The company should provide enough background for each material action — contracts, adviser notes, banking details, transaction purpose, and any relevant tax or legal advice — so director actions can be properly documented rather than treated as simple signature requests.
Onboarding and Risk Assessment
Before accepting an appointment, we carry out due diligence on the beneficial owners and related parties, and assess the nature of the company’s activity and the transactions likely to come across the director’s desk. This determines whether, and on what terms, we can accept the role.
Service Agreement and Indemnity
Appointments are normally governed by a director’s service agreement setting out the scope of the role, how instructions are given, and how approvals are documented, alongside an indemnity addressing actions taken properly within that agreed scope. (Exact document names and structure should be confirmed with your legal adviser, since these vary by provider and by structure.)
Legal Responsibilities and Important Boundaries
A nominee director holds the same statutory duties and potential liability as any other company director under Cyprus law. The arrangement does not transfer commercial responsibility away from the beneficial owners or operating management, and it does not guarantee bank account approval, tax residency treatment, or acceptance by third parties.
Beneficial ownership disclosure obligations are separate from the nominee arrangement and continue to apply — see our UBO and Compliance Support page for what needs to be filed and when. Where specialist legal or tax advice is required, we coordinate the administrative record around that advice rather than replacing it.
Corporate or Individual Nominee Director — Which Fits?
A corporate nominee director (a company acting as director) is usually the lower-cost, more straightforward option, and works well for holding structures with limited activity. An individual nominee director costs more but can bring more hands-on engagement — useful where the company has real operational decisions, banking relationships that expect to deal with a named person, or a tax residency position that benefits from a visibly engaged, named board member. We’ll recommend one over the other based on how the company is actually going to be used, not just the cost difference.
How to Appoint a Nominee Director
Appointing a nominee director starts with onboarding: we review the company’s ownership, activity, and the transactions likely to need approval, then agree the service terms before the appointment is filed with the Registrar. Once in place, day-to-day decisions flow through the agreed approval process — you provide the background for each material action, and the director reviews and formally approves it, with the record kept for the company’s file.
Indicative Annual Fees
| Director type | Typical annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate nominee director | €400 – €950 | A corporate entity acts as director; commonly the lower-cost option |
| Individual or professional nominee director | €1,300 – €5,000+ | Reflects the individual’s experience, availability, and the time involved in reviewing and approving actions |
| Combined with secretary and registered office | €2,000 – €3,500 | Common bundled pricing where a full fiduciary package is required |
These are indicative market ranges, not a quote. Fees depend on the complexity of the structure, the volume of decisions involved, and the level of review each appointment requires — we agree fees in writing before accepting any appointment.
Nominee Director FAQs
What does a nominee director do? A nominee director takes up a board seat on behalf of the beneficial owner, exercising the normal legal duties of a director while acting within an agreed scope of instructions and documented approvals.
Does a nominee director remove my liability as the real owner? No. A nominee arrangement doesn’t transfer commercial responsibility away from beneficial owners or operating management, and the nominee themselves still carries full director liability under Cyprus law.
Will a nominee director guarantee my company is Cyprus tax resident? No. Tax residency depends on management and control genuinely being exercised in Cyprus, evidenced by real decision-making and proper documentation, not just the appointment itself. Confirm your position with a tax adviser.
Is my identity still disclosed to any authority if I use a nominee director? Beneficial ownership must still be reported under Cyprus’s UBO rules regardless of a nominee director appointment. A nominee keeps your name off the public register, not off regulatory filings.
How much does a nominee director cost in Cyprus? Corporate nominee appointments typically start from around €400 a year, while an individual or executive-profile director can run to €5,000 or more, depending on experience and involvement. We confirm exact fees before accepting any appointment.
Should I choose a corporate or an individual nominee director? A corporate nominee director is usually more cost-effective and suits low-activity holding structures; an individual is often better where the company has real operational decisions or a tax residency position that benefits from an actively engaged named director. We’ll advise based on your specific situation.
Can a company have more than one nominee director? Yes. Some structures use two or more nominee or resident directors to form a genuine majority on the board, particularly where a majority Cyprus-resident board is being used to support tax residency.
Can I replace or remove a nominee director later? Yes. Nominee director appointments aren’t permanent — a director can resign or be removed and replaced through the normal board and Registrar filing process, in line with the terms of the original service agreement.
Related Services
- Fiduciary Services
- Nominee Shareholder Services
- Corporate Secretary Services
- UBO and Compliance Support
- Economic Substance Support
Not sure whether a nominee director fits your structure? Start an enquiry or read Nominee Directors in Cyprus: Governance Points to Prepare for a closer look at what we assess before accepting an appointment.