Nominee Director
A Malaysian-resident director, when you need one.
A Malaysian Sdn Bhd needs at least one director ordinarily resident in Malaysia. If you are overseas and have no one, we act as nominee director for RM 27,000 a year inclusive of SST, plus a RM 5,000 security deposit, refundable when the appointment ends, net of any outstanding fees. That fee covers real fiduciary responsibility and regulatory exposure, not just signing convenience. Your ownership and control stay with you.
What's included
What you get with our nominee director service.
Nominee directorship is a regulated, accountable role — not a name-on-paper service. We bring qualified individuals, written terms, and bank-acceptable documentation.
- Vetted Malaysian-resident director
- Properly drafted nominee agreement
- Company indemnity for the nominee, within Companies Act 2016 limits
- Bank-acceptable signing arrangements
- KYC and due diligence on the nominee
- No operational or commercial decision-making role — statutory director duties still apply
- Annual review of arrangement
- Easy transition to your own Malaysian director when ready
- Coordinated with the rest of your company secretarial work
- Clear written boundaries of authority
- Confidentiality and data protection
- Standby support during banking onboarding
How it runs
How the engagement works.
- 01
Brief
We brief the nominee.
We learn your sector and what banks will need from your director, and pass that on before anything is signed.
- 02
Documents
Agreement + indemnity.
Nominee agreement, indemnity, board resolutions appointing them — all drafted and signed.
- 03
Filing
Notify SSM of the appointment.
Director appointment notified to SSM under section 58. Bank documents updated. Clean.
- 04
Ongoing
Annual confirmation.
The arrangement is reconfirmed every year, with quick board-resolution support when banks or auditors need it.
Engagement terms
Terms at a glance.
The engagement terms that come with the fee, stated before you commit.
- Fee payable annually in advance; the next year is due one month before it starts.
- Late payment: RM 2,500 per month.
- The annual fee is non-refundable once the nominee is appointed. The security deposit is refunded when the appointment ends, net of any outstanding fees.
- Quarterly management accounts are required.
- You choose your own accountant — we can recommend one from our panel on request.
- The nominee may resign by written notice for non-payment (45 days) or breach, always subject to the company keeping at least one ordinarily-resident director.
Typical pricing
What nominee director typically costs.
Annual nominee director engagement is RM 27,000, inclusive of SST, plus a RM 5,000 security deposit which is not subject to SST and is refundable when the appointment ends, net of any outstanding fees. This reflects the fiduciary responsibility, regulatory exposure, and ongoing availability requirements of acting as a Malaysian-resident director for foreign-owned companies.
Typical range
RM 27,000/year
Inclusive of SST. A RM 5,000 security deposit is held alongside it, is not subject to SST and is refundable when the appointment ends, net of any outstanding fees — the fee is never quoted without it.
What affects pricing
- Annual fee is a flat RM 27,000 inclusive of SST, plus a RM 5,000 security deposit (not subject to SST), refundable when the appointment ends, net of any outstanding fees — covers ordinary signing exposure and standard signatory duties
- Same fee whether the nominee is also a bank-account signatory (typical case)
- Exceptional structures (regulated sectors with elevated regulatory exposure, multi-entity arrangements) quoted custom
Questions we get
What founders ask about nominee directors.
No operational or commercial decision-making role. The nominee agreement sets out the operational boundaries: routine business and bank operations stay with you, and the nominee signs what the company secretary, board or banks formally require. The nominee nevertheless remains a legal director with statutory duties, and must act when the law requires it.
No. We arrange signing authorities so the founder retains full operational control of the bank account. The nominee may be a co-signatory only where the bank specifically requires it, with clear written limits.
Anytime (the annual fee paid in advance is not refunded). The most common path is once you secure an Employment Pass and become Malaysian-resident yourself, or appoint a co-founder/employee who is. We handle the transition — section 58 notification, bank updates, sec records.
Yes. A nominee remains a legal director with duties to the company; written terms may limit routine operational involvement, but cannot remove those statutory duties or promise complete immunity. The company indemnifies the nominee only within Companies Act 2016 limits. That is why we use vetted, qualified individuals and review the proposed business before accepting an appointment.
Most founders reach this page before settling the structure underneath it — whether two foreigners can own a Sdn Bhd outright, what the minimum requirements actually are, whether one person can hold the whole company. Those are answered under incorporation basics.
Need a resident director?
A vetted Malaysian-resident director, with clear boundaries.
Message us with your sector and structure. We'll explain who'd be a good fit, what they can and can't do, and how the indemnity works — before you commit.