Corporate Compliance · Nominee Services
Nominee appointment services
Qualified local professionals for the roles Philippine law requires, appointed with safeguards that keep control where it belongs.
Overview
Local roles, filled properly
Philippine corporations must fill certain positions locally. The corporate secretary must be a Filipino citizen and resident, and the treasurer must be a resident of the Philippines. Foreign-owned companies without local staff often need qualified professionals to hold these roles, and in partially nationalized industries, foreign seats on the board are limited in proportion to the foreign equity the law allows.
A nominee arrangement has to be both lawful and secure. It can never be used to give a foreign party control of an activity reserved for Filipinos, which the Anti-Dummy Law prohibits, and it must leave no doubt about who the beneficial owner is. Every appointment we make is documented and disclosed to the SEC as the rules require.
What we handle
Nominees appointed the right way
Only the roles you actually need, documented so control stays with you.
Role assessment
We confirm which positions your structure and industry require to be held locally.
Qualified appointees
Experienced professionals appointed to the roles, not names on paper.
Trust and service documentation
Declarations of trust and service terms that protect the beneficial owner.
Continuity and handover
Orderly replacement when you hire locally, with the changes reported to the SEC.
How it works
How appointment works
Four stages from assessment to ongoing service.
Consultation
Your structure, industry and existing officers reviewed to confirm the roles required.
Documentation
Appointment, trust and service documents prepared for signature.
Board action and SEC reporting
The appointment formalized by the board and reported to the SEC.
Ongoing service
Nominees perform their roles and any changes are handled and reported properly.
Estimated timeline
Within 2 weeks after completion of papers
Timelines are estimates and depend on complete documents and government agency processing.
Why appoint nominees through ILA
Lawful by design
Arrangements that fill real legal requirements, never ones that evade them.
Control protected
Trust documentation drafted so the beneficial owner is never in doubt.
Continuity
Replacements and handovers managed and reported without disruption.
Frequently asked questions
Nominee questions, answered
Which roles must be held by local residents?
The corporate secretary must be a Filipino citizen and resident, and the treasurer must be a resident. In industries with foreign equity limits, foreign board seats are also limited in proportion to the allowable foreign ownership. We confirm what applies to your company.
Is using a nominee legal in the Philippines?
Yes, when it fills roles the law requires and the beneficial owner is properly disclosed. It is not legal to use nominees to get around nationality restrictions, and we do not provide arrangements of that kind.
Does a nominee director need to own shares?
Yes. Every director must own at least one share registered in their name. For a nominee, that share is held in trust for the beneficial owner under a declaration of trust.
Need local officers for your company?
Book a free consultation and we will confirm which roles you need and how to fill them properly.
