Nominee Director and Board Mandates in Liechtenstein

No. A nominee is not the beneficial owner: the natural person who ultimately owns or controls the entity is recorded in the VwbP register, and extracts have no public faith. Changes are notified within 30 days of knowledge; since the cyberattack of 30 July 2026, deadlines that cannot be met are suspended.

Only a licensed person. A board mandate under PGR Art. 180a is a reserved trustee activity under TrHG Art. 2(b). Exercising it without a licence is a criminal offence, up to one year or 360 daily rates (180a Supervision Act Art. 22(1)), and offering it without authority is fined by the FMA. A 180a licence holder counts as equal.

It names one product, while the law separates three roles: the qualified board member under PGR Art. 180a(1), the Repräsentant under Art. 239(1), which is a separate duty, and the nominal shareholder under SPG Art. 3(1)(k) no. 5. This page uses the searched term in its title and headings and otherwise says board mandate.

A board member is an organ. Management belongs to all members unless otherwise provided or ordered by resolution of the competent organ (PGR Art. 181(1)), and organs are liable to the entity for damage they cause intentionally or negligently (Art. 218(1)). This states the rule; it says nothing about the outcome of a given case.

The licence is personal and tied to employment with a trustee. Without a new employment it rests and lapses after six months, which the FMA may extend in a justified case. A failed Art. 180a condition is a ground for ex officio dissolution (PGR Art. 971(1) no. 3), and a replacement is filed without delay (Art. 965(1)).

No source we read says that a registered address and a nominal board member give or lack substance, so we claim none, and the bank, the permit and the tax result stay with the bank and the authorities. The Repräsentant is a separate duty under PGR Art. 239(1), covered on the registered office page.

No. The beneficial owner is the natural person who ultimately owns or controls the entity (VwbPG Art. 2(1)(a)), and a nominee is not that person. Nominal shareholders are listed as a factor for potentially higher risk (SPG Annex 2 A(a) no. 4), and enhanced due diligence applies where the trustee's risk assessment finds a higher risk.

The licensed trustee holds the shares in trust and is named in the engagement letter; the type of agreement is settled with the trustee. For a GmbH, a share transfer is effective only once notified to the members and entered in the share register (PGR Art. 403(1)), and the assignment needs a public deed (Art. 403(4)).

At least one representing member needs a Trustee Act licence or equal status (Art. 180a(1), (2)). Entities needing a managing director under the Trade Act or a special act, or supervised by an authority, are exempt; Art. 552 § 29 foundations are not. An AG with capital of at least CHF 1 million needs at least three members (Art. 344(2) carve-out).

Not if convicted of the listed wilful offences: the exclusion lasts five years from final judgment (Art. 180b(2)). Each member declares with the application that no ground exists; otherwise the Office of Justice must refuse the entry. A member who meets a ground later must resign, or waive the power of representation and have the entry deleted (Art. 180b(4)).

The board member is an organ of the entity: at least one member with power to manage and represent must hold a Trustee Act licence or be treated as equal (PGR Art. 180a(1), (2)). The Repräsentant is a permanently resident EEA national who represents the entity towards the authorities (Art. 239(1)), a separate duty described on the registered office page.

This page does not say whether a nominee may hold a mark. Two rules touch a representative: an agent's own-name filing without consent is barred unless the agent justifies it (MSchG Art. 3(1)(d)), and a party without domicile, seat or establishment in Liechtenstein, another EEA state or Switzerland acts through a Liechtenstein lawyer or patent attorney (Art. 39(1)).

VCS collects the identification documents and prepares and coordinates the engagement paperwork and the register application papers. The licensed trustee, named in the engagement letter, verifies identity, accepts the mandate, files and holds shares in trust. VCS is not the trustee, a board member or a shareholder, and gives no legal advice (RAG Art. 8).