Global Updates on Governance, Beneficial Ownership and Register Integrity
February put registry leadership and governance in the spotlight, from Malaysia’s SSM corruption case to India empowering its Registrars, while beneficial-ownership scrutiny sharpened in the UK, Australia and across the Pacific. Director-address privacy and rising insolvencies remained live themes. Here is our round-up of the month’s corporate-registry news.
Here are this month’s highlights:
- Malaysia: Ex-SSM chief executive ordered to enter defence on graft charges
A court ordered former Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) CEO Datuk Zahrah Abd Wahab Fenner to enter her defence on eight corruption charges, acquitting her on 20 others — a high-profile registry-leadership case.
Read More - New Zealand: ‘Terrible’ and ‘sassy’ company names alike rejected as offensive
A look at how the Companies Office polices offensive or misleading company names, timely as registrars weigh where obscenity ends and legitimate branding begins.
Read More - India: Registrars of Companies gain adjudication powers
From 16 February, India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs designated Registrars of Companies as Adjudicating Officers for companies and LLPs, and expanded regional-director coverage to improve access.
Read More - United Kingdom: Register of Overseas Entities ‘failing to deter non-compliance’
Analysis found the UK’s Register of Overseas Entities is not deterring non-compliance, reviving questions about enforcement and the register’s real-world impact.
Read More - United Kingdom: A serious loophole in the beneficial-owner register
An explainer set out why the UK’s ‘beneficial owner’ register at Companies House often fails to reveal the actual beneficial owners.
Read More - Australia: ASIC launches beneficial-ownership transparency review
ASIC opened a review of beneficial-ownership transparency, with ethics groups pressing for stronger powers — a move some hope will nudge New Zealand to act.
Read More - New Zealand: Insolvencies hit a 15-year high
New Zealand insolvencies reached a 15-year high, with small contractors especially exposed as project pipelines shrink.
Read More - Ireland: Reforms proposed on directors’ residential-address disclosure
Ireland proposed reforms to increase security and privacy for directors by changing how residential addresses are disclosed on the register.
Read More - Pacific: ADB benchmarks beneficial-ownership transparency across the region
An Asian Development Bank report assessed beneficial-ownership frameworks in Vanuatu, Samoa and Solomon Islands, flagging registry-modernisation gaps ahead of 2026 evaluations.
Read More - Guernsey: Plan to name company owners to curb money laundering
Guernsey advanced a proposal to give journalists and non-government bodies access to company-ownership data as part of its anti-money-laundering effort.
Read More - Papua New Guinea: IPA proposes changes to the Companies Act
PNG’s Investment Promotion Authority put forward amendments to the Companies Act, part of a wider modernisation of its corporate framework.
Read More - United Kingdom: Companies House fee changes explained
Practitioners set out the Companies House fee changes taking effect, including higher incorporation and confirmation-statement costs from February 2026.
Read More - Nigeria: Corruption allegations levelled at CAC Registrar-General
Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission Registrar-General publicly denied kickback allegations, as parliamentary scrutiny of the commission intensified.
Read More
Stay updated by visiting often our "Registry News Weekly" summary and the Foster Moore blog for more insights on these stories and other key registry news.
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