The Companies Amendment Act 2014 introduced a number of changes to the Companies Act 1993.  One of these changes is that all New Zealand incorporated companies must have at least one director that either lives in New Zealand, or lives in an “enforcement country” and is also a director of a company incorporated in that enforcement country.  The only enforcement country currently named in the Regulations is Australia.

When filing an annual return, New Zealand companies will need to provide details of the following:

  • if any director is living in Australia, whether that director is also a director of a company incorporated in Australia;
  • if the director is a director of a company incorporated in Australia, the name of the Australian company, the ACN, and registered address;
  • the date and place of birth of all company directors; and
  • whether or not the company is an “ultimate holding company.”

New Zealand companies must meet the resident director requirements by 28 October 2015.  All other changes have been in effect since 1 July 2015.