Foster Moore launches registry advisory for governments

Foster Moore has launched Registry Advisory, a consulting practice for governments and registry operators focused on corporate and public registry modernisation.

The Auckland-headquartered company said the unit will advise on registry transformation, operating models, business cases and investment planning. It will also support executive and board-level discussions as governments review ageing systems and broader digital public infrastructure.

Registry Advisory is led by Bill Clarke, executive vice president of registry solutions and advisory services at Foster Moore. Clarke has more than 30 years of experience in government advisory work and will work with registry specialists and advisory board members from the sector.

"Registry Advisory represents the next evolution of registries at a global scale," Clarke said.

"We are excited to partner with governments that want to strengthen their economies, improve citizen services, and build registries that will endure and excel for the next 20 to 30 years."

Registry focus

The practice targets a specialised area of public administration that underpins company registration, land records, personal property securities and beneficial ownership registers. These systems are central to business formation, regulatory compliance and public records, but many governments are under pressure to modernise them while improving digital access and interoperability.

Foster Moore said its offering is designed specifically for registries rather than adapted from broader management consulting models. The company argues that specialist knowledge matters in a field shaped by legislation, policy, data standards and the operational requirements of government agencies.

That position reflects Foster Moore's long-standing role in registry systems. It has worked on registry technology and advisory projects with public sector organisations in multiple jurisdictions and has contributed to international work on standards and best practice for electronic registries.

Methods and scope

The advisory unit will use Foster Moore's internal frameworks, including its Registry Capability Maturity Model and Registry Target Operating Model. These methods are intended to help governments assess current arrangements, identify gaps and map a path for change.

Services include capability maturity assessments, target operating model design, interoperability planning and ongoing modernisation support. That places the practice across both the early strategic phase of registry reform and the longer implementation period that often follows.

The business also pointed to support for investment cases and stakeholder alignment, both often decisive in public sector technology projects. Registry reform programmes typically require backing from ministers, senior civil servants, regulators and operational leaders, especially when legal reform or cross-agency data sharing is involved.

Global experience

Foster Moore said the advisory group will draw on expertise from Justin Hygate and John Murray, whom it described as recognised figures in the registry field. The wider team also includes practitioners with backgrounds in regulatory policy, legislative reform, organisational leadership and digital transformation programmes within government.

The company highlighted previous work with international bodies including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNIDROIT and Open Ownership. Those relationships suggest it is positioning Registry Advisory not only as a commercial service line, but also as part of broader policy and governance debates around transparency and public records.

Electronic registries have become more prominent in those debates as governments seek more reliable ownership records, easier business registration and better links between datasets. In many countries, reforms to company registries and beneficial ownership systems are also tied to anti-money laundering goals and efforts to improve investment climates.

For suppliers and advisers in the sector, that shift has created demand for work that begins before software procurement. Governments often need to define what a future registry should do, how it should be governed, and what legal or organisational changes are required before choosing a technology platform.

Foster Moore said Registry Advisory is already working with several registry organisations on modernisation, interoperability and operating model changes. It did not name the organisations, but said the work is intended to help governments treat registries not only as systems of record, but as digital infrastructure that supports transparency, trust and economic activity.

Foster Moore traces its origins in online registry systems to the 1990s and has operations in New Zealand, Canada and Ireland. The launch adds a dedicated advisory arm to a business best known for supplying registry technology to governments.