Principal Solicitor and Notary Public
APRA · ASIC · QBCC ACNC
Construction & Real Estate
Governance, legal and risk leader with over 13 years experience advising businesses, boards and committees across highly regulated sectors. Bringing pragmatic independent thinking, regulatory depth, and ESG leadership to where it matters most.
Funds Management
Corporate Structuring
13+
Advising Organisations
◆ TOP 10 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER GOVERNANCE PROFESSIONAL AUSTRALIA
◆ TOP 500 WOMEN IN PROPERTY AUSTRALIA
◆ GIA POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA
Top
10
GOVERNANCE
PROFESSIONAL
AUSTRALIA
ABOUT ZHINUS
A governance leader built for the boardroom
Zhinus Harkin is an independent adviser in governance, law, and risk management with more than 13 years of experience. She provides astute advisory services within highly regulated APRA, ASIC, and QBCC environments, covering funds management, property development, commercial and residential construction, investor relations, and the non-profit sector. Zhinus began her career at Ernst & Young, where she cultivated technical skills and practical governance strategies for private clients, listed entities, and international groups. She subsequently held senior in-house leadership positions, notably as Director of Legal, Compliance & ESG for a prominent investment firm. Her extensive portfolio also includes delivering strategic counsel to complex boards in the charitable sector.
Good governance is not about compliance for its own sake. It underpins confident, clear and ethical decision‑making and drives long‑term value for an organisation’s most important stakeholders
Recognised as a Top 10 Outstanding Achiever of Australia's top 100 Governance Professional and a Top 500 Woman in Property participant, Zhinus holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance from the Governance Institute of Australia and a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University. She is based in Brisbane, Queensland.
SECTORS
Industries where governance drives success
Governance capabilities and
advisory services
Zhinus brings a unique combination of governance, legal and risk rigour. Her insight provides clarity required to navigate complex Australian compliance regimes.
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Compliance
Development of bespoke compliance systems to ensure effective on time meeting of obligations across the organisation for various regulatory bodies including APRA, ASIC, ACNC, QBCC, ATO, FACTA, AML, CRS and FIRB regulatory requirements.
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Risk Management
Designing robust risk management frameworks that empower leaders with confidence. We conduct focused workshops to review and refine risk registers, appetite statements and policies.
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ESG & Sustainability
ESG strategy design, materiality assessment, stakeholder reporting frameworks, and integration of sustainability considerations into governance structures. and where required contracts.
📋
Board Governance
Strategic governance and secretariat services to streamline professional decision-making. We provide company secretary services, build effective governance frameworks, and draft clear corporate policies. We provide interim company secretary services for select clients.
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Construction Sector
Residential and commercial insight including contract review and QBCC compliance.
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Corporate Structuring
Establishment of entity structures including private entities, investment vehicles, AFSL regulated fund structures and not-for profit entities. Full entity life cycle services are provided including from establishment to dissolution as well as Trust and Company units/shareholder transactions, review of various agreements and ongoing ASIC compliance
Top 10
GOVERNANCE PROFESSIONALS
AUSTRALIA
Top 500
WOMEN IN PROPERTY
AUSTRALIA
GIA
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA
APPLIED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE