Legal Definitions - vice-commercial agent

A vice-commercial agent is an individual who is authorized by a primary commercial agent to act on behalf of a principal (the main party) in commercial dealings. Essentially, they serve as a sub-agent, performing duties that have been delegated to them by the primary commercial agent. Their authority to represent the principal is derived through the primary commercial agent, rather than directly from the principal themselves.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Scenario: Regional Sales Expansion

  A large electronics manufacturer (the principal) appoints a primary commercial agent to manage all sales and distribution across an entire country. Due to the vast size of the territory and the complexity of the market, the primary commercial agent then authorizes a local representative in a specific southern region to handle direct sales, client relationships, and order fulfillment for that area. This local representative acts as a vice-commercial agent. They represent the electronics manufacturer to customers in their region, but their authority and responsibilities are delegated and overseen by the primary commercial agent, not directly by the manufacturer.

• Scenario: International Trade Facilitation

  An agricultural company in Country A (the principal) hires a commercial agent in Country B to oversee all its export operations, including customs clearance, logistics, and local distribution. To manage the intricate details of port operations and specific regulatory compliance for perishable goods, the primary commercial agent appoints a specialized local firm to handle the coordination with port authorities and cold storage facilities. This specialized local firm functions as a vice-commercial agent. They perform critical tasks for the agricultural company in Country B, but their mandate comes from and is supervised by the primary commercial agent responsible for all export activities.

• Scenario: Commercial Property Leasing

  A property development company (the principal) appoints a leading commercial real estate agency as its primary commercial agent to market and lease all retail units in a new shopping mall. Given the high volume of potential tenants and the need for specialized negotiation skills for different types of businesses (e.g., restaurants vs. boutiques), the primary real estate agency designates a specific senior broker within its team to exclusively handle the leasing agreements for all food and beverage establishments. This senior broker acts as a vice-commercial agent. While they directly negotiate with restaurant owners on behalf of the property development company, their authority to do so is granted and managed by the primary commercial real estate agency.