Company Secretary

Overview

Who is Company Secretary?

The Company Secretary (CS) is responsible for providing administrative support regarding the particulars of how the organization should be directed and managed in order to achieve its aims. Despite its specific name, the role of a Company Secretary is not clerical or that of an assistant. It is in fact one of the most respected and powerful jobs in the country, owning to the gravity of their job duties. A CS is appointed to take care of the company’s legal aspects, ensuring the company’s compliance with the financial and legal regulations. They are placed at the top of the organizational hierarchy and are responsible for managing the company’s statutory requirements and ensuring the execution of the decisions made by the company's Board of Directors. It is the CS who is responsible for maintaining the company’s standards of corporate governance. Being a CS means holding is a strategic position that forms the main connecting link between the company’s board of directors and its shareholders.

Typical day at work

What does Company Secretary do?

Company secretaries play a crucial and essential role in ensuring that a company works legally and according to financial standards. A company secretary ensures that a firm's financial and legal obligations are met, as well as that its high standards of corporate governance are maintained. They must have a solid awareness of the laws that apply to their fields of work, even if they are not obligated to give legal advice.

They are also known as the head of governance and hold a key position at the core of an organization's governance activities. One of the most important aspects of their job will be to serve as a liaison between the board of directors and the company's shareholders, as well as, in some situations, the top management.

• Ensure that the company’s agreements, contracts, and resolutions are accurately drafted and implemented accordingly
• Ensure the company’s compliance with the legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements imposed on it
• Maintain financial record books, keeping statutory books, managing compliance audit, preserving corporate documents
• Develop and oversee the company’s systems for corporate and social sustainability that adheres to all the applicable legal and statutory requirements
• Organize board meetings, prepare agendas, take minutes of the meetings
• Collaborate with the lead managers to obtain various approvals
• Ensure that the board runs smoothly and efficiently by coordinating with the chairman
• Advising on company policies, guiding the chairman and the board regarding their responsibilities and how to discharge them
• Ensure a good flow of information between the senior management/ board and the non executive directors

Abilities & aptitude needed

What are the skills, abilities & aptitude needed to become Company Secretary?

Since the company secretary is responsible for managing the organization, they must have excellent judgement, reasoning, and problem-solving skills with the ability to pay careful attention to detail. They function as the representative of the company in front of the judiciary and regulatory bodies, necessitating strong presentation skills and networking abilities. Their communication skills, both verbal and written, are frequently called upon in their interactions with the senior officials of the company, government officials, and other stakeholders.

To ensure the efficiency of their work, their time management and leadership skills must be highly developed. They should have a good grasp of corporate law, finance, governance issues and business acumen. A sharp analytical mind and the capability to skillfully work with numerical information is necessary for success as a company secretary. They should be able to synthesize large amounts of information and tactfully handle confidential data.

Courses

Which course I can pursue?