Company Secretary
Why do you need a Company Secretary?
Common law ordinances, such as the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance, require every company to have a designated company secretary.
In addition to fulfilling the legal requirement, a company secretary is the connector between the company and the Hong Kong authorities.
Important notes:
- Even dormant companies are required to have a company secretary
- A sole director or shareholder of the company cannot serve as company secretary
- The company secretary may be an individual or an entity, but must be residing in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, it is required to have a Company Secretary when incorporating a company
A Company Secretary is the contact point for all legal and administrative matters within a company
Company Secretaries take care of the company's corporate governance
Duties and responsibilities of a Company Secretary
The duties of a company secretary are wide and include:
Attending to administrative matters
Part of the company secretary’s duties involve to attend to administrative matters such as, Business Registration application and/or renewal, opening a bank account, organising board- and shareholder meetings and taking minutes, and preparing and filing annual returns.
Making sure the company is compliant
The company secretary ensures the company and its operations are compliant with the laws and regulations of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. Therefore, a company secretary must always be fully aware of the laws and regulations.
Acting as an advisor to the board of directors
The company secretary advises the board of directors on various legal, corporate governance and compliance matters.
Processing share transfers
The company secretary is responsible for the distribution and transfer of shares to (new) shareholders. Additionally, the secretary can take care of shareholder communication and monitoring, as well as share registration.
Maintaining the company’s statutory books
When there are any changes in the company, it is the company secretary’s responsibility to update and maintain the statutory books of the company. This includes changes in the directors and/or shareholders, relocation of the Registered Address or number of shares held by a shareholder.
Work with us
Within the HKWJ Group, Triple Eight Limited is responsible for corporate services, such as company secretary and company incorporation.
We help oversee and advise on the policies, laws and regulations that affect your business and can support with expansion or exit strategies. Besides, we offer a complementary business advice consultation on company structuring, tax advice or offshore operations.
Good planner and timely completion of filings
Committed to seeing the company achieve its strategic goals
Responsive and good communication with different parties involved
One-stop shop for all services necessary to run and grow your business
Approachable and easy to consult with
Complementary business advice consultation
Can I change company secretary ?
Yes, you can! There may be different reasons to want to change your company secretary, such as:
- Slow responses to your requests
- High fees, or even hidden charges
- Not renewing your Business Registration Certificate on time
- Missing deadlines, leading to fines
- Lack of professionalism
- Incorrect filings and/or billings
- Not understanding your company
If you’d like to appoint us as your Company Secretary, we make the transition seamless for you. We will get in touch with your current Secretary to take over the documents and handle their resignation.
Contact us
Contact us now to receive a free quote for our company secretarial services. It would be great if you could tell us a bit about your company and whether it’s a new company or you’d like to switch secretaries.
FAQ
Outsourcing company secretarial duties is a great way to save time and money. This is certainly the case for entrepreneurs living outside of Hong Kong, but also if you do reside in Hong Kong. The process of registering and maintaining a company in Hong Kong can be challenging and time-consuming. By outsourcing the Company Secretary duties to a professional services provider, such as the HKWJ Group, the duties will be handled in a compliant, timely and professional manner – while you can keep your focus on growing your business.
As the Company Secretary handles a wide range of duties for your company, they should have certain qualities to fulfil their tasks successfully.
A Company Secretary should be:
- Knowledgeable: being aware of policies, laws and regulations affecting your business, as well as knowing what to do (and when) to keep your company compliant.
- Organised: Company Secretaries have to keep record of a large amount of documents and details, keep minutes of board meetings, and file several important forms.
- Responsible: in terms of submitting the right documents at the right time, avoiding penalties and when acting as an advisor to the board of directors.
- Professional: since the Company Secretary is the connector between your company and the local authorities, they have to be professional when handling communication on behalf of the company.
- Responsive: they should respond to your requests in a timely manner, be a good communicator and easy to approach.
At the HKWJ Group, we believe the company secretary is more than simply a legal requirement. The right company secretary does more than compliance: they help your business thrive. We are a one-stop provider, where we can assist you with payroll, accounting, tax and legal matters, as well as company incorporation, deregistration, HR, and visa services.
In Hong Kong, the Company Secretary is appointed by the company’s directors. The appointment should be done within the first 6 months after your business has been registered. It is possible to switch Company Secretaries after that.
When appointing a (new) Company Secretary, the Companies Registry should be informed. This process is handled by the Company Secretary itself.
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