Different Roles, Different Names

Company Secretaries are known by different names at different occasion and position held by them. Following are few of them:

•  Assistance to the Board of Directors: 

Company secretaries not only provide secretarial assistance to the board but also provide them with expert advice in many respects.

•  Company Registrar: 

They are an important component of a company’s managerial hierarchy working in the capacity of the company registrar.

•  Legal Advisor: 

As a legal advisor, they have to provide assistance to the company in case of any legal matter. They also ensure that the company complies with the statutory and bureaucratic directives of company, security and corporate laws.

•  Corporate Policymaker: 

Company secretaries play an important role in putting together both short term and long term corporate policies of the company. They also advise the company board when existing corporate policies are brought up for review from time-to-time.

•  Chief Administrative Officer: 

In the capacity of the chief administrative officer, they have to monitor the general administrative activities of the company. They are responsible for the safekeeping of all legal and other confidential documents of the company.

•  Principal Secretary: 

They have to manage all aspects of corporate meetings be it board meetings, annual general meetings, interaction with important clients and vendors, meetings with government and private delegations. They may also have to take up the responsibility to manage corporate events and manage clients.

•  Corporate Planner: 

As additional responsibility, company secretaries also have to keep a discerning eye on the expansion opportunities of the company. Further, they have to take care of collaborations, joint-ventures, mergers, takeovers within the country and outside.

•  Important Link: 

Company secretaries act as a vital link between the board of directors and external entities such as shareholders, regulatory authorities and government bodies. They have to prepare detailed reports regarding company policies and disseminate them amongst internal as well as external stakeholders. On the other hand, they have to present the views of shareholders, regulatory bodies and government agencies to the board.

•  Miscellaneous Tasks: 

Another important role requires company secretaries to manage the company’s tax management. The assessment of tax, filing of tax has to be supervised by a company secretary. In some organizations, they have to take care of loans taken by the company, deal with corporate banks and actively participate in important investment decisions.