What is a Company Secretary & What Do They Do?

This guide is based on research conducted in March 2026, including a review of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), official Companies Registry guidance, and my direct experience supporting companies incorporated in Hong Kong. All regulatory references are sourced to official government documents. Fee and salary data is sourced and dated.

In Hong Kong, you can’t complete a company registration without naming a company secretary on your incorporation form. As a company secretary, I've helped hundreds of companies navigate compliance in Hong Kong, and I've seen this requirement catch founders off guard.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what a company secretary is, what they do and how to choose the right one for your business.

What is a Company Secretary in Hong Kong?

A company secretary in Hong Kong is a legally required officer responsible for ensuring a company meets its compliance obligations under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. 

Every registered business entity, whether a listed company or a small private company, must appoint a company secretary at the time of incorporation. This role is essential for maintaining corporate governance and ensuring the company complies with regulatory requirements.

Who Needs a Company Secretary?

Legally, all registered Hong Kong businesses must appoint a company secretary, or engage a corporate secretarial service provider as their company secretary. Failure to appoint a company secretary could result in fines of up to HKD 100,000. 

For foreign-owned companies, a company secretary becomes even more critical. As your business's primary local representative, they serve as the essential link between you and Hong Kong's regulatory environment, giving your company an on-the-ground presence.

What Does a Company Secretary Do?

A company secretary ensures your business stays legally compliant and operationally sound. Their core responsibilities include:

• Compliance: File tax returns and manage company structural changes
• Government liaison: Act as a primary link between the company and regulatory bodies, monitoring legislative updates
• Administration: Organise the board, share meeting details, prepare agendas, and record meeting minutes. 

Compliance

Your company secretary manages every legal obligation your business has from day one — making sure every deadline is met, every filing is accurate, and nothing slips through the cracks. Some of these tasks include:

• Timely filing of annual returns with the Companies Registry.
• Maintaining and updating statutory books and company records, including registers of directors and shareholders, along with documents like the Business Registration Certificate and Certificate of Incorporation.
• Keeping company seals secure so they are used only when authorised.
• Managing structural changes such as amendments to the Articles of Association, share allotments, or director appointments or resignations.
• Managing share allocations and transfer of shares, while maintaining proper documentation and compliance with relevant laws.
• Overseeing the legal processes involved in the deregistration, dissolution, or winding down of a company.

Communication and Liaison

The company secretary acts as the company’s representative when interacting with government bodies and regulatory agencies, such as the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and the Companies Registry.

This includes managing official correspondence, responding to regulatory queries, and keeping you informed of any legislative changes that affect your business. You stay in the loop without having to monitor it yourself.

Administrative Duties

Your company secretary is also responsible for managing key administrative tasks, such as meetings and documentation, handling the details so your board and shareholders can focus on the bigger picture.

• Board meetings: Organising and attending board meetings, preparing meeting agendas, and keeping accurate records of meeting minutes.
• Shareholder meetings: Coordinating annual general meetings (AGMs) and extraordinary general meetings (EGMs), in line with notice requirements and voting procedures.

Who Can Be Appointed a Company Secretary? 

In Hong Kong, both natural persons and corporate entities can be appointed as a company secretary. Regardless of the type of company secretary, the following prerequisites must be met.

• A natural person serving as a company secretary must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong
• For a corporation to be appointed as a company secretary, it must be a licensed Hong Kong Trust and Corporate Service Provider (TCSP) and hold a registered TCSP License. 
• The sole director cannot act as a company secretary.

What Qualifications Does a Company Secretary Need?

There is no single mandatory qualification for company secretaries in Hong Kong, but professional credentials signal credibility and reduce compliance risk. Common qualifications to look for include:

• HKICS membership: The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (HKICS) is the primary professional body for company secretaries in Hong Kong. Members hold the Chartered Secretary (CS) designation
• ICSA / CGI qualifications: Membership of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (now the Chartered Governance Institute, CGI) is internationally recognised
• SFC or IA licensing: Where the company operates in regulated financial services, the company secretary may need additional licensing from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) or Insurance Authority (IA)

Choosing the Right Company Secretary

Apart from meeting the requirements and having the qualifications, consider:

Business fit: They should understand your industry, operational scale, and structure. A company secretary familiar with your business model can advise on the most appropriate setup.

Scope of service: Some company secretaries offer a full suite of services, including registered address, statutory filings, and ongoing compliance support. Others handle only the basics and charge more for add-ons. Be clear on what your business needs before committing.

Responsiveness: Since your company secretary is your liaison with government bodies, slow communication can mean missed deadlines and fines.

Track record: Look for client testimonials.

How to Find a Company Secretary in Hong Kong?

You can either hire an in-house company secretary or outsource this responsibility to a corporate secretarial services provider.

Hire in-house — You recruit directly through job boards like LinkedIn or JobsDB. This works better for larger companies that need a full-time, dedicated secretary with deep knowledge of your operations.

Outsource to a corporate secretarial firm — You engage a licensed TCSP provider like Statrys. This is the more common choice for SMEs and startups, as it's cost-effective and gives you access to experienced professionals without the overhead of a full-time hire.

How Much Does a Company Secretary Cost in Hong Kong?

The cost of a company secretary in Hong Kong depends on whether you hire in-house or outsource the role.

An in-house company secretary typically costs between HKD 29,000 and HKD 39,000 per month, with salaries rising as governance responsibilities grow more complex. In addition to compensation, you should also factor in ongoing training costs, as in-house staff need to stay current with legal and regulatory changes.

Outsourcing is a more affordable alternative, particularly for foreign entrepreneurs who may lack local regulatory knowledge. An outsourced company secretary already comes with the required expertise, and fees generally start at around HKD 125 - HKD 150 per month.

Why Foreign Entrepreneurs Outsource Company Secretarial Services?

Managing corporate compliance without local regulatory knowledge can be challenging. If you are a foreign entrepreneur, you can outsource company secretarial services when setting up a company in Hong Kong to:

Cost savings - outsourcing can cost less than maintaining an in-house company secretary 

Scale support as your business grows. - Outsourced providers typically offer tiered service packages, so you only pay for what you need. As your operations expand and governance obligations become more complex, you can upgrade your service level rather than hire additional headcount.

You may get access to a team of specialists - Outsourced providers typically have specialists across company law, compliance, and filing — so you're not limited by one employee's knowledge gaps.

Coordinated support across related services - If you require additional support, such as accounting, tax, or payroll, these services can often be arranged through the same provider. This makes it easier to manage different requirements without dealing with multiple vendors.

Register Your Hong Kong Company with Statrys

Are you looking for a company secretary for your Hong Kong company? 

Statrys makes it simple for international entrepreneurs like you to get set up in Hong Kong with a fully online and onboarding process and zero admin headache. From company registration and a dedicated company secretary to a virtual mail scanning service, Statrys has everything in one place. 

Check out Statrys’Hong Kong Company Incorporation Package for more