The upsurge of Company Secretary services in Hong Kong

Hong Kong ranked as the ‘World’s Freest Economy’ for over a decade, is now not only a regional business hub in Asia, but an international financial center. Favoured by worldwide investors for its flexible and supportive corporate governance regime, simplified taxation system, established legal framework and well-resourced infrastructure. Hong Kong offers unlimited business opportunities, and serves as a stable hub for global economy and trade.

Now, with the limited offering of effective, the industry is witnessing a rapid increase in the demand for professional and experienced Company Secretarial services firms especially for Public Listed companies in Hong Kong.

For every Hong Kong limited company, it is required to appoint a Hong Kong Company Secretary to administer the corporate compliance matters. In fact, the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (CO) requires under mandates that all companies incorporated in Hong Kong must have an individual who is a Hong Kong resident or a corporate body incorporated in Hong Kong which holds a Trust or Company Service Provider License to act as Company Secretary and/or to provide corporate services.

In addition to this, the CO requires that every Hong Kong listed company, whether it is incorporated in Hong Kong or elsewhere, must appoint an individual with specific academic or professional qualifications or relevant experience as its Company Secretary. While all Hong Kong listed companies must have someone appointed as the Company Secretary, it is not mandatory that this person be employed by the company. As a matter of fact, most of the Hong Kong listed company appoints an employee of an external professional and independent services firm like APEX to carry out this function. Acting as a Hong Kong Company Secretary for listed companies requires a level of professionalism and expertise of the upmost level which is quite different from what is required of Company Secretaries acting for private businesses. Only a limited number of Hong Kong professional services providers is fully equipped to service every aspect of the Company Secretarial service for both private and listed companies and Apex is one of them.

Our professional Company Secretarial team assists clients with the full suite of company secretarial services which include  :

• Incorporation of Hong Kong private companies or registration of non-Hong Kong companies.
• Provision of guidance on bank account opening requirements
• Provision of a Hong Kong resident Company Secretary and/or authorized representative
• Provision of a registered office address for receipt of government mail and custody of statutory records
• Preparation of the Significant Controllers Register, provision of location of keeping the Register and acting as a designated representative.
• Preparation and filing of the Annual Return
• Attending to the issuance and transfer of shares
• Attending to the appointment and resignation of directors
• Drafting of minutes of shareholders and directors meetings
• Attending to the closure of companies by way of deregistration or members’ voluntary liquidation
• Attending to other statutory corporate compliance issues
• Provision of Hong Kong office address to serve as principal place of business for non-Hong Kong companies
• Drafting documentation in relation to annual compliance for listed companies
• Liaison with the share registrar of listed companies
• Preparing and filing of the monthly returns
• Providing secretarial assistance and preparing relevant documents in support of the publication of interim and annual results and reports for listed companies
• Provision of advisory on compliance with the regulatory requirements regarding corporate governance frameworks and related practices

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