Under Singapore law, every company must appoint a corporate secretary within 6 months of incorporation,in accordance with Section 171 of the Companies Act. It is a statutory role, not an optional add-on.
This guide covers what a corporate secretary does, why most founders outsource the role rather than assign it internally, and what to check before choosing a provider.
Responsibilities of a Corporate Secretary
A company secretary’s responsibilities span compliance, governance, and recordkeeping.
Here’s what that covers in practice.
Ensure Statutory Compliance
- Filing Annual Returns
- Holding AGMs unless exempt
- Keeping ACRA records up to date.
Board Meeting Support
In board meetings, the secretary:
- Prepares and circulates meeting minutes.
- Makes sure directors and shareholders have the materials they need before a decision is made.
- Drafts resolutions for board and shareholder decisions.
Record-Keeping & Meeting Book
Why a Professional Company Secretary Is Worth It
Expertise & Specialised Knowledge
A dedicated secretarial provider handles ACRA’s requirements across multiple companies, reducing first-time mistakes and speeding up handling when something unusual arises.
Focus on Core Business Activity
Every hour spent on statutory admin is an hour not spent running the business.
Outsourcing also removes the need to stay up to date on Singapore’s compliance requirements.
Access to Network & Resources
A provider who works across many companies also tends to catch issues a single in-house hire might miss — a common ACRA rejection reason, a documentation gap, or a filing quirk specific to your company type.
What to Check Before Appointing a Provider
If you are outsourcing the company secretary role, verify these points before committing to a service provider.
Verify their ACRA registration
Confirm that they are an ACRA-registered Corporate Service Provider. Registration has been mandatory since June 2025, so verify their status independently rather than taking it on trust.
Understand what the price includes
Ask whether the quoted package covers Annual Return filing, AGM support, statutory register maintenance and other routine compliance work. Providers do not always bundle these services in the same way.
Review their Singapore track record
Check how long the provider has operated in Singapore and whether they have experience supporting companies similar to yours.
Ask who will handle your account
Confirm that you will have a named point of contact who understands your company, rather than relying solely on a rotating support queue.
Evaluate Lionsworld for your corporate secretarial needs
Lionsworld combines longstanding Singapore experience, established industry connections and responsive support to help companies stay compliant and operate more efficiently.
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