Company Secretary Legal Responsibilities and Liabilities in Hong Kong

Company secretary legal liabilities in Hong Kong

Legal liability is an obligation that must be fulfilled by the company secretary. A listed company in Hong Kong can be charged for criminal offenses akin to those of a natural person. Therefore, the Company Secretary must ensure that the company deals in a transparent and accountable manner.

Several legal liabilities apply directly or indirectly to the corporate world. For example, incorporation procedures, annual tax returns, annual company, maintenance, director/shareholder requirements, restriction concerning the appointment of a nominee director and/or a nominee shareholder, public disclosure of directors and shareholders identity, registered address requirements, company financial auditing, and business licenses & license/permit requirements.

The legal liabilities outline below mostly apply to private limited companies.

1. Financial auditing of the company’s financial books

   Annual filing of returns is the responsibility of a company secretary. They must consistently do this at the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong. Additionally, they must keep its accounting records safe at a place approved by the directors or at the company’s registered office. The audited financial records are not for public consumption. The company’s board of governance must approve the audited accounts and then present them at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

2. Legal Liabilities Regarding Board Meetings

   Before a board meeting, a notice of the same should be sent out to the directors by the company secretary. At times directors can be consulted to attend a board meeting at a short notice.

3. The mandatory company officers

   The only mandatory company officers are the company secretary, a shareholder, and the director. The rest of the company officers are optional.

4. Dismissal of company officers or company director

   It is the legal responsibility of a company secretary to oversee the removal or dismissal of a director or a company officer. A director cannot be dismissed or removed by a written resolution. If a director is being removed, it is done so by General Meeting where he/she could speak for himself/herself before a decision is made. According to Company Ordinance, a director in a fault of company ordinance breath or negligence of company trust or duty may not be compensated in any form or be defended by the company in the courts of law. However, if the offense is not a personal liability, the company is to assume total responsibility for legal costs.

5. Maximum number of shareholders and directors

   To successfully incorporate a company in Hong Kong, you must have at least one shareholder and one director. On the flip side, the company secretary must also ensure that the number of shareholders does not exceed 50, as exceeding this limit would change the company’s status from a private limited company to a public company. There are however no maximum restrictions when it comes to the total number of directors. Most of these obligations are outlined in the Company Ordinance and the listing rules governing the Stock Exchange. The sole director and sole shareholder must be a natural person. A corporate body cannot fill that position. There are no nationality restrictions for shareholders and directors of a private limited company.
   The board or the shareholders of a company usually appoint the directors The sole director has an upper hand in the corporation’s management. He/she is responsible for establishing company objectives and policies. It is the directors who appoint officers to the daily company operations.
   The directors, shareholders, and any other company officer in a critical position are to apply for a service provider’s license.

6. Business Registration

   Another legal liability requirement in Hong Kong is the filling of business registration after one year or every three years at the Inland Revenue Department.

How hiring a corporate body as a company secretary works

For a corporate body to act as a company secretary, it must be incorporated in Hong Kong as a Branch office or a Registered Office. The company must also be a Service Provider recognized in Hong Kong. Additionally, a sole proprietorship company should not enlist the services of a corporate body as a company secretary. Company Secretary works closely with the company shareholders and directors.

Attributes and competencies of a company secretary

• A good planner. A company secretary should be able to plan things that are feasible and see to their timely completion.
• Academically qualified. A company secretary should be academically qualified and well versed with the company laws and regulations.
• A company secretary should be a goal-getter, one who sees an opportunity and grabs it. He/she should commit to seeing the company achieve its strategic goals.
• A company secretary should be a people-person. He/she should be able to communicate well with all people, whether employees or clients.
• A company secretary should be principled. He/she should not sway their decisions to please a few or a majority of people.
• A company secretary should be one who is approachable. He/she should not build a fence around him/her that someone cannot easily get to him/her. An approachable company secretary is easy to consult with regarding business decisions or aspirations. He/she should combine business orientation skills with people skills.

Summary

The successful operation and growth of a Hong Kong company to a greater extent in its ability to assume legal responsibilities and liabilities as guided by the Company Secretary. There are usually penalties in terms of fines and imprisonment that are attached to the infringement of these legal responsibilities, and sometimes both penalties may be imposed at the same time.