Expert company secretary services in Hong Kong
Specialist corporate secretary services to ensure business compliance through timely filings and accurate record-keeping.
reviews: 4.9/5
Why should you outsource company secretary to Sleek?
Expert support
Dedicated and experienced company secretary to assist with statutory compliance, governance, and administrative tasks of your company.
Stay compliant
Ensure maintenance of statutory registers, filing of statutory returns, and compliance with the statutory requirements.
Online record-keeping
All your company documents stored digitally, for simplified record keeping and easy access at all times.
No surprises
Transparent all-inclusive pricing that covers all your business needs, avoiding surprises and penalties.
Guaranteed satisfaction or get your money back.
Choose your Company Secretary plan
Flat fee｜Paid yearly｜All inclusive
How many shareholders do you have?
HK$1,300/year
Provision of a Company Secretary
Provision of a Designated Representative
Corporate secretary services
Compliance essentials
Optional add-on *
Want some add-ons? Build your own package →
Need more information before choosing?
What do Sleek corporate secretarial services include?
Compliance management
Upholds corporate governance and statutory adherence by managing annual return submissions, financial statements, and essential filings to authorities such as the Companies Registry and the Inland Revenue Department. They also organize mandatory AGMs.
Record-keeping
Maintaining and updating the company’s statutory records, including the Register of Members, Register of Directors, and Register of Charges. Coordinating and preparing documentation for board meetings, as well as maintaining minutes of these meetings.
Corporate Governance
Supports the board of directors in ensuring sound corporate governance practices, including facilitating board meetings and recording minutes.
Company administration
Serves as a liaison between the company and government authorities, shareholders, and other stakeholders. Oversees changes in company structure, such as director or shareholder alterations, and ensures that records are updated accordingly.
Legal and regulatory advisory
Provides guidance to the company on legal and regulatory matters, keeping the company informed about changes in laws that may affect its operations.
Switch to Sleek
Smooth, efficient, hassle-free transition
We help you manage your business efficiently
Accounting and tax
We are a certified Xero Platinum partner and we manage your finances better than anyone else can.
Financial audit
Independent auditors to complete the annual audit and tax filing process with ease.
Online bookkeeping
Proprietary cloud bookkeeping platform built for small businesses so you don’t need to pay separately for expensive platforms.
What our customers say about us
Jehu Molina
The Banyan Tree Limited
Sleek is the most straightforward, fast and easy way to set up your business. The team is fast in responding and helpful at all times. It’s been a great decision and an excellent value for money. Strongly recommended.
Finn Stolle
LF Digital Solutions Limited
Sleek offers me the easiest company set up I have ever done! I have now created multiple Companies in three different Countries and this was by far the best experience. I would give 10 stars if possible!
Daniel DE LEON
Garuda Gear Limited
Great, easy to work with, amazing experience. We are not form Hong Kong so the help sleek provided for us was stellar. Incorporating in HK was so amazingly simple with them I was shocked. Highly Recommend!
Jay Ahn
Teach For Hong Kong Limited
If you are a small business owner, or any business owner based in Hong Kong, needing an auditor, filing taxes, having a business address, annual secretary filing, and want a very streamlined process at fair price points, I highly recommend Sleek.
FAQs
Here are some common questions we receive from our customers.
If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Why do I need a company secretary, can I operate without one?
Having a company secretary is a legal requirement for every limited company in Hong Kong. The Companies Ordinance mandates the appointment of a company secretary to ensure compliance with government and company laws. The designated person must be a resident of Hong Kong and fulfill various responsibilities, such as preparing for general meetings, maintaining annual requirements, and defining the duties of shareholders and directors. Additionally, the company secretary acts as the point of contact with government agencies.
Operating without a company secretary is not permissible. Engaging in such activity is prohibited by law, as stipulated in the Companies Ordinance in Hong Kong. It is mandatory for companies to designate a company secretary who meets specific criteria, including being a resident of Hong Kong and at least 18 years of age.
Which company in Hong Kong must have a company secretary?
Each limited company operating in Hong Kong is obligated to have a company secretary. On the other hand, sole proprietorships are not required to appoint a secretary, but this business structure is limited in its usage due to the owner bearing sole responsibility for all debts and facing unlimited liabilities.
What is the difference between a company secretary and a designated representative in Hong Kong?
In Hong Kong, a company secretary and a designated representative are distinct positions. A company secretary is a statutory position required for all Hong Kong companies and focuses on ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining company records, and advising on corporate governance matters.
On the other hand, a designated representative is appointed to assist with the company’s significant controllers registered to a law enforcement officer and can be a shareholder, director, employee, or a qualified professional such as an accounting professional, a legal professional, or a person licensed to carry on a business as a trust or company service provider. It’s worth noting that some service providers may charge additional fees for acting as the company’s designated representative.
What is a company/corporate secretary in Hong Kong?
A company secretary is an officer responsible for the company / corporation. Some of the company secretaries are certified by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries in Hong Kong. The individual will be a gatekeeper for the firm and make sure that the Hong Kong company is fully compliant from a corporate governance point of view under the statutory laws of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance and the government. Although it can be often overlooked, the company secretary is a key role with important responsibilities. Read more information from our website here.
What does a company secretary do?
Company secretaries are typically responsible for: convening and providing administration for annual general meetings (AGMs): for example, producing agendas, taking minutes, conveying decisions and handling meeting correspondence. providing legal, financial and/or strategic advice during and outside of meetings.
Read our article “A Comprehensive Guide to Company Secretary Responsibilities” to learn more.
What are the requirements of a company secretary?
To appoint a company secretary that complies with the regulations of the Companies Registry, we have to understand that there are different requirements for company secretaries for different types of companies:
For private companies, the company secretary can be a natural person or a corporate body that has a Trust or Company Service Provider Licence. The individual does not have to be a Hong Kong resident, but he or she has to ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. If you’re using a body corporate as your company secretary, the registered address of that corporate must be in Hong Kong. The sole director of a private company must not also be the company secretary.
Public companies or companies limited by guarantee must have a company secretary and at least two directors, one of whom may be the company secretary.
For non-listed Hong Kong companies, there is no requirement for qualification for company secretaries.
For listed companies, the company secretary has to be a qualified accountant, chartered secretary, lawyer or hold some other qualifications that show the candidate has the ability to handle the duties of a company secretary.
Corporate governance in Hong Kong involves paying attention and respecting the interest of a company’s key stakeholders while achieving a company’s objectives. It is a body of rules and process determining the structure of a company.
It is the company secretary’s role to make sure that structure is consistently carried out.
Why outsource company secretarial services in Hong Kong?
Outsourcing your company’s secretarial duties is a great way to save time and money. Especially for foreign entrepreneurs living outside of Hong Kong, such as in Australia or China, the process of registering and up-keeping of a company in Hong Kong can be challenging and time consuming. Sleek’s services can help maintain the business and fulfil the mandatory laws of a Hong Kong company under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance, while saving cost on headcount and potential Hong Kong office address. Contact us if you’re interested or need any assistance.
Why do I need a company secretary?
After incorporation, the Company Ordinance requires every limited company to have a company secretary in Hong Kong for complying with the government and company laws. The appointed person needs to reside in Hong Kong full time, with responsibilities such as preparing for general meetings, maintaining the annual requirements for the firm, as well as defining and updating the duties of each shareholder and director. The company secretary is also responsible for communicating with government agencies when they reach out to the company.
What are the duties of a company secretary in Hong Kong?
The company secretary takes care of all matters of the company in order to comply with the regulations of the Companies Ordinance. Their responsibilities depend on the company’s size and nature of business.
Here are the main duties of a company secretary:
- Organizing and attending all meetings
- Advice the company on corporate governance
- Checking the information in statutory books
- Filing statutory returns
- Complying with the statutory requirements
- Updating shares transfer
- Handling other administrative matters
The designated company secretary’s duties include being responsible for regulating the company operations and corporate governance. Others include preparing for the First Board Resolution, providing assistance in the Annual General Meeting, renewal of the Business Registration Certificate documents, as well as informing the directors and members of the listed company on any changes.
How should I select my company secretary?
Since the company secretary handles a wide range of duties for your company, it is important to find a company secretary that has the following qualities:
Knowledgeable
A company secretary has to perform duties beyond normal secretaries. He or she should have a set of knowledge and experience regarding corporate governance and company compliance. If you’re hiring a corporate body as your company secretary, you must ensure that the company holds a Trust or Company Service Provider Licence like Sleek.
Organized
From annual general meeting minutes, billings to important mails from the bank or the government agencies, the company secretary has to keep records of a large amount of documents and important details for the company. It is important that the candidate is highly organized and capable of filing important documents neatly so that the company can refer back to respective folders easily.
Responsible
Duties such as renewal of the business registration certificate and submitting the right documents to the Companies Registry and Inland Revenue Department are a must in order to avoid penalties. The company secretary must understand the importance of submitting relevant documents on time to ensure a smooth operation for the company.
Professional
The company secretary has to represent the company to communicate with government agencies such as the Companies Registry and Inland Revenue Department. They have to remain professional when they respond to emails or phone calls on behalf of the company.
At Sleek, we offer company secretarial services that you can trust. Contact us if you’re looking for a company secretary that possesses all the above qualities.
Can you be director and company secretary?
A company secretary in Hong Kong can be an individual or a corporate entity. However, it’s important to note that a sole director of a private company cannot also act as the company secretary. In such a case, the company must have more than one director to appoint one of them as the company secretary. Compliance with this rule is essential for private companies in Hong Kong.
When to switch your company secretary in Hong Kong
Since the company secretary takes care of a lot of important duties for your company, you may need to consider changing your company secretary if you face the following problems:
- He or she charges you hidden fees
- Billings are delivered late
- Billings are incorrect
- Business Registration Certificate not renewed on time
- Fail to submit documents on time
- Fail to file returns on time
These common problems would greatly hinder the daily operations of your company and even violate the regulations of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. Failure to accurately handle government filings may result in government penalties. As an entrepreneur, the efficiency and accuracy of your administrative matters are vital to keeping your business running smoothly.
You may want to appoint another company secretary if you encounter the aforementioned issues with your current company secretary.
How to switch to Sleek’s services?
Thank you for choosing Sleek as your new secretarial service provider! It is not uncommon to change your company secretary, and the process is simple. Before you leave your current service provider and transfer to Sleek, you need first get in touch with us to carry out a series of KYCx (Know Your Customer) process. After the approval, we will require you to notify your current service provider of the determination.
Sleek offers not only secretarial services for companies but also a registered address for your company. Read about the entire process and the details of our services from our website here for more advice and switch to Sleek’s seamless services today!