Corporate secretaries' work processes are complemented by technology to achieve higher productivity

"Advisor to the Board and shareholders"

Manager

Corporate Secretarial Services

RSM Singapore

Deseree started her career as a company secretary 14 years ago. It was her internship experience that sparked her interest in this area of work. She shared that she scored better in her law papers than her accounting papers. It was then that she decided to take on a company secretarial role for her internship, as she believed that this was her strength.

Misconceptions about the corporate secretarial profession

“When I first did my internship as a company secretary, my friends were puzzled as they saw little relevance to what I studied. People often associate the role of a company secretary with administrative work such as writing minutes and handling paperwork. However, it was through my internship that I understood how my knowledge in interpreting figures in accounting statements came into play,” Deseree shared, “a company secretary plays the role of an advisor in board meetings. His or her work involves helping clients resolve shareholders’ conflicts, interpreting company legislation, overseeing amendment of the company’s constitution, as well as evaluating restructuring possibilities.” She added that with the increased focus on technology and ESG initiatives, practitioners are starting to play an important role in guiding the Board to navigate through these changes. She also emphasised that “we need to keep abreast of the knowledge in both accounting and law in order to offer professional advice to our clients and meet their business needs. I get an immense sense of satisfaction every time I resolve issues for my clients!”

How the role of a company secretary has changed with technology

Deseree also shared how technology has streamlined her work processes and reduced the need for manual processing of data and information. She mentioned that she used to manually type out materials for annual general meetings. With technology, data processing time reduced by 50%. This helps practitioners to take on more challenging assignments and focus on offering advice to clients.

Advice to individuals who are exploring a career in the corporate secretarial profession

“Keep an open mind! There are so many opportunities and areas that company secretaries get to experience. If you are passionate about learning, have an interest in legal work, and aspire to be an advisor, becoming a company secretary is the right fit for you,” Deseree concluded.

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The content of this interview was originally published in the JTM Report by the Singapore Accountancy Commission.