Section 474 of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) stipulates that every company must appoint a local company secretary. The secretary's responsibilities include ensuring the integrity of all company documents and ensuring that all company changes are completed accurately and on time in accordance with local legal requirements. This position can be held by an individual or a corporate body.

1. Handle and maintain statutory records of the company such as register of directors, register of shareholders;
2. Prepare and file annual returns;
3. Organize, arrange, and attend board and general meetings, draft meeting minutes;
4. Handle share transfers, allotments, capital increases, etc.;
5. Handle changes or appointments/resignations of directors, company secretaries, etc.;
6. Handle changes of company name, registered address, business address, etc.;
7. Handle company deregistration, etc.;
8. Act as a liaison between the company and its shareholders and government regulatory bodies, ensuring the company's operations comply with relevant laws and regulatory provisions.

According to Hong Kong law, every limited company must appoint a company secretary. The company secretary can be a natural person (i.e., a Hong Kong resident) or a legal entity (i.e., a Hong Kong limited company). If the company has only one director, that director cannot also act as the secretary.

The company secretary acts as a bridge between the government and the company, handling correspondence with government authorities, such as filing annual returns. Although the company secretary does not have direct control or ownership of the company, if the company violates any provisions of the Companies Ordinance, the company secretary may bear related responsibilities.

The work of a company secretary includes (but is not limited to) maintaining and updating statutory records, arranging board and general meetings, filing annual returns, and reporting changes in company information to the Companies Registry. Through professional company secretarial services, companies can avoid penalties or legal risks arising from late filing or data errors, allowing them to focus on business development.

Secretarial companies providing company secretarial services need to hold relevant professional qualifications and licenses, and be familiar with limited company laws, regulations, and the company's articles of association, etc., in order to undertake statutory company secretary responsibilities and fulfill company secretary duties.

According to Hong Kong law, companies incorporated in Hong Kong must identify persons with significant control over them ("significant controllers") and must keep a Significant Controllers Register for inspection by law enforcement officers upon request. Additionally, every company must designate a person as the company's designated representative to assist law enforcement officers by answering questions regarding the Significant Controllers Register.

For details regarding the main responsibilities and offences under Chapter 9 of the Guidelines on Keeping a Significant Controllers Register issued by the government, please refer to the following website: https://www.cr.gov.hk/en/publications/docs/Guidelines_scr_c.pdf

Every company must appoint at least one person as the company's designated representative to assist law enforcement officers with matters related to the company's Significant Controllers Register.

The designated representative must be: a shareholder, director, or employee of the company who is a natural person resident in Hong Kong; or an accounting professional, legal professional, or a licensed trust or company service provider.

No, the role of a company secretary under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance is completely different from that of a typical administrative secretary.

The main responsibility of a company secretary is to communicate with the government on behalf of the company and report important company changes. These changes may include the company's name, address, business scope, and submitting annual returns to the government each year.

Professional Accounting & Secretarial Services Limited can also provide you with company secretarial services starting from as low as HKD $50 per month.

Every company must have a local registered office address in Hong Kong. This address is registered with the Companies Registry and is publicly displayed in public records.

Some residential areas cannot be used for company registration, and a residential address may negatively impact business image, bank account opening, and client trust.

The Hong Kong company registered office address must be a physical address located in Hong Kong (not a P.O. Box), used for receiving government correspondence and storing statutory records.

This address does not necessarily have to be the actual place of business; a secretarial company's address can be used, but it must be able to receive letters promptly and be open to public inquiry.

Banks or government bodies generally only accept documents issued by designated institutions such as government departments, banks, or universities within the last 3 months that show the applicant's name and address (e.g., tax bills, utility bills, bank statements) as valid proof of address.