The appointment or removal of a company secretary is generally governed by a company’s articles of association and is usually the responsibility of the directors.
When appointing a company secretary, you are required to notify Companies House within 14 days using form AP03 (or form AP04 if appointing a corporate body as secretary). Companies House will then publish the appointment and a copy of the form on the public register; you must also update the company’s register of secretaries.
When registering a new company, the company secretary is automatically appointed through being named in the registration application.
Why appoint a company secretary?
Appointing a company secretary ensures that your business operates to the highest standards in relation to good governance and compliance. Company secretaries provides directors strategic advice on maintaining all statutory and regulatory requirements, from filing annual accounts to monitoring relevant legislation. They also offer accountability by overseeing internal systems of processes within the organisation.
