Company formation FAQ - the secretary of a public company
The role and duties of the secretary of a public company are much the same as outlined above. The main difference is that, for a public company, the secretary must be adequately qualified to hold the position.
The secretary of a public company must be a person who:
- held the office of secretary or assistant or deputy secretary on 22 December 1980; or
- for at least three of the five years before their appointment, held the office of secretary of a non-private company; or
- is a barrister, advocate or solicitor called or admitted in any part of the United Kingdom; or
- is a person who, by virtue of his or her previous experience or membership of another body, appears to the directors to be capable of discharging the functions of secretary; or
- is a member of any of the following bodies:
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland;
- the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;
- the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants;
- the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (formerly known as the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants); or
- the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy