Hawkamah Workshop Highlights Role of Company Secretary

The Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance (Hawkamah) yesterday held a workshop to highlight the growing role of Company Secretaries in promoting good corporate governance practices within the region’s organisations.
Featuring renowned international speakers, the workshop provided practical information on the core duties and responsibilities of the Company Secretary and the essential role that the Secretary plays in advancing corporate governance within the Board Room.
Dr Nasser Saidi, Executive Director of Hawkamah said: “A Company Secretary plays an essential role as the major link between the Board of Directors and the Executives of a company. As a profession, the Company Secretary position is relatively new to the region, but this position will be essential as corporate governance takes root. Hawkamah is committed to promoting good corporate governance in the region by educating companies on the benefits that efficient corporate governance frameworks bring to an organisation.”
The one-day workshop provided existing Company Secretaries and other interested parties with an insight into the key role of a Company Secretary in advancing corporate governance within the Board room by ensuring the independence of the Board from management as well as improving Board efficiency. The workshop also highlighted the Secretary’s extended responsibility to ensure compliance with the company’s law’s and corporate governance policies.
The workshop featured a variety of checklists and practical insights into statutory compliance and corporate governance and guided participants through the function of the Company Secretary in the workings of the Board, through ensuring the independence of the Board from management as well as improving Board efficiency. Additionally, the workshop provided a strategic overview of corporate governance developments in the region.
The Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance is an international association of corporate governance practitioners, regulators and institutions whose primary mandate is to develop corporate governance best practices in the Middle East region. By promoting the core values of transparency, accountability, fairness, disclosure and responsibility, Hawkamah assists countries and companies in the region to develop and implement sound and globally integrated corporate governance frameworks.
The workshop was attended by over 20 participants which included Company Secretaries, Finance & Legal Directors, Head of Compliance, Legal Counsels and Advisors from some of the region’s leading organisations.