The company secretary in Switzerland has an important role in the internal organization and functioning of a specific legal entity. The individual acting as the company secretary is appointed by the Board of Directors but does not necessarily has to be a member of the Board.
Some of the most important duties of a Swiss company secretary include:
- signing the minutes of the Board’s meetings, preparing and attending meetings;
- signing documents on behalf of the company’s administrative officer;
- handling correspondence, keeping records.
Investors who want to open a company in Switzerland will need to appoint a company secretary. They can either select an individual who they can hire to work for the company or outsource the recruitment process to an HR company that will find a right candidate.
The degree of responsibility as well as specific attributions that can fall under the duties of a company secretary in Switzerland can also depend on the type of company and the composition of the Board. The internal context in the company and the external requirements in a specific business field can also shape and influence the role and function of the company secretary.
Upon the opening of a Swiss company, the company secretary may be appointed by hiring a person from outside the company or by nominating a person within the company. The secretary is chosen by the board of directors, however, he or she is not required to be a member of the board.
When it comes to the qualifications and/or experience of the Swiss company secretary, there no specific requirements the chosen person must meet, which is why it is possible to use specialized services in this sense.
If you want to open a company in Switzerland and need support, you can rely on our advisors who can help you meet the legal obligations imposed under the Company Law.
Switzerland is known for the specialized workforce especially in the financial field, however, it is also known for the professionals who can offer numerous fiduciary services dedicated to companies. Among these, specialists who can offer corporate secretary and accounting services are quite sought.
Here are the main services you can benefit from when requesting specialized corporate secretary services in Switzerland:
- enrollment for tax and social security;
- handling changes in the company’s statutory documents;
- keeping track of all official documents in the company;
- obtaining various documents from the Company Register and other government agencies;
- updating commercial records;
- drafting and recording the minutes of the shareholders’ general annual meeting.
Other services can also be provided, especially when dealing with providers who have experience in handling such matters. For example, a company secretary can also assist in mergers and acquisitions, as well as in company liquidation matters.
Considering there is no specific requirement when it comes to the appointment of the Swiss company secretary, a business can choose between hiring, thus having an internal company secretary, or using dedicated services provided by external specialists or companies. The main advantage of the latter consists in the fact that the provider will work based on a contract, thus there will be additional costs related to office space or employment of the internal officer.
