The breadth and importance of the role of the Company Secretary has increased markedly over the past five years. It is a unique role as the Company Secretary is often neither part of “line management” nor a member of the Board itself. There are endeavours to move the profession beyond that of being the “administrative servant of the board” to one which encompasses the broader role of “board advisor”. This report examines the role which the Company Secretary can play in ensuring effective corporate governance.
The study was conducted (as in previous years) by the London based corporate advisory firm Lintstock via questionnaires and interviews with 252 Board Directors and 166 Company Secretaries in the FTSE All Share Index and we are grateful for the high level of response we received and we are grateful to Lintstock for the research they have carried out on behalf of our Group.