Question: What are the legal requirements for a company secretary? Answer: A company must appoint a secretary within 6 months from the date of incorporation. A company secretary must be a natural person and locally resident in Singapore. The position of company secretary must not be vacant for more than 6 months. The sole director of a company and the company secretary cannot be the same person. Private limited companies need not appoint a professionally qualified secretary. Only public companies must appoint a professionally qualified secretary (e.g. lawyers, accountants and chartered secretaries). For more information, please refer to Section 171 of the Companies Act. What are the prescribed requirements relating to experience, professional and academic requirements and membership of professional associations that a secretary of a public company must satisfy?