A company secretary is responsible for maintaining a company’s statutory records, filing annual returns, and ensuring the board of directors complies with legal obligations. Here is what UAE free zone companies need to know about company secretary requirements.
Is a Company Secretary Mandatory in UAE Free Zones?
For most UAE free zones, a company secretary is NOT mandatory — unlike in jurisdictions such as the UK, Singapore, or Hong Kong where a company secretary is legally required. Exceptions: DIFC companies are required to appoint a Company Secretary under DIFC Companies Law (DIFC Law No. 5 of 2018 Section 124). ADGM companies are required to appoint a Company Secretary under ADGM Companies Regulations. For DMCC, JAFZA, IFZA, Meydan, and other standard UAE free zones: no mandatory company secretary requirement.
What a Company Secretary Does in the UAE
Even where not legally required, many UAE companies appoint a company secretary or outsource the function to a corporate services provider. Tasks typically covered: maintaining statutory registers (shareholder register, director register, UBO register), drafting board resolutions and minutes, filing annual returns with the free zone authority, managing document apostilles and attestations, notifying the free zone of any changes (new shareholders, director changes), and organising AGMs and shareholder meetings.
Outsourced Company Secretary Services in UAE
Corporate services firms in the UAE offer outsourced company secretary services: AED 3,000–8,000/year for basic statutory maintenance. AED 8,000–20,000/year for full-service company secretarial including complex transactions. Useful for: overseas-based shareholders who cannot attend to UAE admin regularly, and companies preparing for investment rounds that require institutional-grade corporate governance records.