Published: 27 September 2017

Company secretaries play a pivotal role in ensuring good corporate governance is practised in the institutions they work for, according to the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) International president Mr David Venus.

Mr Venus was in Zimbabwe attending the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Zimbabwe annual conference.

He said an appropriate corporate and risk culture comes from the top in any organisation.

"Anappropriatecorporateandriskculturecomesfromthetopinany organisationand therefore starts with the board. That is why there is so much talk about boardroom behaviour. It is the starting place.

"The company secretary is central to this with the support he or she gives to the chairman and the advice and assistance given to the board. In a room full of egos and powerful views, the secretary is key to building trust and an open culture.

"In addition, the company secretary is often the longest serving member present at board meetings, so is a vital repository of company history and culture."

Mr Venus added that according to the United Kingdom Code, effective leadership required living and upholding highstandards of integrity andprobity inside and outsidethe boardroom, through setting clear expectations in terms of culture and values, as well as in terms of the style and tone of board discussions.

"Poor culture costs money. Good governance is good business. Numerous studies have shown that high standards of corporate governance in a public company lead to a higher share price and long-term profit growth.

"So, the skills that are required today for us to do our jobs as company secretaries are many, varied, challenging but very rewarding," said Mr Venus.

Mr Venus went on to say a report commissioned by the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland andAssociatedTerritories(UKRIAT)DivisionofICSA in2014byProfessorAndrew

Kakabadse of the Henley Business School described the best of the profession as 'majestic' in the range of skills that they possess and display every day.

"We deliver strategic leadership and combine huge technical and professional acumen with acute emotional intelligence. We each need to develop our skills to become majestic.

"Our individual progress and development are essential to achieve our goals becausethe skills of the top company secretary now require so much more than administrative capability.

"Most of us start our careers with compliance. For that we need our training in law, finance, regulation,governanceandorganisation.Todothiswemustbeethical,trustworthy, meticulous, patient, accurate, enthusiastic, professional, discreet, constructive and analytical.

"Then we progress to governance and the delivery of strategy. We need all these skills and more.Wemusthaveappliedgovernanceknowledge.Wemustbestrategic,resilient, tenacious, pragmatic, influential, flexible, communicative and have perspective, display good judgment, be holistic, persuasive, diplomatic and independent," he said.
- bh24