Company secretarial services encompass the administrative and compliance management functions of a company — maintaining statutory registers, filing annual returns, managing board meeting documentation, and ensuring all regulatory obligations are met on time. While UAE law does not require a formal company secretary in the way that UK law does, the functions of a company secretary are essential for any well-governed UAE business. Outsourcing these functions to a professional is increasingly common among UAE SMEs.
What Do Company Secretary Services Cover?
A UAE company secretary service typically covers: maintenance of the company's statutory registers (shareholders, directors, UBO register), preparation and filing of annual licence renewal documentation, management of board and shareholder meeting minutes, maintenance of the company's constitutional documents (MOA, AOA), coordination of document attestation and notarisation, management of power of attorney arrangements, monitoring of compliance deadlines across all regulatory requirements, and coordination with auditors for year-end statutory accounts.
Board Meeting Support and Governance Documentation
Proper board meeting documentation is essential for UAE companies — particularly for those that need to demonstrate substance for ESR purposes, or for those with international shareholders who require evidence of governance for their own reporting obligations. A company secretary prepares board meeting notices, agendas, and draft resolutions, distributes papers to directors, records minutes, and maintains a decisions register. For companies that use written resolutions (circular resolutions) instead of physical meetings, the company secretary manages the circulation and execution process.
Registered Office and Mail Management
A company secretary service can provide a registered office address for companies that do not maintain a physical UAE office, receive and process government correspondence and regulatory notices, forward renewal and compliance notices to the relevant management contact, and manage apostille and legalisation requests for company documents. This service is particularly important for free zone entities and offshore companies whose shareholders are based outside the UAE.
The Cost and Value of Outsourced Company Secretarial
Outsourced company secretarial services in the UAE typically cost AED 8,000 to AED 25,000 per year depending on the complexity of the company's requirements. The value lies not in the administrative tasks themselves but in the risk management provided by a professional tracking your compliance calendar and flagging deadlines. A missed annual filing, an expired directorship, or an unrenewed power of attorney can create disproportionately large problems for a UAE business. Gulf Oasis Business Management provides comprehensive company secretarial services for UAE entities of all types.