The corporate governance officer as a transformed role of the company secretary: An international comparison

Abstract

There is a need to introduce a corporate governance officer to reinforce governance norms in the listed companies. The English company secretary has been performing such a role and can be transformed into a corporate governance officer. Many Asian countries have also adopted the company secretary model to improve corporate governance. Yet there is no common framework about the role. This article discusses how the English company secretary can be transformed into a corporate governance officer and how governance synergies can be created if the Asian countries also adopt this model and the framework in which such a model operates. This article also discusses areas where the law can be clarified and the framework improved to increase the powers and accountability of the corporate governance officer. These include the independence of the corporate governance officer, the role of the professional services firms, and confidentiality protection given to the corporate governance officer to increase transnational governance synergies.