Company Secretary

Job Specification

Company Secretary (Investment Management Company)

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Reporting to: Board of Directors

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

An established investment management firm based in Abu Dhabi is seeking an experienced Company Secretary to support the Board, executive management, and legal function. The successful candidate will ensure the highest standards of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, board administration, and entity management across UAE and international investment structures.

This is a senior governance role requiring strong knowledge of corporate secretarial practices, regulatory frameworks, fund structures, and board governance within a regulated financial services environment.

Ideal Candidate

A governance professional who combines first-class company secretarial expertise with a commercial understanding of investment management, capable of partnering with Boards and senior leadership to maintain best-in-class governance standards within a sophisticated Abu Dhabi-based investment platform.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Governance

• Serve as secretary to the Board of Directors and Board Committees.
• Ensure compliance with applicable corporate governance requirements, company laws, and internal governance frameworks.
• Advise directors and senior management on governance best practices and statutory obligations.
• Maintain governance policies, delegation authorities, and Board procedures.
• Coordinate annual Board effectiveness reviews and governance assessments.

Board and Committee Support

• Prepare annual Board and Committee calendars.
• Coordinate meetings, agendas, papers, and resolutions.
• Attend Board and Committee meetings and prepare accurate minutes and action logs.
• Track Board decisions and monitor completion of agreed actions.
• Facilitate director induction, ongoing training, and governance awareness initiatives.

Corporate Secretarial Administration

• Maintain statutory records, registers, and corporate books.
• Manage company incorporations, restructurings, liquidations, and amendments.
• Oversee powers of attorney, authorised signatory arrangements, and corporate authorisations.
• Ensure timely filing of statutory returns and regulatory submissions.
• Maintain legal entity management databases and document repositories.

Investment and Fund Structures

• Support governance requirements for investment vehicles, special purpose entities, and holding companies.
• Coordinate approvals relating to acquisitions, disposals, financing transactions, and fund operations.
• Manage governance matters associated with cross-border investment structures.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop effective relationships with Board members, senior executives, investors, external counsel, auditors, fund administrators, and regulators.
• Act as a trusted governance adviser to executive management and directors.
• Coordinate between legal, compliance, finance, risk, and operational functions.

Candidate Profile

Essential Qualifications

• Degree in Law, Corporate Governance, Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Professional qualification such as:
• Chartered Governance Professional (CGI/ICSA)
• Chartered Secretary
• Qualified Lawyer (desirable)
• Fluent English communication skills (written and verbal).

Experience

• 8-15 years' corporate secretarial or governance experience.
• Experience within:
• Investment management
• Asset management
• Private equity
• Sovereign wealth funds
• Financial services organisations
• Experience supporting Board and Committee governance.
• Proven exposure to UAE corporate structures and international holding entities.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of:
• Corporate governance principles
• UAE corporate legislation
• Financial services regulation
• Board administration
• Legal entity management
• Excellent minute-taking and drafting skills.
• Experience with board portal and entity management systems.
• Strong project management and organisational abilities.

Personal Attributes

• High integrity and discretion.
• Excellent judgment and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate confidently with senior executives and Board members.
• Commercially minded with a pragmatic approach to governance.
• Able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced investment environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) or Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) regulated entities.
• Exposure to sovereign wealth, institutional investment, real assets, infrastructure, private markets, or multi-asset investment strategies.
• Experience supporting international subsidiaries and investment holding companies across multiple jurisdictions.

Remuneration

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual performance bonus.
• Private medical insurance.
• Housing and relocation support (where applicable).
• Long-term incentive participation (subject to company policy).
• Generous annual leave and professional development support.