The Future of Company Secretaries: From Compliance to Strategic Leadership

The Future of Company Secretaries: From Compliance to Strategic Leadership

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The role of the company secretary has become central to the functioning of corporate boards. Technology has improved documentation, audit trails, regulatory filings thereby actually strengthening transparency.

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well. I am Deepak from Dess Digital. At Dess, we work closely with leadership teams and governance professionals to make board processes and compliance simpler, more structured and more effective. For today's discussion, it is our pleasure to welcome CS Preeti Grover as our guest. Ms. Grover is a practicing company secretary and founder of PG and Associates based out of Delhi, a peer-reviewed firm specializing in corporate law advisory, listing compliances and secretarial audits. She's a fellow member of Institute of Company Secretaries of India and also serves as a regional council member of NIRC ICSI along with being an independent director on the boards of listed companies such as IL and FS Engineering and Construction Limited, Precision Electronics Limited and Roadstar Infra Investment Trust. With over 30 years of experience in corporate governance, regulatory compliances and secretarial practices, she brings deep expertise in board advisory, company law consultancy and governance frameworks. We are delighted to have her join us today to share her insights and perspectives. Welcome Ms. Preeti.

Thank you Deepak. Thank you for the kind words.

To begin with, let's start by discussing leadership and representation within our profession. So ma'am given your extensive experience as a woman and independent director on boards of multiple companies how would you assess the growth and representation of women in senior leadership roles within this profession and what factors can further support their advancement and how can women independent directors add real value to board functioning and play a stronger role in governance ethics and strategic decision making in the Indian corporate sector.

Thank you for the wonderful question. I think this is very apt in the circumstances today. The representation of women in leadership roles has certainly improved over the past decade but I think a lot needs to be done. Especially after the regulatory intervention such as the mandatory appointment of at least one women director in listed companies, the journey from representation to influence is still evolving. While we have more women at the board level today, the participation in core decision making and important committees needs to be further strengthened. I think we need more mentorship ecosystems, inclusive board cultures to go beyond just compliance, focus on diversity of thought so that all perspectives are brought in. We need continuous capacity building of independent directors, especially for women, to groom them for leadership positions. The recent case of sexual harassment at TCS is such a crucial learning for all directors, especially women directors. We all need to ask whether POSH complaints are being systematically tracked, seek periodic updates at the board on resolution timelines and ensure that material cases are escalated appropriately. Women independent directors bring immense value to board functioning. Their perspectives often enhance discussions in boardrooms, bringing in diversity, empathy and they have a key role in ensuring that workplaces are safer and the interests of minority shareholders are protected. They can play a very important role in strengthening governance by ensuring that decision making is stakeholder-centric. Even the government — the 33% reservation — there were articles by Mr. Narendra Modi in all the newspapers with the heading "Together let us empower Nari Shakti." I think it has to percolate at all levels and in all institutions. That is my take on it.

That's a valuable perspective especially on how women leaders are shaping boardrooms today. Building on that, let's take a step back and look at how the profession itself has evolved over time. Ma'am, with your rich experience of around three decades as a company secretary, how do you see the evolution of the profession over the years, particularly in strengthening corporate governance and regulatory compliances? What kind of opportunities and evolving responsibilities do you see emerging in this profession today?

Deepak, this is a very relevant question. It's been a long journey for me. I completed 30 years of qualifying on 25th February 2026. Over the past three decades the profession has undergone a significant transformation. When we started it was largely perceived as a compliance-oriented role and today it has evolved into a strategic governance function. The changes in the regulatory landscape are so frequent that the role of the company secretary has become central to the functioning of corporate boards. ICSI on its part plays a big role by continuously upgrading the knowledge of members and setting high professional standards. Company secretaries are acting as chief compliance officers. They're involved in areas such as corporate governance, CSR, IBC, business responsibility and sustainability reporting. There are so many more new areas emerging in labor law compliances under the new labor codes. We can do startup advisory, restructuring, representation before regulatory authorities. So the profession has really evolved and it's moving towards a more consultative and value-driven approach where a company secretary is expected to combine legal acumen with business understanding — a strategic adviser to the board. I'm very happy to have been part of this evolution of the profession and still continuing to do my bit and encouraging members to put their best foot forward.

That's really very insightful ma'am, especially how the role has expanded beyond compliance into more strategic functions. Taking this forward, let's discuss how external factors have influenced this transformation. In recent years we have seen global disruptions such as the pandemic and geopolitical conflicts acting as catalysts for digital adoption. From your perspective as a veteran professional, how has the strategic integration of technology such as e-governance and virtual boardrooms helped strengthen continuity of operations and supported companies in maintaining transparency and statutory compliances?

We all saw the period of COVID. We also realize that with geopolitical changes and so much uncertainty, anytime we need to be technology compliant. Virtual meetings, e-voting mechanisms, secure communication platforms have all made governance processes more efficient and accessible. These tools have enhanced participation — you can be in whatever country, whatever city, and still be involved in real-time decision making even in challenging circumstances. Technology has improved documentation, audit trails, regulatory filings thereby actually strengthening transparency. I still remember when I started as a company secretary, we used to have physical filings. If we appointed a director, we used to fill a physical form and send a person to physically deposit it at the office of the Registrar of Companies. Sometimes he could deposit only two out of three forms and would come back, and the next day we would send him again for the balance. Technology has really reduced all those procedural delays and increased the overall efficiency of compliance management systems. Virtual boardrooms have ensured that companies maintain continuity of operations without compromising on compliance or transparency. I feel these tools will further support proactive decision making — and Dess is also doing a good job on that. Congratulations.

Thank you ma'am. That's an important perspective on how technology has become an enabler for stronger governance and continuity. Moving from that, let's shift focus to the next generation of professionals entering this field. If you had to give one piece of advice to younger company secretaries who are beginning their journey in corporate governance today, what would it be?

That is the best part I like to do these days — mentoring young students and members. My first piece of advice to students in the profession would be to obviously focus on their studies, but also build proficiency in IT skills — Word, Excel, PowerPoint — alongside your studies. Knowledge will get you qualified but skills make you effective. I always encourage students in my sessions to read one business newspaper daily to keep abreast of all trends. My advice to qualified company secretaries would be not to put boundaries on yourself. Handle compliances but also strive to become a governance professional. Everyone has to focus on continuous learning. Even after 30 years I try to stay updated with evolving and ever-changing laws. Build your credibility through integrity and diligence and equally important is to develop strong communication and analytical skills — the role today requires engaging with the board, foreign directors, regulators and multiple stakeholders. Always keep building on your communication skills. If you position yourself as a solution-oriented professional who adds value beyond routine compliance, you will not only grow in your career but also contribute meaningfully to strengthening corporate governance in India and the dream of a Viksit Bharat in 2047. That is my advice to company secretaries.

That's very insightful and truly valuable advice for young professionals stepping into the field today. Ma'am, thank you for sharing your valuable insights with us today. It was truly a pleasure having this conversation. Your perspective on governance, board leadership and the evolving role of company secretaries will be highly valuable for the corporate governance community.

This is my pleasure. If I can add even one person to the profession I'd be very happy about it. Thank you to Deepak, Princy and everyone at Dess for having me here today to share my views.

It's our pleasure ma'am. At Dess, our goal is to leverage technology to simplify and strengthen governance processes for boards and professionals. To everyone who has joined us today, we appreciate your time. Stay connected with us as we continue building conversations around better governance. Thank you so much. Have a good day.

Thank you. Thank you, Deepak.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much.