Company Secretary - Compliance Officer -
Governance Professional
The profession of Company Secretary has gone
through remarkable changes in the last decade.
It's been a decade with The Companies Act, 2013 .
The avenues for a PRACTICING COMPANY SECRETARY
has visibly expanded, with the introduction of Secretarial Audit, Appearance
before Quasi-judicial bodies (National Company Law Tribunal) Practicing
Insolvency Bankruptcy law, Valuation, Internal Audit.
On the other side, the role of a Corporate CS
has also grown tremendously.
I am not going to write about the Section/ law
here, but my experience as a CS.
“I am no
GURU, but a learner in this journey of life”
As a student of CS I was studying the Companies
Act, 1956 and when I qualified, it was Companies Act, 2013. So, it was the “unlearn-
relearn journey”. Starting from remembering the Section number, chapters of
the act everything was different.
“Ease of doing business” – this is what every
businessmen expect. Be it a small entrepreneur or a big player. They want the
law to be simple, hassle free to carry on their business.
What do they expect?
A CS as someone who knows all the legal aspects
in carrying on their business. Few decades earlier, the role was that of
conducting meetings and doing regulatory filings. But it has evolved into advisory
role.
CS- A related party with a detachment.
Though CS
is a related party to the company, still has the responsibility to report
non-compliance if any, in MGT-7.
My
Journey
1. With flying off “hats” and colors in
convocation- I began my journey with a consulting firm which had lawyers, CS
and others in their team. The rising of technology and softwares to simplify
the minutes drafting and filings of e-forms was new to me.
The
work involved managing team, managing clients and convincing them about the
importance of compliance.
There
were days of self-doubt, silent cries and thinking like “living in a place
where I don’t belong”.
2. Desired to join a corporate- but
ended up with a small firm where life took its turn. My learning as a CS began.
Year 2014-15 – Secretarial Audit was on rise and was part of the Audit
team. Everyday was learning, be it
preparing your checklist for audit, analyzing financials and matching it with approvals, it was definitely 360 degree learning.
3. Moved to Corporate - my most awaited
corporate break- there came a break where my family life grew, poor health-
quit job- 2 year Mom break. Out of world- out of the profession.
This
period has significance in a women’s career always. But, it is beyond that. It
taught me PATIENCE, Self-management, planning, execution. Overcoming the fear of staying stuck in your chosen career
where everyday learning was necessary.
"IT's OKAY .... YOUR CAREER IS LIKE A RUBBER BALL, IT WILL BOUNCE BACK FOR SURE"
4. It was year 2017 - Secretarial audit
was not like before, it has grown. IBC was introduced, fellow CS were appearing
in tribunals and I was standing there with self-doubt of where should I
restart? will I ever be able earn few bucks? will I be able to learn ? Do I
still remember law?
The message of a good friend –“Take baby steps in your career, when your baby takes its first step”
The
re-start was definitely difficult, challenging but was never Impossible.
Truly
it was “winning over your yesterday’s
self, everyday”.
Running
my own race. My only competitor was SELF.
So how did I do? – Networking with good old friends, fellow professionals, studying again daily.
There
were days, where I have shared the workload of few friends for free, just to learn, to assess how much I can remember what I have learnt long ago.
Restarted in a firm as a freelancer, audit support - working for just 5 hours a day when the kid was at day care.
Dealt with self-doubt about my ability to work again, mom-guilt on days when the child melts etc,
“THIS TOO SHALL PASS”.
Then took up a fulltime job as a CS for a Pvt company. Managing compliance for a group of small private companies, drafting minutes, e-forms. There was not much of a challenge or drastic learning, but definitely the role of a CS was taken seriously and I could make a difference in the companies.
Turning 30 - Lockdown-loss of job.
“Let hope be your
lighthouse beckoning you through stormy seas.”
Landed
up in a public company as a CS, where compliance was viewed seriously and the
importance of a CS was understood.
And the
journey of learning continues……………………………………………
Thank You for your time in reading this blog.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in the blog are completely personal.
