Does a registered Akiman company have to have a local secretary?

When registering a company in the Emirate of Ajman, a key question is often faced by companies: do they have to have a local secretary? Unlike in countries such as Malaysia, where company secretaries are mandated by law, Ajman's registration system does not include a "local secretary" as a mandatory requirement, but companies still need to complete statutory compliance through professional bodies or personnel. This difference stems from Akiman's unique legal framework and business environment, where companies need to weigh their options against their own needs.

1. Akiman Company Registration Core Requirement: No Local Secretary Mandatory Clause

as the emirate of the UAE, Akiman's company registration system follows the federal legal framework, with core requirements including:

shareholders and directors: at least one shareholder (natural person or legal person), directors and shareholders can be the same person, nationality is not limited;

registered capital: no minimum requirement, usually recommended to be set at 100000 dirhams (about US $27000), no paid-in;

registered address: free zone to provide free virtual address, the Ministry of economic companies need to lease the entity office;

document preparation: the articles of association, copy of shareholder's passport, business plan and address certificate shall be submitted.

Key point: The mandatory requirement of "local secretary" is not mentioned in the above process. The enterprise can complete the registration application independently or entrust an agency to handle it, and there is no need to hire local personnel to hold the post of secretary.

2. vs. Malaysia: Local Secretaries' Legality Differences

malaysia's corporate law explicitly requires companies to appoint local secretaries, while Akiman's system is designed to be more flexible and market-oriented:

mandatory requirements in Malaysia:

under section 236 of the Malaysian Companies Act 2016, a company must appoint at least one company secretary within 30 days of incorporation;

the Secretary must be a Malaysian citizen or permanent resident with professional qualifications recognized by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM);

the secretary is responsible for submitting documents to SSM, managing company records and compliance reminders, and will face fines or company filing freezes if he fails to perform his duties.

Akieman's alternative:

enterprises can complete registration and follow-up maintenance through agencies, which usually provide bilingual services, covering document notarization, bank account opening, tax declaration and other matters;

the role of an agency is similar to that of a "compliance steward", but it does not need to exist as a "secretary" and has no nationality or qualification restrictions.

3. Akieman No Local Secretary Compliance Risk and Response

although local secretaries are not mandated by law, businesses still face the following challenges:

language and cultural barriers:

the official language of the UAE is Arabic, and government documents and banking processes are mostly in this language;

response: Choose an agency that provides bilingual services, or hire a part-time Arabic translator to assist.

Policy changes to respond to lags:

the UAE's laws are frequently updated (such as the new Anti-Money Laundering Law in 2025), and companies may face fines or business interruption if they do not follow up in time;

response: subscribe to government announcements, join industry associations, or entrust agencies to provide policy early warning services.

bank account and fund management:

UAE banks are strict with anti-money laundering review, and enterprises are required to submit detailed business plans, proof of funding sources and other materials;

response: Communicate your needs with the bank in advance, prepare a complete business plan and financial forecast, or recommend a partner bank through an agency.

Zhuoxin Enterprise provides agency services such as domestic and foreign company registration, bank account opening, annual tax return, agency bookkeeping, trademark registration, ODI Overseas Investment Filing, etc. If you have any business needs in this area, please feel free to consult our online customer service!