Step 4.3: Choosing company directors & other key officers
Understand the key requirements and duties for company directors, secretaries, and officers.
Last updated 29 January 2026
Note: Every company must have at least one company director and one company secretary.
A secretary must be appointed within six months of successful registration. The position cannot be empty for more than six months. Otherwise, the director may face a fine of up to $1,000.
(Required) Company director
Directors run the company and decide on its strategy and direction.
Eligibility requirements
Under the Companies Act, company directors must:
Be ordinarily resident
Be 18 years old or older
Be mentally fit to make decisions
Be a Singapore citizen, Singapore permanent resident, or someone who meets local residency rules
Not be banned from being a director
Not be disqualified from acting as a director of a company (for example, an undischarged bankrupt)
Note: If you are a Foreign Identification Number (FIN) holder, check with your pass issuer (such as Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA)) before you accept a role.
Key duties and penalties
All company directors have a key duty to follow the Companies Act.
Duties and penalties
What you need to know | Details |
Note: You cannot be an “inactive director”, “nominee director”, or “sleeping director”. All directors are responsible under the legislation, whether active or not. | |
Penalties | Directors who do not meet these duties may face penalties. Depending on severity, these may include:
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Free training courses
New directors can take a free Directors Training Programme. The two-hour course covers:
Director requirements
Your key duties and responsibilities under the Companies Act
Tax filing information
Employee Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions
Workplace safety rules
Tip: This programme also includes important information from other government agencies.
(Optional) Nominee director
Nominee directors act as directors for your company, but represent another person or entity. This happens when the director is required (formally or informally) to follow the directions, instructions, or wishes of another person. The person or entity they represent is called the nominator.
On the date of your company's incorporation, the nominee director needs to:
Inform the company that they are a nominee director.
Provide the nominator's details.
(Required) Company secretary
Company secretaries help the company to comply with its requirements.
Eligibility requirements
A company secretary must:
Be a real person (not a company)
Be a Singapore citizen, Singapore permanent resident, or someone who meets local residency rules
Not be the same person as the sole director
Roles and responsibilities
Company secretaries handle administrative work, including:
Maintaining their local company's information and registers or maintaining their foreign company's information
Organising meetings and taking notes
Reminding directors about annual filing deadlines
Updating everyone on any new rules
Other key officers
(Required, unless exempt) Auditor
Unless exempt, you must appoint an auditor within three months of incorporation.
Chief executive officer (CEO)
You can appoint a CEO to run the business. If you do, you must file their details with ACRA.
More details: Update position holder information
Managing director
You can appoint a managing director from your Board of Directors to run the company. You don't need to file this appointment with ACRA.
Changing company officers
After you start your company, you can change officers anytime. You must file these changes through Bizfile within 14 days of the change.
More details: Updating company information & appointed officers