By Catherine Wolfe-Coote, Founder & Managing Director, Greenfields Executive Recruitment & Search
Catherine Wolfe-Coote, Founder & Managing Director of Greenfields Executive Recruitment & Search, has worked exclusively in Legal, Company Secretary and Governance Recruitment since 2006. Since founding Greenfields in 2016, Catherine has seen the Company Secretary role move from being viewed by some organisations as a specialist governance support function to being recognised as a critical Board and Executive leadership appointment.
That shift has been especially noticeable in the years following the 2017-2019 Financial Services Royal Commission. In conversations with Boards, Chairs, CEOs, Chief People Officers, General Counsel and senior Governance leaders, Company Secretary Recruitment is now much more closely connected to accountability, decision-making quality, regulatory confidence and organisational performance.
What I am hearing in senior briefings
The conversations I am having now are rarely limited to technical governance experience. Clients still need confidence that a Company Secretary understands board processes, company law obligations, committee structures, disclosure obligations, agendas, minutes and statutory requirements. However, those are now often treated as baseline requirements.
The real discussion is increasingly about judgement. Can this person influence a Chair? Can they support directors with clear and timely information? Can they work constructively with a CEO while maintaining appropriate independence? Can they help the Board focus on what matters, rather than simply manage the process around the meeting?
Why good governance has commercial impact
One of the most positive changes I have observed is a broader understanding that good governance is not simply about compliance. When governance works well, everyone knows who is accountable for what. Board papers are clearer. Decisions are made with better information. Issues are escalated at the right time. Executives and directors can move with more confidence.
That ultimately benefits the organisation commercially. Good governance supports better decision-making, better risk management, faster alignment and a clearer connection between strategy, accountability and execution. The best Company Secretaries help organisations make better decisions, not slower decisions.
The specialist Executive Search advantage
Company Secretary Recruitment is a narrow and relationship-led market. The strongest Company Secretaries are often not visible through traditional Recruitment channels. Many are respected, discreet and deeply embedded within their current organisations.
As an owner-founder leading senior retained Executive Search briefs personally, I have the benefit of understanding the history, reputation, relationship style and career dynamics of many candidates and client organisations in this market. That context matters. It helps distinguish between someone who has held a title and someone who can genuinely influence Board and Executive decision-making.
Final thought
Company Secretary Recruitment is now much more than finding a technically competent governance professional. It is about appointing someone who can strengthen accountability, support better Board papers, improve decision-making and help the organisation operate with greater confidence and clarity.
Catherine Wolfe-Coote’s market insight
The strongest Company Secretary Recruitment briefs I am seeing are increasingly focused on influence, judgement and Board confidence. Technical expertise remains essential, but the differentiator is the ability to shape the rhythm and quality of governance across an organisation.
0 Comments