And How It Influences Your Business

The Singapore Companies Act is strict legislation that regulates and guides how all businesses
incorporated in Singapore can operate.

This act, which was enacted in 1967, effectively applies to any business incorporated in Singapore.
It determines the life cycles and daily operations of these businesses and provides business
owners with a clear guideline to processes like incorporation, winding up, and management.
Before starting a business in Singapore, entrepreneurs must understand the Act and how it
dictates how businesses can be started and managed. By disregarding or ignoring the regulations
in this Act, business owners place their companies at risk of facing severe legal action or even
prosecution.

The first step to understanding the Singapore Companies Act and how it affects the structure,
operations, and regulations of your business is identifying some of the most important rules and
requirements.

Choosing The Right Structure Of Your Business

One of the most important aspects of starting a business in Singapore – according to the
Singapore Companies Act – is hiring the right company secretary. According to the Singapore
Companies Act, your company secretary must be a legal resident of Singapore. He or she cannot
be appointed as the sole director of your business. However, if there is more than one director of
your company, your company secretary can legally play both roles.

International or foreign companies tend to avoid employing a branch office structure in Singapore
due to the stringent compliance requirements it demands. Despite the effort of maintaining this
company compliance, branch structured companies in Singapore receive limited rights.
Choosing The Right Name

The Singapore Companies Act plays a role not only in how you run, manage, and structure your
business, but also in what you can legally name it. Your company name plays an incredible role in
how you market and leverage your business to other businesses and customers in Singapore,
which means you’ll need to ensure your name complies with the regulations of the Act before you
start planning your marketing and branding strategies.

Using The Singapore Companies Act To Your Advantage

When it comes to understanding the Singapore Companies Act, many professionals tend to focus
on the dangers and repercussions of not meeting all of the rules and regulations. While complying
with the Act is incredibly important, it’s also valuable to understand how you can use the Act to
your advantage as a business owner or director.

By understanding the Singapore Companies Act’s finer details, you could potentially save your
business an annual audit. Annual audits are cost- and time-intensive processes that could be
avoided if your business qualifies for exemption according to the thresholds of the Singapore
Companies Act.

How and Why The Singapore Companies Act is Changing

Most businesses incorporated in Singapore would know about some of the amendments that have
been made in the past few years. Various bills have been introduced to make it easier and more
rewarding for businesses to be incorporated in Singapore. Some of the amendments proposed and

passed in recent years serve to lighten the regulatory burden on businesses while increasing their
professional flexibility when it comes to raising capital or accommodating different business types.
The ongoing improvements and amendments to the Singapore Companies Act aim to strengthen
and simplify how the corporate governance landscape operates and interacts with businesses in
Singapore. When implemented corrected, the Singapore Companies Act serves as a way to create
greater accountability, protection, and transparency.

Why Understanding The Singapore Companies Act is Important

As a business owner or director considering starting a business in Singapore, you’ll need to deeply
understand how the various rules and regulations outlined in the Act can affect your business and
how it operates. Without a greater understanding of the Act, you could be risking the safety and
success of your business in Singapore. You might also be missing out on key factors that could
improve or streamline the way your business operates.

To gain a deeper understanding, we recommend reaching out to a professional agency or team
that can provide you with clear, straightforward guidance that suits your business. Because each
business is unique, you’ll need to work with a team that can truly explain the different parts of the
Act that affect your type of business and communicate these effects in a way that you can not only
understand, but also use to your advantage.

Discover More About Starting A Business In Singapore

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can legally start a business in Singapore
according to the Singapore Companies Act, feel free to reach out to ALP Peak. Our dedicated
team of financial advisors and business experts will be ready and waiting to provide you with the
guidance and advice you need.