As a consultancy firm specializing in legal, governance and corporate services, Akira Consult Ltd is committed to helping businesses of all sizes navigate the complex regulatory landscape and minimize any legal and reputational risk that may distract from the business competing effectively in the ever changing business environment.
Vision Casting: From growth to scale- a playbook to building a high value Governance Firm
It is that time of year where laptops are shutting down and thoughts are wavering to ‘is this a 2025 or 2026 matter?’ 🙂. While those holiday thoughts are valid, we are at the reflection point, where we decide on how we shall move forward into 2026 and what strategies we need to deploy.
For every professional services firm, to stay in business, growth and scale is not an option, it is survival. For Akira our current desire is to grow in the area of outsourced company secretarial (CS) services. So if you are of the same mind, here is where that desire and those reflections have taken us:
1. What is an Outsourced CS Firm, Really?
It’s moving beyond the traditional role compliance gatekeeper to a strategic extension of the Board and management. This would include board administration coupled with governance expertise as a value-add.
2. Product Offering: These would be provided under a self select model
Tier 1: Foundational Compliance: Routine BRS filings, Annual Returns, and maintaining accurate Statutory Registers
Tier 2: Board Management: Flawless planning, attendance, and minuting of Board and Committee meetings.
Tier 3: Governance Advisory: This is the gold. Proactive governance advisory, Board Reviews, Governance Reviews and policy development
3. Tools for efficiency: The Tech Stack
Managing multiple clients demands more than just shared folders. Technology would be the foundation for scale
❇️ Entity Management Software: A single, secure platform to track all client filing deadlines, director data, and governance documents globally.
❇️ E Board Portals: For high-end clients, recommending or using a secure portal for paperless board packs would enhance our professional standards.
❇️ Cloud Document Management System (encrypted) and a robust internal workflow tool to manage tasks, assign team members, and ensure every filing is carefully tracked.
4. Crucial Pitfalls to Avoid in Outsourcing
The outsourced model has unique risks. You must guard against these:
❌ The Scope Creep Trap: Clients may request that we handle matters outside the CS brief especially with our firms legal background (e.g. commercial contracts). Use detailed Engagement Letters to clearly define the scope and price advisory services separately.
❌ Data Security & Conflicts: You hold the keys to multiple kingdoms. Strict Confidentiality Firewalls between client data and robust security protocols are paramount.
❌ Becoming Reactive: The best CS is proactive. Schedule compliance alerts well in advance and use quarterly governance newsletters to keep the Board informed of upcoming regulatory changes before they become urgent problems.
Final Thought: These are just our initial thoughts. Having consulted for a few years we know that flexibility and adjusting to client needs shall be necessary. That said, we are excited and looking forward to 2026 and this new phase of growth, call on us!