Chartered Secretaries Institute Of Singapore

What Chartered Secretaries Institute Of Singapore does

Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore (CSIS) is a non-profit professional membership institute founded in 1961 and registered in Singapore (S61SS0136J) that serves as the sole statutory-recognized professional body for chartered secretaries and governance professionals in Singapore. Its recognition derives from Section 89 of the Companies Regulations, Section 28A of the ACRA Act, and Section 7 of the Business Trust Act, which makes CSIS membership (Associate or Fellow) a legal pathway for appointment as a qualified company secretary for public companies. The institute operates from a single office in Singapore with approximately 7 staff and delivers its services through a combination of membership subscriptions, the Practising Certificate Scheme (introduced November 1985, requiring S$500,000 minimum professional indemnity insurance), a 35-hour annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, the annual CSP Conference, and prescribed courses such as the ACRA-prescribed AML/CFT course and the Fundamentals of Corporate Secretarial Practice (FCSP). Membership is admitted via the Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) Singapore Division qualifying programme (CGQP), so CSIS functions as the local statutory gateway attached to an international qualification pipeline.

CSIS's business model is a non-profit, member-funded subscription model. Revenue is generated from membership subscriptions (S$408.75 Associate, S$474.15 Fellow, S$98.10 retiree annually), one-time election fees (S$228.90–S$572.25), practising certificate application and renewal fees (S$261.60 / S$163.50), and training and conference revenue including the annual CSP Conference. Members include individual chartered secretaries and governance professionals at corporate service providers such as Boardroom, CSC Global, In.Corp, Tricor, Vistra, RSM Stone Forest, Allen & Gledhill, and Deloitte (firm-level members are CSPs, not direct customers). Distribution is direct: applications are submitted in hardcopy to the CSIS Secretariat, and engagement is driven through the website, email, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and physical/virtual events. The institute holds no parent company, no subsidiaries, no app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/technology platform; its core technology footprint is a website and event/training portals. Strategic direction is shaped by regulatory engagement with ACRA, IRAS, IMDA, FATF, and Malaysia's SSM, alongside recurring technical roles such as the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025.

Name

Chartered Secretaries Institute Of Singapore

Legal name

Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore

Website

https://csis.org.sg

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CSIS is the sole statutorily-recognized professional institute for chartered secretaries in Singapore, founded in 1961 and serving individual governance professionals and corporate service providers through membership, the Practising Certificate Scheme, CPD training, and annual conferences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal, Governance, Privacy & Audit Certifications (EDAAANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Crime & Fraud Prevention (Forensics, Investigations) (EDABAJAK), Professional Certification & Training Content Publishing (Exam Prep, CE/CPD) (MPAJACAL)

Keywords

• Professional membership institute
• Chartered secretary certification
• Continuing professional development
• Corporate governance services
• Corporate secretarial training

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore, Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees for Associate and Fellow members, as well as retiree subscriptions. Members receive access to professional development programs, industry updates, and networking opportunities.
2. Practising Certificate Fees: Application and annual renewal fees for Practising Certificates required for members engaged in public practice as Chartered Secretaries. The certificate scheme was introduced in November 1985.
3. Election Fees: One-time election fees for new Associate and Fellow members, plus re-election fees for members rejoining the institute.
4. Training and Conference Revenue: Revenue from training programs, conferences, and professional development courses including the annual CSP Conference and specialized training like AML/CFT courses.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CSIS is a statutory-recognized professional membership institute for chartered secretaries and governance professionals in Singapore. It offers Associate and Fellow membership grades, a Practising Certificate Scheme for members in public practice, a Continuing Professional Development programme requiring 35 CPE hours annually, and training courses including the ACRA-prescribed AML/CFT course and Fundamentals of Corporate Secretarial Practice (FCSP). The institute also hosts the annual CSP Conference and maintains an online Practitioner's Directory connecting practising chartered secretaries with businesses.

Product overview

CSIS operates as a professional institute offering a suite of services for chartered secretaries and governance professionals in Singapore. The core offerings include membership programs (Associate and Fellow grades), the Practising Certificate Scheme for public practice authorization, Continuing Professional Development with 35 annual CPE hour requirements, and a Practitioner's Directory for member visibility. The institute also conducts training programs including the ACRA-prescribed AML/CFT course and FCSP course, along with annual conferences like the CSP Conference series. These services are interconnected: membership provides the foundation, the Practising Certificate Scheme enables public practice, CPD ensures ongoing competence, the Directory facilitates business connections, and training programs deliver specialized education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSIS Membership (Associate & Fellow) Professional membership programme for chartered secretaries and governance professionals, with Associate (ACS) and Fellow (FCS) grades admitting members via the CGI Singapore Division and the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP). Provides statutory recognition under Section 89 of Companies Regulations, Section 28A of ACRA Act, and Section 7 of Business Trust Act.
• CSIS Practising Certificate Scheme Certification scheme for CSIS members (ACS/FCS) in public practice, enabling recognition as Practising Chartered Secretaries. Requires minimum professional indemnity insurance of S$500,000 per claim and compliance with the CSIS Code of Conduct and Accounts Regulations. Includes one-time application fee and annual renewal.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme Mandatory continuing education programme requiring all CSIS members to accumulate a minimum of 35 CPE hours per calendar year. Covers six core competency areas: Professional Integrity, Governance and Compliance, Personal Effectiveness, Business Acumen, Performance Management, and Innovation and Change. CPE hours are pro-rated in the year of membership election.
• Events and Training Courses Educational programmes including the annual CSP Conference (11th edition held 13 July 2026), the ACRA-prescribed AML/CFT Course, and the Fundamentals of Corporate Secretarial Practice (FCSP) training. Delivered through event and web training platforms.
• Practitioner's Directory Online directory listing Practising Chartered Secretaries who provide corporate secretarial services including corporate compliance, governance, law, listing requirements, and accounting services. Enables businesses to find and contact qualified professionals directly.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) Singapore DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIS membership is admitted via membership of CGI Singapore Division. The CGI Singapore Division manages the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP) examination process. CSIS members who are Associates or Fellows of CGI Singapore Division are eligible for corresponding CSIS membership grades.
• Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACRA is the regulatory authority for corporate service providers in Singapore. ACRA's Chief Executive serves as Guest of Honour at CSIS conferences. ACRA collaborates with CSIS on regulatory compliance, AML/CFT requirements, and professional standards for CSPs.
• Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSM is Malaysia's equivalent to ACRA. A representative from SSM participated as distinguished guest at the 11th CSP Conference 2026. Both countries underwent FATF Mutual Evaluations, creating shared regulatory interests.
• Financial Action Task Force (FATF)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFATF conducted Mutual Evaluations on Singapore and Malaysia in recent years. CSIS incorporates FATF assessment findings and AML/CFT compliance discussions into its conference programming and training courses.
• Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRAS representatives participate in CSIS events and conferences to discuss tax risk awareness and compliance matters relevant to corporate service providers and chartered secretaries.
• Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMDA participates in CSIS events and conferences to discuss regulatory matters related to technology and digital transformation affecting corporate secretarial services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM): Malaysia's statutory regulator of companies and corporate service providers, partnering with CSIS on FATF-related compliance themes. An upstream regulator rather than a competing institute, but operationally comparable in function for company-secretary oversight.
• ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore): Singapore's regulator of CSPs that oversees CSIS's practising-certificate holders and licenses the CSP firms in which CSIS's members operate. A partner regulator rather than a competing institute, but functionally the closest government peer.

Broad incumbents

• ICSA (now part of CGI) - historical UK body: The original UK Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, now integrated into the Chartered Governance Institute. Sets the historic qualification framework on which CSIS and other divisions' CGQP pathways are modelled.
• Chartered Governance Institute (CGI): Global parent body for CSIS and other divisions; owns the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP) through which CSIS members are admitted. Operates across multiple jurisdictions with a broader portfolio beyond Singapore-specific statutory recognition.
• Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD): Australia's premier director and governance institute with a comparable membership, education, and CPD model. Addresses the same corporate-secretary and governance professional audience in a different Asia-Pacific jurisdiction.
• National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD): US-based governance and directorship credentialing body offering Certified Corporate Director and similar designations. Operates as a broader-incumbent in the governance credentials space without statutory recognition.

Direct peers

• Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (HKICS): Hong Kong division of the Chartered Governance Institute administering the same Chartered Secretary qualification. Operates an equivalent membership, practising certificate, and CPD framework for Hong Kong's company secretaries, making it the closest functional peer to CSIS.
• Malaysian Association of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA): Malaysia's national body for Chartered Secretaries and the host jurisdiction referenced in CSIS's FATF and SSM partnerships. Runs comparable membership, practising certificate, and CPD programs for Malaysian governance professionals.

Regional players

• Singapore Institute of Directors (SID): Singapore's established professional body for corporate directors, addressing an adjacent governance audience. Shares regulatory and member-overlap with CSIS, especially around Companies Act–driven director and secretary obligations.

Emerging players

• Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA): Singapore's national accountancy body. Overlaps with CSIS's clientele (Big 4 and CSPs) and competes for membership mindshare among governance, finance, and compliance professionals in Singapore.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-qSjA3sPLh0wDhHCF3jj5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/csis.org.sg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chartered-secretaries-institute-of-singapore

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chartered Secretaries Institute Of Singapore