Does a dormant company still need a corporate secretary?

Yes — even with no activity it must keep a secretary and file basic annual returns; some simplified filings and audit exemptions may apply. A dormant company (one with no accounting transactions during the period) is still a live, registered company, so it must appoint a corporate secretary, maintain a registered address and statutory registers, and meet its annual filing obligations. The difference is that a qualifying dormant company can enjoy simplified compliance — for example, exemption from preparing audited financial statements, a simplified Annual Return, and in some cases exemption from preparing financial statements at all. However, the AGM/Annual Return filing obligation and the requirement to have a secretary are not waived. If the company is unlikely to trade again, rather than keep bearing dormant-period compliance costs, consider a formal strike off. Whether to stay dormant depends on the likelihood of restarting the business.