Ghana's corporate governance profession gets first national platform as summit honours excellence

Ghana's corporate governance profession has reached a landmark moment with the successful hosting of the inaugural Company Secretaries' Summit, a significant gathering that underscores the growing recognition of company secretaries as central figures in organisational leadership. Held on 16 July 2026 at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, the full-day event brought together company secretaries, legal counsel, board directors and senior governance professionals from Ghana's public, private and state-owned sectors under the theme 'Governance as Value Creation'.

The summit, organised by Mindful Governance, marks the first dedicated national platform for a profession that, despite operating at the heart of corporate decision-making, has traditionally lacked a structured professional forum. According to Catherine Engmann, Founder and Managing Director of Mindful Governance, the event was designed to reflect the strategic importance of the role. "The company secretary sits between the board, management and stakeholders, setting the conditions in which the most consequential decisions get made," Engmann explained, emphasising why the gathering intentionally included both secretaries and board directors to foster candid dialogue about their critical working relationship.

Governance, AI and the future of boardrooms

A key theme running through the summit was the intersection of governance and artificial intelligence. The Registrar of Companies, Maame Samma Peprah, Esq., stressed that whilst AI can strengthen compliance monitoring and regulatory analysis, it cannot replace the professional judgement and ethical leadership that define the company secretary's role. "As organisations adopt new tools such as artificial intelligence, strong governance frameworks will be critical to ensuring innovation is responsible and value-creating," Peprah noted, positioning effective corporate governance as a competitive advantage rather than merely a legal obligation.

Karl George, MBE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Governance AI, delivered the keynote address, introducing the 'three A's' of AI adoption—automation, augmentation and agency. George raised particular alarm about 'shadow AI', the use of unapproved AI tools by employees on personal devices, which he described as one of the most urgent and least understood risks facing organisations today. He challenged governance professionals to build their own AI literacy, arguing that "boards cannot effectively govern technologies they do not understand."

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's business environment is increasingly competitive at both regional and international levels. As companies seek foreign investment and expansion opportunities, robust governance frameworks have become essential differentiators. The summit reflects growing awareness among Ghanaian business leaders that governance is not a compliance burden but a strategic asset that enables faster, more confident decision-making.

For the private sector, state-owned enterprises and service providers represented at the summit, this inaugural platform signals a maturing professional ecosystem. By creating dedicated spaces for company secretaries and board directors to engage in peer learning and sector-specific discussions, the country strengthens its institutional capacity. This is particularly important for Ghana's SOEs, where governance lapses have historically drawn scrutiny, and for private sector companies seeking to attract institutional investors who increasingly demand transparency and best practice governance.

Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, Chief Executive Officer of Cyrus Law, challenged delegates to view governance as a steering wheel rather than a handbrake. "The greatest value of governance lies in creating environments where the right questions are asked, difficult conversations are encouraged and organisations are able to make decisions that stand the test of time," she argued, a message particularly relevant to Ghana's development agenda, where sound governance at institutional level directly affects service delivery and public trust.

Recognition of excellence

The summit concluded by honouring six governance professionals across three categories. Helen Amponsah Asare of KGL Group of Companies Ltd and Paulina Akosua Danso, Esq., of The Royal Senchi received the Company Secretary of the Year award in the private sector category. Gertrude Assan, Esq., of Mainstream Reinsurance Limited and Bernice Yaa Sika Afful of First Atlantic Asset Management were recognised as rising stars in the profession. Trudy Lamptey of Labadi Beach Hotel and Susan Gbemu of Ghana National Gas Limited were honoured as Board Secretaries of the Year in the SOE/public sector category.

The recognition of emerging professionals signals commitment to nurturing the next generation of governance leaders in Ghana, ensuring the profession continues to develop depth and breadth.