Company Formation and Other

Members of the public can conduct searches on the current data of registered Hong Kong limited companies and digitised images of all registered documents at the Registry’s Cyber Search Centre (www.icris.cr.gov.hk), or at the Registry’s Public Search Centre on the 13th floor of the Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong Business. Searches on five computerised indices can be conducted in either English or Chinese: The company names index helps one with the incorporation of new companies or changing company names; the document index is a record of all documents filed by companies with the Registry.

The directors’ index provides a list of all the directorships held by the directors and reserve directors of registered Hong Kong limited companies; the register of disqualification orders provides a record of all persons disqualified by the court to act as company directors or other office bearers, and the register of charges provides a list of the registered charges of a company and basic information on each charge. Information available on the Registry’s comprehensive computerised database includes basic company information such as the incorporation date and whether it is live or subject to winding up procedures together with additional information such as registered office address (for local companies), address of principal place of business in Hong Kong limited and particulars of authorized implemented in 2010-11.

Hong Kong limited Company Law and Corporate Governance Reforms: The Registry provides the secretariat to the Standing Committee on Company Law Reform (SCCLR). The principal function of the SCCLR is to review the Companies Ordinance regularly to ensure that the legislative framework meets the changing needs of the business community. During 2009, the SCCLR met five times and considered six other papers relating to a wide range of proposals to amend the Companies Ordinance by way of circulation for Hong Kong business. Full details of the SCCLR’s work for the year 2008-09 can be found in the SCCLR’s 25th Annual Report issued in November 2009.