The Strategic PCS

The role of a Practising Company Secretary (PCS) is shifting from traditional compliance to a strategic, value-driven partnership. According to Company Secretary S N Viswanathan (Managing Partner of SNACO and Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries India), in the current decade, professionals should pivot toward ESG advisory and assurance, specifically helping organisations manage non-financial data and sustainability frameworks like Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting. By transitioning from statistics to corporate law at age 52, he demonstrates a blend of intellectual agility and resilience. There is a significant opportunity to strengthen board-level governance by enhancing enterprise risk frameworks, internal controls, and conducting governance evaluations. The modern PCS can also find growth within the startup ecosystem by providing specialised expertise in ESOPs, shareholder agreements, and regulatory strategy. This expertise extends to technical niches such as insolvency support, forensic reviews, and governance diagnostics. As businesses digitise, the PCS should advise on RegTech and compliance automation, while also managing crossborder complexities through FEMA and global structuring advisory. His journey is a remarkable testament to the fact that it is never too late to redefine one's professional identity. Outside of his professional success, his life is defined by altruism. From donating platelets 103 times to cancer patients and an active involvement with child welfare and healthcare NGOs, he balances a rigorous corporate career. He exemplifies a "purposeful life," where career, service, and passion coexist in harmon