Directies

Directies is the plural of directie, a Dutch term used primarily to describe the executive leadership of an organization or the administrative divisions within a government ministry. The word can refer to either a top management team in a company or to a specific directorate within a public administration.

In corporate use, de directie typically denotes the group responsible for day-to-day management and strategic direction. Members may include chief officers such as a director or CEO, finance director, and operations director. The directie operates under the oversight of a supervisory body, such as a raad van toezicht or raad van bestuur, depending on the legal form of the organization. While some companies use the term directie for the executive team, others may prefer “raad van bestuur” for the board and reserve directie for the executive management level.

In government and public administration, directies or directorates refer to divisions within a ministry or department. Each directie handles a specific policy area, such as finance, education, or infrastructure, and is usually led by a director or director-general. Multiple directies together form a larger organizational structure within the ministry, sometimes organized under a directorate-general (directie-generaal).

Etymology traces directie to Latin directio, meaning guidance or management. In Dutch usage, directie should not be confused with directives in the sense of guidelines or legal instruments, which are typically translated as richtlijnen or instructies.

See also: Board of directors, Corporate governance, Directorate (government).