Huvudkontor

Huvudkontor is a Swedish term meaning the central office or headquarters of a corporation, organization, or institution. It denotes the primary location where the top management—such as the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and board of directors—are based and where major strategic decisions are made. The huvudkontor typically houses central corporate functions like finance, human resources, legal, information technology, and communications, and often serves as the administrative center for subsidiaries or divisions.

In legal terms, Swedish corporate law distinguishes between the säte (registered seat) and the huvudkontor (characterized location of management). The säte is the legal domicile of the company for tax and regulatory purposes, while the huvudkontor is concerned with governance and day-to-day operations. A company may have a different registered seat from its operational headquarters; in international organizations, a global headquarters can be located in one country while the main regional offices are elsewhere.

Where companies choose their huvudkontor is influenced by factors such as proximity to markets, access to talent, infrastructure, corporate branding, and tax considerations. Common in large corporations, the huvudkontor may be in a major city or economic hub, and sometimes in a country with favorable business conditions.

Terminology: In Swedish usage, huvudkontor is the common term for this concept; translations include "head office" or "headquarters" in English.