Ledelsesråd

Ledelsesråd, or leadership council, is a governance body used in Danish-speaking organizations to coordinate management and translate strategy into action across the enterprise. The exact form and authority of a ledelsesråd vary by organization, but it is typically a forum for top executives and senior managers to align on priorities, plans, and performance.

Typical composition includes the chief executive or managing director and functional heads such as finance, operations, human resources, IT, and sometimes business unit leaders. Members may also include other senior managers responsible for cross-cutting initiatives. The council’s core functions usually cover monitoring performance indicators, allocating resources, reviewing risks, developing policies, and supervising major projects or programs.

In most organizations, the ledelsesråd operates as an advisory or preparatory body rather than a stand-alone decision-maker. Its recommendations and analyses are often forwarded to the board of directors, the executive committee, or the CEO for final approval, in accordance with the governance framework. The council may have explicit terms of reference that define its scope, decision rights, meeting cadence, confidentiality, and minute-taking.

Common practices include regular meetings (monthly or quarterly), formal reporting from departments, and explicit follow-up on actions. The concept is used in both private and public sectors, particularly in Denmark and other Nordic contexts, and may be known by similar names such as executive council or management board in other languages.

Benefits of a ledelsesråd include enhanced cross-functional alignment and faster implementation of strategy, while potential drawbacks involve overlap with other governance bodies and the risk of unclear accountability if roles are not clearly defined.

See also: board of directors, executive committee, corporate governance, strategy execution.