vennoot

A vennoot is a partner in a vennootschap, a Dutch term used for various forms of business partnerships and professional arrangements. The word is most commonly associated with partnerships such as vennootschap onder firma (VOF) and commanditaire vennootschap (CV), as well as with maatschap. In these settings a vennoot participates in the operations and profits of the venture and is bound by the partnership agreement and applicable law.

Liability and roles vary by form. In a VOF, partners typically have joint and several liability for the partnership’s obligations. In a CV there are general partners (vennoten) who bear unlimited liability and silent or limited partners (stille vennoten) whose liability is limited to their contributed capital. In a maatschap, partners share in profits and losses and contribute to the professional activities, with liability and responsibility largely defined by the contract and statutory rules.

Rights and duties of a vennoot are usually determined by the partnership agreement. Common elements include the right to participate in management (subject to any designated governance rules), the right to share in profits, and the obligation to contribute capital or services as agreed. Decisions about the partnership’s course of business are typically made by the vennoten according to their voting rights or stipulations in the agreement. The transfer of a vennoot’s interest or admission of new vennoten generally requires the consent of other partners and may trigger dissolution or adjustment of the partnership.

In corporate contexts the term vennoot is less common, with aandeelhouder (shareholder) being the usual designation for owners of a bv or nv. Nevertheless, vennoot remains a fundamental concept in Dutch civil-law partnerships and professional collaborations.