Board member (bestyrelsesmedlem)
A board member (bestyrelsesmedlem) is a person elected or appointed to sit on a company's board of directors. Board members take part in overall management, supervise the executive board and are personally liable for losses they cause through irresponsible management.
The figures behind the term
Source: companydata.dk, CVR and annual reports, updated 16 October 2026
Board members are elected by the general meeting, typically for one year at a time, and can be re-elected. In companies with at least 35 employees over three years, employees have the right to elect employee representatives to the board. All members have the same rights and the same responsibility.
What does a board member do?
- Sets the company's strategy and overall goals
- Appoints, evaluates and if necessary dismisses the executive board
- Supervises bookkeeping, capital resources and risk management
- Approves the annual report and proposes dividends to the general meeting
- Attends board meetings and prepares on the material
Board seats as public information
Board members are registered in CVR with name and start date, and the registration is public. This makes it possible to see a person's combined board seats and the networks that arise when the same people sit on several boards.
Frequently asked questions
Who can be a board member?
Any adult who is not under guardianship or disqualified after a bankruptcy. There is no requirement to own shares or be employed.
What is a board member liable for?
Personal liability in damages for losses caused by negligence in the role. The liability follows the whole period the member is registered.
How do you resign from a board?
By notifying the company and making sure the resignation is reported to the Danish Business Authority. Until the register is updated, the member is still listed in CVR.
Related terms
Board of directors (bestyrelse)
The bestyrelse (board of directors) is a company's supreme governing body: it sets strategy, appoints the executive board, and supervises day-to-day management. An A/S must have a board (or supervisory board); in an ApS it is optional.
Chairman of the board (bestyrelsesformand)
The chairman of the board (bestyrelsesformand) is the board member who leads the board's work: convenes and chairs meetings, ensures that decisions are followed up and is the main link between the board and the chief executive.
Executive board (direktion)
The direktion (executive board) is a company's day-to-day management, one or more directors registered in CVR who run daily operations. Every Danish limited company must have one.
Bankruptcy quarantine (konkurskarantæne)
Konkurskarantæne (bankruptcy quarantine) is a ban the bankruptcy court can impose on a person who conducted grossly irresponsible business in a bankrupt company. The ban means the person, typically for three years, may not participate in the management of limited-liability companies.