The Ministers for Co-operation and selected parliamentarians lead Nordic co-operation.
The Nordic prime ministers and the heads of government of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland have the ultimate responsibility for the Nordic governmental co-operation. The Nordic Ministers for Co-operation have the political responsibility for co-ordinating Nordic co-operation. The chairperson of the ministers for co-operation is the minister from the country holding the Presidency.
There are 10 policy councils of ministers. Ministers from the five Nordic countries and the three self-governing areas, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland, have responsibility for the policy areas covered by the councils of ministers.
The ministers for co-operation are assisted by the senior officials who make up the Nordic Committees for Co-operation. They are responsible for the day-to-day work of the co-operation.
The Secretary General is the most senior official of the Secretariat to the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The Nordic institutions, such as the Culture Fund, Nordic Culture Point, Nordic Innovation, NordForsk and Nordic Energy Research, are headed up by a director or managing director while the Nordic Investment Bank's highest official is called both president and managing director.
The members of the Nordic Council are nominated from and by the national parliament of their country or area. The Council's highest decision-making body is the Presidium. The Presidium is led by a President and a Vice President, who are both elected at the Session for one calendar year. The President and Vice-President represent the country which will host the coming year's Session.
The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Nordic Council's Committees are elected at the Session and the appointments reflect a balance of countries, party groups and gender.
The highest senior official in the Nordic Council is the Secretary General who leads the work of the secretariat.
The Federation of Norden Associations (FNF) organises co-ordination of popular Nordic co-operation. It is led by a Presidium consisting of the chairpersons of the national Nordic associations. The highest official in the FNF is the Secretary General. The national associations' highest officials have the title of Secretary General or Director.
A number of well-known Nordic politicians have been active in Nordic co-operation over the years. Notable amongst past Presidents of the Nordic Council are Swedish Olof Palme and Karin Söder, Norwegian Kåre Willoch and Trygve Bratteli, Karl-August Fagerholm and Vieno Jussi Sukselainen from Finland, Anker Jørgensen and Jens Otto Krag from Denmark and Matthías Á. Mathiesen and Páll Pétursson from Iceland.