Die Bilderberg Steering Committee: Leadership Behind the World’s Most Exclusive Forum
Discover the governing body that shapes the Bilderberg agenda, selects participants, and has guided the organization for over seven decades. Meet the Chairman, understand the committee’s role, and explore its structure.
~30
Committee Members
5
Chairmen Since 1954
71
Conferences Organized
What Is the Bilderberg Steering Committee? The Governing Body Explained
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee is the executive body that governs the Bilderberg-Club and oversees all aspects of the annual conference. Comprising approximately 30 influential figures from Europe and North America, this committee determines the topics for discussion, selects participants, chooses Veranstaltungsorte, and manages the organization’s affairs throughout the year.
Unlike other international forums with large secretariats, the Lenkungsausschuss operates with minimal bureaucracy. There is no permanent headquarters, no public-facing staff, and no formal organizational structure beyond the committee itself. This lean approach has remained consistent since the organization’s founding in 1954 and contributes to the confidential nature that defines Bilderberg.
Committee members serve in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their governments, companies, or institutions. They are typically distinguished former officials, business leaders, academics, and other influential figures who have demonstrated expertise in international affairs, economics, technology, or security matters.
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee meets periodically throughout the year to plan the annual conference. Several months before each meeting, members propose topics based on current global events and identify potential participants whose expertise is relevant to the agenda. The committee also coordinates with host country authorities on security and logistics.
Learn More About How Bilderberg Works →Key Facts About the Steering Committee
👥 Size
Approximately 30 members from Europe and North America
🎯 Primary Role
Select topics, choose participants, organize annual meetings
👤 Current Chairman
Henri de Castries (former AXA CEO) since 2012
🌍 Geographic Balance
Split between European and North American members
📋 Structure
Minimal bureaucracy, no permanent headquarters or staff
Current Lenkungsausschuss Leadership
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee is led by a Chairman who guides the organization’s direction and serves as its primary representative. The current leadership has overseen significant changes including increased transparency and adaptation to new global challenges.
Henri de Castries
Chairman since 2012 | Former Chairman & CEO of AXA
Henri de Castries is a French businessman who led global insurance giant AXA from 2000 to 2016, transforming it into one of the world’s largest insurers. A graduate of ENA and HEC Paris, he began his career in the French civil service before joining AXA in 1989. He took over leadership of the Bilderberg Steering Committee from Étienne Davignon in 2012 and has overseen the organization’s increased transparency, including the publication of participant lists and Themen der Tagesordnung after each meeting.
Key Achievements: Transparency reforms, navigating COVID-19 cancellations, expanding AI and technology focus, overseeing 70th anniversary (2024)
Chairman’s Responsibilities
The Chairman presides over Steering Committee meetings, serves as the organization’s public face, guides strategic direction, approves the final participant list, and ensures the conference runs smoothly. The role requires diplomatic skills to manage discussions among powerful participants.
Honorary Secretary General
The Honorary Secretary General handles day-to-day coordination of Lenkungsausschuss activities, manages communications with potential participants, coordinates logistics with host countries, and maintains institutional continuity between annual meetings.
Treasurer
The Treasurer manages the organization’s finances, including donations from supporters, conference expenses, and coordination with host countries on security costs. The Bilderberg-Club operates on private funding with no government subsidies.
What Does the Lenkungsausschuss Do?
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee performs four critical functions that shape each annual conference. These responsibilities have remained largely unchanged since the organization’s founding in 1954.
1. Setting the Agenda
Die Lenkungsausschuss identifies 8-15 topics for each annual meeting based on pressing global issues. Members propose subjects months in advance, debating which issues warrant discussion. Recent agendas have emphasized AI governance, European security, great power competition, and economic transformation. Topics are deliberately broad to allow flexible conversation rather than scripted presentations.
2. Selecting Participants
Perhaps the Committee’s most important task is curating the ~130 participants for each conference. Members nominate candidates whose expertise aligns with the agenda, seeking geographic and professional diversity. About two-thirds of attendees change annually while core members provide continuity. There is no application process—only direct invitation from the Committee.
3. Choosing Locations
The Committee selects Veranstaltungsorte that offer privacy, adequate security, and appropriate conference facilities. Venues rotate between European countries and North America, with the US hosting approximately once every four years. Committee members from potential host countries coordinate with their governments on security arrangements.
4. Maintaining Confidentiality
Die Lenkungsausschuss upholds the Chatham House Rule that has defined Bilderberg since its founding. All participants agree that discussions remain off-the-record and that no statements are attributed to individuals. This confidentiality enables frank dialogue impossible in public forums, which the Committee considers essential to Bilderberg’s value.
Chairmen Throughout Bilderberg-Geschichte
Since 1954, only five individuals have led the Bilderberg Steering Committee as Chairman. Each has shaped the organization during their tenure, navigating through different eras of global politics and expanding or adapting the forum’s focus.
1954-1976
22 years
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
Founding Chairman
Prince Bernhard co-founded Bilderberg with Józef Retinger and David Rockefeller, hosting the first meeting at Hotel de Bilderberg in 1954. His royal status lent credibility and helped attract high-level participants. He resigned following the Lockheed bribery scandal, which forced the only pre-pandemic cancellation in Bilderberg history.
1977-1980
3 years
Lord Home (Alec Douglas-Home)
Former UK Prime Minister (1963-1964)
Lord Home took the helm during a difficult transitional period following the Lockheed scandal. The former British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary provided the gravitas needed to stabilize the organization and restore its reputation among political leaders.
1981-1998
17 years
Walter Scheel / Lord Carrington
Former German President / Former UK Foreign Secretary
This period saw leadership transition through the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the emergence of globalization. The Lenkungsausschuss adapted the agenda to address European integration, the rise of Asia, and new economic paradigms during this transformative era.
1999-2011
12 years
Étienne Davignon
Former EU Commissioner, Belgian Minister
Viscount Davignon led the Bilderberg Steering Committee through 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and growing public scrutiny. He began the transparency reforms that his successor would expand, including limited acknowledgment of the organization’s existence. His tenure saw increased security at meetings due to activist and media attention.
2012-Present
13+ years
Henri de Castries
Current Chairman | Former AXA CEO
Henri de Castries has overseen the most significant transparency reforms in Bilderberg history, including the official website and publication of participant lists and Themen der Tagesordnung. He navigated COVID-19 cancellations (2020-2021) and has emphasized AI and technology as dominant themes. The 2024 Madrid meeting celebrated the 70th anniversary under his leadership.
Who Serves on the Bilderberg Steering Committee?
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee comprises approximately 30 distinguished figures from diverse backgrounds who guide the organization’s direction. Members serve in their personal capacity and are selected based on their expertise, experience, and commitment to fostering transatlantic dialogue.
The Committee maintains a geographic balance between European and North American members, reflecting Bilderberg’s founding mission to strengthen ties between these regions. Members typically have backgrounds in government, business, finance, academia, or media, with many having served at the highest levels of their respective fields.
Unlike the broader participant list which changes significantly each year, Lenkungsausschuss members serve longer terms, providing institutional continuity. However, the Committee does evolve over time as members retire and new voices are added. The full composition of the Committee is not publicly disclosed, though some members are known through their appearances at meetings and public acknowledgments.
Committee members bear responsibility for upholding the Chatham House Rule, maintaining the organization’s independence, and ensuring that Bilderberg continues to serve its original purpose: fostering frank, off-the-record dialogue on pressing global issues.
Steering Committee Composition
🇪🇺 European Members
~15 members from UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and other EU countries
🇺🇸 North American Members
~15 members from the United States and Canada, including former officials and business leaders
💼 Professional Backgrounds
Former government officials, business executives, academics, journalists, and diplomats
⏱️ Term Length
No fixed terms; members serve based on ongoing contribution and engagement
Häufig gestellte Fragen zum Lenkungsausschuss
Common questions about the governing body that leads the Bilderberg-Club.
What is the Bilderberg Steering Committee?
Die Bilderberg Steering Committee is the governing body of the Bilderberg-Club. Comprising approximately 30 members from Europe and North America, it determines discussion topics, selects participants, chooses Veranstaltungsorte, and oversees the organization’s operations throughout the year.
Who is the current Bilderberg Chairman?
Henri de Castries has served as Chairman since 2012. He is the former Chairman and CEO of AXA, the global insurance company. Under his leadership, Bilderberg has implemented significant transparency reforms, including publishing participant lists and agenda topics after each meeting.
How does someone join the Steering Committee?
There is no public application process. New Lenkungsausschuss members are invited by existing members based on their expertise, experience, and commitment to the organization’s mission. Members typically have distinguished careers in government, business, academia, or journalism and have often attended Bilderberg meetings as participants before joining the Committee.
Is the Steering Committee membership public?
The full composition of the Bilderberg Steering Committee is not publicly disclosed. However, certain members are known through their appearances at conferences, public acknowledgments, and historical records. The Chairman and some key officers are publicly identified.
How does the Committee select agenda topics?
Committee members propose topics several months before each meeting based on pressing global issues. Topics are debated within the Committee until consensus is reached on 8-15 subjects for discussion. Topics are deliberately broad to allow flexible conversation. Recent agendas have emphasized AI, European security, and great power competition.
How many Chairmen has Bilderberg had?
Since its founding in 1954, Bilderberg has had five Chairmen: Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1954-1976), Lord Home (1977-1980), Walter Scheel/Lord Carrington (1981-1998), Étienne Davignon (1999-2011), and Henri de Castries (2012-present).
Does the Committee make policy decisions?
No. The Bilderberg Steering Committee organizes discussions but does not make policy decisions, issue statements, or take votes. Bilderberg meetings are forums for informal dialogue, not decision-making bodies. Participants attend in their personal capacity and are not bound by any outcomes.
How is Bilderberg funded?
Die Bilderberg-Club is privately funded through donations from supporters and foundations. Participants cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. Host countries typically provide security. The Lenkungsausschuss Treasurer manages finances, ensuring the organization remains independent of government funding.
Explore More About the Bilderberg Club
Now that you understand the Bilderberg Steering Committee, explore who they invite to attend. Discover the notable participants, browse the complete Sitzungsarchiv, or learn about the Erörterte Themen at these exclusive gatherings.