Laura Klitgaard re-elected as President of IDA

IDA's Board of Representatives met on Saturday 3 May 2025 for the inaugural meeting after IDA members had voted for their preferred candidates in April. At the meeting, Laura Klitgaard was unanimously re-elected as president for the next three years:

‘It is a huge pleasure to be President of IDA. I'm extremely proud of IDA as an association, and I carry that with me out into the world. I can feel that it matters what IDA says and what we do, and it's fantastic to stand on the platform that IDA is as an organisation. But I also really appreciate the platform that the members give me to stand on! It is with pride and enthusiasm that I enter another term as President of IDA's 170,000 members, and I look forward to it.’

The Board of Representatives also elected 14 members to IDA's Executive Committee, which in addition to the President includes Bo Skovgaard Christensen, Lisa Sørensen, Nicolai Schiørring, Olavur Spongenberg Thorup, Ditte Marie Reinholdt Jensen, Preben Birr-Pedersen, David Odgaard Ravn, Morten Thiessen, Mette Beck Hansen, Jens Kirkelund, Anders Bjerg Frederiksen, Annette Hou Adrian, Lars Jensen and Michella Ravn Søndergaard.

IDA is Denmark's best trade union because we are there for our members

Laura Klitgaard, Vice Chairperson Aske Nydam Guldberg and Employee Council Chairperson Malene Matthison-Hansen thanked for the past three years of cooperation and satisfactory results. Among other things, they emphasised that IDA has now reached 170,000 members, that membership growth continues and that members are satisfied with their membership.

IDA's many volunteer members also continue to outdo themselves in the number of events where members can develop their skills, be inspired and network.

IDA's work to create good working conditions for its members - including its efforts to promote equal pay and flexible working conditions - was also emphasised. In addition, a new pension campaign has been planned for the current period, which during 2025 will raise awareness of the importance of pension savings for members' retirement.

‘IDA - Safely into the future’

The upcoming term of the Board of Representatives will be characterised by, among other things, new initiatives that IDA is bringing together in a new political campaign: ‘IDA - Safely into the future’.

While inclusion is being challenged outside Denmark, IDA maintains its commitment to inclusion and diversity. Among other things, IDA has recently expressed its support for researchers from the US who are affected by political decisions in the US, and has called on the government to make it possible for American researchers to seek a safe research environment in Denmark.

IDA also has an increased focus on security in a time of geopolitical uncertainty. With their competencies, IDA members play a key role in the development of technology programmes in areas such as drones, cyber defence, maritime capabilities and space technology.

IDA's key role has recently been underlined by the fact that IDA is part of an inter-ministerial working group on the government's upcoming defence industry strategy.

More members voted in the IDA election

The Board of Representatives also evaluated the recent elections to IDA's political bodies.

The pool of eligible voters for the IDA elections is changing rapidly because IDA is attracting so many new members. There was a 20% increase in eligible voters compared to the 2022 elections. The result of the election was a significant increase in nominal votes and a slight decrease in the voting percentage.

The chairman of the election committee thanked IDA's political candidate lists for their great dedication and efforts in connection with the election and pointed out that it is becoming an increasingly important task to get members to see the relevance of voting in an association like IDA. The Election Committee therefore encouraged IDA's political lists to have a thorough discussion on how to ensure broad representation in IDA's member democracy in the future.

Profit in 2024, primarily due to financial items

The Board of Representatives approved IDA's financial statements for 2024, according to which IDA realised a profit of DKK 18.4 million in 2024.

The overall result for the year is significantly better than budgeted, which is largely due to a very positive result of financial items, which improved by DKK 19.5 million compared to 2023.

IDA's CEO, Carl Aage Dahl, emphasised during the presentation of the accounts that IDA closely follows developments in the global situation. IDA has a special focus on how the new and changing framework for international trade and geopolitical uncertainty affects the companies where IDA members work, but also in relation to the financial market and the impact on IDA's economy.

The following were elected to the IDA Board of Representatives

See picture at the top of the article, front from left: Jens Kirkelund, Laura Klitgaard, Preben Birr-Pedersen, Nicolai Schiørring and Michella Ravn Søndergaard.

In the centre from left: Mette Beck Hansen, Bo Skovgaard Christensen, Ditte Marie Reinholdt Jensen, Malene Matthison-Hansen.

Back from left: Olavur Spongenberg Thorup, Lars Jensen, David Odgaard Ravn, Anders Bjerg Frederiksen, Morten Thiessen and Lisa Sørensen.

Missing from the picture is Annette Hou Adrian.