After the main Secretariat of the Northern Forum was opened in Anchorage, Alaska, USA), branches of the Secretariat were opened; in Bodo (Norway), in Rovaniemi (Lapland, Finland), in Yakutsk (Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia) and in St. Petersburg (Russia). In recent years, there have been two innovations in the structure of the organization concerning former presidents of the Northern Forum. Thus, in 1994 the post of General Secretary of the Northern Forum was introduced and in 2001 an Advisory Council was established.

The Advisory Board automatically includes the former Chairmen of the Northern Forum.

Chairman of the Northern Forum 1992-1994

Walter Joseph Hickel

Walter Joseph Hickel

Governor of the State of Alaska, USA, 1990-1994

Chairman of the Northern Forum 1994-1997

Sigbjørn Eriksen

Sigbjørn Eriksen

Mayor of Nordland Province, Norway 1984-1997

Chairman of the Northern Forum 1997-2001

Mikhail Yefimovich Nikolayev

Mikhail Yefimovich Nikolayev

President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia 1991-2001

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2001-2005

Hannele Pokka

Hannele Pokka

Governor of Lapland Province, Finland 1994-2008

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2005-2009

Alexander Filipenko

Alexander Filipenko

Governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.

Co-Chairman of the Northern Forum 2009-2011

Yegor Afanasyevich Borisov

Dennis Fentie

Premier of Yukon Territory, Canada 2002-2011

Co-Chairman of the Northern Forum 2009-2011

Eva Aariak

Eva Aariak

Premier of Nunavut, Canada 2008-2013

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2011-2015

Yegor Afanasyevich Borisov

Yegor Afanasyevich Borisov

President of the Republic of Saha (Yakutia), Russia 2010-2018

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2015-2017

Viktor Tolokonsky

Viktor Alexandrovich Tolokonsky

Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia 2014 - 2017

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2017-2018

Alexander Viktorovich Uss

Alexander Viktorovich Uss

Governor of Krasnoyarksy Krai, Russia 2017 – at present

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2018 - 2020

Alexander Tsybulsky

Alexander Vitalyevich Tsybulsky

Governor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2020 - 2021

Alexander Tsybulsky

Yuri Vasilyevich Bezdudny

Governor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia 2020 – at present

Chairman of the Northern Forum 2021 - at present

Viktor Tolokonsky

Mika Riipi

County Governor of Lapland, Finland 2013 – at present