Denise Berthoud (27 September 1916 - 26 February 2005) was born in Neuchâtel and was the third of Henri Berthoud and Marianne Perrier's five children.
She was the sister of Raymonde Berthoud, granddaughter of Jean-Edouard Berthoud, great-niece of Louis Perrier and great-granddaughter of Louis-Daniel Perrier.
In 1942 she finished her studies in law and actuarial science at the University of Neuchâtel.
She represented the union to the Commercial Policy Federal Commission from 1957 until 1979 and to the council of war.
Between 1958 and 1969 Berthoud was member of the Swiss Red Cross executive committee.
Between 1968 and 1980 she was vice-president of the Forum Helveticum, a platform for discussion of current issues in Swiss public life.
Berthoud was also president of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences and associate at the Swiss Civil Protection.