We are a team of specialists on a joint mission
As a Danish commercial foundation, the LEO Foundation is fully independent of outside interests and has no owners or personal beneficiaries.
The LEO Foundation has established a transparent governance model with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
The Foundation is governed by the Board of Trustees.
The daily management is carried out by the Foundation’s CEO, assisted by a small management team.
Board of Trustees
The LEO Foundation Board of Trustees consists of 11 members. Seven members are appointed in accordance with the Foundation’s charter, while four members are elected by LEO Pharma employees in accordance with applicable law.
The composition of the Board reflects the qualifications and skills necessary for the LEO Foundation to fulfil the objectives specified in its charter.
The Board of Trustees strive to ensure that, by 2020, at least 40% of its members elected according to the charter are female and, similarly, that at least 40% of its members elected according to the charter are male.
The members of the LEO Foundation’s Board of Trustees also make up the Board of Directors of LEO Holding A/S.
Work of the Boards
Matters related to overall strategies and the Foundation’s grant activities are handled by the Board of the LEO Foundation, while matters related to investments and our engaged ownership of LEO Pharma are handled in the Board of LEO Holding.
Both boards meet at least four times a year and, in addition, hold an annual seminar to discuss and review strategies.
Remuneration
Each member of the Board as well as the CEO receives a fixed annual fee at a reasonable and customary level and is not entitled to any bonus or other type of incentive payments. Please find detailed overview of remuneration in our annual report (p 35).
MD, MBA
Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2015 (re-elected 2019, end of term 2021)
MA Law, admitted to the Danish High Court
Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2017 (re-elected 2019, end of term 2021)
MSc Chemistry, PhD
Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2015 (re-elected 2018, end of term 2022)
Professor at DTU Health Technology, Director of the IDUN Centre of Excellence
Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2019 (end of term 2021)
Senior Vice President, Medical & Regulatory Science, H. Lundbeck A/S, Denmark, MD
MSc (Library & Information Science), PhD (Molecular Biology)
Comittees
Two permanent board committees have been set up: a Grant Committee (as part of the LEO Foundation) and an Investment Committee (as part of LEO Holding A/S). Both meet at regular intervals.
In addition, ad hoc committees are established when deemed relevant to handle specific matters.
Grant Committee
The Grant Committee supervises all grant and award activities and advises the Board on relevant matters, including grant strategies and policies. The Grant Committee also ensures that all grant and award applications undergo relevant assessment to ensure alignment with the Foundation’s objectives for its philanthropic activities.
This includes evaluation of applications by scientific evaluation committees with external members who, among other things, assess the scientific topic being researched, the qualifications of the applicant and the academic standard of the host institution. All grants and awards are decided by the Board of Trustees.
| Committee member | Titles |
|---|---|
Peter Schwarz |
Chairman of the Grant Committee |
Anja Boisen |
Member of the Grant Committee |
Karin Jexner Hamberg |
Member of the Grant Committee |
Investment Committee
The Investment Committee advises the Board on matters relating to investments and asset management. It prepares and recommends investment strategies and policies to the Board and ensures their implementation in cooperation with the Executive Management.
The Committee also monitors and reviews relevant internal controls, risk management and governance models.
| Committee member | Titles |
|---|---|
Cristina Lage |
Chairman of the Investment Committee |
Eivind Kolding |
Member of the Investment Committee |
Lars Olsen |
Member of the Investment Committee |
Our team
The LEO Foundation organisation is made up by a small and dedicated team of highly competent specialists.
The LEO Foundation’s CEO since 2017.
Jesper’s background includes executive management positions in:
Alectia A/S, President and CEO
RTX A/S, President and CEO
GN Resound A/S, President and CEO
GN Great Nordic A/S, EVP
Nycomed Pharma (now Takeda), SVP
McKinsey & Company, Associate
Jesper holds an MBA from Insead and a BSc in economics from Copenhagen Business School.
Other positions
Etac Group, Non-executive board member
Sonion, Non-executive board member
RTX A/S, Non-executive board member and Vice Chairman
+ 45 32 72 51 10
LinkedIn
Ida is responsible for the LEO Foundation’s grants and awards and for the Foundation’s grant strategy.
Ida’s background includes both R&D, project management and strategy work at LEO Pharma. Before joining LEO Pharma, Ida worked at the Carlsberg Laboratory.
Ida holds an MSc in chemical engineering and a PhD in organic chemistry, both from the Technical University of Denmark.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 25 66 40 67
ida.brams@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Morten is responsible for the LEO Foundation’s financial assets and investment strategy. The Foundation’s financial assets are all held in the wholly owned subsidiary, LEO Holding A/S.
Morten has previously worked at Danske Bank and BG Bank with a large array of finance and investment-related tasks, e.g.:
Investment strategies
Asset allocation
Hedge funds
Alternative investments
Risk management
Morten holds a PhD in economics from Aarhus University and an MSc in economics from Aarhus University and University of Southampton.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
Lars is responsible for coordinating the Foundation’s grants and handles scientific and administrative matters relating to the Foundation’s donations. He also works on further developing the philanthropic area.
Lars has a scientific background having worked in academic research for 16 years on projects ranging from molecular mechanisms in migraine over COPD to sleep disorders and osteoporosis.
Lars holds an MSc in human biology and a PhD in neuroscience, both from University of Copenhagen.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 30 46 42 91
lars.kruse@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Lars is responsible for is co-managing the Financial Portfolio of the LEO Foundation. Lars’ tasks include:
Asset allocation
Investment strategy
Manager selection
Alternative investments
Risk management
Lars has a broad background from the financial world in general and from investment strategy, risk assets and risk management in particular. He has previously worked at Danske Capital, Danica Pension and PFA.
Lars holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration majoring in both Finance and International Management & Economics from Copenhagen Business School.
Joined the Foundation in 2018.
Mette is responsible for financial planning, budgeting, controlling and reporting, including:
Annual reports
Budgets
Budgetary control
Financial reporting
Mette has a background as finance manager and business process consultant in Denmark and abroad and has among others worked at Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Danisco (Dupont).
Mette holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Copenhagen Business School and an MSc in biology from University of Copenhagen.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 31 53 40 49
mette.poulsen@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Pernille is responsible for handling various administrative tasks across the organisation including support to CEO Jesper Mailind.
Pernille has previously worked as Executive Secretary at Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S.
Pernille holds an MA in Business Language and International Business Communication – Translator and Interpreter, English from Copenhagen Business School.
Joined the Foundation in 2020.
+ 45 20 86 17 84
pernille.moerch@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Peter is responsible for handling the Foundation’s legal matters and acts as corporate secretary to the Board of Trustees. Furthermore, he supports the on-going work in developing corporate strategies and forming new partnerships and collaborations.
Peter has previously worked as attorney-at-law at LEO Pharma and Horten Law Firm.
Peter holds an MA in Law from University of Copenhagen and is admitted to the bar.
Joined the Foundation in 2017.
+45 25 14 14 14
peter.kjeldsen@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
Signe is responsible for the LEO Foundation’s communication activities, including internal and external communication, stakeholder relations and public affairs.
Signe has a background within communication from the Velux Foundations, the Think Tank DEA and as external lecturer at the Copenhagen Business School.
Signe is MSocSC in Political Communication and Management from Copenhagen Business School and holds a BSc from Roskilde University.
Joined the Foundation in 2020.
+ 45 20 49 68 69
signe.krabek@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn
LEO Historial Archives and Museum
In a former porter home at LEO Pharma in Ballerup, Denmark, you will find “LEO Historical Archives and Museum”, which is run by the LEO Foundation. A museum, an archive and a collection that tell the story of LEO Pharma.
Sophie is head of LEO Historical Archives and Museum. A museum, an archive and a collection that tell a story of the pharmaceutical company LEO Pharma.
Sophie has a background from Moesgaard Museum where she was a curator and was responsible for the museum’s ethnographic collection. At Moesgaard Museum, she also managed the blog ethnographica.net.
Sophie holds a master’s degree and a PhD in Anthropology – both from Aarhus University.
Joined the Foundation in 2020.
+45 31 12 94 32
sosee@leo-pharma.com
LinkedIn
Arne is responsible for curating the rich LEO history through careful tending to the LEO Historical Archives and Museum.
Arne has a background from LEO Pharma A/S and the University Library of Copenhagen.
Arne holds an BSc in Scandinavian Language and Literature from University of Aarhus and an MA in Library and Information Science from the Royal School of Library and Information Science.
Joined the Foundation in 2016.
+ 45 32 72 51 10
amadk@leo-pharma.com
LinkedIn
Grants to top skin-scientists in the leading hot spot for biotech
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Read articleThe latest on Twitter
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Another diploma has arrived! The 2020 LEO Foundation Award winner in Region Asia-Pacific, Dr Yumi Matsuoka-Nakamura, was happy to receive flowers and diploma at @osaka_univ_e @osaka_univ. She is awarded for her renowned skin research. Learn more: https://t.co/qQTlcFzd2r https://t.co/DFak7dgCLy Read more 6 hours ago
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Are you a young talented #researcher, who would like to be recognized for your #skin #research contributions? Apply now for the LEO Foundation Award 2021 – Region Americas. DEADLINE: 5 Feb 2021 (midnight CET) @SocInvestDerm @JIDJournals https://t.co/UyE2Y5rXul Read more 2 days ago
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Miss traveling?✈️Take a guided walk through a #lifescience hot spot in this article and learn about the #skin, its diseases – and meet our excellent grantees @Harvard @WhiteheadInst @wyssinstitute @harvardmed @BrighamWomens @MIT @broadinstitute https://t.co/KmyftHwuWV Read more 1 week ago