We are a team of specialists on a joint mission

As a Danish enterprise 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.

Governance structure

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 strives to ensure that 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

Based on the Foundation’s charter and purpose, the Foundation prepares an overall strategy that sets the framework and direction for the Foundation’s work, including sub-strategies for engaged ownership, grants and investments. All strategies are evaluated on an annual basis by 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.

Rules of Procedure and board evaluation

The work of the Board is regulated by its Rules of Procedure. The Rules of Procedure lay down the duties, obligations and responsibilities of the Board.

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure, the Board annually evaluates the competences and composition of the Board to ensure that the required collective competences are present to serve the overall purposes of the Foundation.

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 (Note 3, p 42).

Lars Olsen

Chairman of the Board

Doctor of Medicine, MBA

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2015 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1965 (M)

Background

  • Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, LEO Pharma
  • Executive Vice President, Research & Development, LEO Pharma

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Chair
  • LEO Holding A/S, Investment Committee, Member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: No

Competencies

Pharma, general management, R&D,
sales and marketing

Eivind Kolding

Vice chairman of the Board

Master of Law, Advanced Management Program

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2017 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1959 (M)

Background

  • CEO, Novo A/S
  • CEO, Danske Bank A/S
  • Group CFO, later CEO, A.P. Møller-Mærsk A/S
  • Lawyer, Bornstein & Grønborg

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Vice Chair
  • LEO Holding A/S, Investment Committee, Member
  • Danish Ship Finance, Chair
  • NNIT, Board member
  • Axcelfuture, Advisory Board member
  • Altor Fund Manager AB, Board member
  • Kunstforeningen Gammel Strand, Chair
  • NTG Nordic Transport Group A/S, Chair
  • DAFA Group A/S, Chair
  • MFT Energy A/S, Chair

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

General management, finance, law

Allan C. Dahl

Board member, employee-elected

Principal Professional, LEO Pharma A/S, Master of Science (Chemistry), PhD

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2015 (re-elected 2022, end of term 2026)

Born: 1967 (M)

Background

  • Development Chemist, PharmaZell Denmark A/S
  • Development Chemist, GEA Pharmaceutical A/S
  • Development Chemist, H. Lundbeck A/S
  • Research and Development Chemist, Niels Clauson-Kaas A/S

Additional positions

  • LEO Holding A/S, Employee-elected board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: No

Anja Boisen

Board member

Professor, DTU Health Technology, Director of the IDUN Center of Excellence, Master of Science (Physics), PhD, Executive Program

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2019 (re-elected in 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1967 (F)

Background

  • Director, VKR Centre of Excellence ‘NAMEC’
  • Development Engineer, Cantion A/S
  • Associate Professor, DTU

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Board member
  • LEO Foundation, Grant Committee, Member
  • The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, Member
  • Villum Fonden, Board member
  • Lightnovo ApS, Board member
  • Heliac A/S, Board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

Research, general management,
innovation, fundraising

Cristina Lage

Board member

Master of Science (Business)

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2016 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1954 (F)

Background

  • CEO, Unipension A/S
  • CEO, Nordea Invest A/S
  • CEO, Nordea Liv og Pension A/S
  • Secretary General, Social Liberal Party
  • CEO, TV2/Danmark A/S
  • CEO, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
  • CFO, ISS Scandinavia A/S

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Board member
  • LEO Holding A/S, Investment Committee, Chair
  • C.W. Obel A/S, Board member
  • C.W. Obel A/S, member of Audit Committee
  • Topdanmark A/S, Board member
  • Topdanmark A/S, member of Audit Committee
  • Det Obelske Familiefond, Board member
  • C.L. Davids Fond, Board member
  • OK-Fonden, Vice Chairman

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

General and change management,
investment and asset management,
financial risk management

Franck Maréno

Board member, employee-elected

Principal Technician, LEO Pharma A/S, AP Graduate Laboratory and Biotechnology “Technonome”

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2021 (re-elected 2022, end of term 2026)

Born: 1977 (M)

Background

  • Principal Technician, LEO Pharma New Fucidin API Production
  • Operator, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
  • Union Representative, Ferring Pharmaceuticals
  • Technician, Cederroth Paramedical
  • Technician, LEO Pharma Fucidin API Purification

Additional positions

  • LEO Holding A/S, Employee-elected board member
  • LEO Pharma A/S, Employee-elected board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: No

Jannie Kogsbøll

Board member, employee-elected

Operator, LEO Pharma A/S, Higher Commercial Examination

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 1998 (re-elected 2022, end of term 2026)

Born: 1962 (F)

Background

  • F Group A/S (Fona)

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Employee-elected board member
  • LEO Pharma A/S, Employee-elected board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: No

Karin Jexner Hamberg

Board member

Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President, Global Patient Safety, H. Lundbeck A/S, Doctor of Medicine

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2019 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1961 (F)

Background

  • Vice President, Medical Affairs & Clinical Development Centers, H. Lundbeck A/S, Denmark
  • Vice President, Clinical Study Execution, H. Lundbeck A/S, Denmark
  • Executive Vice President, CMO, Lifecycle Pharma (now Veloxis), Hørsholm, Denmark & New York City, USA
  • Vice President, Development, LEO Pharma, Denmark
  • Director, R&D Project Management, LEO Pharma, Denmark

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Board member
  • LEO Foundation, Grant Committee, Member
  • European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Member
  • International Society for CNS Clinical Trials, Member
  • Business Lighthouse Mental Health, Main Consortium, Chair

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

Strategic R&D management, drug development, patient safety, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, health economics, complicance

Lars Green

Board member

Master of Science (Business), PED, IMD

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2020 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1967 (M)

Background

  • CFO and Executive Vice President, Novozymes A/S
  • Executive Vice President, Business Services & Compliance, Novo Nordisk A/S
  • Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations, Novo Nordisk Inc., NJ, USA
  • Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance, Novo Nordisk A/S
  • Director of Finance & IT, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Board member
  • LEO Pharma A/S, Board member and Chair of Audit Committee
  • Danish Committee on Corporate Governance, Board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

Pharma, finance, general management, corporate governance

Lotte Hjortshøj

Board member, employee-elected

Executive Assistant, LEO Pharma A/S, Diploma Graduate

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2018 (re-elected 2022, end of term 2026)

Born: 1971 (F)

Background

  • Personal Assistant, LEO Pharma
  • Head of HR Administration, LEO Pharma
  • HR Coordinator, LEO Pharma
  • Project Manager, LEO Pharma

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Employee-elected board member

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: No

Peter Schwarz

Board member

Professor-in-chair, Medical Doctor, Doctor of Medical Science (Dr. Med.); Specialist in Endocrinology, medicine and clinical biochemistry; Head of Research, Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet

Elected to the Board of Trustees: 2017 (re-elected 2023, end of term 2025)

Born: 1959 (M)

Background

  • Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School
  • Head of Department, Hvidovre Hospital
  • Professor, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup Hospital

Additional positions held

  • LEO Holding A/S, Board member
  • LEO Foundation Grant Committee, Chair

Appointed by authorities: No

Considered independent: Yes

Competencies

Basic and clinical research, general
management, fundraising

No members of the Board own shares, options, warrants and similar in the LEO Foundation’s subsidiaries and/or associates.

Committees

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 – e.g. an independent Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC) for evaluation of applications received in open competition.

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 organization is made up by dedicated team of highly competent specialists.

Peter Haahr

CEO

The LEO Foundation’s CEO since 2021.

Peter’s background includes:

  • Novo Holdings, CFO and member of Executive Management
  • Novo Nordisk, several national and international leadership positions
  • Gudme Rasschou /Panmure Gordon, BG Bank (now Danske Bank) and Sydbank, Equity Analyst

Peter holds an MSc in Finance and Accounting from Aarhus School of Business and an Executive MBA from IMD.

Other positions

  • StockRate Asset Management, Chair of the Board
  • World Diabetes Foundation, Board member
  • House of Denmark A/S, Board member and Chairman
  • HC Andersen Capital, Advisory board member
  • Aktive ejere, Board member
  • Innovation Fund Denmark, Sounding board member

Joined the Foundation in 2021.

+ 45 32 72 51 10

info@leo-foundation.org

LinkedIn

Anne-Marie Engel

Chief Scientific Officer

Anne-Marie is Chief Scientific Officer at the LEO Foundation and responsible for the Foundation’s grant activities.

Anne-Marie’s background includes:

  • Novo Nordisk Foundation, Director of Strategic Partnerships
  • Lundbeck Foundation, various positions including Director of Grants
  • Statens Serum Institut, Senior Researcher
  • The Bartholin Institute, Copenhagen University Hospital, Postdoc

Anne-Marie holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree as well as a PhD in tumour immunology – both from the University of Copenhagen.

Other positions

  • Museum of Natural History, Oslo, Chair of the Board, 2022-
  • Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, Member of the praesidium
  • Dagmar Marshall’s Foundation, Board member
  • University of Oslo, Board member (2013-2021)

Joined the LEO Foundation in 2022.

+45 27 38 60 59

anne-marie.engel@leo-foundation.org

LinkedIn

Morten Stampe Christensen

Chief Investment Officer

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.

info@leo-foundation.org

Anton Kieler Saietz

Senior Associate

Anton is responsible for tasks related to the strategic ownership of LEO Pharma. This includes financial analyses, valuation, and benchmarking of ongoing performance, as well as market analysis and risk management.

Anton has a background as Senior Valuation Manager at PFA, where he has worked with the valuation of alternative investments.

Anton has a MSc in Economics and Business Administration (Finance and Investments) from Copenhagen Business School and is a certified Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).

Joined the Foundation in 2022.

+45 40 24 88 08
anton.saietz@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn

Lars Kruse

Senior Scientific Officer

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 Thørs

Senior Investment Director

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.

info@leo-foundation.org

Line Elkjær Christiansen

Student Assistant

Line is a student assistant to the communication team at the LEO Foundation and helps with creating content for social media and website as well as with other communication tasks. 

Line is currently undertaking her bachelor in Communication and Digital Media at Aalborg University Copenhagen, and is also planning to take a master in Communication here. 

Joined the Foundation in 2023. 

line.christiansen@leo-foundation.org

LinkedIn

Nicholas Skirl

Communication Coordinator

Nicholas is responsible for tasks relating to communication activities at the LEO Foundation and works closely with both the Foundation’s communication and grant teams.

Nicholas has a master’s degree in Management of Creative Business Processes from Copenhagen Business School, with a minor in Corporate Social Responsibility.

He also has an international background, with the completion of his bachelor’s degree from the University of Stirling in Scotland within Business Studies and Marketing.

Joined the Foundation in 2021.

nicholas.skirl@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn

Pernille Mørch-Sørensen

Management Assistant

Pernille is responsible for handling various administrative tasks across the organisation including support to CEO Peter Haahr.

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 K. Hansen

Director, Legal and Business Development

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 Krabek

Head of Communication and Public Affairs

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, from PR- and communications agencies 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

Signe Rømer Holm

Scientific Officer

Signe is responsible for various areas related to the Foundation’s grants, both in terms of guidelines for applications, review processes and measuring impact. She is also involved in further developing the philanthropic area with new grant making instruments.

Signe has extensive experience in administration and grants. She has previously worked as Senior Grant Manager at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, as Administrative Coordinator at DTU Health Technology and as Project Manager at Innovation Fund Denmark.

Signe holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Danish Language and Literature from University of Copenhagen.

Joined the Foundation in 2022

+45 53 70 66 18
signe.holm@leo-foundation.org
LinkedIn

Stine Wolf Larsen

Finance Manager

Stine is responsible for financial planning, budgeting, controlling, and reporting, including:

  • Annual reports
  • Budgets
  • Budgetary control
  • Financial reporting

Stine has extensive experience in reporting and controlling and has previously been employed by J. Lauritzen A/S, Victoria Properties A/S, SEB og PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Stine holds an MSc in Business Economics and Auditing from Copenhagen Business School.

Joined the Foundation in 2021.

+45 29 25 63 05

stine.larsen@leo-foundation.org

LinkedIn

LEO Historial Archives and Museum

The old porter’s building at LEO Pharma’s headquarters is home to the LEO Historical Archives and Museum, which is run by the LEO Foundation.

The LEO Museum gives LEO employees and stakeholders alike the opportunity to delve into the history of LEO Pharma and the LEO Foundation – from the back rooms of the original “Løveapoteket” (Lion Pharmacy) in central Copenhagen, to the present day and LEO Pharma’s latest endeavors.

Sophie Seebach

Head of LEO Historical Archives and Museum

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 and the LEO Foundation.

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

Berit Glasser Heede

Senior Historian

Berit handles the administration of the LEO Museum’s archives as well as the registration of documents, photos, and objects.

Berit has more than 40 years of experience from LEO Pharma A/S within Global Sales & Marketing, Global Regulatory Affairs and Global Product Supply. Berit started her career in LEO France and most recently, Berit held the position as Director of Internal Market Access.

Berit holds an MA from Copenhagen Business School and a CBA from AVT Business School.

Joined the Foundation in 2021.

+ 45 22 15 25 64
beghd@leo-pharma.com
LinkedIn

 

Mie Holmstrøm Jørgensen

Student Assistant

Mie is a student assistant at LEO Historical Archives and Museum, where she assists in archiving and registering the museum’s numerous objects in a database.

Mie is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Classical Archaeology at the University of Copenhagen and has developed a great interest in museology and ancient artifacts as a result.

Joined the Foundation in 2023.

mihjo@leo-pharma.com

LinkedIn

The Foundation as a workplace

The LEO Foundation is a committed and professional workplace, with a work environment built on strong values and a clear purpose.

We are a relatively small organization with a dedicated team of less than 20 employees, located in Nordhavn in Copenhagen. We are driven by a shared ambition to make a difference for people living with skin diseases and are motivated by knowing that everything we do – our philanthropic activities, ownership of LEO Pharma, and our investments – is aimed at paving the way for curing skin diseases.

Two new grant programs to enable collaboration and knowledge exchange in the skin research ecosystem

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Would you like to be a part of driving the LEO Foundation’s philanthropic activities?

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Two new grant programs to enable collaboration and knowledge exchange in the skin research ecosystem

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Would you like to be a part of driving the LEO Foundation’s philanthropic activities?

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14 pioneering and illuminating projects round off an exciting year of skin research grants

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Three projects to nurture children’s interest in the natural sciences

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At work with the LEO Foundation

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