Mentor list / Mentor bio
Overview
Henrik Poulsen currently serves as Chair of the Supervisory Board at Carlsberg A/S (since 2022). He is a Senior Advisor to A.P. Møller Holding A/S and Chair of the Board at one of their biggest investments, the packaging company Faerch A/S (since 2021). He is Vice‑Chair of Novo Nordisk A/S (since 2022)—chairing both Audit and Remuneration Committees—and a member of the Board of Novo Holdings. Additionally, he acts as a Board Member at Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA (since 2020).
Henrik is best known for his transformative leadership as CEO of Ørsted A/S (2012-2020), where he led the company from a fossil-fuel utility into the world’s leading offshore wind champion. Under his stewardship, offshore capacity more than doubled, legacy oil and gas assets were divested, and the brand was entirely repositioned—as reflected in renaming the company from DONG to Ørsted’s renaming in—with market value soaring.
Earlier, he was CEO of TDC A/S (2008-2012), Denmark’s largest telecoms operator which at that time was owned by five private equity firms including KKR, and an Operating Executive at KKR Capstone (2007-2008). His career also includes leadership roles at LEGO (1999-2006) and early consulting work at McKinsey.
He brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Renewables & energy transition leadership – scaling offshore wind capacity, leading corporate pivot from fossil fuels, and embedding ESG throughout governance
• Corporate governance & committee stewardship – chairing audit, remuneration, and nomination at Carlsberg, Novo Nordisk, and Faerch
• Industrial & consumer brand strategy – steering brands through digital disruption, supply chain scale, and international market expansion
• M&A, divestiture & transformation execution – Executing targeted divestments, spin-offs, and value-led growth across sectors
Educated with a BSc and MSc in International Business and Finance from Aarhus School of Business, Henrik is recognised for combining analytical discipline with visionary strategy. His leadership at Ørsted is widely celebrated as a model of corporate transformation and public value creation. As a board mentor, he brings unique insight into scaling legacy companies, orchestrating energy pivots, and aligning governance with long-term growth.
PDF Profile
download pdf profileMajor Career Roles
Carlsberg A/S
Chair
Novo Nordisk
Vice Chair
Faerch A/S
Chair
Ørsted
Group CEO
TDC
Group CEO
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
Operating Partner
Markets & Products
Executive Vice President
McKinsey & Co.
Sr. Engagement Manager