Niels Jacobsen has more than 30 years of international senior-leadership experience with multi-industry knowledge in hearing care, MedTech, retail, e-commerce and renewable energy through his experience as a Chair and CEO for private-sector companies.

Niels is the former CEO of the Demant Group, the Danish industrial group. He is now CEO of William Demant Invest A/S, and Deputy Chair at ABOUT YOU, one of the fastest growing e-commerce companies in Europe (Hamburg’s first unicorn since 2018), a fashion and technology corporation aiming to digitalise the classic shopping stroll on to the smartphone. Previously, he was Chair of the LEGO Group from 2008 to 2017, Deputy Chair of A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S from 2009 to 2018 and a Board member of Novo Nordisk from 2000 to 2008.

The Demant Group is a Danish industrial group in the hearing healthcare field. Niels joined the hearing-aid company Oticon in 1992 as Executive Vice President and was appointed President and CEO of the company in 1998, a position he held until 2017. Thereafter, he became CEO of William Demant Invest A/S, the parent company of the Demant Group.

In 1995, Demant A/S was listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. During Niels’ tenure as CEO, the company developed from a hearing-aid company to a world-leading hearing healthcare and technology group. In 1991, Oticon’s revenue was DKK 477m and the company’s profit was DKK 9m. In 2016, the last full year of Niels’ tenure as CEO of Demant, the company’s revenue was DKK 12bn, the operation profit was DKK 2bn and the company employed more than 12,000 people.

Niels has extensive international senior-leadership experience from major global companies in the global healthcare and MedTech industry, business management and Board experience, as well as in-depth insights into financial matters, accounting, risk management and M&A.

Niels was elected Chair of the Year 2013 by PwC Denmark and Nordic Chair of the Year 2013.