COPENHAGEN, Denmark--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The LEO Foundation has appointed Jesper Brandgaard as new chairman of the Board of Directors of LEO Pharma following Olivier Bohuon’s decision to leave the Board. Jesper Brandgaard assumes the position on 1 August 2021.
“I am pleased that Jesper Brandgaard has accepted to chair the Board of Directors of LEO Pharma. Jesper is a highly experienced pharma executive with an impressive 20-year track record from Novo Nordisk, including more than 17 years as Group CFO, where he played a key role in the company’s successful global growth. In addition, he has substantial board experience from listed and non-listed and companies as well as in-depth knowledge of the Danish foundation ownership model. There is no doubt that Jesper’s significant pharma competencies, his integrity and strategic business mind will be a great asset in the next phases of realizing LEO Pharma’s ambitious growth strategy,” said Lars Olsen, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the LEO Foundation.
Jesper Brandgaard takes over the Chairmanship on 1 August 2021.
“LEO Pharma is a unique company with a strong platform in dermatology and a great potential. I look very much forward to supporting the company in realizing its ambitions and I consider it to be a great responsibility and a privilege to become part of LEO Pharma’s journey towards global leadership in medical dermatology,” said Jesper Brandgaard.
Jesper Brandgaard holds an MSc in Economics and Auditing, as well as an MBA, both from the Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. He joined Novo Nordisk A/S in 1999 as Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance and was appointed CFO in 2000. He left Novo Nordisk in 2019 to pursue a non-executive career. He is member of several boards, including Vice Chair of Chr. Hansen Holding, Vice Chair of William Demant Invest, member of the board of William Demant Foundation, member of the Danish Corporate Governance Committee (Komitéen for god Selskabsledelse) and member of the advisory board of Vækstpartner Kapital.
About the LEO Foundation
The LEO Foundation is one of Denmark’s largest commercial foundations and an engaged owner of the pharmaceutical company LEO Pharma. The Foundation’s main objective is to ensure the company’s long-term development and success as a global leader in dermatology, delivering outstanding results. Besides the ownership, the Foundation provides philanthropic grants with the aim to support the best international research in skin diseases and make Denmark a global beacon for skin research.
The Foundation manages financial assets of around DKK 16bn.These assets are invested with the main objectives of ensuring the continued capability to support LEO Pharma’s long-term development and provide funds for philanthropic activities.
About LEO Pharma
The company is a leader in medical dermatology with a robust R&D pipeline, a wide range of therapies and a pioneering spirit. Founded in 1908, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to advance the science of dermatology, setting new standards of care for people with skin conditions. LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark with a global team of 6,000 people, serving 93 million patients in more than 130 countries.
