Meet our
leadership team
Get to know our Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team and ownership structure.
Our Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team have broad and global management experience, comprehensive biotech expertise and in-depth knowledge of our business.
Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
Born 1961. Dutch. Chair of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2020, Vice Chair from 2020-2023 and Chair since 2023. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Vice Chair: Novo Nordisk A/S
Member: Spring TopCo DK ApS and four affiliates (Oterra Denmark).
Special competencies
Extensive experience in the food, food ingredient, and industrial biotech industries, including operations and supply chain management. Expertise encompassing financial and accounting practices, risk management, M&A, and post-merger integration. Pioneered the integration of sustainability into corporate strategy, operating models and reporting, to ensure a meaningful and positive impact.
Vice Chair of the Board
Born 1971. Danish. Member the Audit Committee. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2020. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Group CFO of IVC Evidensia Ltd.
Special competencies
Versatile experience across diverse industries, including leadership, finance, operations and supply chain management, supported by expertise in financial and accounting practices, risk management, and M&A and post-merger integration. Experience in sustainability reporting, including proficiency in assurance requirements.
Board member, employee representative
Born 1975. Danish. Senior Operator. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2025. Term 2029.
Special competencies
Not mapped for employee representatives.
Board member
Born 1969. Danish. Chair of the Audit Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2024. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
CEO of Heartland A/S.
Member: VKR Holding A/S and various Heartland A/S portfolio companies.
Special competencies
Global business management experience, including operations and supply chain management. Expertise in financial and accounting practices, sustainability (primarily within consumer goods), risk management, and M&A and post-merger integration.
Board member
Born 1964. Singaporean. Member of the Innovation Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2025. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Member: CPL Aromas Ltd.
Member of advisory board in IMA Asia and board advisor in Shandi Global.
Special competencies
Global business management experience in marketing, sales, operations, innovation, and pipeline management within specialty chemicals, consumer products and pharma, as well as experience in sustainability and digital development. Hands on experience in emerging markets, especially APAC.
Board member
Born 1965. British. Member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2017. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
CEO of Novo Holdings A/S.
Member: Novo Nordisk A/S and two limited partnership companies of Novo Holdings A/S.
Special competencies
Broad experience in biotechnology strategy and business development. Expertise in financial and accounting practices, sustainability, and M&A and post-merger integration.
Board member, employee representative
Born 1962. Danish. Technician. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2025. Term 2029.
Special competencies
Not mapped for employee representatives.
Board member
Born 1965. Irish. Member of the Innovation Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2024. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Member: The Estate Dairy Ltd.
Senior advisor at PAI Partners and Cinven.
Special competencies
Extensive global business management experience in marketing and sales, innovation, and pipeline management within the food, beverage, nutritional and agricultural industries. Hands-on experience in emerging markets and expertise in sustainability, and M&A and post-merger integration.
Board member, employee representative
Born 1966. Danish. Science manager. Member of the Innovation Committee. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2021. Term 2029.
Special competencies
Not mapped for employee representatives.
Board member
Born in 1981. Danish. Chair of the Innovation Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2022. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Professor, Microbiology, at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Chief Scientific Officer of UNION therapeutics A/S.
Member: Clinical-Microbiomics A/S, SNIPR Holdings ApS, SNIPR Biome ApS and UNION therapeutics A/S.
Special competencies
Extensive experience in biotechnology research and development, with special focus on bacterial synthetic biology, microbiome research and industrial biotechnology, as well as broad experience in biotechnology entrepreneurship.
Board member, employee representative
Born 1994. Danish. Production Engineer. Not independent. Member of the Board since 2025. Term 2029.
Special competencies
Not mapped for employee representatives.
Board member
Born 1962. Australian. Member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Independent. Member of the Board since 2017. Vice Chair from 2023-2024. Term 2026.
Positions and management duties
Member: Recordati S.p.A.
Special competencies
Broad global biopharmaceutical commercial experience, including emerging markets, innovation pipeline management and external affairs. Hands-on experience in emerging markets and expertise within sustainability.
Executive Leadership Team
President & Chief Executive Officer
Ester Baiget has more than 25 years of global experience. As an international leader with a strong track record, Ester has driven transformational change, enhanced profitability, and laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth across a diverse range of industries. Through her leadership, she nurtures a diverse culture of inclusion, engagement and commitment to delivering strong results.
She joined Novozymes in 2020, now Novonesis, after serving as president of Dow’s Industrial Solutions business and as a member of Dow’s Executive Leadership Team.
Ester is a compelling advocate of the power of biotechnology and the positive change biosolutions can bring to support a healthy planet.
She represents Novonesis in key global arenas and brings the voice of sustainability and innovation to several Boards of Directors of which she is a member.
Ester holds a chemical engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Tarragona in Spain.
Chief Financial Officer
Rainer Lehmann has spent more than 20 years at Sartorius including six years as CFO and a member of the Executive Board, where he has played a key role in transforming the company into a leading international partner of life science research and the biopharmaceutical industry.
He was responsible for Finance, IT, Data and Business Process Management, Corporate Sourcing, Mergers & Acquisitions and the Post-Merger Integration Office. Rainer has strong international experience and has spent around 17 years in the United States.
Rainer holds a degree in business administration from the University of Cologne, Germany.
Executive Vice President, Planetary Health Biosolutions
Tina Sejersgård Fanø has a solid track record of delivering growth and has been instrumental in Novozymes’ transformation of the Bioenergy business. Besides being an inclusive people leader, Tina brings strong strategic acumen and a cross-industry background to the Executive Leadership Team.
Tina has been with Novo Nordisk and Novozymes since she graduated in 1993. She has held several positions in applied research, production, marketing, sales, and business development. Before becoming part of the executive management team in 2016, she was Vice President of Business Operations, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Tina has extensive experience in developing and managing global partnerships and has been instrumental in negotiating major business deals for Novozymes over the years.
Tina holds a Master’s degree in biochemistry from the Technical University of Denmark.
Chief Scientific Officer
Claus Crone Fuglsang has a long track record in creating and leading a best-in-class R&D organization. Claus has extensive experience in creating breakthrough innovation programs as well as innovating for efficiency and productivity globally, with expertise in both enzymes and microbes. As CSO of Novozymes, he has built a strong innovation pipeline to support business growth.
Since joining Novozymes in 1993, Claus has been in several different leadership roles in R&D both in Denmark and the US and has spent the past seven years leading Novozymes’ core research and technology developments.
Claus holds a Master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and an MBA from Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Chief Operating Officer
Anders Lund has both a strong commercial background and the supply chain experience to create a strong connection between the commercial functions and operations and lead and optimize the complex asset footprint of Novonesis.
Anders’s experience will be central to elevating the strategic foundation of Novonesis' operations and ensuring reliable and relevant production.
Anders has been with Novozymes since he graduated in 1999, in a career spanning multiple leadership positions. Before joining Novozymes’ Executive Leadership Team, he led Business Operations in North and South America, Global Marketing, and Global Supply Chain. Anders has a solid commercial and strategic background and has been a significant part of shaping Novozymes’ strategies over the last 10 years. He also brings strong customer relationships, especially in the Household Care and Biofuel areas.
Anders holds a Master’s degree in economics from Aarhus University, Denmark.
Executive Vice President, Human Health Biosolutions & Strategy
Henrik Jørck Nielsen has a strong technical and commercial background and acumen, having laid the foundation of the Agriculture and Animal Health business in Chr. Hansen and more recently taken up a role as the company's Chief Science Officer. Henrik has been an instrumental part of the Integration Leadership since the announcement of the combination and will continue to bring strong leadership to the post-merger integration work and synergy realization.
As Executive Vice President for Human Health Biosolutions & Strategy, Henrik will be responsible for leading the Human Health Biosolutions and Novonesis’ strategy, Strategic Opportunity Areas, and Commercial Excellence.
Henrik joined Chr. Hansen in August 2014 as Vice President of Plant Health from a position as Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, focusing on pharmaceuticals and medical products. Henrik did his post-doctoral research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in the US and then joined the Technical University of Denmark as an Associate Professor.
Henrik holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology from the Technical University of Denmark and National Institutes of Health in Maryland.
Henrik serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Synoptik Fonden in Denmark.
Executive Vice President, People & Stakeholder Relations
Morten Enggaard Rasmussen has a strong international profile and is an experienced business-oriented human resources executive. He has a profound understanding of the meaning and purpose of sustainability in driving business performance and a strong track record of building and developing high-performing teams with a particular focus on sustainable business.
Morten joined Novozymes in April 2021 from a position as Vice President of People & Culture at Vestas where he oversaw Asia Pacific and China, based in Singapore. He joined Vestas in 2008 and has a strong track record of building and developing high-performing teams across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Morten has proven to be capable of managing complex, international development projects and has operated as a trusted business partner across various functions and geographies.
Morten holds a Master of Science degree from the Aarhus School of Business, Denmark.
Executive Vice President, Food and Beverage Biosolutions
Andrew Taylor has extensive global leadership experience, a deep understanding of the food ingredients industry, as well as a proven track record of driving strategic growth, business transformations, and innovative solutions.
Before joining Novonesis in August 2025, Andrew held key leadership roles at Tate & Lyle, including Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer, President of Growth Markets (Asia, Latin America, and TMEA), and President of Innovation and R&D. He led the company’s transformation initiatives, key account management, and integration of acquisitions while being based in the US, Singapore, and London.
Prior to this, Andrew spent nearly 20 years with Boston Consulting Group as a Senior Partner and Managing Director, where he specialized in food and food ingredients, and led the Innovation Practice globally.
Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Our ownership structure
Novonesis has approximately 100.000 shareholders. Through Novo Holdings, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is the controlling shareholder in Novonesis. Novo Holdings holds 25.50% of the shares and controls 63.35% of the votes.
Novonesis’ stock consists of two types: A and B shares. Both shares have a nominal value of DKK 2 per share, but an A share carries 10 times as many votes as a B share. Novo holdings controls all the A shares.