POUL DUE JENSEN FOUNDATION Dear reader, Poul Due Jensen Foundation has been implementing widespread changes and developments for some time, and the year 2017 was no exception. In addition to deploying the strategies which had been agreed for our philanthropic work, the Board of Directors has spent part of 2017 preparing a historic succession process with a changing of the guard at the top of the Board. Deployment of philanthropic strategies The Board of Directors ended 2016 by agreeing on a robust, future-oriented – and ground-breaking – philanthropic strategy. Deployment of the new strategy implied a historic change in how we work, which saw an end to the “apply here” button, replacing it instead with a proactive search for the best partners: reaching our strategic goals of improved labour market inclusion in Central Denmark Region, developing world-class research environments within engineering and use-inspired science, and, finally, safe and affordable water for poor rural communities in developing countries and the world’s forgotten refugee camps. The shift in focus from an applicant-oriented approach to focusing on partners to deliver strategic impact is not common in the philanthropic world. It has required not only new ways of working with project de- velopment and project governance structures, but also rewarding discussions with our partners on how to work in a true partnership towards a shared strategic goal. We will continue to develop how we work in close cooperation with our trusted partners. Changing of the guard Three of the founder Poul Due Jensen’s children have, since the establishment of Poul Due Jensen Foundation, been named directly in the Charter as board Niels Due Jensen Chairman of the Board members, but in 2017 Niels Due Jensen announced that he will step down in 2018 when he turns 75. The biggest challenge for the Board in finding a replacement for Niels Due Jensen as Chairman of the Board was to find an appropriate candidate and to prepare the coming Chairman for his responsibilities. In our opinion, the Board of Directors has made an excellent choice, and we encourage you to study the outcome in this report. Christian Hartvig Executive Director 3
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