Henrik Christensen is the founder and CEO of Kementec Solutions, a biomedical company that develops and manufactures components for qualitative tests used in laboratories, Life Science, and hospitals. Additionally, he holds several board positions, including Chairman of the Industry Association DiaLab and HC Handel Invest, as well as serving as a board member for Nordic Harvest and Lihme Protein Solutions.

“I previously participated in the Executive Board Programme INSEAD, which I found incredibly inspiring and a crucial boost to my learning. I am considering a greater focus on board work in the future, and therefore I am also interested in expanding beyond my current scope to gain new experiences, knowledge, and satisfy my curiosity. This was my motivation for participating in the new Advanced Board Programme,” Henrik Christensen explains.

Unique Competencies
According to Henrik Christensen, the new board programme met his expectations.

“There is a very inspiring environment at INSEAD, and the instructors are exceptionally skilled. They possess highly unique competencies and excel at teaching. They are engaged, very good at sharing their knowledge, facilitating meaningful dialogue with participants, asking insightful questions, and providing ‘real life’ feedback,” he continues.

“I feel that I have become better at seeing both myself and the company ‘in the big picture.’ One of the key lessons relates to the need for us to become better at optimizing our businesses. The world is changing rapidly, becoming more international and more digital. This brings significant business opportunities, but also threats. We need to look not just at our own operations but at the entire world around us. Not just for idealistic reasons, but because we have a responsibility for the future of the company—to ensure it remains robust and still exists in ten or forty years. As a board, we are a bit like a ‘supreme court’—we need to set the standard for what is appropriate and right and uphold the values we believe are correct.”

Sharing Successes and Failures
He believes that the programme has challenged him and provided a number of specific key learnings.

“A very important element for me is how crucial it is for the board to work well together. One must spend sufficient time onboarding people because you do not become a good and valuable board member if you do not feel robust and secure in the new situation. I would also highlight the board’s value framework as a very important point. What is our purpose, and what should we contribute? We need to remember to pause and reflect—both as a board and as individuals—and view everything from a helicopter perspective.”

“In conclusion, I would mention how essential it is to be a good sparring partner for the company concerning financial matters. The board needs to be sharp in identifying where things are going well and where there are challenges,” explains the CEO of Kementec.

From a networking perspective, Henrik Christensen also points out that the programme has had a positive impact. “Participants are good at sharing both successes and failures, creating a forum where you are eager to both listen and share. The more you contribute, the more you get in return. It’s a truly unique and valuable network that you come away with. I have already been in dialogue with some of my fellow participants afterward, and we also have plans to meet. It is definitely worth a lot,” he concludes.