Lene Feltmann Espersen is perhaps best known for her political career, which includes 20 years in the Danish Parliament, holding various political positions such as leader of the Conservative People’s Party, Minister of Justice, Minister of Economy and Business, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2014 to early 2023, she was the CEO of the Danish Association of Architects, an organization representing private advisory architecture firms. Since her tenure at the Danish Association of Architects, Lene Espersen has progressively taken on more board roles. She is currently the Chair of Green Hub Denmark and a board member of the Council for Sustainable Building, Michael Goldschmidt Holding and Properties, KV Foundation, DSB, and Comundo. Previously, she served as the Chair of Aalborg University and the Baltic Development Forum.
“The transition from an executive to a professional board role didn’t happen overnight. Over time, I realized I wanted to focus more strategically through board work, especially with sustainability as a core theme. If I were to accept more board positions, I wouldn’t have the time to continue as CEO. Therefore, I announced my intention to step down, but we ensured a thorough overlap and succession plan for the new director. I am now a full-time professional board member with a sharp focus on organizations and companies that prioritize sustainability. This transition has also given me the opportunity to view the new situation from a helicopter perspective.”
“I’ve never had the time to undertake a formal board education, but with my transition to a full-time professional board role, now was the time. I was also interested in a program with an international dimension, which is why I chose the Executive Board Programme INSEAD—a program I had heard positively about in my network.”
Lene Feltmann Espersen describes the program as worth “every single penny.”
“The level of the program was high, thanks to the teachers and professors who skillfully varied the instruction with a mix of explanations, cases, and involvement—combined with capable, well-prepared, and socially pleasant participants who asked many insightful questions. I also want to commend the team from Scandinavian Executive Institute, who ensured that all practical aspects ran smoothly,” she says.
According to Lene Espersen, there are several takeaways from the program that will impact her future work, and she highlights three key aspects:
“Previously, I tended to be very compromise-seeking in my role as board chair, due to my previous ministerial roles. I was often in problem-solving mode and approached board meetings with the goal of quickly reaching consensus. I’ve become more aware of the importance of asking questions, considering alternatives, and playing the ‘devil’s advocate’ before arriving at solutions. Another important aspect is how to avoid bias or preconceived notions as a board, and I feel we gained valuable tools to manage this.” In conclusion—quite practically—I have adopted the routine of conducting a “check-in” and “check-out” for board meetings. This involves agreeing on the overall objective of the meeting before it starts and evaluating the meeting before it ends. These three elements will definitely be part of my approach moving forward, and I’ve actually already implemented them in several of my boards, she says.
She also highlights the networking aspect of the program as beneficial. “I’m confident that the participants and I will continue to support and challenge each other in our board work, as well as in our efforts on digitalization and sustainability. I already have a large network, but the individuals I met through this program were people I would not have naturally encountered. The experience of gathering over two modules and traveling together creates a unique opportunity to get to know each other,” concludes Lene Feltmann Espersen.