THE BOOKLET 2 015
LEA DERSHIP AND TEC HN OLOGY
L E A D E R S O F TO DAY CO N N E C T I N G W I T H L E A D E R S O F TO M O R ROW
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
WELCOME TO AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015 The Organising Committee of Aarhus Symposium 2015 is proud to welcome you to the fifth consecutive symposium at Aarhus University. This year under the theme “Leadership and Technology”.
In a world driven by technological advancements, it is paramount for the leaders of both today and tomorrow to understand the opportunities and challenges that this carries. We strongly believe that dialogues, debates, and insightful perspectives on the theme are essential in gaining a better understanding of the current global challenges and the ones that future generations may face. Over the past five years, Aarhus Symposium has striven to connect students to key decision-makers and leaders of today by facilitating talks and debates on some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Thanks to the unparalleled drive of current and former members of the Organising Committee, the overwhelming interest from students, and the support from speakers, business society, and others, we proudly look back on the first five years. We would also like to express our genuine appreciation to Aarhus University for the unconditional support towards reaching the aspirations and visions of Aarhus Symposium. However, on the occasion of the anniversary, we look forward as well. We believe that Aarhus Symposium will continue to reach even greater heights in the future and move closer towards our vision of providing the best platform in Europe for students to connect, interact, and challenge today’s leaders in business and society. In this booklet, you will find exclusive information on the theme, speakers, partners, and much more, which provides a solid foundation for your preparations before attending Aarhus Symposium 2015. We hope you will take the time to reflect, to connect, to challenge, and to engage in the spirit of Aarhus Symposium. We look forward to seeing you at Aarhus Symposium 2015 on November 6. On behalf of the Organising Committee, Alexander Mørch Valsted
Ann Christina Pedersen
Rune Lysdahl Sørensen
The Steering Committee of Aarhus Symposium 2015
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AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
CONTENTS 01 2 4 5 6 7
WELCOME WHAT TO EXPECT FROM AARHUS SYMPOSIUM THEME OF THE YEAR: LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION OF TRACKS PROGRAMME
02 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22
CHRISTIAN STADIL CONNIE HEDEGAARD ROBERT UGGLA LARS FRELLE-PETERSEN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN JENS-PETER SAUL SIMON GILES MADS NIPPER LARS REBIEN SØRENSEN EVA BERNEKE DANIEL DABOCZY & ARNO SMIT CLIMATE AND TECHNOLOGY DEBATE PRESENTING THE MODERATORS AT AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015 INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY & COMPANY
03 24 26
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2015 BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015
04 30 26
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015 TINE’S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY AT ARLA
05 42 43
ARE YOU AN ORGANISER OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2016? THE ORGANISERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
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AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AARHUS SYMPOSIUM Aarhus Symposium is an event of extraordinary class with the objective to connect students, who will be the leaders of tomorrow, with today’s leaders and key decision-makers. This also strengthens the ties between Aarhus University and the global society. To accomplish this, an annual symposium on a specific theme is held in the pleasant atmosphere at Aarhus University. Here, speakers are invited to share their experiences and insights on the overall theme. The participating students and the speakers engage in discussions, realising the organisation’s main purpose; to facilitate leaders of today connecting with leaders of tomorrow.
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS Battle of the Economists is an inspiring and enlightening event which takes place on Monday in the week of Aarhus Symposium. Each of a range of economists gives a short presentation of their choice, before engaging in a debate with the audience and the other economists. The purpose of Battle of the Economists is to engage leaders of today with leaders of tomorrow in a debate on Denmark’s most important economic challenges.
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE Aarhus Symposium Challenge is an essay competition for students who wish to participate in Aarhus Symposium. By submitting a qualified essay, students secure their seat at the symposium. The students who write the best essays will have the unique chance to meet and engage in a profound dialogue with the speaker representing the topic of their essay in Leaders’ Forum. The one student with the most outstanding essay will be honoured with the Aarhus Symposium Award on stage at the symposium. 4 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY Enabled by technology, things that once took hours to complete can be done in seconds today. In general, advancements in technology have boosted society and several industries by the evolution of newer and faster modes of transportation, production, and information processing. These improvements have, undoubtedly, played a crucial role in enabling immense welfare progress among the general public. However, the advancements also put great pressure on organisations in terms of incorporating the flexibility that is required by technology. Numerous examples have illustrated how disruptive technologies have not only had a positive impact; they have also shattered countless industries. Therefore, the evolution of technology comes with amazing opportunities as well as fierce challenges in the positioning of organisations and countries.
Technology constantly changes the way the world functions, but why is it important to consider technology today? One answer is that technology may offer solutions to the many challenges the modern world is facing: A historically high growth in population and urbanisation rates actualises new challenges on how to distribute the resources available. In order to diminish the frictions caused by these alternations, the need for smarter cities, cleaner solutions, and digitisation of the information sector is growing. Therefore, it is vital to debate the matter of technology in order to bring forward essential perspectives on our common future. To have a positive influence on the shaping of this future, it is of great importance that the foundation for technological advancements is given the best conditions possible. Here, the connection between technology and leadership is vital: As innovative ideas have global appeal today, it is crucial that technology is incorporated efficiently in contemporary management and leadership. This implies that leaders are compelled to fast decision-
making to developing technology, the optimal context.
achieve their objectives in a rapidly world. The continuous changes in therefore, have great implications on way for leaders to operate in a modern
For Aarhus Symposium 2015, we have invited speakers with expertise within a great variety of areas to inspire and challenge the leaders of tomorrow. They have been so kind to agree to share their personal as well as professional perspectives on the theme, and to discuss questions such as: How can technology help build smarter cities? What development potential is there within the world of IT? In which ways will consumer technology change our everyday lives in the future? Finally, this year’s ambition is to contribute to the paramount climate debate that currently occupies leaders worldwide. Evidently, the theme has a broad scope and we intend to give you an understanding of certain global challenges that technology entails in the daily business of today’s leaders and the leaders of tomorrow.
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AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
TRACKS AND PROGRAMME TRACK 1: SMARTER CITIES
1 2 3 4
For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities. In fact, it is estimated that almost five billion people will live in cities by 2030. With this trend of urbanisation, global challenges follow. As citizens concurrently demand a higher quality of life, it is vital to secure a viable development of smarter cities, which demands leadership and technology. How can decisionmakers contribute to make smarter cities help citizens and businesses flourish? What opportunities will this growing market present to leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs of tomorrow?
TRACK 2: CLEAN TECH
In the past few years, an array of new innovative clean solutions has been brought to the market. The demand for modernisations in energy efficient solutions and new sustainable technologies is growing, but will clean technologies be able to tackle the global challenge of climate change in the near future? What leadership skills are required in today’s society and businesses to create innovative solutions that will address these challenges? What will it take for our generation to create a sustainable world?
TRACK 3: CONSUMER TECH
An example of consumer technology is disruptive technologies, such as the internet, laptops, and smartphones, which are changing the way we live and act as consumers. Technology truly is ever changing and has become an integral part of our everyday lives, giving rise to new kinds of needs and demands. A widespread effect of new technological advancements is the increasing speed of processes that results in life-changing opportunities. This constant development constitutes a risk forcing all businesses to stay on their toes, ready to adapt. What kind of leadership is required for businesses to respond to the rapidly developing field of consumer tech? What opportunities do visionary entrepreneurs hold in their hands?
TRACK 4: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)
Digitisation allows organisations to both gather, store, and share almost infinite amounts of data across the globe. Big data, digitisation, and information technology have been critical success factors in innovating and developing businesses and society in general. Therefore, organisations failing to utilise the opportunities of state-of-the-art IT solutions risk being outrun by competitors. How can leaders navigate these waters of both opportunities and challenges? Will technology replace the future workforce as IT increases productivity, helping people work more effectively? What changes will digitisation bring to the way organisations work? 6 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
TIME
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
TRACK 3
TRACK 4
SMARTER CITIES
CLEAN TECH
CONSUMER TECH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
JENS-PETER SAUL
ROBERT UGGLA
12.30
13.30
Group CEO, Ramboll Group
CEO, Svitzer
LARS REBIEN SØRENSEN President & CEO, Novo Nordisk
FIRST BREAK: COFFEE AND TEA ARE SERVED BY GROWER’S CUP AND CAN BE ENJOYED WITH FRUIT FROM AARSTIDERNE.
14.00
15.00
EVA BERNEKE
CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN
MADS NIPPER
CEO, KMD
Senior Advisor & Former CEO, Nordea
Group President & CEO, Grundfos
ARLA BREAK: DELICIOUS SNACKS AND BEVERAGES ARE SERVED BY ARLA.
15.30
16.30
CLIMATE AND TECHNOLOGY DEBATE
LARS FRELLE-PETERSEN
DANIEL DABOCZY & ARNO SMIT Co-Founders, FundedByMe
Director General, Danish Agency for Digitisation
THIRD BREAK: COFFEE AND TEA ARE SERVED BY GROWER’S CUP AND CAN BE ENJOYED WITH SWEETS SERVED BY CANBLAU.
17.00
SIMON GILES
18.00
Global Cities Lead, Accenture
CONNIE HEDEGAARD Chairman of the Board, KR Foundation
CHRISTIAN STADIL CEO, Thornico
THE WINNER OF THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE ARLA AUDITORIUM BETWEEN 18.10 – 18.30. AFTERWARDS WE ENCOURAGE MINGLING WHILE A LIGHT TAPAS PLATE FROM CANBLAU IS SERVED WITH A GLASS OF CAVA. ARLA AUDITORIUM LOWER S, S-BUILDING
NORDEA AUDITORIUM M3, M-BUILDING
HEMPEL AUDITORIUM M2, M-BUILDING
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
CHRISTIAN STADIL CEO, THORNICO
Being the charismatic front figure of hummel, almost everyone knows about Christian Stadil and his remarkable perspectives on a colourful variety of subjects. The fascination with his person comes with the exceptional scope of his character as he represents modern leadership, philosophical and creative interests, and unique strategic thinking altogether. Thereby, Christian Stadil continuously sets the stage as a trendsetter in a material as well as immaterial fashion. Christian Stadil is a progressive and entrepreneurial force in the business world and is a central driving force in establishing the diversified conglomerate, Thornico. Among many other things, Christian Stadil was behind the successful turnaround of hummel in the late 1990s. In his own words, the strategy has been to invest an equal proportion of money and time in projects, where he can contribute to the fundamental idea behind. Within the last two years, Christian Stadil has been the leading investor in or co-founded more than 20 companies. Especially within tech and food. The latest, being launched this fall, is a high protein brand called Mät. Among tech companies count Tattoodo.com, Tradono.com, Woomio, and AllUnite. Recently, Christian Stadil was announced adjunct professor of Creative Leadership at Copenhagen Business School. Commenting on having achieved this milestone he says: “I am very proud… It is something special because it connects more aspects of me. A connection between the intellectual and the practical. Now I am a professor as well as an active businessman”.
PROFILE | CHRISTIAN STADIL •
Sits on a variety of external boards and think tanks.
•
Active lecturer and talks internationally about management, branding, creativity, innovation, and self-development.
•
Co-authored three books:
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Company Karma, Personal Karma, and In the Shower with Picasso.
•
He has, to mention a few, climbed Mont
INNOVATION THROUGH CREATIVITY
Blanc
Widely acknowleged for his creative leadership style, Christian Stadil is also well-known for his ability to spot great entrepreneurial opportunities. He has managed to build a multitude of successful companies by combining entrepreneurial innovation with his approach to leadership. Christian Stadil acknowledges that we are facing a reality of scarce resources and inclining wage levels, so how can we compete, and how can we ensure growth? In his experience, the key to success is creativity. Creativity and innovation are vital growth factors, which demand a balance between investments, research, leadership, and organisation. But how do we ensure this creativity? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Christian Stadil will share his thoughts on the challenges faced by leaders of today, and the creativity needed to succeed in the everchanging world of technology.
Himalayas.
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and
Kilimanjaro,
as
well
as
mountains in Japan, Argentina, and the
Thornico is a conglomerate focusing on companies within food, technology, shipping, real estate, and financing as well as sports and fashion. By practicing a local approach, the central objective of Thornico is making a difference while doing business, emphasising an ambitious CSR-strategy underlying each company’s individual am-bitions. For example, at hummel, the mantra of Company Karma is realised through hummel’s cooperation with The Afghan Football Society in promoting the sport among both men and women in the wartorn country.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
CONNIE HEDEGAARD
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, KR FOUNDATION In 2009, Time Magazine named Connie Hedegaard as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, thereby acknowledging her strong leadership skills and political influence within the field of climate challenges. Later that same year, Connie Hedegaard was appointed European Commissioner for Climate Action at the prestigious office of the European Union - a cornerstone of her career. Here, she showed great diplomatic capabilities in terms of unifying the differentiated interests within the commissary system. As a main task, Connie Hedegaard worked on ensuring that the EU invested in a sustainable future. In October 2014, Connie Hedegaard also played a major role in developing, presenting, and adopting the EU framework on climate and energy for 2030. By using her diplomatic skills, she managed to unite 28 countries on the ambitious climate framework, despite economic uncertainty. Prior to her role in the European Union and at COP15, Connie Hedegaard held various positions in the Danish Parliament, and she has been a prominent person on the political stage, whatever the title of her position. Today, Connie Hedegaard utilises her leadership talent as Chairman of the Board at the KR Foundation. KR Foundation seeks to stimulate the balancing of economic growth and climate challenges by investing DKK 1 billion over the next ten years in worldwide climate projects.
PROFILE | CONNIE HEDEGAARD •
Has an MA in history and literature from University of Copenhagen.
•
Became the head of the news bulletin at DR in 1994, and anchor at Deadline on DR2 in 1998.
•
Was appointed Minister for the Environment in 2004, and for Climate and Energy in 2007.
SECURING A GREENER FUTURE Throughout her impressive career, Connie Hedegaard has been known for her resilience and decisive actions. The common denominator as politician in both Denmark and the European Union is her relentless effort towards a greener future. From her current position as Chairman of the Board at the KR Foundation, Connie Hedegaard focuses on the long-term environmental and societal challenges that future generations will face. This is achieved by funding initiatives within the cross-section between climate, economy, and behaviour. A central question emerges: How to ensure compliance with longterm environmental responsibilities? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Connie Hedegaard will share her perspectives on transformative initiatives and the adoption of such initiatives in relation to climate challenges.
•
Was appointed European Commissioner for Climate Action in 2009.
KR Foundation is a newly established climate foundation, founded by VILLUM FONDEN. VILLUM FONDEN is the majority shareholder in VKR Holding – the owner of VELUX. The mission of KR Foundation is to help provide answers to, stimulate mind shifts about, and encourage action on the long-term challenges posed by current and future generations inhabiting a planet with scarce resources, fragile ecosystems, and climate change.
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
ROBERT UGGLA CEO, SVITZER
As CEO of Svitzer, Robert Uggla has set ambitious goals for the towage and emergency response company of the Maersk Group. The CEO notes: “We are heading in the right direction, but much of our attention has been to improve safety and underlying business, now we also need to grow”. Robert Uggla began his career at the Maersk Group’s headquarters. In 2007, he became Maersk Line Country Manager in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a revenue of USD 1 billion, and in 2009, he became the CEO of Broström. Shortly after, he was acquired by Maersk Tankers before he, in 2012, was appointed the CEO of Svitzer. During Robert Uggla’s first three years in Svitzer, his primary focus was to improve the profitability of Svitzer’s harbour towage and emergency response activities, which, historically, have generated returns below the Maersk Group’s cost of capital. At the same time, Robert Uggla has spearheaded the efforts to vastly improve safety standards, after Svitzer experienced an incident which resulted in seven fatalities in 2012. The focus on business improvement and safety have yielded very tangible results, turning the Svitzer leadership team’s attention to an even greater challenge: How to profitably grow and ultimately transform a business, which has become commoditised in the eyes of the customers.
PROFILE | ROBERT UGGLA • •
•
LEADERSHIP IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY The towage and emergency response industries are under great pressure with many operators in financial distress. Therefore, the appointment of the 33-year-old Robert Uggla as CEO of Svitzer in 2012 led to great expectations to the new leader of the struggling company. How do you turn around an internationally operating company, while balancing the safety demands and longer-term technological challenges? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Robert Uggla will share his insights from leading an international company operating in a ‘commoditised’ and partly unprofitable industry, facing longer-term disruptive technologies.
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•
Served as a sergeant in the Swedish Marine Forces’ Reconnaissance/Dive unit. Has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Stockholm School of Economics, including exchange studies at Universitá Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy. Has an Executive Education at Harvard Business School of Economics and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Is a member of the Supervisory Board of Directors of the Maersk Group.
Svitzer is a subsidiary of the Maersk Group and the global market leader within towage and emergency response with a fleet of 430 vessels. Its 4,000 employees help ports increase productivity and shipowners reduce fuel consumption. The company has an ambitious goal to become the world leader in safety across all regions, and has provided support at sea since 1833. It assists stricken vessels worldwide from the icy waters off the Siberian coastline to the sun-scorched ports of Chile.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
LARS FRELLE-PETERSEN
DIRECTOR GENERAL, DANISH AGENCY FOR DIGITISATION Lars Frelle-Petersen was appointed Director General of the Danish Agency for Digitisation after 11 months as associate director of this administrative body in the Danish public sector. Lars Frelle-Petersen has spent most of his professional life being a front runner within the IT world. He has formulated how and why IT is an important opportunity – and in some ways also a challenge – to the public sector in Denmark. The Danish Agency for Digitisation currently enables extensive changes in the way we, the citizens, interact with the public sector. Recent projects include the comprehensive system of NemID, which constantly conquers new operating fields. Lars Frelle-Petersen, however, is modest about the advancements that the Danish Agency for Digitisation has undergone since its foundation in 2011: “We have put a motor on the chariot […] and digitalised the letter with a fairly simply solution […] but no one imagines that we in 2020-2025 will be sending PDF-files to each other […]”. He further elaborates; “That is why we need to think of a digital communication channel between citizens, authorities, and partly private companies, too”. Accordingly, within the next couple of years, NemID will not only be your signature in interacting with the general public – it will be your personal digital identification as you verify yourself wherever requested. In addition to this initiative, the future of the Danish Agency for Digitisation implies further expansion of their services to broaden the scope of influence.
OPPORTUNITIES AND DILEMMAS IN THE DIGITAL ERA The future is digital, but how is digital progress best supported? Or – even more importantly – how can we implement digitisation in a better way? With the fundamental changes imposed on society due to digitisation in recent years, it is crucial to ask how society can be transformed most effectively while managing dilemmas imposed by digitisation itself. As Director General of the Danish Agency for Digitisation, Lars Frelle-Petersen will discuss how and why information and communication technology could provide important solutions to a more secure and efficient dialogue between citizens and public organisations. He will share his reflections on these questions and will elaborate on the future challenges of the Danish public sector and digitisation of the Danish society in general.
PROFILE | LARS FRELLE-PETERSEN • •
•
•
Has an MSc in Public Administration from Roskilde University. Worked for the Danish central administration his entire professional career. IT is the denominator in every position. Functioned as Chief of Digitisation with -in the Department of Finance between 2006 and 2011. Received the IT-Prize from The Danish IT Industry Association (ITB) in 2012.
The Danish Agency for Digitisation was established in 2011 under the Danish Ministry of Finance. The main objective of the Danish Agency for Digitisation is for innovative and effective digital solutions to work naturally within the welfare sector – enabling more efficient and responsive services for Danish citizens. Future projects for the Danish Agency for Digitisation include improving the e-Boks concept to automatically communicate with personal emails, and making the NemID platform increasingly competitive against alternative systems.
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN
SENIOR ADVISOR & FORMER PRESIDENT AND CEO, NORDEA After leading the largest bank in the Nordic region with a market value of DKK 350 billion, Christian Clausen is one of the greatest front runners of Nordic financial services. He is a leader driven by visions, values, and ambitiousness, which are key factors in his success in Nordea. Christian Clausen always seeks to deal proactively with potential threats for the bank and to secure sustainable development. For example, he decided to make massive IT investments and replace the company’s core banking platform over the course of the next years. The above initiatives are core enablers in building a fundamentally new operating model for Nordea, in response to the most fundamental transformation of banking in history. Although Nordea is well-positioned in regard to digitisation in the short run, the global disruption in technology poses long-term threats, which necessitate the transformation of Nordea and its financial services. As Christian Clausen notes: “In the longer run, the technological companies will enter the bank market, and with better and simpler technological solutions than we see today. However, now we are changing everything we do to remain our customers’ preferred bank, also in the future”. Nordea is in a highly competitive market, but has managed to position itself favourably with rising numbers of both private and business customers. New initiatives are launched, as Christian Clausen emphasises the importance of keeping up with the trends in the banking industry where innovation and sustainable development are key success factors.
PROFILE | CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN •
Has an MSc in Economics from the University of Copenhagen from 1978.
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Became the CEO of Unibank Markets and a member of the Unibank management in 1996 and 1998.
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Became a Group Manager in Nordea, a member of the Group Management, and the manager of Nordea Asset Management & Life (2000-2007).
TRANSFORMATIONAL DRIVERS IN BANKING GOING FORWARD
•
The banking industry is going through the biggest transformation in history. In order to set direction and navigate successfully through this period of uncertainty and fast paced change, Nordea has this year launched a new strategy founded on a customer vision. The strategy defines how Nordea would like its customers to perceive the bank in the future, and all employees in Nordea are engaged in making it happen. To implement the vision, the bank needs to fundamentally change its operating model in creating a fully digital platform. However, what is needed for Nordea to succeed in the future? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Christian Clausen will share his thoughts on the transformation of the bank and the main drivers reshaping the industry.
Nordea is the largest financial services group
12 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
Was the President and Group CEO in Nordea from 2007 to 2015.
in Northern Europe with leading positions within corporate, institutional, retail, and private banking. The bank has around 29,000 employees and had a net income of DKK 25 billion in 2014. Nordea operates in eight countries with the largest costumer base in the Nordic region. Nordea has around 10 million household customers and 500,000 corporate customers. Furthermore, it has the largest distribution network in the Nordic region with approximately 700 branches, call centres, and online platforms.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
JENS-PETER SAUL
GROUP CEO, RAMBOLL GROUP When the German Group CEO of Ramboll, Jens-Peter Saul, joined Ramboll in 2012, the company was the largest engineering consultancy in the Nordics. With extensive leadership experience from large, international companies, he has spearheaded Ramboll’s transition into becoming a global player. Today, Ramboll is based in 35 countries and has 12,300 employees worldwide. One element in the company’s global strategy is to help cities become more attractive, liveable, and sustainable. “Cities are important vehicles for sustainable growth, and Ramboll has invaluable experience, from assisting Nordic cities in developing liveability. Our ambition is to leverage this experience on a global scale”, says CEO Jens-Peter Saul. Through strategic partnership and long-term engagement, Ramboll has played a crucial role in making Copenhagen and other Nordic capitals among the greenest and most liveable cities in the world. Based on this experience the company is now working on creating a solid foothold in cities globally. This calls for innovative solutions and concepts combined with robust and precise engineering. This combination is a key success factor for Ramboll, and the focus is to create the best solutions for the society as a whole. A good example of this is the Liveable Cities Lab – a think tank established by Ramboll conducting research in the field of liveable cities in collaboration with high ranking universities such as Harvard and MIT.
PROFILE | JENS-PETER SAUL •
University of Hannover. •
The world’s demand for smart urban solutions has never been higher. Ramboll is proactively working to plan and design cities that are not only smarter and greener – but also nice to live in. By combining technology with holistic planning and socioeconomic insight, urban development and green growth can go hand in hand. Why is it important for Ramboll to promote a sustainable development of cities and societies at large, and how does the company succeed in combining this with economic development and financial success? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Jens-Peter Saul will give a unique insight into what it takes to optimise the cities worldwide, while securing growth.
Was a project manager and held several managing positions in Siemens from 1996 to 2003.
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Was a Sales Director for the Middle East, Siemens in 2004.
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PROACTIVELY DEVELOPING A SMARTER AND LIVEABLE SOCIETY
Has a degree in Engineering from the
Was the Managing Director of the UK and Northern and Western Europe, as well as a member of the Siemens management from 2005 until 2010.
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Held the position as CEO of Siemens Wind Power from 2010 to 2012.
Ramboll was founded in 1945 in Den-mark and is a leading engineering, design, and consultancy company. The company has almost 300 offices in 35 countries and employs 12,300 dedicated experts. Ramboll is present in most of the world and emphasises local experience combined with global knowledge. In 2014, Ramboll had a turnover of DKK 8,2 billion and a total profit of DKK 413 million.
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
SIMON GILES
GLOBAL CITIES LEAD, ACCENTURE Simon Giles is one of the world’s leading experts on smart cities; a field within urban planning, which has had a tremendous upsurge during the last decade. As Accenture’s Global Cities Lead, Simon Giles runs a team that advises cities, governments, and developers on economic development, citizen-centred design, and digital master planning. Under the mantra “Technology is the servant, not the master”, his interdisciplinary team of architects, engineers, and digital designers develops strategies for existing and new cities to meet the sustainable development mandate of the 21st century. According to Simon Giles, there are three main challenges that the city of the future will face: The first challenge is resource scarcity, the second is adapting to climate change, and the third is how to handle demographic changes of the city. Looking at the ongoing projects of the Global Cities team, it is remarkable how the recommendations not only provide cleaner solutions in cities, but also contribute with a “more effective, more efficient, and more fulfilling” solution for the citizens in the city.
PHOTO: ©Luc Benevello - La Fabrique de la Cité
PROFILE | SIMON GILES • Has a BSc in Politics, Philosophy, and
Simon Giles is currently sitting in the Young Urban Leader Programme sponsored by the Singapore Government and has spoken at several international events including Smart City Expo World Congress and CeBIT – Global Event for Digital Business.
International Relations. • Is sitting on the judging panel for the WWF Earth Hour City Challenge. • Advised the World Economic Forum, on Smart Grids, Low Carbon Finance and Future Urban Development.
THE EVOLUTION OF SMART CITIES – FROM PILOTS TO PLATFORMS How does a smart solution evolve from idea to an actual, practical improvement in the way a city functions? Simon Giles will elaborate on this question as he introduces the process of smart cities going from pilot projects to established modern platforms. At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Simon Giles will also share his perspectives on parameters that may interfere with the process, for example how societies with distinct constraints demand differentiated efforts to secure an effective manifestation in the city. Drawing lines between practical evaluations, Simon Giles will elaborate on the future of the concept of smart cities and the developments around the formation of smart city and nation platforms. 14 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
Accenture is a global company with more than 330,000 employees, providing clients with management consulting and technology as well as outsourcing services. Based in London, Accenture operates in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated revenues of USD 30 billion in 2014.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
MADS NIPPER
GROUP PRESIDENT & CEO, GRUNDFOS With more than 20 years of climbing the ladder within the LEGO Group, Mads Nipper’s career was headed for the stars. Yet in December 2013, he received a call from Jens Moberg, Chairman of the Board at Grundfos, which made his professional life change direction. Soon after, he became the CEO of the prominent Danish company Grundfos. A title that made Mads Nipper the first externally hired CEO in the 70-year-old family-owned company. During Mads Nipper’s time as one of the top leaders within the LEGO Group, his profile revealed a leader of passion for every aspect of the company. This is a quality, which has made him eminent in communicating advanced matters with simplicity and conciseness, helping everyone within and outside of the group to be attentive of his message. At Grundfos, Mads Nipper is faced with the task of communicating how commercial culture is just as important as entrepreneurial culture when it comes to selling Grundfos’s technologically advanced systems. According to the strategy for 2020 – tellingly also known as Our Strategy 2020 – a central challenge is for every part of the organisation to alter its mindset towards the customer. These parts include everything from the engineers manufacturing technical advancements to the personnel optimising the supply chain. By acknowledging this challenge, it is evident that placing the customer at the centre of all consideration is a central skill that Mads Nipper benefits from when planning Grundfos’s future strategy.
LEADING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS Hard competition and low growth in Europe has called for a new strategy in Grundfos, focusing on innovation, groundbreaking products, and sustainability. Being one of the driving forces behind formulating the 2020 strategy for Grundfos, Mads Nipper will share his insights on how to lead the entrepreneurial, technology-based company in the future. Following his extensive involvement within the LEGO group, Mads Nipper draws lines between these experiences and the challenges and solutions he sees for the future of Grundfos. As a central theme, Mads Nipper will put forward his perspectives on how technological advancements are best managed and turned into profits for the company. Hereby, he will share his thoughts on how cleaner solutions are best generated and implemented to create value for all stakeholders of the company.
PROFILE | MADS NIPPER •
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Has an MSc in Ecoonomics and Business Administration from Aarhus University. Has held various positions within the LEGO Group since 1991. Most recently, he was the Chief Marketing Officer from 2011-2014. Is a board member at Design School Kolding, Tulip Food Company, and Bang & Olufsen. Has been the CEO and Group President of Grundfos since June, 2014.
Grundfos is a a global company supplying pump solutions in 60 countries. Altogether, Grundfos supplies about 50% of the world’s use of circulation pumps, which makes the company the greatest of its kind worldwide. With more than 70 years in the business, Grundfos’s pump solutions keep advancing within the field of heat, air, and water pumps as well as motoring units for these advanced technologies.
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
LARS REBIEN SØRENSEN PRESIDENT & CEO, NOVO NORDISK According to Harvard Business Review, Lars Rebien Sørensen is the world’s sixth best CEO, and he is, therefore, unquestionably a notable name in the pharmaceutical industry. Lars Rebien Sørensen’s impressive accomplishments have made him one of the most influential leaders in Denmark, as well as given him a significant reputation as a global role model for the pharmaceutical industry. During his tenure as CEO, the value of Novo Nordisk has increased tenfold, making it the most valuable company in Denmark. Lars Rebien Sørensen and Novo Nordisk’s substantial reputation among employees, stakeholders, and the surrounding society has contributed to the incredible development of the organisation. Novo Nordisk is competing in an industry where state of the art technology is vital to keep the highly important first-mover advantages. Therefore, Novo Nordisk has put much effort into organic growth under the management of Lars Rebien Sørensen, by investing in a new R&D department in China, for example, instead of solely forming strategic partnership. The key contribution is to develop innovative biological medicines available for patients across the globe, while offering attractive returns to shareholders through the growth of Novo Nordisk. The ambition is to strengthen the leadership in diabetes, and Lars Rebien Sørensen states that: “The dream scenario in four years is that we will be in a position with a best-in-class daily injection and a best-in-class weekly injection”, adding that it will be very difficult to compete with Novo Nordisk in the future.
PROFILE | LARS REBIEN SØRENSEN •
Has an MSc in Forestry from Denmark’s Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University from 1981 and a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics from Copenhagen Business School from 1983.
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Joined Novo Nordisk in 1982 and became a Marketing Director of the enzymes business in 1989.
LEADING THE NOVO NORDISK WAY Novo Nordisk is the current global market leader within diabetes care. The leadership is achieved by focusing on the company’s core competencies and strengths in order to innovate its science-based technological processes most effectively. Technology exists in a number of Novo Nordisk’s practices, from pharmaceutical technology to information technology. Thus, technology is essential for the development and growth of the organisation. However, how do you continuously improve Denmark’s most valuable organisation and what is demanded by the CEO and the organisation as a whole? At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Lars Rebien Sørensen will share his thoughts on the theme and talk about the necessary leadership skills in order for the company to continue to grow the Novo Nordisk Way. 16 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
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Became a member of the corporate management in 1994 and was appointed President and CEO in 2000.
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Is a board member at Carlsberg and Dong Energy.
Novo Nordisk was formed in 1923 to produce insulin for the Danish population. However, its large-scale manufacturing allowed Novo Nordisk to export its products to the rest of the world, starting in Europe. Today, the company has production facilities in seven countries and offices in 75 countries. Furthermore, Novo Nordisk employs more than 40,000 people globally and has annual sales of almost DKK 90 billion, making it one of the world’s 100 most valuable companies.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
EVA BERNEKE CEO, KMD
As CEO of the IT company KMD, Eva Berneke has established herself as one of the top leaders in Denmark. She is a prominent decision-maker and among the most influential leaders in the Danish IT industry. With numerous years of experience at McKinsey & Co. and TDC before joining KMD, Eva Berneke is one of the strongest profiles in the Danish Telco and IT sector. She serves as a valuable board member in several companies, e.g. the LEGO Group, and in 2014, Eva Berneke received the annual Women’s Board Award. Eva Berneke acknowledges the recognition and agrees on the thoughts behind the prize: “[It is important, ed.] to show the way for the talent that exists among women, also talent for future presidents of the board”. Even though KMD is considered the cornerstone of IT support in the Danish public sector, Eva Berneke pursues to put KMD on a journey; a journey towards establishing itself in the private sector while continuing to generate efficient solutions to the public sector. The public sector faces serious challenges with fewer resources available to help more people; challenges that KMD feels responsible for contributing to with solutions that will develop the welfare in Denmark. In addition, Eva Berneke wants to exploit the potential of private businesses and IT security, and points out new, exciting business areas such as online care and education. It is clear that Eva Berneke has ambitious plans for the future of KMD, and she is excited about the new challenges.
PROFILE | EVA BERNEKE •
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REDEFINING THE ROLE OF KMD KMD is no longer a monopoly and is determined to evolve and grow. This is to be achieved by maintaining the public customers while gaining market shares in the private sector, which creates opportunities as well as serious challenges when leading a technology company. With the increasingly fierce competition comes the need to renew culture and mindsets throughout the organisation. As CEO of KMD, Eva Berneke must provide the accurate tools needed to succeed in a market characterised by fast-developing technology and with the additional challenge of changing ownerships from private equity owners to the next investor group. At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Eva Berneke will share her thoughts on what it will take to streamline an IT organisation to succeed in the future.
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Has an MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark from 1992. Acquired an MBA from INSEAD in 1995. Was a management consultant and partner at McKinsey & Company from 1993-2007. Is a board member at LEGO A/S, Schibsted ASA, and Copenhagen Business School. Was appointed Chief Strategy Officer at TDC in 2007.
KMD was established in 1972. Today, it occupies the position as Denmark’s leading IT and software company with more than 3,000 employees and an annual revenue of more than DKK 4 billion. The company delivers IT solutions which optimise and develop its customers’ businesses through insights into customers, processes, and employees. KMD has played a crucial role in the digitisation of the Danish welfare state over the past 40 years, providing more than 400 IT systems.
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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
DANIEL DABOCZY & ARNO SMIT CO-FOUNDERS, FUNDEDBYME
FundedByMe is one of the most frequently cited Swedish startups – and with good reason: In just five years, FundedByMe has developed the market of crowdfunding within Scandinavia, through Europe, and in Eastern Asia as well. The idea behind FundedByMe was formed when the founders themselves needed funds for their former startup: IdeasForChange. This urgency let the founders to speculate on how a momentum behind a product is best established before entering a market; by addressing the market itself. As Arno Smit puts it: “Essentially, before deciding whether to invest your life’s savings into your second-hand sock business, you can test the market to see whether it’s a viable idea”. FundedByMe facilitates such tests, resulting in the success of numerous entrepreneurial ideas. The great accomplishments of FundedByMe perfectly illustrate the fine art of entrepreneurship, as this is a tale of a non-invention that is given new life by modern technology. Crowdfunding was once a common way of financing, but the concept lost support during times of urbanisation. However, put into play in a modern context – through the Internet and social media – the concept has gained renewed capability; FundedByMe claims to have a pool of 266 million euros for investment between everyday investors and European entrepreneurs each year. As Daniel Daboczy puts it: “The word is new – the method isn’t!”.
FACILITATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH TECHNOLOGY How does crowdfunding facilitate the entrepreneurial process from idea to market-efficient product? How has technology enabled the evolution of crowdfunding in modern times? The founders of FundedByMe, Arno Smit and Daniel Daboczy, will elaborate on these questions and explain what makes crowdfunding a unique tool for identifying demands that are not mobilised and formulated by consumers yet. They will introduce some of their personal experiences from operating within differentiated fields of the world of entrepreneurship. Accordingly, they will reveal the story behind FundedByMe: How the concept came up, has conceptualised and evolved into what it is today. Moreover, they will share their thoughts on modern entrepreneurship, while reflecting on the opportunities and challenges for sharing-economy in the future.
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PROFILES | DANIEL DABOCZY & ARNO SMIT
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Daniel Daboczy has a Master’s degree in Arts and a Master’s degree in Curating. Daniel Daboczy has been producing and curating at the cultivated art hall “Färgfabriken” in Stockholm. In 2008, he co-founded the web agency Dabber. Arno Smit is a web-developer from Northlink Collage, Cape Town. Arno Smit co-founded my-hunt.com in 2010 and founded InstaDash in 2012.
FundedByMe is a crowdfunding platform based in Stockholm, which was created in March 2011. The platform offers three types of crowdfunding: equity-based, loan-based, and reward-based. FundedByMe has been on the “Wired UK’s top 100 startups in Europe”, won the “White Bull Bully” award in 2013, “Best Service Provider” award at the Nordic Startup Awards in 2014, and the “Supertalent Award” in 2015 under the category Financial Prodigies by the Swedish newspaper Veckans Affärer as well.
PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
CLIMATE AND TECHNOLOGY DEBATE
WITH CONNIE HEDEGAARD, ANDREAS ROEPSTORFF, AND SIMON GILES This December, leaders from all over the world will meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21, in Paris. The goal is to reach an agreement on lowering emissions, but what does it take for all the member states of the UN to align and reach a sustainable goal? How can the international development continue to reach low emission standards? When examining this perspective from a local angle, the concept of Smart Cities increasingly influences the future of life in cities. By innovating and implementing new technologies, cities are transforming in terms of both sustainability and living standards. Further exploring the issue, all actions are results of human behaviour. What kind of leadership is needed to create the necessary sense of urgency to reach a settlement? How can the individual’s interaction in local societies influence governments to align on change in an international perspective? We have invited three prominent leaders within their respective fields to challenge the status quo of climate change: Connie Hedegaard, Chairman of the Board at KR Foundation, Andreas Roepstorff, Director at Interacting Minds Centre at Aarhus University, and Simon Giles, Global Cities Lead at Accenture.
ANDREAS ROEPSTORFF As one of the early front-runners in neuroanthropology, Andreas Roepstorff has an in-depth knowledge in the interdisciplinary field studying how the brain functions in various social settings, and how the brain is affected by the culture we live in. At Aarhus Symposium 2015, Andreas Roepstorff will participate in the climate debate, discussing the necessity for action and the kind of actions needed to change people’s behaviour in regards to the growing discussion on climate change. Following the successful publishing of a wide range of papers in the fields of social anthropology and neuroscience, Andreas Roepstorff was appointed Director of Interacting Minds Centre (IMC) at Aarhus University in 2012.
PROFILE | ANDREAS ROEPSTORFF • Professor and Director, Interacting Minds Centre, School of Culture & Society, and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University. • Has a Master’s degree in Biology from Aarhus University and a Master’s degree and PhD in Social Anthropology from Aarhus University. • Was appointed Director of Interacting Minds Centre (IMC) at Aarhus University in 2012. Interacting Minds Centre (IMC) is an interdisciplinary research centre with more than 50 researchers associated, studying the relations between cognition, communication, and choice. One of the main purposes of the centre is to provide answers to how and why we, as human beings, interact as we do in the settings we act in.
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PRESENTING THE MODERATORS AT AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
POUL ERIK SKAMMELSEN JOURNALIST & NEWS PRESENTER, TV2
Poul Erik Skammelsen is a prominent Danish journalist from the Danish television station TV2. Today, Poul Erik Skammelsen hosts the late news, and due to his extensive experience, he is often reporting from events in Denmark and internationally. Poul Erik Skammelsen has a degree in Journalism from the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus and is an experienced moderator.
VIBEKE DAELL BJERRUM JOURNALIST & NEWS PRESENTER, TV2
Vibeke Daell Bjerrum is a noticeable Danish news presenter and journalist with solid experience in covering Danish business life and the financial sector. She has worked several years as a journalist for the Danish newspaper Berlingske, and she has a degree in Journalism from the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus. Furthermore, Vibeke Daell Bjerrum has studied Organizational Leadership at Copenhagen Business School.
MARTIN BRYNSKOV ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN INTERACTION TECHNOLOGIES, AARHUS UNIVERSITY
Martin Brynskov is an acknowledged Associate Professor who works with the digital fabric of life. He has been the front-runner of several projects regarding the future development of cities. Furthermore, he is Chair of Connected Smart Cities and Research Director of AU Smart Cities, among other things. Martin Brynskov has a Master’s degree in Information Studies and a PhD in Computer Science from Aarhus University.
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PRESENTING THE MODERATORS
PRESENTING THE MODERATORS AT AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
NIELS LUNDE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, DAGBLADET BØRSEN A/S
Niels Lunde has been the Editor-in-Chief at Dagbladet Børsen since August 2011 and is responsible for the journalistic content on all its platforms. Furthermore, he is part of the management. Previously, Niels Lunde has been the Editor-in-Chief at Berlingske and Business Commentator at Dagbladet Politiken. Niels Lunde has a Master’s degree in Political Science from Aarhus University.
JØRGEN ANDRESEN MANAGING EDITOR, DAGBLADET BØRSEN A/S
Since December 2012, Jørgen Andresen has held the position as Managing Editor at Børsen, being responsible for the news production on all the digital platforms. Furthermore, he is a member of the management and has been in charge of Digital Production at Børsen since November 2014. Jørgen Andresen graduated as a journalist from the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus.
NINA Z. MUNCH-PERRIN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT, DANISH BROADCAST CORPORATION, DR
Nina Z. Munch-Perrin is a recognised journalist specialised in covering financial and business news. She has experience as a journalist at Dagbladet Børsen and as the anchor of the financial updates on TV2 NEWS. She is a trained journalist from the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Aarhus and has a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Copenhagen Business School.
AT AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
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INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY & COMPANY
WHY EVERY LEADER SHOULD CARE ABOUT DIGITISATION AND DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION Digitisation, automation, and other advances are transforming industries, labour markets, and the global economy. In this interview, MIT’s Andrew McAfee and McKinsey’s James Manyika discuss how executives and policy makers can respond. INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY & COMPANY, MCKINSEY GLOBAL INSTITUTE.
DISRUPTION EVERYWHERE James Manyika: The reason why disruptive technologies are very important to all leaders— whether they are CEOs or policy makers—is because, for the first time, we now have technology affecting every single sector of the economy.
a couple of implications. There is good news and challenging news here. The good news is that the variety, volume, and quality of things that we will be able to consume will go up, and the prices will go down.
Andrew McAfee: By now we are all familiar with digitised text, digitised audio, and digital video. One of the profoundly interesting and important things going on these days is that lots of other information is being digitised. Our social interactions are being digitised, the attributes of the physical world are being digitised, our whereabouts are being digitised.
The challenge comes from the fact that if this encroachment really is happening quicker, more broadly, and deeper than before, the phenomenon is that technology is going to race ahead, but it could leave a lot of people behind in the capacity of folks who want to offer their labour to the economy. And how we deal with this is one of the great challenges for our generation.
If this encroachment really is taking place faster and more broadly than it ever has before, there are
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[Interview Transcript. The original video with the interview can be found online at McKinsey.com]
INSIGHTS FROM MCKINSEY & COMPANY
THE EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGE James Manyika: Between the period of 2000 and 2008, the US lost something like 5.8 million jobs in manufacturing. If you look at those jobs that we lost, only at most 20 percent of them were due to what you might call globalisation, so offshoring and outsourcing. Whereas the rest of them, which is the majority, 80 percent of them, can be explained by looking at the effects of technology and the other key culprit, which is what happens to demand. Where you had productivity growth without the demand growth, employment tends to suffer. Andrew McAfee: There are a couple of policy implications that come out pretty quickly. One is that over the longer term, we cannot rely exclusively on economic growth alone to solve all of our employment problems. Now, in the short term, economic growth is absolutely the best way to get the hiring engine kicked in again.
The robots, the androids, and the artificial intelligence cannot do everyone’s job yet by a long shot. So, the right way in the short term to grow employment is to grow the economy. But, over the longer term, it honestly feels to me like we might be in a situation where enterprises can grow and thrive and not need nearly as much labour as they have needed historically. James Manyika: Certainly, education will help. We know that there is a big gap between what most economies need and what the educational training systems create to meet those needs. But I would argue even that is not enough. So, while I think it is comfortable for policy makers—and, in fact, correct—to say, “Let’s focus on innovation and let’s focus on entrepreneurship and let’s solve education”, those are correct, but they may not be complete answers to how we tackle employment.
CLAIMING THE PRIZE Andrew McAfee: I foresee a big change coming in the way the very best organisations are making some of their key judgments, forecasts, predictions, and decisions. The tough transition is going to be getting the people and the alleged experts out of the way, and teaching them to be a lot more humble and a lot more data driven. The other very big change that is coming is the fact that we have access—again via technology, networks, and very powerful devices—to a worldwide body of knowledge, talent, and skills. And what we are learning over and over is the truth of Joy’s Law, named for Bill Joy, one of the founders of Sun Microsystems. He said; “The smartest people work for somebody else”. What we are seeing is that when you can articulate the problem you are working on or the challenge or the thing you want help with, and float it up so that the world’s community of innovators and problem solvers can work on it, you get very good results. You get them quickly and you get them from unexpected quarters. Thinking that all the expertise that you need is in-house, or that you know where to go to get the expertise or the help
for the big challenge that you are working on— that is a really dangerous assumption. The advice that I give to people leading enterprises these days is: Do an experiment, set up a test. It is not terribly expensive these days to engage in open innovation, to use some of these platforms to post a challenge, post a data-science challenge, post an innovation challenge. Watch what happens as a result. Find a part of your organisation that is led by somebody who is a little bit more comfortable working with data, who has got a team of geeks that are part of her team, and do an experiment about becoming more data driven in forecasting, in market analysis, in product design, in humancapital management; in some of these areas. Do an experiment. And then learn from it. ABOUT THE AUTHORS James Manyika is a Director of the McKinsey Global Institute and a Director in McKinsey’s San Francisco office. Andrew McAfee is Associate Director and principal research scientist of the Center for Digital Business at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 23
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2015
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2015 Aarhus Symposium Challenge is the students’ chance to strive for and truly engage in this year’s symposium. It is an essay competition consisting of three carefully selected topics within this year’s theme; Leadership and Technology. The topics are inspired by three of the great leaders of today who have been invited to speak at this year’s Aarhus Symposium. Participating in the essay competition not only gives the students the chance to secure a seat at Aarhus Symposium 2015 – it is also an exclusive chance to meet and engage in a dialogue with one of the three leaders in Leaders’ Forum.
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AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2015
THE JOURNEY: FROM AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE LAUNCH TO LEADERS’ FORUM The Aarhus Symposium Challenge Launch event on September 2 marked the release of the three challenge topics of 2015. It sought to provide the students with useful tools for writing an essay for Aarhus Symposium Challenge during the following three weeks before the hand-in deadline on September 23. In addition to securing a seat at Aarhus Symposium, it is also an opportunity for the 50 students with the most qualified essay contributions to receive extensive feedback on their work from selected professors from Danish universities. The authors of the most inspiring and ambitious essays will be offered a unique opportunity to participate in Leaders’ Forum, where they will engage in dialogue with the leader representing their chosen topic. Last year, Emma Kjær Hargraves, a student of Political Science from Aarhus University, was among the few students to meet with General Peter Bartram, Danish Chief of Defence, and from this experience she noted: “It was very interesting and exciting to meet someone that powerful. He offered advice and gave insight into the military world and the
world of politics. To hear him talk about him being young and being told that he was going to be a leader someday was especially inspiring, but also assuring”. Not only is Leaders’ Forum an opportunity for the students, it is also a source of inspiration for the leaders participating. Students are not biased by the daily workflow procedures in a company, and therefore, they are able to contribute with new and fresh eyes. This is a great asset to all businesses, and it is why the experience of Leaders’ Forum is also of interest for the top leaders of today.
“I especially enjoyed meeting with the bright and dedicated group of students participating in the Leaders’ Forum, where we had interesting, lively and, not least, inspiring discussions about the challenges and possibilities for Danske Bank” THOMAS F. BORGEN, GROUP CEO, DANSKE BANK LEADERS’ FORUM 2014
WHEN AMBITION PAYS OFF: WINNER OF THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD Aarhus Symposium also rewards the student who has written the most outstanding and ambitious essay. Last year, the essay written by Moma Vujisic, a student of Economics and Business Administration from Aarhus University, was singled out as the overall best Aarhus Symposium Challenge essay among the nearly 200 contributions, and he was selected the winner of the Aarhus Symposium Award. His experience was memorable: “Winning the 2014 Aarhus Symposium Award was truly an unforgettable moment. To have my name called as the winner after an inspiring day
of presentations, as well as my own personal meeting with the Danish Chief of Defence, was incredibly fulfilling. It was rewarding to get a validation of the ideas I wanted to bring to the discussion on leadership in the future, especially by some of the top leaders in the world”. The organising committee behind Aarhus Symposium is looking forward to welcome participants for Aarhus Symposium 2015, and we hope that everyone who has participated in Aarhus Symposium Challenge will benefit from their experience on November 6, when they will connect with the leaders of today. AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 25
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015
GO GREEN, NOW? What are the most urgent challenges that Denmark faces when it comes to this year’s overall theme, Leadership and Technology? And, perhaps more importantly, how do we handle these challenges in the best way? Prior to Aarhus Symposium 2015, we once again invite you to Battle of the Economists. Three top economists have been invited to share their thoughts on whether Denmark should go green now? Each of the speakers will give a short presentation followed by a debate between the economists and the audience, moderated by the experienced journalist, Thomas Bernt Henriksen, Economics Editor at Dagbladet Børsen A/S.
SHOULD DENMARK GO GREEN, NOW? In the last few years, Denmark has set out to become one of the greenest countries in the world. Successive Danish governments have focused on supporting sustainable technologies through green policies, causing a Danish green technology hub to emerge. Today, Denmark is considered to be in a leading position in terms of offering sustainable solutions. According to Dansk Energi, more than 50 percent of the power used in Denmark in 2014 came from renewable sources, and is expected to rise in the near future. Furthermore, new innovative technologies provide the opportunity to reduce energy consumption significantly through the right investments. However, as innovation continues, newer and more economically efficient technologies will emerge in the future. This leads to the question of whether it would be more profitable to postpone the investments, and thus, uncertainty in the green 26 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
transition will follow. In order for Denmark to become a sustainable society, how should Denmark respond to such uncertainty? This depends on whether Denmark should embrace this technological evolution today and further support the development of sustainable solutions, or await the development before taking action. Either way, can Denmark maintain and capitalise on its leading position within green solutions? And should Denmark go green now? We highly encourage all participants to take part in the debate and to consider these challenges from their own perspective. What do you believe is the optimal approach to solving this challenge within Leadership and Technology? We look forward to welcome Ditlev Engel, Chairman of the Board at Big Future 2025, Thomas Dalsgaard, Executive Vice President at DONG Energy, and Michael Svarer, Professor of Economics at Aarhus University.
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015
DITLEV ENGEL
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, BIG FUTURE 2025 Ditlev Engel is the non-executive Chairman of SE Blue Renewables, Denmark’s largest onshore wind owner and operator, the Chairman of Denmark’s Green Investment Fund, as well as the Chairman of Big Future 2025, an independent initiative to help Danish businesses develop sustainable growth. Ditlev Engel was chairman of the green working group at three consecutive G20 summits in South Korea, France, and Mexico from 2010 to 2012. Ditlev Engel was Group President and CEO of Vestas Wind Systems from 2005 to 2013. Prior to joining Vestas, he served as the Group President and CEO of Hempel Denmark from 2000 to 2005. Before his tenure as CEO, he worked 12 years abroad for Hempel. Ditlev Engel has a Diploma in Business Economics from Copenhagen Business School.
THOMAS DALSGAARD
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, DONG ENERGY Thomas Dalsgaard is the Executive Vice President of DONG Energy. With energy sources ranging from oil and gas to offshore windmills, DONG Energy is the leading energy supplier in Denmark, making them one of the most important drivers of the Danish transition to a sustainable society. Through his role, Thomas Dalsgaard has considerable insights into the challenges and opportunities of the Danish transition to sustainability. He is leading DONG Energy’s department of Thermal Power and has been involved intensively in the innovative New Bio Solutions business, which aims to convert waste to energy. Previously, Thomas Dalsgaard has held positions as a Senior Economist in the OECD and IMF, and as the Head of Division at the Danish Ministry of Finance. Thomas Dalsgaard has a Master’s degree in Economics from Aarhus University.
MICHAEL SVARER
PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY Michael Svarer is a professor at the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus University. His primary research areas and teaching interests are labour economics, applied microeconometrics, and microeconomics in general. He is affiliated to numerous international research institutions, and he is a former member of the Labour Market Commission. Michael Svarer has been intensively involved in policy advising in Denmark and, among other positions, he is a member of the board of the Danish Economic Council and the Danish Environmental Economic Council. Michael Svarer has a Master’s degree and a PhD in Economics from Aarhus University. AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 27
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS 2015 THE PRACTICAL DETAILS WHY SHOULD I GO? To experience three top economists debate on how to optimally address the Danish ambitions of sustainability from an economic perspective.
WHERE SHOULD I GO? The S-building, Fuglesangs Allé 4, Aarhus University.
WHEN SHOULD I BE THERE? Date: November 2, 2015. Time: 15.30 to 20.00.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Check out the booklet about Battle of the Economists, which will be available for download on our website and in print at Campus Fuglesangs Allé, Aarhus University.
AGENDA 15.30 – 16.30
ARRIVAL
16.30 – 16.45
WELCOME TO BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS
16.45 – 17.00
PRESENTATION BY
DITLEV ENGEL
17.00 – 17.15
PRESENTATION BY
THOMAS DALSGAARD
17.15 – 17.30
PRESENTATION BY
MICHAEL SVARER
17.30 – 18.00
BREAK WITH SNACKS AND DRINKS
18.00 – 19.00
DEBATE
19.00 – 20.00
A BITE TO EAT AND NETWORKING
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LOOKING BACK AT AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2014
AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 29
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
PARTNERS PLATINUM PARTNER
GOLD PARTNER
SILVER PARTNERS
BATTLE OF THE ECONOMISTS PARTNERS
IN COLLABORATION WITH for students
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by students
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
HR PARTNER MARKETING PARTNER KNOWLEDGE PARTNER
PRODUCT PARTNERS
SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS
FOUNDATIONS
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TINE’S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY AT ARLA
TINE’S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY AT ARLA
WHAT’S SO TECHY ABOUT COWS, MILK, AND CHEESE? TINE GLAHN WERNLUND ORGANISER (MARKETING GROUP), AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
Technology constantly changes the way we live, work, and communicate. Most people my age have grown up with a high pace of technological advancement and know about the more popularised technologies, such as laptops, smartphones, and of course, the Internet. But how does it work in an organisational context? When Arla signed as the Platinum Partner of Aarhus Symposium 2015, I seized the great opportunity to pay them a visit to explore how
one of the world’s leading dairy companies deploy innovative technologies when driving business forward. How does technological advancement improve business performance and ensure Arla’s ability to continuously meet consumer needs? To find out, I met up with four inspiring people from different parts of the organisation to have them share their perspectives on the role of technology at Arla.
HOW DO TECHNOLOGY AND MILK GO HAND IN HAND? First, I had the pleasure of meeting Foodservice Category Director in Consumer Denmark, Henrik Linderberg. He emphasised how technology plays a significant role across the entire organisation and at all levels, using everything from manufacturing processes and IT tools to food and protein technology. Now, this made me wonder if technology has challenged the way Arla carries
HENRIK LINDERBERG CATEGORY DIRECTOR, ARLA FOODS
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out business, just as it, most likely, has paved the way for new opportunities. “Technology is put in place to make things easier”, he said. “Also, the technological development has enabled us to expand our product portfolio, for instance going from two kinds of milk to 15 different kinds”. In a fast-moving technological environment, it can be extremely difficult to predict the future for businesses, but as Henrik Linderberg said: “It’s hard to imagine that you download milk or cream”, as he compared dairy products to music and books. “So Arla’s business will always be tangible, but the way we interact with consumers and how we ensure the most effective and sustainable way of transporting our products will change”. Obviously, technology can never digitise neither the cow nor its milk, but it has a huge influence throughout Arla’s entire value chain.
TINE’S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY AT ARLA
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN A TANGIBLE BUSINESS Henrik Linderberg’s intriguing point gave rise to another central question in my exploration of technology in an organisational context: As a company building your business on tangible products, how do you stay innovative in a world that is all about digitisation and “bits and bytes”? In my search for answers, I went to visit Arla’s Strategic Innovation Centre (ASIC) in Brabrand, where I met up with Lene Vognsen, Senior Director Process and Packaging. Lene Vognsen gave me an interesting insight into ASIC’s processes and explained how they use and explore technology for two main reasons. First of all, technology can be a means of optimising and controlling existing processes, and secondly, technology can support the development of new products to meet consumer needs. Especially, Lene Vognsen highlighted how consumers are the centre of the business in everything Arla does – also when innovating through technology: “Consumers are increasingly focused on reducing environmentally damaging packaging and food waste, and we try to accommodate that here at ASIC”. Therefore, with the consumer at
the heart of all Arla’s activities, focus is on natural and nutritious food with a longer shelf life, while continuously improving the taste experience, and ultimately, ensuring high-quality products at all times. This gave me food for thought. Enabled by technology, Arla provides, develops, and manages an entire portfolio of healthy and tasty experiences. However, as I learned during my visit at Arla Foods Ingredients (AFI) – a subsidiary company of Arla – Arla’s product portfolio extends way beyond this.
LENE VOGNSEN SENIOR DIRECTOR PROCESS AND PACKAGING, ARLA FOODS
TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDSPOTTING AT ARLA FOODS INGREDIENTS At AFI, I had a talk with Claudia Stoecker, Business Development Manager, who told me that AFI depends heavily on technology when responding to changes in demand among consumers and developing new and more sustainable products. As an example, Claudia Stoecker described how whey, a by-product from cheese, was perceived as waste 20-25 years ago. However, technology and research have made it possible to find new ways of extracting proteins and minerals from the whey, and turn them into key components in other products, for instance for infants and athletes. Accompanied by an increasing health and sports trend in several consumer segments, this, among other things, lead to a partnership with Team Danmark initiated in 2015.
“For AFI,” Claudia Stoecker said, “technology is the foundation of the business. We use technology to separate raw materials, modify them, and turn them into new products”. Claudia Stoecker also shared her thoughts about the future with me: “I think future technological developments will be a response to new global trends, in particular, the demographical changes”. She believes that longer life expectancy may lead to an increasing need for whey protein in order to maintain a good health throughout a long life. I found this concrete example extremely interesting, as technology yet again plays a key role in meeting consumer demands and driving the business forward.
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TINE’S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY AT ARLA
“For AFI, technology is the foundation of the business. We use technology to separate raw materials, modify them, and turn them into new products” CLAUDIA STOECKER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, ARLA FOODS INGREDIENTS (AFI)
LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY One final and compelling question kept occupying my mind: If a business like Arla relies so much on technology, what skills does this require of its leaders? Do leaders of today have to be tech experts as well? With 10 years of experience driving excellent performance at Arla, CEO Peder Tuborgh has encountered several changes within leadership as well as technology. Therefore, I was eager to hear this top leader’s take on technology in regards to Arla’s business performance. Peder Tuborgh stressed the importance of the business’ ability to understand and use technology, and he further explained how technology is a highly essential part of the organisation: “It is a way of linking people together. With 1,500 leaders at Arla throughout the world, technology is key for communicating effectively”. At the same time, he added that this also constitutes one of the greatest challenges for leaders right now; understanding technology, how to use it, and how to keep up with it. Moreover, Peder Tuborgh told me about the gradual change he has seen when it comes to leadership. Today, leaders are being evaluated on their souls, their ability to perform as leaders, and how they live up to certain leadership values: “We require for all leaders that they have a cool and clever head, a warm heart, and that they have strong legs,” Peder 34 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
PEDER TUBORGH CEO, ARLA FOODS
Tuborgh said. From my talk with Peder Tuborgh, I realised that it is a necessity that a leader possesses a certain understanding of the increasingly important role that technology plays to the business. The “good old-fashioned” leaderships skills, however, have not been outpaced by technological advancement – and is not likely to be so anytime soon. However, it is not only to the CEO that an understanding of technology is important. The interviews with Henrik Linderberg, Lene Vognsen, Claudia Stoecker, and Peder Tuborgh have given me a deep insight into how technology plays a significant role at all levels at Arla. No business can afford to neglect the challenges and possibilities of technology, including everything from industrial production technologies and innovation to communication and information technologies.
You’re not just shaping our future. You’re shaping theirs.
Grow at Arla At Arla, we do so much more than make some of the world’s favourite dairy products. We make healthy taste delicious, mornings worth getting up for and family dinners unforgettable. Arla®, Castello® and Lurpak® – brands like these make us a vital, natural part of modern life in over 100 countries around the world. We are 7,500 Danish and 19,000 global employees at the heart of it. Every single one of us plays an important role and together we build on our 10bn Euros turnover and establish our position as one of the largest dairy companies in the world. To find out what part you can play, visit arla.com/career
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
GOLD PARTNER NORDEA PEOPLE MAKE NORDEA GREAT Nordea has embarked on one of the largest transformations in the European banking industry as we are simplifying and transforming our business and IT landscape. All for the purpose of meeting the customer needs for the future relationship bank as well as meeting market demands and compliance. At Nordea, leadership is recognised as one of the most important drivers of culture, performance, motivation, and job satisfaction. And for us, great leadership is the ability to engage and motivate people to reach out for our vision and to create the right team to make it happen.
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Across all areas and levels of the organisation, our leaders invest time in recruiting and creating the strongest teams to deliver value for our customers and our shareholders. Our leadership programmes focus on your daily leadership challenges, objectives, and ambitions. The programmes mix on-thejob activities with self-study and classroom seminars. By integrating your own work into the programme and utilising the mix of learning activities, we strive to create a relevant and value-adding learning experience together with you.
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
SILVER PARTNERS ACCENTURE STRATEGY In Accenture Strategy, we shape our clients’ future by combining deep business insight with the understanding of how technology will impact industry and business models. Our clients are some of the world’s most successful and influential organisations, and together with them, we identify their need for new strategic initiatives and solve their key issues, including digital disruption, industry convergence, growth and innovation, global operating models, sustainability, enterprise transformation, and more. That’s high performance, delivered.
DANSKE BANK Danske Bank is a strong Nordic universal bank with bridges to the world around us. A career with us is your opportunity to join an international community of 18,000 colleagues in 16 countries. Together, we’ll deliver on our promise to make our customers financially confident and achieve their ambitions. We offer different paths into Danske Bank. Your opportunities include student positions, internships, our graduate programme and other entry-level positions. At Danske Bank, we share your ambition to succeed. Because only if you do well, we’ll do well. Read more at www.danskebank.com/students. AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 37
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
SILVER PARTNERS DJØF Join Djøf – a professional network, second to none. As a member of Djøf, you will be part of a strong professional network with 85,000 members, 23,000 of them students. In Djøf, you will find members from a wide range of study programmes such as economics, social and political science, law, communication, and IT. Together with you, Djøf will safeguard the basic conditions for your life as a student and your working life. Join Djøf and you will enjoy access to networks, events, new knowledge, and special discounts. All benefits that will help launch your future career. Register at djoef.dk/studerende.
NEAS ENERGY Are you looking for a rewarding career move and do you want to work in a highpaced international energy trading and management company? Neas Energy might be just the place for you. No markets are emerging as fast as energy markets and we are continually looking for students and new graduates to help grow our business. Our career areas include Trading, Finance and Risk Management, Relationship Management, and IT Development. We hope to meet you at Aarhus Symposium and get a chance to tell you more about why Neas Energy and the energy business is a great place to kick-start your career. 38 | AARHUS SYMPOSIUM
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
SILVER PARTNERS MAERSK GROUP The Maersk Group is a worldwide conglomerate, established in 1904. We operate in some 130 countries and employ 89,000 people. Our core focus lies within the industries of shipping, oil and gas. The Maersk Group is committed to providing a positive and productive working environment where all employees are valued and inspired to be the best they can be. Our strong focus on diversity is a natural outcome of being a company with a strong talent focus, mindset, and culture. Aarhus Symposium provides a unique and ambitious forum for dialogue, and we are pleased to be a partner for the third time.
SAS INSTITUTE Data scientists with SAS skills are in demand! SAS Institute is the market leader in Denmark within solutions for advanced data analytics. We offer businesses and organisations the ability to make the best decisions based on knowledge and data. With best-ofbreed technology, they need top of the class candidates. That is you! Get started All students have free access to SAS速 software and e-learning courses. To get started, go to www.sasdownload.dk.
Every now and then, we host SAS courses at Aarhus University. To learn when and how to sign up, follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/SASForStuderende. AARHUS SYMPOSIUM | 39
PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
HR PARTNER
MERCURI URVAL We are pleased to present Mercuri Urval as HR Partner of Aarhus Symposium for the third year in a row. As one of the world’s leading international recruitment consultancy firms, Mercuri Urval recognises that people is the most important contributing factor to a company’s results. Mercuri Urval supports Aarhus Symposium in the recruitment of new organisers, ensuring the strongest possible organising committee for the forthcoming symposium. Furthermore, Mercuri Urval hosts a coaching session for the organisers with the aim of building leadership capabilities. In the weeks prior to Aarhus Symposium 2015 on November 6, please keep an eye out for Mercuri Urval and Aarhus Symposium on TV2 News. Here, you will find a TV spot about Aarhus Symposium, and our great partners, produced and sponsored by Mercuri Urval.
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PRESENTING THE PARTNERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
MARKETING PARTNER
KUNDE & CO
Kunde & Co was founded by Jesper Kunde in 1988 and is today one of the leading marketing and advertising agencies in Northern Europe with offices in Zürich, Düsseldorf, and Copenhagen. The agency specialises in creating overall marketing and branding strategies for companies to align and strengthen their market positions. Kunde & Co is highly experienced in every facet of marketing. Under one roof, Kunde & Co combines marketing consultancy and creativity with indepth specialised services in media strategy, dialogue marketing, digital communications, and more. Read more at: www.kunde.dk
IN COLLABORATION WITH
AARHUS BSS
Aarhus BSS ranks among the largest business schools in Europe and is the main supplier of highly skilled graduates to the Danish business sector. As a broad business school, we value interdisciplinarity and critical thinking while staying focused on developing and imparting the core academic disciplines within our scope. And we engage in dialogue with the business community and our students to make sure the content of our programmes answers demand. At Aarhus BSS, we push boundaries to produce graduates with attractive skill-sets that both they and their employers will profit from in the future.
SUPPORTING ORGANISATION
FINANCE AND CONSULTING CLUB AARHUS (FACCA) Are you interested in improving your link to best-in-class companies and expanding your network while getting a sneak peek into your potential future career within finance or management consulting? Then visit FACCA.dk – membership is free and the only requirement is that you have completed your third semester of your Bachelor’s degree. We look forward to welcoming you! Best regards, The Executive Board of FACCA
Follow us online Facebook: www.facebook.com/FinanceAndConsultingClubAarhus LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/facca
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ARE YOU AN ORGANISER OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2016? Are you excited about Aarhus Symposium and are you interested in becoming a member of the Organising Committee of Aarhus Symposium? Now is your chance! Aarhus Symposium is organised by a team of approximately 30 students and as a part of this team, you can look forward to a unique and challenging experience. There are a number of different positions available, and we are looking to gather a diverse team where ambitious and dedicated people from different study areas, semesters, and with different personal strengths come together. Below, you can get a quick overview of the responsibilities of the different groups within the organisation of Aarhus Symposium. For more information, please go to www.aarhus-symposium.org.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE On November 8, the Steering Committee 2016 will post further information about the application process on www.aarhus-symposium.org and on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/AarhusSymposium. If you want to be a part of the organising committee of Aarhus Symposium 2016, please be aware of the deadline on November 15, 2015, and submit your application to mail@aarhus-symposium.org. Attach a short motivation (max one page), your CV (max one page), and other documents you find relevant, e.g. grades, references, or documents showing specific skills such as graphical expertise or proficiency in English. Please write the name of the group, to which you want to apply, in the e-mail subject line, e.g. ‘Application // Marketing’. If you have further questions, you are more than welcome to contact Aarhus Symposium by e-mail: mail@ aarhus-symposium.org. We look forward to hearing from you! PROGRAMME
MARKETING
The Programme Group is responsible for designing the programme. The group is the official link between organisers, speakers, and moderators before, during, and after the symposium. Being a member of the group will give you valuable experience in dealing with people in the executive suite of the largest companies and organisations in the world.
The Marketing Group is responsible for promoting the Aarhus Symposium brand by developing an extensive marketing campaign through all kinds of media production, happenings, and online channels. From being a member of this group, you will gain valuable experience in brand building and the execution of a professional marketing campaign.
IT
UNIVERSITY ALLIANCES
The IT Group is responsible for development and maintenance of the IT systems. The primary focus of the group is to manage the official Aarhus Symposium website, ensuring that the website functions correctly, and to continuously improve the functions and design of the website. Furthermore, the group is responsible for providing general know-how about IT and offering technical support to the organising committee. As a member of this group, you will gain valuable experience in website management practices.
The University Alliances Group is responsible for building sound and long-lasting partnerships with other student organisations on a national and international level in order to create awareness and interest in Aarhus Symposium. As a member of this group, you will gain valuable experience with communication, negotiation, and relationship management. Moreover, you will gain a valuable network of ambitious students from other Danish universities.
FINANCE
ESSENTIALS
The Finance Group manages the finances of Aarhus Symposium in close collaboration with our Auditing Partner, Deloitte. The group draws up budgets, approves costs, clears expenses, and reports cash flows. Furthermore, this group is responsible for producing the annual report. As a member of the Finance Group you will gain valuable insight into how to work with an Auditing Partner, produce an annual report and intergroup collaboration.
The Essentials Group ties it all together and is in charge of executing the Aarhus Symposium event. Among other things, this includes tasks such as securing product partnerships, arranging catering for the participants, and planning and defining roles for organisers during the event week. As a member of this group, you will gain valuable experience in planning and coordinating a world-class event with multiple stakeholders.
BUSINESS RELATIONS
SUPPORT CREW
The Business Relations Group is responsible for obtaining the financing through corporate partnerships and funding, which allows the execution of a world-class event in Denmark. Being a member of the group will give you valuable experience in dealing and negotiating with professionals from the business community.
Support Crew manages various tasks and assists all the groups. Furthermore, the Support Crew is responsible for evaluating the processes in order to improve the execution of future symposia. The group is ideal for students from the first or third semesters, who wish to get familiar with the work processes in Aarhus Symposium.
THE ORGANISERS OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2015
STEERING COMMITTEE
IT
Alexander Mørch Valsted Ann Christina Pedersen Rune Lysdahl Sørensen
Mathias Frederik von Appen Schrøder Moma Vujisic Simon Thunø
PROGRAMME
MARKETING
Johanne Ørndrup (Co-Head of Group) Ebbe Faurschou (Co-Head of Group) Tulle Mouridsen Nikolaj Hedelund Rasmus Østergaard Sara Poulsgaard Thorbjørn Martensen
Anna Hermansen (Head of Group) Nikolaj Gjøde (Co-Head of Group) Kasper Tuborgh Rasmus Yang Bjelke Rasmus Palsten Nielsen Tine Glahn Wernlund Tina Mørch Nielsen
BUSINESS RELATIONS
ESSENTIALS
Camilla Sommer Thomsen (Head of Group) Christian Elmkjær Andersen Jacob Saugstrup Andersen Kristian Iversen Nikolaj Krog Knudsen
Line Møgelvang Villadsen (Co-Head of Group) Mathias Barløse (Co-Head of Group) Anders Laden Thomsen Camilla Taulbæk Julie Krieger Fregerslev Andresen
FINANCE
UNIVERSITY ALLIANCES
Johan Stax Jakobsen (Head of Group) Kristoffer Lundquist Lars Hansen
Stefanie Kerstin Krüger Petersen
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