Members of the company's Management Board are not members of the company's Board of Directors. This two-tier structure prevents dual memberships of the Board of Directors and the Management Board.
The Board of Directors defines the principles of Danish Ship Finance's operations, while the Management Board is responsible for the day-to-day management.
The Board of Directors of Danish Ship Finance has 12 members. Eight are elected by the shareholders in the general meeting, and four are elected by the company's employees.
Executive Management
Chief Executive Officer
Erik I. Lassen
Appointed CEO on 09.04.2008, employed since 1993.
Member of the Management Board, CFO
Lars Jebjerg
Appointed as a member of the Management Board on 22.05.2018, employed since 2018.
Member of the Management Board, CCO
Michael Frisch
Appointed as a member of the Management Board on 09.04.2018, employed since 2018.
Executive Vice President, Head of Credit
Flemming Møller
Appointed as Executive Vice President on 01.01.2018, employed since 2012.
Board of Directors
Chairman
Eivind Kolding
Date of birth: 16 November 1959
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Other directorships:
Chairman of NTG Nordic Transport Group A/S
Vice Chairman of Leo Fondet (and one group company)
Member of the board of directors of NNIT A/S
Member of the board of directors of Altor Fund Manager AB
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of shipping and the maritime industry, macroeconomics, banking, credit, insurance and finance, financial risk management, regulation and general management of international business.
Deputy Chairman
CFO & Partner Peter Nyegaard, Axcel
Member of the Audit Committee
Date of birth: 16 May 1963
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by Axcel
Other directorships:
Chairman of FIH
Member of the board of directors of Øens Murerfirma A/S
Chairman/member of a number of boards in the Axcel Group
Member of the Board of directors of Nuuday A/S
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of general management of international companies, financial risk management, financial regulation, capital markets, credit, financing and macroeconomics.
Member
Group CFO Anders Damgaard, PFA Pension
Chairman of the Audit Committee
Date of birth: 8 August 1970
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by PFA
Other directorships:
Member of the board of directors of Blue Equity Management A/S
Member of the board of directors of Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Asset Management A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Bank
Member of the board of directors of PFA DK Boliger Høj A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA DK Boliger Lav A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Ejendomme Høj A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Ejendomme Lav A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Europe Real Estate High A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Europe Real Estate Low A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Europe Real Estate Medium A/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Kapitalforening
Member of the board of directors of PFA Kollegier ApS
Member of the board of directors of PFA Sommerhuse ApS
Member of the board of directors of PFA US Real Estate Medium P/S
Member of the board of directors of PFA Nordic Real Estate Low P/S
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of financial institutions (including banking), credit, investment, finance, regulation and financial risk management.
Member
Christian Frigast
Member of the Remuneration Committee
Date of birth: 23 November 1951
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by Axcel
Other directorships:
Chairman of Axcel Management
Chairman of Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Chairman of EKF (Denmark’s Export Credit Agency)
Chairman of The Board Leadership Society in Denmark
Chairman of Industry of association Aktive Ejere in Denmark (Active Owners)
Vice Chairman of Axcelfuture, Axcel’s think tank
Vice Chairman of PANDORA
Vice Chairman of PostNord
Vice Chairman of Axcel Advisory Board
Member of the board of directors of Nissens A/S
Associate professor at CBS (Copenhagen Business School)
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of banking, finance, financial risk management, management of international companies, M&A, restructuring, operational efficiency and value proposition strategies.
Member
CEO Jacob Meldgaard, Torm A/S
Member of the Remuneration Committee
Date of birth: 24 June 1968
Nationality: Dansk
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 16 June 2017
Appointed by Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Other directorships:
Chairman of Danish Shipping (Danske Rederier)
Chairman of Grant Compass
Member of the board of directors of Syfoglomad
Member of the board of directors of TORM plc (board member in five companies under TORM)
Competencies:
Broad experience concerning shipping and the maritime industry, management, investment, finance and restructuring of operations.
Member
Management Executive Michael Nellemann Pedersen, PKA A/S
Member of the Audit Committee
Date of birth: 8 July 1961
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by PKA
Other directorships:
Management Executive of Property companies owned by the three pension funds managed by PKA A/S
Management Executive of Ejendomsselskabet Dronningegarden
Management Executive of OPP HoldCo ApS
Management Executive of A/S Kjøbenhavns Ejendomsselskab
Management Executive of Forstædernes Ejendomsaktieselskab
Chairman/member of Advisory Board and investment committees of various foundations relating to private equity, infrastructure and micro finance due to PKA’s investment in such foundations
Member of the board of directors of Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Member of the board of directors of Danish Ship Finance A/S
Member of the board of directors of Refshaleøen Holding A/S
Member of the board of directors of Refshaleøens Ejendomsselskab A/S
Member of the board of directors of Margretheholmen P/S
Member of the board of directors of Komplementarselskabet Margretheholm ApS
Member of the board of directors of PKA Skejby Komplementar ApS
Member of the board of directors of PKA Skejby P/S
Member of the board of directors of Hotel Koldingfjord A/S
Member of the board of directors of Fonden Dansk Sygeplejehistorisk Museum
Member of the board of directors of Poppelstykket 12 A/S
Member of the board of directors of P/S PKAE Ejendom
Member of the board of directors of Komplementarselskabet PKA AE ApS
Member of the board of directors of SAS Pilot & Navigators Pension Fund
Member of the board of directors of Investeringsselskabet af 24. februar 2015 A/S
Member of the board of directors of Tuborg Havnevej I/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Ejendomme I I/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Ejendomme af 2013 I/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Projektselskab I/S
Member of the board of directors of Brokvarteret P/S
Member of the board of directors of P/S Tranders Høje
Member of the board of directors of Investeringsselskabet af 4. juli 2018 ApS
Member of the board of directors of Institutional Holding GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of Institutional Holding P/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Ejendomme af 2012 I/S
Member of the board of directors of Komplementarselskabet Vilvordevej 70 ApS
Member of the board of directors of Ejendomsselskabet Vilvordevej 70 P/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Private Funds III GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of Rugårdsvej Odense A/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Venture I GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of Falckgården P/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA AIP A/S
Member of the board of directors of IIP Denmark P/S
Member of the board of directors of IIP Denmark GP P/S
Member of the board of directors of PKA Private Funds I GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of PKA Private Funds III GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of PKA Private Funds IV GP ApS
Member of the board of directors of DEAS Invest I A/S
Member of the board of directors of DEAS Invest Holding A/S
Member of the board of directors of PS Gjellerup
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of financial institutions (including pension fund operations), credit, investment, finance, regulation and financial risk management.
Member
CEO Henrik Sjøgreen, FIH A/S
Member of the Audit Committee
Date of birth: 30 July 1964
Nationality: Danish
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 15 November 2016
Appointed by Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Other directorships:
Chairman of Simon Fougner Hartmanns Fond
CEO of FIH A/S
CEO of FIH Holding A/S
Member of the board of directors of Henrik Frode Obels Fond
Member of the board of directors of Spar Nord A/S
Advisor to the Executive Board in PFA Pensionsselskab
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of banking, credit, insurance and finance, financial risk management, debt markets and general management.
Member
Thor Jørgen Guttormsen
Member of the Remuneration Committee
Date of birth: 5 January 1949
Nationality: Norwegian
Considered to be an independent board member
Elected to the Board of Directors on 16 June 2017
Appointed by Danish Ship Finance Holding A/S
Other directorships:
CEO of Hoegh LNG AS
CEO of Hoegh LNG Holdings Ltd (alternate)
Member of the board of directors of Hoeg Autoliners ASA
Member of the board of directors of Telenor Maritime AS
Member of the board of directors of Aequitas Ltd
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of shipping and the maritime industry, management, investment, finance and restructuring of operations.
Member
Head of Innovation and Research Christopher Rex
Date of birth: 28 January 1979
Nationality: Danish
Elected to the Board of Directors on 29 March 2012
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of macroeconomics, financial risk management, international shipping, digitalisation and decarbonisation through his position as Head of Innovation and Research of Danish Ship Finance A/S.
Member
Executive Assistant Ninna Møller Kristensen
Date of birth: 2 September 1987
Nationality: Danish
Elected to the Board of Directors on 26 March 2020
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of shipping markets as well as management and execution of strategic initiatives through her position as Executive Assistant with responsibility for the Project Office of Danish Ship Finance A/S
Member
Senior Client Executive Henrik Rohde Søgaard
Date of birth: 9 February 1959
Nationality: Danish
Elected to the Board of Directors on 1 July 2023
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of the international banking and shipping markets, credit and ship finance through her position as Senior Client Executive of Danish Ship Finance A/S.
Member
Senior Client Executive Marcus Freuchen Christensen
Date of birth: 20 November 1979
Nationality: Danish
Elected to the Board of Directors on 1 October 2021
Competencies:
Broad knowledge of the international banking and shipping markets, credit and ship finance.
Audit Committee
Danish Ship Finance has set up an audit committee consisting of members of the Board of Directors. In composing the audit committee, the company has ensured that the chairman of the Board of Directors does not act as the chairman of the audit committee. It has also been ensured that the committee has professional capabilities and experience in financial matters and in finance and accounting.
The audit committee consists of Group CFO Anders Damgaard, CFO & Partner Peter Nyegaard og Management Executive Michael Nellemann Pedersen and CEO Henrik Sjøgreen. Anders Damgaard (chairman), who is the independent member with competencies in finance and accounting, qualifies by being the Group CFO in PFA.
The duties of the audit committee are defined in the terms of reference of the audit committee. The audit committee is to assist the Board of Directors in:
- Monitoring the financial reporting process
- Monitoring the efficiency of the company's internal control system and risk management systems
- Monitoring the audit of the annual report
- Monitoring and verifying the independence of the auditors
The audit committee is thus a preparatory and monitoring body. The audit commit-tee holds ordinary meeting three times a year, of which two meetings are prior to the presentation of the annual and half-yearly report. The committee reports to the Board of Directors, and minutes of the committee’s meetings are discussed at the first-coming ordinary board meeting.
Remuneration Committee
The Remuneration Committee operates as a preparatory committee for the Board of Directors with respect to matters concerning remuneration with focus on the remuneration of members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Board, material risk takers and other employees.
The Remuneration Committee monitors trends in salary and bonus policies and practices. It monitors the incentive programmes to ensure that they promote ongoing, long-term value creation as well as compliance with the Remuneration Policy.
The members of the Remuneration Committee are Eivind Kolding (chairman), Christian Frigast and Thor Jørgen Guttormsen.