Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> March 29, 1999
MADS OVLISEN is President and CEO of Novo Nordisk A/S. His career with
Novo started in 1972 when he became an assistant to the Board of
Directors. In 1973 he became general counsel. In 1974 he was appointed
Vice President and General Counsel in charge of the Legal Department,
Patents, Licences, Personnel, and Communications. In 1975 , he was
appointed Executive Vice President. In 1979, he became Executive Vice
President in charge of the Pharmaceuticals Division. In 1980, Mr.
Ovlisen was made deputy managing director of Novo. He was named
President and Chief Executive Officer of Novo Industri A/S in 1981.
Following the merger of Novo Industri A/S and Nordisk Gentofte A/S in
1989, Mr. Ovlisen became President and Chief Executive Officer of Novo
Nordisk A/S. Prior to joining Novo, Mr. Ovlisen was an attorney in
private practice from 1966 to 1970. He received his LLB from the
University of Copenhagen in 1966 and in 1972 earned an MBA from Stanford
University in California. Outside of Novo Nordisk, Mr. Ovlisen's
activities include membership in several prominent Danish organisations.
These include: Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lego A/S (1991);
member of the Executive Committee of Danmark-Amerika Fondet (1986);
member of the Board of Trustees of the American-Scandinavian Foundation,
New York (1986); and member of Danmarks Nationalbank's Anniversary
Foundation of 1968 (1994). He is also attached to several educational
and cultural associations, among these a member of the Advisory Council
of the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, California
(1990). He received the Danish Design Council's Award in 1990. Mr.
Ovlisen was made Knight of first degree of the Dannebrog in 1988 and
holds the Italian Order of Merit (It.F.3). Profile
to put us into context, what you see as your business, what you see as
your company today.?
Mr. Ovlisen: NOVO NORDISK
