CFO Kenneth Hansen’s 10-year anniversary

Kenneth Hansen was working as an auditor at EY in Esbjerg when one of his clients asked whether he might be tempted to change jobs.

He only knew Danbor from the books and didn’t know much about the industry.

But something was missing in his everyday work:

“I had a world with big numbers and big clients. But it was hard to feel genuinely involved goving over the books of a foundation earning three billion kroner. I missed the feeling that what I worked on made a real difference,” he says.

The desire for a more entrepreneurial everyday life with closer relationships and greater influence on decisions motivated him to accept a role as financial controller at Danbor.

A new culture and a new role

The beginning was not easy. Danbor had recently been acquired by NorSea, and the ownership change brought unrest:

“The culture was under pressure and the hierarchy felt very set. There was a clear divide between ‘the old ones’ and ‘the new ones’ among the colleagues. It was a difficult period. If someone had approached me to offer another job back then, I probably would have changed jobs,” Kenneth Hansen says.

He stayed, and in February 2018 things turned around. The company was to be restarted with a new management team, and Kenneth Hansen was offered the role of CFO.

His answer was not an unconditional yes.

“I said I would only join if we also changed the culture. Less hierarchy, more freedom. And we found an agreement,” he says.

Ten years later, it is very much the culture that Kenneth Hansen highlights as what has changed the most.

“We achieved what we said we wanted: responsibility, independence, and a flat hierarchy. And most importantly – we live it, and we have a strong culture today.”

That goes for both everyday life and relationships.

“If someone withdraws from the social side, we give them a positive nudge. That expectation of community is a sign of a healthy culture.”

At the same time, the company has developed significantly from a business perspective. Revenue has tripled, and profits have improved – also in an industry where earnings are traditionally challenging.

“We’ve been good at shifting focus along the way. And Jesper’s entrepreneurial spirit has left a clear mark: everyone should be a salesperson. That has been an important part of our development,” he says.

From numbers to people

For Kenneth Hansen, the journey has been both organizational and personal.

“In the beginning, I was probably 80 percent the numbers guy and 20 percent leader. Today, it’s the other way around,” he says:

“I am responsible for a much more diverse group of employees, and that has developed me. I was worried I would lose some of my professional grounding by switching roles. As an auditor, you are constantly in training. But instead, I gained a new professional skill: leadership. It’s been a very positive development,” he says.

Collaboration within the executive team has also evolved.

“Previously, we were more different. I was the cautious one, while Jesper and Anders were more willing to take risks. Today, we have a shared approach and have become more alike in our way of working.”

He adds:

“And you must give Anders credit: he’s a skilled stakeholder manager. He has by now figured out how to convince me!”

Privately, Kenneth Hansen is deeply rooted in Esbjerg. He grew up in Sønderris, and apart from a brief detour to Aarhus, it’s where he has lived all his life. Today with his wife Christina and their two daughters – and with another child on the way.

Family life plays a big role, and both his siblings and in-laws live nearby.

“I missed the roots when I was away. It means a lot to be close to them,” he says.