Realdania is getting a new CEO

The philanthropic association Realdania will change its CEO in the course of 2025. The current CEO, Jesper Nygård, will step down once his successor has been found and can start in the position.

Chairman of the Board of Realdania, Lars Krarup, expresses his sincere gratitude: 

"Jesper Nygård has had a very significant impact on Realdania – and has played an important role in the development of the association that Realdania is today. Together with various boards over the 12 years, he has helped refine our work in many areas. Among other things, during Jesper's tenure, we have developed a more problem-oriented approach to our philanthropic efforts. It is also during this time that we have made decisions to direct part of our investments towards mission-related investments, and not least, that we have placed much more focus on our identity as an association and several related activities to that."

"Jesper will truly be missed. I wish him all the best in his new professional life, and I am incredibly happy that we can continue to draw on his knowledge and skills for a while longer. On behalf of Realdania's board, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jesper for his enormous work effort and a truly significant commitment to the societal agendas that we, as an association with a focus on the built environment, have engaged in. Jesper leaves an impressive imprint," adds Lars Krarup.

Jesper Nygård's involvement with Realdania dates back to 1989 when he joined the board of representatives of RealDanmark, the former association to Realdania, who owned a mortgage and banking business. By April 2003, he became a board member of Realdania when the association transitioned to solely philanthropic activities. In 2009, he became chairman of the board, and from August 2013, he has been the CEO of the philanthropic association.

It is with both sadness and anticipation that Jesper Nygård now leaves the position as CEO.

"Every single day, it has been a huge privilege to lead the daily work at Realdania. A philanthropic association like ours has some very special opportunities to contribute to positive changes in society, and I am proud of the many philanthropic projects and efforts we have been able to support over the years I have been involved. From the many local enthusiasts whom we can help breathe new life into abandoned buildings, to our efforts to assist in solving complex problems such as climate change, loneliness, or homelessness. It is the right choice to step down, but of course, it has not been an easy choice. I will miss my talented colleagues and all the association's partners very much,” says Jesper Nygård and adds:

"At the same time, I am also looking forward to embarking on a different professional life when I step down as CEO in 2025. By that time, I will, in various organisations, have had the role of CEO for nearly 30 years altogether. Henceforth, I will use my knowledge and experience in other areas, such as serving on boards both domestically and internationally, and I will also have the opportunity to reduce my workload and spend more time on private matters," says Jesper Nygård.

Lars Krarup and Jesper Nygård emphasise that both the transition and the timing are well-planned, undramatic, and agreed upon in good spirits between Jesper Nygård and the board. Jesper Nygård will continue to contribute to various activities related to Realdania. In particular, in Realdania's international activities, where he will represent the association for several years to come, for instance, on the board of the European foundation association Philea, the global city network C40, and the Local2030 Coalition within the UN framework. Realdania celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, where Jesper Nygård also will be involved in various jubilee activities.

Realdania's board is now preparing for the CEO change. The candidate profile, job description, and other details have been prepared, and Realdania's new CEO will be found through a thorough search process assisted by Peter Gramkov from Russell Reynolds Associates.

About Realdania

Realdania is a philanthropic association with approximately 185,000 members, working for almost 25 years to create quality of life through the built environment. This includes urban development, construction, and preservation of important cultural environments. Since 2000, Realdania has supported around 5,000 projects with more than 3.1 billion €. Membership is free for property owners. In 2025, Realdania celebrates its 25th anniversary, marked by a major jubilee effort supporting small communities across the country.