Knowledge Based Bio-Economy towards 2020

 

Mr. RIISGAARD STEEN 

President and CEO - Novozymes A/S

 

Biography

Steen Riisgaard is President and CEO of Novozymes A/S, a position he has held since Novozymes A/S was demerged from Novo Nordisk A/S in 2000.

Holding an MSc in Microbiology from the University of Copenhagen, Mr Riisgaard joined Novo Nordisk in 1979 in Enzymes Research & Development.

 

In 1982 he moved to Tokyo to start up an Enzymes Research & Development unit in the Novo Nordisk subsidiary Novo Industri Japan Ltd.

 

After his return to Denmark in 1985, he held a range of jobs in the company before he was promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President with special responsibility for Enzyme Business in 1989.

 

Today, Mr Riisgaard draws on 30 years’ experience of working in the field of enzymes.

Prior to joining Novo Nordisk, he was a research fellow at the Serum Institute of Denmark and a research microbiologist at Foss Electric, Denmark.

 

As President and CEO, Mr Riisgaard takes pride in working for Novozymes, which is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers across a broad array of industries Novozymes creates tomorrow's industrial biosolutions, improving its customers' business and the use of our planet's resources.

 

Mr Riisgaard is also Chairman of WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Denmark, Vice Chairman of the Boards of the Egmont International Holding A/S and Rockwool International A/S, and he serves on the Board of EuropaBio.

 

Programme

Speaker, Part I Addressing the global Societal CHALLENGES and socio-economic DRIVERS - The bio-based economy - what's in it for Europe