Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen

Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen (born 29 November 1966) is a Danish businessman, the Chief Executive of Novo Nordisk since January 2017 and Chairman of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations.

He was named as the Financial Times Person of the Year in December 2023.

Early life
Jørgensen was educated at the Cathedral School of Viborg, the Business School in Aarhus, and San Francisco State University in California, where he graduated in 1991.

Career
In 1994, Jørgensen joined the finance department of Novo Nordisk and remained there until 2001, when he was appointed as vice-president with responsibility for finance and IT in Japan and Oceania, moving with his family to Tokyo. In 2004, he returned to Denmark, and in 2013 he was appointed as Group Director for Quality. In 2014, his role was expanded to include Corporate Development.

In September 2016, it was announced that Jørgensen would succeed Lars Rebien Sørensen as CEO of Novo Nordisk, after Sørensen had announced his departure at the end of the year. The other candidate for the CEO post was Jacob Riis, Director for the American Market, who had been seen as heir presumptive. Early in 2017, Riis resigned, explaining that he was hugely disappointed, and took up a post as managing director of the emergency services company Falck.

Jørgensen is also Chairman of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations and has served as a member of several company boards of directors, including Innate Pharma in France, Harno Invest, NNIT, and NNE Pharmaplan, of which he is chairman.

Honours

 * May 2019: Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
 * 2020: Lederne Leader of the Year
 * December 2023: Financial Times Person of the Year